In case you missed this, Solstice will outsell the Miata this year..... by alot!
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From: The Golden State
In case you missed this, Solstice will outsell the Miata this year..... by alot!
From Autoweek:
What more can you say. 
http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dl.../61211012/1024
For the first time since it debuted in late 1989, Mazda's MX-5 Miata is not America's favorite budget two-seat sports car.
That honor now belongs to the Pontiac Solstice.
Heading into the final weeks of the year, the swoopy $20,000 Pontiac sports car has a commanding sales lead over the venerable Miata. And there are no asterisks, either: Both cars came out in 2005, so this is their first full year of head-to-head competition.
Through November, Pontiac sold 18,361 Solstices, compared with 15,873 Miatas. Pontiac padded its lead in November, chalking up sales of 1,305, compared with just 995 Miatas.
This race could be even more interesting next year. Expect greater availability of the high-performance 260-hp Solstice GXP. And Mazda will offer a Miata with a folding metal roof.
That honor now belongs to the Pontiac Solstice.
Heading into the final weeks of the year, the swoopy $20,000 Pontiac sports car has a commanding sales lead over the venerable Miata. And there are no asterisks, either: Both cars came out in 2005, so this is their first full year of head-to-head competition.
Through November, Pontiac sold 18,361 Solstices, compared with 15,873 Miatas. Pontiac padded its lead in November, chalking up sales of 1,305, compared with just 995 Miatas.
This race could be even more interesting next year. Expect greater availability of the high-performance 260-hp Solstice GXP. And Mazda will offer a Miata with a folding metal roof.
http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dl.../61211012/1024
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From: South Bend , IN
If they stick around for any lenght of time , I hope GM re-thinks and re-engineers the folding top assembly and trunk . I would love to trade my SS on a Sky Redline right now ....I can easily afford it , but then Id have to buy another car too
Last edited by 90 Z28SS; Dec 16, 2006 at 06:31 PM.
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In all realities , for a I have to live it every day car .....the Miata is much better package to live with Despite both Kappas superior performance and looks . I gotta wonder if that is gonna catch up with the kappas . Despite the awesome looks , chassis and mechanicals . I realize cars like this arent typically primary cars for the people that buy them , but man ....if you and a friend , gf , wife whatever wanted to take the top down , pack a cooler and go to the beach , the cooler would have to ride shotgun on your passengers lap , the same with a weekend trip . With those types of compromises , it seems like the novelty would wear off rather qwickly . I know I would want to drive it ALL the time if I had one , and most of them time I couldnt .
If they stick around for any lenght of time , I hope GM re-thinks and re-engineers the folding top assembly and trunk . I would love to trade my SS on a Sky Redline right now ....I can easily afford it , but then Id have to have buy another car too
If they stick around for any lenght of time , I hope GM re-thinks and re-engineers the folding top assembly and trunk . I would love to trade my SS on a Sky Redline right now ....I can easily afford it , but then Id have to have buy another car too
, no center console cubby? what were they thinking?)
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From: Hebron, KY
C/D on 10Best Winner Mazda MX-5 (Jan. 07)
...the MX-5 lost its least-expensive-roadster title to the Pontiac Solstice but prevailed on the basis of its all-around goodness: It's quicker, more agile, more refined, quieter, roomier, more comfortable, better-looking.
...the MX-5 lost its least-expensive-roadster title to the Pontiac Solstice but prevailed on the basis of its all-around goodness: It's quicker, more agile, more refined, quieter, roomier, more comfortable, better-looking.
Park the Mazda next to the Pontiac, and the show-car-like American two-seater is the one that will draw a crowd. The Solstice has the advantage of a brand-new shape, wheels at the corners, and bulges in all the right places. The MX-5 isn't styled as radically as the Solstice, but it does look lighter and more agile. Advantage: Solstice.
http://www.caranddriver.com/roadtest...-face-off.html
Of course, they began to back-pedal before the 10Best, in fact just two months after this initial review. I guess the newness wore off quickly...
http://www.caranddriver.com/comparis...roadsters.html
It may have some obvious flaws, but congrats to GM on a winner.
Oh, and guess which of the two C/D compared to a $47,000+ Porsche Boxster all the way back in Oct. 2006 (3 issues before 10Best).
http://www.caranddriver.com/comparis...e-boxster.html
Gotta love consistency.
Last edited by jrp4uc; Dec 16, 2006 at 08:40 PM. Reason: Porsche comparison
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From: Ontario
Not to mention Solstice shared some of its limelight with the Saturn Sky (which undoubtedly took sales away from it), and also that Solstice has been production-constrained most of its life.
However in the back of my mind I do have to agree with 90 Z28SS, and I wonder if Solstice will have much staying power. Miata has been a consistent seller most of its life, but Solstice might be a bit too much of a compromise to have long term legs. I know I really wanted a Kappa when I first saw them, but in the end the utter lack of practicality made me decide to pass.
However in the back of my mind I do have to agree with 90 Z28SS, and I wonder if Solstice will have much staying power. Miata has been a consistent seller most of its life, but Solstice might be a bit too much of a compromise to have long term legs. I know I really wanted a Kappa when I first saw them, but in the end the utter lack of practicality made me decide to pass.
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From: Two Rivers, WI
Solstice - Gorgeous.
Miata - Farkkenugly.
Anyone that says that a Miata is a useful car is wacko anyway. Neither car offers a whole lot of practicality. That market is all about fun and looks imo. Period.
Miata - Farkkenugly.
Anyone that says that a Miata is a useful car is wacko anyway. Neither car offers a whole lot of practicality. That market is all about fun and looks imo. Period.
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From: Annapolis MD
I did read about the Solstice selling more than the Miata; this is not unexpected. The Solstice was the "new kid on the block" while the new Miata was not; its been out years and the its redesign was not that different in styling than before.
I am also not going to be that surprised when it does next year either. But on year three when the car is no longer so new, the Solstice will have to change if it wants to compete.
I am also not going to be that surprised when it does next year either. But on year three when the car is no longer so new, the Solstice will have to change if it wants to compete.
Last edited by 5thgen69camaro; Dec 17, 2006 at 03:18 PM.
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The Solstice will have to be redesigned to make it as good as a car as the Miata and be able to pull more Miata fans away from it, many of whom have had multiple Miatas. The Miata was fully redesigned last year; not a single thing was a carry over from what I understand, but the original Miata was so good that making it different from that car would be a mistake.
The reason BMW and Porsche can do things like that is also since their cars are simply better than their competitors, usually by a significant amount when they redesign the vehicle so other manufacturers play catch-up. They both, just like the Miata have a loyal fan base, too. The Corvette followed this approach from the C5 to the C6, too fwiw.
The reason BMW and Porsche can do things like that is also since their cars are simply better than their competitors, usually by a significant amount when they redesign the vehicle so other manufacturers play catch-up. They both, just like the Miata have a loyal fan base, too. The Corvette followed this approach from the C5 to the C6, too fwiw.
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From: New England
The Miata, has never had a full redesign where they changed the look completely. The fact that nothing carries over is irrelevant if they stayed true to the design idea. The underpinnings and upgraded drive train, are a different story. BMW and Porsche to not succeed despite not completely throwing every design element out. It adds to their success in my opinion. There will always be engineering improvements. Its the look that needs to have elements of what that car should be. The C6 is also another excellent example. Not much carries over, however it looks like a corvette. Barring the C3 I dont think there was a time where the Vette threw everything out that people liked and started over. Same should hold true for Solstice.
It was redesigned. Thats like saying the F-150 has not really been redesigned and still looks like a F-150. Or a vette looking like a Vette or a Viper looking like a Viper.. Yea to keep it looking like the car it is. But you can go the opposite direction and do the Mustang Fox body to the SN-95 body.. Just because it looks the same doesnt mean it was not redesigned but kept most of the elements that made it popular.
I am sure Pontiac when it does a full redesign of the Solstice it will keep the points that people like about it and beef it up.
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I believe there was a post a while back speaking to performance. It was a video from a Japanese show where they had a drive off. Both cars with the same driver on a road course. When he was done driving both cars he said the Miata was faster. The clock told a different story though. Solstice won out. They attributed it to it's broad torque curve vs. the Miata engine.
EDIT: Here it is!
http://64.65.63.61/forums/showthread...ce+miata+video
EDIT: Here it is!
http://64.65.63.61/forums/showthread...ce+miata+video
Last edited by Joe K. 96 Zeee!!; Dec 17, 2006 at 05:40 PM.