The following story will be in the upcoming Buisiness Week for Oct. 20th.



The Bob Lutz-inspired Pontiac Solstice has been committed for production, nearly two years after the charismatic GM vice-chairman drove a concept on stage at the 2002 Detroit auto show after a mere three-month gestation period. Business Week Magazine headlines the news in its October 20 issue under the banner, "Meet the Lutzmobile." BW Detroit bureau staffer David Welch writes that the groovily-designed Solstice will enter the roadster bracket at a suggested MSRP slightly above $20,000 with the idea that "GM wants the Solstice to give Pontiac a real sports-car cachet, as the Miata gave Mazda when it came out in the mid-1980s."

The Solstice will be introduced as early as 2005, says Business Week , which would give Pontiac a second sporty newcomer in a row after import starts this winter of the GTO coupe from GM Holden in Australia. The Solstice also will usher in a frame hydroforming process that uses water at high pressure to bend steel tubes into shape, replacing the costlier stamping technique. Welch speculates that the new platform could be shared later with Buick and Saturn.

The Pontiac GTO and Chrysler are among 17 candidates for North American Car of the Year at the upcoming Detroit show. New luxury roadsters to be unveiled in Detroit for the first time include the BMW 6-Series and the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren. The Solstice, in pre-production format, will appear in the Pontiac exhibit without the "Lutzmobile" nameplate, but with the proud papa on hand for the festivities.

 

GM better pay attention to the following:

1) All the handling of the Miata.

2) All the braking of the Boxter/Z4/S2000.

3) More power than any of the four by a solid margin.

275hp is a reasonable number for the car to fight off the competition.

 

2 areas of note in there:

1) Says platform could be used by Saturn and Buick... no mention of Chevy for what that is worth....

2) How does this "usher in" hydroformed frames? C5 has used them since 97, no?

 

The trucks have been using hydroforming since about that time too.

 

The Miata didn't debut in the US until 1990MY. Pontiac did have a sports car personality in the mid-80s though, the Fiero. I was also going to point out the C5 hydroforming. And "Lutzmobile"? For as much as that's referenced, that's the first time I've heard that nickname.

I don't know how much credibility I'd lend to this article.

 

This is a good move for GM and it will give them some excitement. IT seems GM is "fixing" each brand individualy, first Cadillac, now Pontiac.

Interesting note on the hydroformed frames. Thats very good for the Solstice or any framed vehicle. One of my past jobs was at Magna Int'l of Canada and they pioneered the development of water formed and molded steel frame rails. Very impressinve to see a semi bent tubular steel part being placed into a closed mold and then filled with water and then blasted into the shape of the mold.

It's encouraging to see GM plan a fun roadster thats affordable. Too many new GM vehicles are great but so expensive.
This car will sell plain and simple!

 

Those attributes would be headed for a $26+K model. No way would we get all of that for $21K...

 

If the Solstice can top out at $25k, I think 250hp would suffice. That'd give it just about as much as the Boxster S, but for the price of the Miata/MR2. Make it handle as much like the Boxster as possible, and I really think this car will be a winner.

 

just read the article in autoweek. Very good to see it although from what we saw in those spy pics from a member's associate we already knew this was happening.

Another reason why the 5th Gen forum is a really good place for info on not just another camaro but other cars in the pipeline.

Two thumbs up for all the members here who share valuable input and information.

 

I agree. Let it float on up to $26,000-$28,000 or so.

With 275hp, and less than 3000lbs. I might just have to buy one....




For the wife.

 

Don't sell yourself short, Pacer, with a bit of training an practice you'll eventually be able to handle it

 

I think its important that this car NOT jump up above $21k~ $25k range. This car should be affordable to the younger buyers who want a cheaper sporty car.

 

I agree. I thought that Lutz said it would NOT be built if they couldn't sell it for under 20k, so it had better be pretty damn close to that. Loaded to the hilt (which shouldn't take much in a car like this; it's not going after the Benz SL500) should be no more than 25k. I'd love to have one of these with manual windows/locks/etc, good cloth seats, etc.

 

If this four cylinder car was priced into the $26,000-$28,000 realm, it would not be good news for those of us looking for an affordable eight cylinder Camaro - which would surely cost more.

 

Well, cylinder count is not what determines price. Want to compare GM's cost for a new HFV6 to an LS1 or LS6? The Honda S2000 is over 30 grand. Audi TT. And so on. You are on the right track, though, because this car is supposed to be an "affordable" sports car, like the Miata used to be. If this "affordable" car were to debut with a sticker of 26k base (which Lutz won't allow, but IF), that would not bode well for their definition of an "affordable" sports coupe like a new Camaro.