[tcl]

Someone snapped some photos of a test vehicle:

http://www.swvrscca.org/forums/viewtopic.php?p=6131&highlight=#6131

 

[aawil]

Interesting. The top doesn't seem to fit very snug.

 

[Rik]

may not be a final version of top, but if it is I can live with it.

 

[tcl]

may not be a final version of top, but if it is I can live with it.

Those photos were posted in September so it might not be a production top.

 

[brentil]

Well Sept was only 3 months ago, and all the rumors are true about it going into production full time in the next 3 months, I'm betting the top you see there is very close to the production top. Of course unless GM is hiding the real top from us all this time (more then liekly not though).

 

[Rangus00]

thank you

i would like to say u are the man for finding that. thats the most reliable top up photo i've seen yet. still hoping the 6" footers can fit their heads inside this thing

 

[41Streamliner]

Not perfect, but I'll take it

Well, if these photos (and all the recent discussions) are any indication of where GM really is on designing and building the Solstice, it's clear that:

--They don't have the top figured out yet. You can see wrinkles in it, and it's not fitting very snug at all, and there's too many rumors and silence about the whole top/trunk lid thing. Even if the car in these photos had some sort of jerry-rigged test equipment in them that affected the top, it still doesn't fit. And it sure looks like it's in the way of the trunk lid.

--They're not going to give us any more trunk space in this model design.

Assuming they get the top to fit better than granny's false teeth (which it doesn't in these photos) then it'll be a buyable car. All the plusses outweigh the minuses. It'll still be fun to drive, I can still take it to work. I just won't be taking the top up and down that many times, so even if you do have to do something odd to it, I'd still buy it.

But GM, listen up: the lack of a trunk and the hassle of fidlding with an odd top will cost you sales. I'm sure you know that, but if we knew you had a fix in the works, we'd be more forgiving. In the meanwhile, give us the ability to put some sort of storage attachment in the rear. If you can't throw in a small bag and fold down the top and drive to the beach, it'll cost you BIG sales. If I could put on a hitch-mounted storage box that would hold a cooler, I could take it somewhere.

 

[tcl]

"Audio Imagez" mentioned having recent photos of a red Solstice with the top up. No mention of wrinkles in that post.

As far as the above photos, I like those 10 spoke wheels. I wonder if they're an option.

 

[mceb]

Excellent. Can't believe those pics have been hanging around the net for 3 months.

No way that's the production top (wrinkles). Makes you wonder what's going on with the top (hope it's a good surprise).

 

[aawil]

It looks like we will have 2 options as far as wheels go. This car looks close to production spec except for the top hopefully. I still like the winglets and I'm sure the top will fit correctly when it comes out. At least I hope it does.

 

[mceb]

I think the winglets will be there on the prod top. I'm expecting to have to unlatch 2 spots to open the truck with top up.

 

[Pammysoltice]

Top up

Okay I'm not sure I like this top. It kind of looks cheeseyyyyyy. I'm also still not over the fact that the top is not going to be a power top. I just can't see myself getting out of the car to put the top down. The rest of the car looks so cool, then you have this manual top. I'm sorry but it just seems cheap. I guess if it's only going to be $20,000 you really can't ask for much.

 

[brentil]

Okay I'm not sure I like this top. It kind of looks cheeseyyyyyy. I'm also still not over the fact that the top is not going to be a power top. I just can't see myself getting out of the car to put the top down. The rest of the car looks so cool, then you have this manual top. I'm sorry but it just seems cheap. I guess if it's only going to be $20,000 you really can't ask for much.

Exactly, if you want a cheap power top then you're waiting for the G6, but that's still more expensive then the Solstice (and definetely not a a sports car). Otherwise you are buying a much more expensive cor to get full power top.

I want to point you too, if you notice part of the trunk lid is a different color then the rest. It looks like it's made of a different type of material almost. It's not the entire trunk area, but kinda looks like the area where the roof would go into the trunk.

 

[aawil]

Well lets face it not many would be buying a 20K solstice. More like 23-25K with options. You can buy a new S2000 for 29.5 off one of the internet dealers. A power top and 240HP. It's not as good looking but will probably hold more value over time. If that kind of thing is important to you. I'm really torn between these 2 cars.

 

[flyboy2160]

i hope GM scopes out this forum for feedback on the car.

regarding that top up picture: Ucubed = UGLY x UGLY x UGLY (insert vomiting smiley here.) it ruins the lines of the car, unlike the miata soft and hard tops.

it's hard to believe this is the best they could do. it's as though the top is an afterthought, rather than being an integral part of the whole design.

 

[WPG]

The more I am seeing of the Solstice, and more importantly the Sky, the more me no likey.

I do not have a problem with the way the top operates (no power and lifting the trunk to put top down) as my Prowler was the same way and was a simple 10 second operation.

The looks bother me - the top and the overall look of both cars. I am really really really really hoping the looks of the Saturn will not disappoint me because I really really really want to like it. However, it is looking more and more less like the Lightning concept with every image I have seen so far.

 

[mceb]

Other than the wrinkles I'm good with the overall shape of the top. As far as manual top goes, I'll deal with the 30 seconds it takes to put it up or down.

 

[brentil]

Other than the wrinkles I'm good with the overall shape of the top. As far as manual top goes, I'll deal with the 30 seconds it takes to put it up or down.

I have to agree with MCEB here. It really seems people are becoming way overcritical about the roof. It seems a lot of people are having exotic fantasies about what they're expecting/wanting from pretty much the cheapest back to basics roadster. For the money I'll be spending if I buy a Solstice or a Sky I'm not expecting Porsche levels of amenities. The two main cars in the Solstice class are the MR2 and Miata, and as far as I know both have manual folding roofs. Both cost realistically $5000 more once you add some of the options of what you'll get base on the Solstice more then likely.

I think part of the reason a lot of people are having issues with the way the roof looks has to do with the Solstice being more wedge shaped towards the back then the MR2 or Miata. This ends up making the roof look a lot shallower it seems from the back then most other roofs. I also believe this is why a lot of people are also thinking the Solstice is going to have headroom clearance issues. I've sitten in a Miata and Mazdaspeed Miata, and I've seen the Solstice in person. Both seem to have the same amount of space from bottom of seat to top of the headrest. However with the Solstice the body/trunk along with the two bumps behind the head rests make it appear like there's less room since the body lines meet in different areas on the two cars. With the Miata and the MR2 the trunk area comes straight into a lower position on the seat/headrest. With the Solstice however those two bumps along with the trunk itself raise the line higher up making it look like there is much less room, when there' actually isn't. And sicne the base of where the roof attaches is higher, then you end up having a smaller roof height wise.

 

[palmer]

I also agree with Mceb. If they get rid of the wrinkles, the top looks fine. I don't care if it's a power top, nor will I be too upset if I have to get out of the car to take it down, provided that the operation is simple.

 

[mceb]

Gotta love the camouflage job...2 small pieces of striped tape isn't going to hide very much

Question: is it possible the top could have been "outsourced" to a supplier to build? Might account for how little it's been seen and the fact they keep using jerry-rigged tops for the mules?