It also leaves the door open for dealer approved/installed upgrades down the road... big money, depending upon the car. This way they can keep the sticker down, and yet still offer more performance for the enthusiast who is willing to pay, and keep the warranty. John Cooper Works for the MINI, comes to mind, and now another version to follow... For those who find the warranty highly important, dealer upgrades, before and after purchase, are big businesss, and I wouldn't doubt that GM sees this as a worthwhile option, and to hold back on what they deliver "now."
With the Ecotec at 700 to 1,000 hp at Bonneville, this engine has much upside, and the aftermkt should be very strong with options. Those are with turbos though. For 25k or whatever it might be, don't expect a giant-killer of course. But the fact the Solstice appears to be built on a very stiff chassis (I would love to see figures or comparisons to demonstrate this though), has a very nice front/back weight ratio, AND is RWD, I'm feeling very confident that this car can be made into a serious peformer!
It's sort of cool having a "sleeper" that others don't expect to have that much gitty-up, but it does. :smile
As I shared before, I'll take the base or standard model and build from there. With few grand I would save by not buying what will probably be a roots type blower, I can start saving for the upgrades. In the meantime, I would begin a weight-reduction program, that also generates money if I choose to eliminate/sell the top (for example) and other goodies, or replaced items. Suspension and braking will no doubt need to be upgraded as well to accomodate the increased power, as well as the clutch, at some point. Since I know that I would replace or do away with several items, I would try to get the car as base or bland as possible, so long as it still has the same integrity as the upscaled performance model(s) to allow for power increases...
I can't wait to hear what their powerplant choices are! I've been holding-off getting on a waitlist. Sort of waiting to hear more about engine options. Does anyone know about when we can expect to hear such news - even ballpark is fine? Also, while I'm at it, are the waitlists crazy with a hundred plus, or what? Thanks!