@Brentil: Thanks.. the evap canister moved makes more sense, and jives with what I got back today from my contacts.
@Everyone wanting large structure changes: Many of us kept telling you it wasn't going to happen. Investment into the plant and Kappa platform is not there... no unnecessary changes were planned or thought about. But.. if you want a Coupe, wait until Bowling Green... I think you'll be happier.
@Everyone wanting large structure changes: Many of us kept telling you it wasn't going to happen. Investment into the plant and Kappa platform is not there... no unnecessary changes were planned or thought about. But.. if you want a Coupe, wait until Bowling Green... I think you'll be happier.
I don't believe you have any arguments here, but the fact is that extra inch of headroom killed it for more than a few potential customers. As a convertible, the Solstice looks to be about the right size, as a coupe it is too small. Unfortunately this looks to be another vehicle that I have to add the "..., for midgets" qualifier to.
There are a few people that have stated they are going to the car show in NYC this Saturday. Three of us are going from Long Island with our wives. Maybe we should all meet by the Solstice exhibit at noon or something. If we need to start a new thread mods please move this.
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DOD: 2/18/06
Aggressive, Ebony leather interior, everything except OnStar.
Hahn Stage III, powder coated pipes/valve cover, XPEL clear bra, lil chromies, painted calipers, caliper decals, centerpiece wheel decals, visor decals, 6" stubbie antenea, 20% tints, painted grills black, painted WS frame & behind the seats Aggressive, painted engine cover Aggressive, WOLO Bad Boy air horn, Solo SQR-2 dual tip center exhaust, Motegi DV5 wheels, Riken Raptor tires, Eibach springs.
SO no performance gains, no place to put the top. Even if I liked the styling, which I do, why would I buy one?
Had it been T tops it would have made more sense. Had it been T Tops and gain 100 hp then you got something special.
This is just a stupid addon in my eyes.
Still I will have to sit in it saturday at the show
I do not think GM is trying to go after the convertable crowd with it anyway. So if a lot of current owners don't go for it, that might not be a problem with GM. They want to grow the line, bring in more new buyers to the Solstice... and go after folks who would rather have a rigid roof than those who want a cloth top. Even though it is a targa, a targa really isn't a true convertable experience anyway. Removing it is more like having a really big sunroof, than a true convertable experience.
Over the years, we have seen a lot of people comment on the car that they would love to buy one if they made the coupe. Here it is... hopefully they buy!
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Solstice and Sky Fan
Retired Solstice Forum Super Moderator (Apr 2005-July 2009)
It's never easy to take an existing design such as Solstice and radically alter it to serve additional purposes. All too often, the result is inconsistent at best, abhorrent at worst. Automotive history is littered with the car-casses of vehicles that have tried to be all things to all people, and failed.
IMHO, Solstice runs to the most challenging end of the scale for this. It's a car with unique appeal and very individual styling. Messing with such a successful formula is very courageous, and borders on reckless.
That being said, I have nothing but kudos for the Coupe! The willingness to take risks is just one of the reasons I am a fervent supporter of today's General Motors. Standing pat on Solstice would have been easy. The GM of 10 years ago would not have dared try this. Hell, they'd not have dared even introducing Solstice in the first place!
The past is over, my friends. Welcome to domestic automobilia, 21st century style!!! It just doesn't get any better than this. I will have to own at least one of each now: Coupe AND Roadster!
What follows is a favorite quote that I accept as my mantra. Chant it with me now...
CHANGE: Without change, there can be no breakthroughs. Without breakthroughs, there can be no future.
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Bill Hahn Jr., Hahn RaceCraft, Inc. Home of the World's Quickest and Most Powerful Solstices
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It's never easy to take an existing design such as Solstice and radically alter it to serve additional purposes. All too often, the result is inconsistent at best, abhorrent at worst.
The GM of 10 years ago would not have dared try this.
The HP gains and new interior come in 2010. GM needs to keep the upgrades coming in sequence to maintain interest in the car.
Look at the S2000 - nothing new for 5 years and now it is on its deathbed.
Honda wanted to replace the S2000 a while back but never quite got to it. Now they're taking the chassis for the revived NSX and the base convertible is going to move up to the Acura line and compete with the Lexus SC. Sure, it was not a pretty way to execute, but hey, they've made a killing on Accords and Civics while spending they money saved on the S2000 on competitive advantages like hybrid drivetrains.
The GM from 10 years ago would never have made a Solstice, they'd have produced a convertible Escalade first.
Honda wanted to replace the S2000 a while back but never quite got to it. Now they're taking the chassis for the revived NSX and the base convertible is going to move up to the Acura line and compete with the Lexus SC. .
Will they put a V-8 in those cars? I can't believe they could fit a V-8 in the S2000 chassis.
It's never easy to take an existing design such as Solstice and radically alter it to serve additional purposes. All too often, the result is inconsistent at best, abhorrent at worst. Automotive history is littered with the car-casses of vehicles that have tried to be all things to all people, and failed.
IMHO, Solstice runs to the most challenging end of the scale for this. It's a car with unique appeal and very individual styling. Messing with such a successful formula is very courageous, and borders on reckless.
That being said, I have nothing but kudos for the Coupe! The willingness to take risks is just one of the reasons I am a fervent supporter of today's General Motors. Standing pat on Solstice would have been easy. The GM of 10 years ago would not have dared try this. Hell, they'd not have dared even introducing Solstice in the first place!
The past is over, my friends. Welcome to domestic automobilia, 21st century style!!! It just doesn't get any better than this. I will have to own at least one of each now: Coupe AND Roadster!
What follows is a favorite quote that I accept as my mantra. Chant it with me now...
CHANGE: Without change, there can be no breakthroughs. Without breakthroughs, there can be no future.
Very true. What is probably the key in the Sol’s transformation here to a coupe, and having it come off very well, is that the original show car was also shown in coupe form and was also very well accepted. It’s not an odd or unexpected transformation, and nobody saw the original coupe concept with disgust. In fact, quite the opposite.
Basically, it was the intent of the design from the start to look good as a coupe. It wasn’t an afterthought… and in this case it works.
__________________
Solstice and Sky Fan
Retired Solstice Forum Super Moderator (Apr 2005-July 2009)
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