I hope Lutz follows thru on this one.

They are supposed to be building it... I was hoping it would get the Buick V6, not the Ecotec...

http://www.autointell.com/nao_companies/general_motors/pontiac/pontiac-solstice/pontiac-solstice-side-350-197.jpg
http://www.autointell.com/nao_companies/general_motors/pontiac/pontiac-solstice/pontiac-solstice-rear-side-300-240.jpg
http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com/media/news/concept.car/pontiac.solstice.coupe/pontiac.solstice.coupe.500.jpg

$20,000, 240hp, RWD... Gee.

i really hope this goes into production it looks amasing. i was just watching it on ar and driver it is sweetish sick eh

Even if it gets only 150 hp or so, it will still be good (re, miata, MR2). So if it gets over 200, it will be amazing. I really hope they can preserve the purity of the interior for production,though, as plastic has no place in a sports car.

Well, it was supposed to have been given the go ahead, considering it uses off the shelf parts...

My sources tell me that Bob Lutz had this car marked for production from the get go. There is a fair ammount of risk for the project, but Lutz is not going to let all potential North American sports car buyers buy the Dodge Razor, when they could have had a Pontiac.

The way he has done this project from the start is by using standard parts. The EcoTech 4 cylinder, a GM motorsports blower, Subaru front suspension and steering, Aztek rear suspension, a differential from the new midsize SUV platform. The car is based off of the Delta platform, modified for RWD. The major costs here are the tooling for the body and the glass...

The goal is to undercut the Miata, which is the only sub $30K sports car competition in the states...

"If we do a Honda S2000, all we will have proved is that we can do a good car for $30,000." - Bob Lutz

I think it should be easy for them to undercut the Miata, it has a lot of specific parts (except the engine).
I think the biggest problem they could have with the Solstice is weight. With all those (much heavier duty) components, it could get chubby. Alas, my only vice seems to be the fashion these days. :(

Sigh

What do you guys thing looks better...this or the Nissan 350 Z?I like the Solstice more

I do prefer the Solstice, especially the coupe:)

Seems like they always got to F*uck up the front of these cars now...why??

Originally posted by Ando_Rules
i really hope this goes into production it looks amasing. i was just watching it on ar and driver it is sweetish sick eh

I agree. That car is so nice, and the 240 hp ain't too bad.

The car actually seems wider then what those pictures show. Give it a little more work to the styling I think it could be pretty cool. At first when I saw it I couldn't stand the look but it sort of grows on ya.

I agree, the car is awsome all the way around. I just rather not see the front of a nice Pontiac look like that. Then again seems like all US car manufactures are doing this thing with the fronts. I'll probably get used to it though.

sexy...

and if/when this comes out, by then dodge will hvae said one way or another that they will/won't make the razor. and that will have made up my mind. if dodge makes the razor, i'll get that, if not, i'll get the solstice. as long as it isn't too changed from the concept. it needs to be light, rwd, and 200+hp.

-dave :bandit:

The car is definetly beautiful!!!

I've put up some forums dedicated to the Solstice (I made a post about it on here as well)

Check out this picture and dont tell me the car isnt beautiful! :)

http://www.solsticeforums.com/forums/images/solstice-logo.gif (http://www.solsticeforums.com/)

The Solstice may finally be THE car to attract young import fans back to a domestic make. I loathe US cars and wouldn't even piss on one that was on fire......but, the more I see this Solstice, the more and more I like it and I am very interested in seeing what its performance numbers will be - and I don't mean in just a straight line only. I wanna see if this baby can corner! Hmmmmm, domestic drift machine?

Interior and build quality will, as usual, be an issue for GM but if they can overcome it and price this car around $20,000USD - I think they will have a hard time keeping production to meet demand.

I got to see it for the first time in February...

http://kindtimes.com/content/places/IL/Chicago/events/2004AutoShow/images/images/AutoShow251.jpg

Still not sure what to think. It didn't look bad, but some of the placements play with your eyes a little. I'll probably get used to it...


Hare are a couple more pics of the Solstice...
http://kindtimes.com/content/places/IL/Chicago/events/2004AutoShow/images/index9.html

:2cents: it is defintitely the Boxster/Beemer that is domestic AND pocketbook friendly. the Eco-Tec has a slew of stock and aftermarket parts capability and compatibility, making it affordable to "tune" as well.
a way more agressive stance than a miata, mr2, or fiero.
a 21st century "trendy" retro look ("it kinda grows on you," as others have said), but still a bit 'heavy'-looking, for something with a 4cyl.
give it a MalibuMaxx/Colorado 5cyl, with Turbo, and if the ecotec was bolted to the trans in RWD from front with no mods, HELL, make it AWD and NOW we're talkin'.
still, nice looking for new vehicle, affordable, but they need to push the envelope with slightly more agressive lines/curves, and do something about 16-28 mpg? my Fiero does 34mpg minimum, and my sled of a Saab9000CSturbo pushes 28-30 in traffic/no cruise, and A/C.

all-in-all, Solstice IS Pontiac. I do like the fact change can sometimes be GOOD.