-
Hi Guest!
You can help ensure that British Car Forum (BCF) continues to provide a great place to engage in the British car hobby! If you find BCF a beneficial community, please consider supporting our efforts with a subscription.
There are some perks with a member upgrade!**Upgrade Now**
(PS: Subscribers don't see this gawd-aweful banner
Hey - did you know if you click on the title of a thread it will take you to the first unread post since you last visited that thread?
but were afraid to ask: 
STOP!! Never post your email address in open forums. Bots can "harvest" your email! If you must share your email use a Private Message or use the 
smilie in place of the real @
Pretty Please - add it to our Events forum(s) and add to the calendar! >> 
Sky
- Thread starter Nunyas
- Start date
Share this page
tony barnhill
Great Pumpkin - R.I.P
Offline
Tell me about it - the doors are so high that you can't hang your arm over the edge...all you see of a person in one of them is a head!
Sky and Solstice are good first efforts for GM. I'd love to see what the car looks like after 15 years of development (like the Miata has had.) Of course, GM has a habit of ditching cars instead of polishing off the rough edges.
While I'm not wild for the rear styling or the way the top looks from behind when up, the big Sky/Solstice thing that gets me down is the weight. Those are heavy cars!
Roadsters should be "tossable"
While I'm not wild for the rear styling or the way the top looks from behind when up, the big Sky/Solstice thing that gets me down is the weight. Those are heavy cars!
Roadsters should be "tossable"
swift6
Yoda
Offline
Bear with me please I'm going to touch on multiple points.
As a former insider of Saturn (had enough of car sales, actually had enough of the way managment wanted me to treat people) I might be able to lend some insight here. The SKY is a Saturn in name and sales outlets only. In fact, all new models of Saturns are nothing more than badge engineered GM vehicles. The Aura (new mid size sports sedan) is using the same platform as the Pontiac G6. The Outlook (new mid size SUV with eight passenger seating) is based on the Trailblazer/Envoy. The VUE and the ION are the only cars that still have the integrated spaceframe and the polymer panels. When the VUE and the ION go away those features will too. They are also the only vehicles still produced at the Springhill plant. When those models go away that plant might as well.
As far as SKY vs. Solstice... As has been discussed, underneath they are the same car. Also, the base model is the Solstice, the SKY starts as a near fully optioned vehicle.
The new head of Saturn is the same guy that resurected Cadillac and totally changed their image. He has his work cut out for him with changing Saturn's image.
Saturn is being positioned to become a premier brand for GM. (An example of such... Saturn and Cadillac are the only GM brands to include OnStar as standard equipment on every model.) Especially with the partnering of Saturn and Opel to share designs and technology. BTW, the SKY/Opel GT was designed in Coventry. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
The Redline SKY is to use a 2.0 litre direct injected turbocharged four cylininder producing 260hp/260lbft. It's option list is very short and the standard equipment list has grown. Base Price for the Redline has been anounced to dealers (doesn't mean it won't change though). Base price for the Redline manual (automatic is optional)is $28K.
Proximity to the plant will have no bearing on how many vehicles your particular dealership gets. Don't expect many. Redline allocation is mixed in with standard SKY allocation. Meaning, if your dealership is allocated ten SKY's and their Redline allocation is 20 percent of SKY's, then they will only be able to order 8 standard SKY's and 2 Redlines.
Here is a photo of the demo car at the dealership that I used to work at. I put over six hundred miles on this car. Even got to take it home one weekend so that I could photograph it on a drive with my local LBC club. Those are the Flat Irons just outside of Boulder behind it in case any of you were wondering. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif
As a former insider of Saturn (had enough of car sales, actually had enough of the way managment wanted me to treat people) I might be able to lend some insight here. The SKY is a Saturn in name and sales outlets only. In fact, all new models of Saturns are nothing more than badge engineered GM vehicles. The Aura (new mid size sports sedan) is using the same platform as the Pontiac G6. The Outlook (new mid size SUV with eight passenger seating) is based on the Trailblazer/Envoy. The VUE and the ION are the only cars that still have the integrated spaceframe and the polymer panels. When the VUE and the ION go away those features will too. They are also the only vehicles still produced at the Springhill plant. When those models go away that plant might as well.
As far as SKY vs. Solstice... As has been discussed, underneath they are the same car. Also, the base model is the Solstice, the SKY starts as a near fully optioned vehicle.
The new head of Saturn is the same guy that resurected Cadillac and totally changed their image. He has his work cut out for him with changing Saturn's image.
Saturn is being positioned to become a premier brand for GM. (An example of such... Saturn and Cadillac are the only GM brands to include OnStar as standard equipment on every model.) Especially with the partnering of Saturn and Opel to share designs and technology. BTW, the SKY/Opel GT was designed in Coventry. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
The Redline SKY is to use a 2.0 litre direct injected turbocharged four cylininder producing 260hp/260lbft. It's option list is very short and the standard equipment list has grown. Base Price for the Redline has been anounced to dealers (doesn't mean it won't change though). Base price for the Redline manual (automatic is optional)is $28K.
Proximity to the plant will have no bearing on how many vehicles your particular dealership gets. Don't expect many. Redline allocation is mixed in with standard SKY allocation. Meaning, if your dealership is allocated ten SKY's and their Redline allocation is 20 percent of SKY's, then they will only be able to order 8 standard SKY's and 2 Redlines.
Here is a photo of the demo car at the dealership that I used to work at. I put over six hundred miles on this car. Even got to take it home one weekend so that I could photograph it on a drive with my local LBC club. Those are the Flat Irons just outside of Boulder behind it in case any of you were wondering. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif
Bret
Yoda
Offline
[ QUOTE ]
While I'm not wild for the rear styling or the way the top looks from behind when up, the big Sky/Solstice thing that gets me down is the weight. Those are heavy cars!
[/ QUOTE ]
Yes they are indeed heavy. That has been one of my major criticisms of the Solstice. Yet to its credit it still managed to go toe to toe with the Miata MX-5 (its intended target) and did fair pretty well in just about every category. In fact in some automotive publications even with it’s extra weight penalty still managed to edge out the new Mazda. Not bad for a first showing.
While I'm not wild for the rear styling or the way the top looks from behind when up, the big Sky/Solstice thing that gets me down is the weight. Those are heavy cars!
[/ QUOTE ]
Yes they are indeed heavy. That has been one of my major criticisms of the Solstice. Yet to its credit it still managed to go toe to toe with the Miata MX-5 (its intended target) and did fair pretty well in just about every category. In fact in some automotive publications even with it’s extra weight penalty still managed to edge out the new Mazda. Not bad for a first showing.
I probably should have also said that the new Miata is getting a little heavy too.
In performance numbers, the Solstice/Sky definitely equals the Miata. From what I understand, though, the steering feel, shifter operation, pedal feel etc... are all much better on the Miata.
What will really make the Sky/Solstice image will be to compete in SCCA racing. If GM's roadsters can do well at the Runoffs, then people will start thinking of them as more substance over style.
In performance numbers, the Solstice/Sky definitely equals the Miata. From what I understand, though, the steering feel, shifter operation, pedal feel etc... are all much better on the Miata.
What will really make the Sky/Solstice image will be to compete in SCCA racing. If GM's roadsters can do well at the Runoffs, then people will start thinking of them as more substance over style.
swift6
Yoda
Offline
[ QUOTE ]
What will really make the Sky/Solstice image will be to compete in SCCA racing. If GM's roadsters can do well at the Runoffs, then people will start thinking of them as more substance over style.
[/ QUOTE ]
I would be suprised to see them in competition anytime soon. They are being made in very small numbers and it seems that most are buying them because of their limited production. One of the things that made the Miata a success on the track, other than its abilitites, is that they make so many. First year production for combined SKY/Solstice production is in the 15K range.
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif
What will really make the Sky/Solstice image will be to compete in SCCA racing. If GM's roadsters can do well at the Runoffs, then people will start thinking of them as more substance over style.
[/ QUOTE ]
I would be suprised to see them in competition anytime soon. They are being made in very small numbers and it seems that most are buying them because of their limited production. One of the things that made the Miata a success on the track, other than its abilitites, is that they make so many. First year production for combined SKY/Solstice production is in the 15K range.
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif
Bret
Yoda
Offline
[ QUOTE ]
I would be suprised to see them in competition anytime soon.
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif
[/ QUOTE ]
But how long has the Miata been around? 1993? My point is while comparisons will always be a part of the mix it’s a little unfair to expect that GMs “NEW” platform should be able to match the Miata’s track record right out of the gate. But GM seems to be thinking out of the box in that they’ve gave serious thought to a stripped down club racer at a reduced price.
But interestingly enough the boys over at Grassroots Motorsports in their comparison between an old Miata, the new MX-5 & the Solstice, actually picked (as expected) the old Miata as a great budget racer. Gave the normal high praise to the MX-5, yet they gave the nod to the Solstice as their pick for the SCCA serious campaigner.
I would be suprised to see them in competition anytime soon.
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif
[/ QUOTE ]
But how long has the Miata been around? 1993? My point is while comparisons will always be a part of the mix it’s a little unfair to expect that GMs “NEW” platform should be able to match the Miata’s track record right out of the gate. But GM seems to be thinking out of the box in that they’ve gave serious thought to a stripped down club racer at a reduced price.
But interestingly enough the boys over at Grassroots Motorsports in their comparison between an old Miata, the new MX-5 & the Solstice, actually picked (as expected) the old Miata as a great budget racer. Gave the normal high praise to the MX-5, yet they gave the nod to the Solstice as their pick for the SCCA serious campaigner.
Bret,
You're right. The Solstice/Sky are great and deserve praise. The cars will also improve with flying changes/fixes/upgrades -- and offer a fantastic platform for a racer.
We just hope that GM doesn't kill one or both at the first warning of declining sales. They have a habit of doing that. Ye Ole General has automotive ADD -- they lose interest and panic, and kill a car to take its production line to produce something else.
The Miata appeared in 1990. I have a '91. My personal fav is the '99, which has the best styling, plus the perfect balance of power and handling.
You're right. The Solstice/Sky are great and deserve praise. The cars will also improve with flying changes/fixes/upgrades -- and offer a fantastic platform for a racer.
We just hope that GM doesn't kill one or both at the first warning of declining sales. They have a habit of doing that. Ye Ole General has automotive ADD -- they lose interest and panic, and kill a car to take its production line to produce something else.
The Miata appeared in 1990. I have a '91. My personal fav is the '99, which has the best styling, plus the perfect balance of power and handling.
kennypinkerton
Yoda
Offline
Imagine what the Fiero "could have been" had they kept it around!
Harry_Ward
Jedi Knight
Offline
I liked it too!
Drove the demo in April and ordered one the next day with delivery expected at the end of August. Today, Someone cancelled their order and I was told to expect delivery in four weeks!
I'll believe it when it's in the driveway. Anyway if you open the attached file here's what it looks like.
Harry
Drove the demo in April and ordered one the next day with delivery expected at the end of August. Today, Someone cancelled their order and I was told to expect delivery in four weeks!
I'll believe it when it's in the driveway. Anyway if you open the attached file here's what it looks like.
Harry
Attachments
I've been watching for the Sky and Solstice and it seems that they were slow to take off in our area. Recently though, the Solstice in particular, seems to be flying from the dealerships. Haven't seen any regional sales statistics but wonder if here in the Midwest some people were waiting for an American sports convertible.
swift6
Yoda
Offline
Not slow to take off. Slow to arrive. Pontiac dealers are getting new shipments of Solstices in, while most Saturn dealers are having to take orders and have only recieved a few cars. remember that the Solstice was in production and released a full year ahead of the SKY.
The local dealership that I used to work at has only recieved three of the ten they are slated to get this year. Don't expect Miata like numbers of cars produced for either model. They are only planning on making 7-8,000 cars per year per model. It has been decided to keep it a low production "halo" vehicle, regardless of demand.
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif
The local dealership that I used to work at has only recieved three of the ten they are slated to get this year. Don't expect Miata like numbers of cars produced for either model. They are only planning on making 7-8,000 cars per year per model. It has been decided to keep it a low production "halo" vehicle, regardless of demand.
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif
Harry_Ward
Jedi Knight
Offline
I thought you all might want to see the new addition to the fleet which I picked up last Wednesday. Someday I'll learn how to attach the pic to the message but for now you will just have to open the attachment. Oh... and those two new Lotus Elans at the dealership just before we reached the Saturn dealership caught my eye as well but my sensible half (the wife) would have gouged me eyes out.
Harry
CT
Harry
CT
