http://money.cnn.com/2006/05/23/Auto...reut/index.htm

Goes to show what fantastic styling priced right can do for sales. It is no easy task to beat a class leader right out of the gate.

 

the solstice figures are limited by capacity.

 

It'll be interesting to see how SKY's numbers blend in...

Sounds like expectations are that Solstice will continue on at capacity, and SKY will be at capacity too.

 

 

The Solstice is new and looks better then the Miata (IMO - and obviously others as well).

Although, I wouldn't get themselves in a pickle by uping production too much. If they go too far then they will have to add rebates and have the costs of extra capacity. I'd let them sell a good year; year and a half before I even thought about increasing production.

 

increasing capacity is probably a bad idea, it'll hurt in 2-3 years when demand goes down and levels off at a sustainable number.

 

Yep, this is what killed Fiero--100k the first year, 50k the second, 10k by the time it died.

The iffy quality of the first 100k, combined with cratering resale values caused by the glut of cars, killed it dead. And yes, I'm qualified to talk about the iffy quality--I bought one of the first 1984 Fieros.

 

To me it always seemed like Mazda was never really 'trying' with the miata - largely because they didn't have to. Should be interesting to see what this huge load of competition does to their design team's motivation, but for now I think we all saw this coming from a mile away - the solstice and sky are obvious hands-down winners next to the miata, especially with the redline version coming out for those who actually want to be able to out-accelerate the average family sedan.

 

Does this mean, if sky and solstice continu to do well, that miata might get bigger?

In a day when every new model seems to grow bigger then the one before it, the miata seems to have been one of the few that stayed very small. But perhaps the appearance of the GM twins might change that now?

 

I think the Mazda team has always been trying with regards to the design of the Miata. They have a lot of focus, and you can read up on all the random things they did for the new one to improve it. It is still a great car, even though the emphasis has never been on pure acceleration. They do make the Mazdaspeed turbo versions if you think the NA ones are way too slow.

I would rather have a Solstice though

 

Well, the turbo isn't being made now, afaik. The turbo went away (temporarily, I'd assume) when the new design came out. Now the regular Miata is almost as quick as the previous Mazdaspeed turbo model (regular car is up to 170 hp from its 2.0L). I would be very surprised if the turbo 2.3L from the Mazdaspeed 6 (and 3?) doesn't find its way into the Miata to go against the GXP and Redline.

 

I could see that happening too. Every generation the weight goes up.

Maybe they should just give it the 5.0L Cammer

 

i hear that the 2.3 won't fit (toobig)

 

I just assumed we would be getting a new Mazdaspeed eventually. Ah well. Turbo Solstices aren't available quite yet either

 

It actually has grown in both weight and size, starting out around 2100 at its debut and now at about 2500. But it's still a small car, and more than 300 pounds lighter than Solstice.