[Chip]

Here is another of my "what if" threads. What platform will you select if the Kappa from Saturn (Sky or whatever they decide to call it.) is available at introduction with either a turbo or a S/C and the Solstice does not, or will not for some undisclosed period of time. Which car will you opt for?

Here are a couple of images of the vauxhall lighting I've added. If the Sky looks this good I could live with it. :cheers

 

[Fformula88]

Its way too early for me to tell. I’d have to really see the production Sky in person before I will even know which of the two I like better from a styling standpoint. I have seen the Solstice in the flesh and I really love how it looks. In fact, appearance was the main attraction that got me interested initially. So the Sky would really have to top that and make me think it had a knockout look to top Solstice.

Now, if I like the Sky styling as much or more, I would definitely be swayed to pick one up if it had an optional engine not available on Solstice. If I still prefer the Solstice styling, it wouldn’t matter what engine was in the Sky. I’d either get the base engine Solstice, or wait for the Solstice with the engine I wanted.

At this point, I just cannot make the call on the styling. I also find it short sighted to make a call like that based on pictures too, since most cars look a lot better in person.

 

[timnrach]

It would depend on the appearance of the Sky. Also on how much power the boost gives the Sky. Does the Sky have a bigger trunk? A power hard top? So my answer was "too early".

I'd rather have a Pontiac than a Saturn. I love the appearance of the Solstice.

But +50 hp would rank above both of those preferences for me.

As long as it looks good and is priced close to the Solstice (accounting for extra $$$ for the blower, hard top, six-speed etc), then I would go with the Sky. Name and looks are good, but I've got a fun twisty road that I travel 25 miles on every day to work. I had a Stealth that made my ride a fun one and I want to get back to that type of driving excitement. The currenty daily driver is nice with 38 mpg, but I'd rather spend more at the pump and enjoy my drive. Power isn't everything in that drive, but with power usually there's better handling as well.

 

[mceb]

Too early to tell but my curiousity is peaked. If Sky is in similar price area and if I like the styling better I could be swayed to wait the extra time for it.

Oh no not more waiting time :rolleyes

Hopefully the details of Sky will be out over next month or so.

 

[brentil]

I chose SKY as my option. I really loved the VX Lightning styling, and now if the car looks like the artist rendition I love that even more styling wise then the VX Lightning. If the two cars are going to be the same price, i'll wait the extra 6 months it'll take to come out. It'll let me save up even that much more for a down payment. If it has forced induction as an option from the start then it's a done deal.

The Solstice would have to be offered with the orced induction package from the get-go when it comes out mid/late 2005 for it to stop me from waiting for the SKY.

Or if some bit of news comes out that turns me off from the SKY of course too.

 

[mceb]

I chose SKY as my option. I really loved the VX Lightning styling, and now if the car looks like the artist rendition I love that even more styling wise then the VX Lightning.

I'm kind of hoping for something in the middle. The Lightning was too aggressive in styling for me. We have not see much of the Sky other than that sketch but the front seemed to be less aggressive than the Lightning concept was.

 

[AeroDave]

Sticking with the Solstice. From what I've seen of the Sky, I think the Solstice looks way better and much more unique. The Sky seems kind of generic to me. It's styling isn't bad, it just looks like it could have come from Toyota, Mazda, VW or Honda. Nothing stand out about it. No mistaking a Solstice.

This poll illustrates what a stupid idea it is for GM to offer the Sky at the same price point as the Solstice. Before the Sky announcement, there was a pretty good group of people here pretty sure that they would get a Solstice. Now many aren't so sure or are going to change to Sky. Taking the same limited pool of roadster buyers and dividing them in half is very inefficient. Sure, they may sell just as many Kappas, but at a reduced effeciency due to the differeing parts of each model, and let's face it, any company can only sell so many roadsters. It's not a huge market.

The Camero/Firebird annalogy doesn't apply here simply because the proposed Kappas are small, don't have back seats, roofs or V8 engines. This greatly limits thier sales appeal to North American buyers. The final specs on the Sky are not known, so it could still be that it is in a higher price range and that it might come with a more competent engine, drive train, and interior appointments to better compete with roadsters in that range so as to steal sales from manufacturers outside of GM. My guess is that it will probably just be sort of a Firebird, a Solstice with different sheetmetal.

Anyhow, they'll do what they'll do, and probably loose some money too. They're good at that. Whatever, I'm getting a Solstice, I love that car. :cheers

 

[Chip]

This poll illustrates what a stupid idea it is for GM to offer the Sky at the same price point as the Solstice. Before the Sky announcement, there was a pretty good group of people here pretty sure that they would get a Solstice. Now many aren't so sure or are going to change to Sky. Taking the same limited pool of roadster buyers and dividing them in half is very inefficient. Sure, they may sell just as many Kappas, but at a reduced effeciency due to the differeing parts of each model, and let's face it, any company can only sell so many roadsters. It's not a huge market.

The Camero/Firebird annalogy doesn't apply here simply because the proposed Kappas are small, don't have back seats, roofs or V8 engines. This greatly limits thier sales appeal to North American buyers. The final specs on the Sky are not known, so it could still be that it is in a higher price range and that it might come with a more competent engine, drive train, and interior appointments to better compete with roadsters in that range so as to steal sales from manufacturers outside of GM. My guess is that it will probably just be sort of a Firebird, a Solstice with different sheetmetal.

Anyhow, they'll do what they'll do, and probably loose some money too. They're good at that. Whatever, I'm getting a Solstice, I love that car. :cheers

That was what I was thinking about when I posted this thread but, I also wondered if the Sky would be offered with forced induction and a higher price point to cover all the bases. Let's not forget that the Kappa is supposed to represent a totally new way for GM to make money on a low volume platform. Is the Sky going to be made in the same plant as the Solstice?

 

[mceb]

Is the Sky going to be made in the same plant as the Solstice?

Yes.

 

[tcl]

I'm strongly leaning towards the Solstice due the styling, and because the normally aspirated engine is adequate for me. However, I have not yet seen a good rendention of the what the Saturn will look like from all angles. Also, although most doubt this would happen, a plastic body on the Saturn would be another factor in my decision process if the two cars are close in other respects. In other words, the immediate introduction of forced induction on the Saturn would not be the major decision factor for me.

 

[pajarito69]

I'm sold on Solstice

Funny how the grass is always "promised" to be greener on the other side? We just need to keep in mind that the fertilizer that greens the grass is most often a Bull s*** based product. These cars will be styling statements from either division of General Motors. So do you really believe GM would allow a real difference? Maybe?

Simple is sweet

 

[DreamerDave]

I know my limit and waiting a year and a half for a Solstice is just about all I can stand! An extra six to nine months (mid June vs mid March) would put me over the edge. Although I've never seen either in the flesh, just comparing the photos, I'd rather have a Solstice. True, forced induction would be nice, but I can wait till its time to replace my new roadster a few years from now. And, personally, I'd rather not have a heavy, folding hardtop. I really like the "Back to Basics" idea.

 

[2KWK4U]

I'm with the Daves on this one. I echo Dreamer/Aero's every sentiment. From the sketches, the SKY just looks too commonplace. Whereas Solstice is unique and recognizable. On styling alone (that's basically the only comparison we can barely make at this point) I pick Solstice... hands down.

Thankfully that's the way it is, because the Solstice will be my second car. I need that sooner rather than later.

 

[mceb]

I know my limit and waiting a year and a half for a Solstice is just about all I can stand! An extra six to nine months (mid June vs mid March) would put me over the edge.

Agree, in the end that will be a big factor.

 

[Rik]

I prefer the Sky's styling. As long as the two cars are equal in performance and content (or in my case lack of content) I'll end up with a Sky.

 

[jimbo]

Choice is good. The Sky is not intended to sell Sky's, the Sky is intended to bring people into Saturn dealerships to sell Saturns at "upscale" prices.

For what it is worth, I'll pay close attention to both platforms and choose the one I desire the most. Or any other roadster that appears on the scene if it provides the GT experience for traveling for which I intend to buy this car.

To be honest with you, the miniscule trunk of the Solstice is a huge stumbling block for me and I'm not sure I will end up with one in light of that detriment. But among all roadsters available to me, the Solstice is the one I most desire due to price/performance and gorgeous looks. But I am not beholden to any one car at this time.

Let's see what comes of it. All things being equal, if the Sky were to have a bigger trunk or a soft top that is really easy to operate, I would have to go that way. As it is, the Sky appears to be identical to the Solstice in every way but looks. And I strongly prefer the looks of the Solstice

 

[cdb]

it's not very clear what the sky is going to look like from that one front view, but it seems to be taking some styling cues from the lightning concept. i think i prefer the solstice style-more curvaceous, less edgy. i am betting that in most functional ways... drivetrain, trunk capacity, soft top operation...it is going to be a restyled solstice clone like the firebird/camaro cavalier/sunfire. i think it is even going to be coming out of the same assembly plant in deleware.

 

[Chip]

. Also, although most doubt this would happen, a plastic body on the Saturn would be another factor in my decision process if the two cars are close in other respects.

From what I've read the Sky will have a sheetmetal body. It will be built in the same plant, so it begs the question,"what's the difference in the two platforms other than the shape of the sheetmetal?" It will be interesting to see if we will find out this Jan. if the Pontiac will have better (read performance) drivetrain and suspension underpinnings when compared to the Sky.

 

[Vita]

i like the looks of both, and if i can, i want one of each :jester
one for me and one for the wife!

(one can only hope!)

 

[mceb]

January will be the big month for both. I'm guessing we'll have final specs on Solstice and prelim specs/pictures of Sky by then.

Last year the prelim specs on Solstice came out Jan 4th. I'm guessing the same this year in time for car show season.