While I'm not in the know about every platform that GM has in the works.. I don't recall seeing anything for a Kappa-2 series, and the Alpha platform is a go (the first Alpha Cadillac is being worked on now). The Alpha is a global platform, and it's my current understanding that it replaces the Kappa. If I'm wrong, please correct me.
As for the rumor to moving to Bowling Green... I thought the XLR is ending, so that frees up some production time. I'm not sure what the volumes for the XLR is... but that provides for some time to build something else at that plant.
I know for the last 6 months there has been talk in Bowling Green about production changes... that's all I hear when I'm down there. I can't get any real solid information though... it's all rumors and many different ones at that.
While I'm not in the know about every platform that GM has in the works.. I don't recall seeing anything for a Kappa-2 series, and the Alpha platform is a go (the first Alpha Cadillac is being worked on now). The Alpha is a global platform, and it's my current understanding that it replaces the Kappa. If I'm wrong, please correct me.
As for the rumor to moving to Bowling Green... I thought the XLR is ending, so that frees up some production time. I'm not sure what the volumes for the XLR is... but that provides for some time to build something else at that plant.
I know for the last 6 months there has been talk in Bowling Green about production changes... that's all I hear when I'm down there. I can't get any real solid information though... it's all rumors and many different ones at that.
Moving the roadsters to alpha could be a possibility. However, it is more than likely too early in the process for there to have been a decision made on which direction to go with the Solstice.
The sticking point with moving to Alpha is that it is really too big for the two seat roadsters, even though it is a small sedan platform. Yes, alpha is a 3 series competitor. Has anyone seen a 3 series lately? It's a large car. There are limits to how much you can shrink a platform too in order to make an even smaller car out of it, and shrinking it down to kappa size could be problematic. Also, at that point, GM really is not saving much money on design or engineering since kappa already exists and the Sol uses a lot of parts bin componentry anyway. If Alpha cannot be economically shrunk to kappa size, then they either have to grow these roadsters or go with kappa.
We are still 5 years off at this point. Development/design work on the next gen Sol/Sky is probably at the earliest of stages still with very little set in stone. Be it the platform or the plant it will be made in. However, I would look for the roadster platform to remain independent of the alpha platform cars due to the sizing issue of the platforms.
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Last edited by Fformula88 : 10-02-2007 at 08:18 AM.
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If Alpha cannot be economically shrunk to kappa size, then they either have to grow these roadsters or go with kappa.
I don't think GM will shrink the Alpha to the Kappa size. I believe the next Sol/Sky will be a larger GT car with the larger trunk that everyone wants. I believe it will also allow for a larger V6 engine that everyone wants. Yes, a few of us will bail but the majority will buy the new one and a larger more practical car will bring in new buyers as well. Don't be surprised to find a 2+2 on the next version either.
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I don't think GM will shrink the Alpha to the Kappa size. I believe the next Sol/Sky will be a larger GT car with the larger trunk that everyone wants. I believe it will also allow for a larger V6 engine that everyone wants. Yes, a few of us will bail but the majority will buy the new one and a larger more practical car will bring in new buyers as well. Don't be surprised to find a 2+2 on the next version either.
Hmm, that sounds more like a car they could do off of alpha besides the Solstice... again, following the M3 formula... smaller 4 door sedan, 2+2 coupe, and convertible. That still would leave plenty of room for a kappa based product.
If the Vette has staid for all these years as a roadster and not a 2+2 why would not the Solstice remain a 2 seat roadster.
I think GM has about 2 years within the 4 year period, to decide base on sales figures, if they want to continue building these cars.
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If GM makes the Solstice on the larger Alpha then I'm probably done with it. I have no desire to own a 3500+ lbs "small roadster." Also making it a 2+2 really isn't a Solstice anymore is it? Sure as hell not to me.
Seriously, if you're talking about 3 series competitors your talking about cars the size of the 3 series. Have you seen what a 3 series convertible weighs? 3,792 lbs, that's right nearly 2 tons.
Also our current trunk issues can easily be resolved in 3 manors, combining them would give even greater increases.
[1] Use a more complex/expensive inverted U shaped fuel tank like the Corvette/Z4. This will free up the area below the roof.
[2] Remove the buttresses from the roof. This eliminates a massive amount of wasted space on both sides. Permitting a flatter fuel tank or just open space.
[3] Frame redesign to permit different spacing to move various components around in.
You combine all three and there's no reason why we can't have space equivalently to a Z4/Miata.
From what I've read about the Alpha, it is more of a 1-series sized car than a 3-series sized car. The Solstice is already the width of a small-midsized car. It's just a lot shorter.
I think when people refer to the Alpha as a Pontiac 3-series, they are using the old 3-series as a guide. It's gonna take a few years for everyone to realize that the little 3-series is a big car now. So I would take any Alpha/3-series reference with a grain of salt. Look at the Accord. The newest one is within an inch of the Chrysler 300. It's classified as a large car, yet most people still think of the Accord as much smaller car.
As for weight, I think it will hover around the 3,000 lbs. area. With all the added safety equipment being mandated, it's going to hard to get even the smallest of cars under 3,000 lbs. Even the current Gen Solstice is gonna have to get side airbags for 2009. That's more weight.
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Kappa was built from ground up to be a roadster. I'd be leery of any multi-use platform. The idea behind kappa was to be able to make money on a low volume platform.
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