From last year, Miata sales from Jan-Nov are up 80%.

 

True...My point is only that the actual performance is very similar. I would have to admit that overall the Miata is the better car.

 

I doubt the Solstice or Sky are taking away Miata sales form the Miata faithful…more likely, those who are thinking about a two-seater sports car and considered a Miata went for the Solstice instead (also keep in mind that sales of cars like that will never be as stable as more practical cars). But regardless of where the sales are coming I have a feeling that the Solstice/Sky probably won’t be around long.

GM seems to have developed the habit of coming out with interesting cars but only producing them for a generation (or part of a generation)...I’d hate to buy a new spots car only to find it completely out of the lineup in two or three years…As successful as it is (and beating the Miata’s sales figures is impressive), I have a feeling that GM’s front office just isn’t going to get all the excited about 20K unit sales on a long-term basis.

 

The local Pontiac and Saturn used lots ....say otherwise around here anyways .

Correct me if Im wrong , but wasnt the target sales for the Solstice 20K per year. (?)

 

I don't know what the sales projections were (and regardless of what has been put out for public consumption, I doubt anybody outside of GM knows a real number either). However, my statement has noting to do with meeting or not meeting the projected sales numbers.

20K unites in a year is a minuscule amount for an automaker the size of GM…I simply don’t see GM keeping the car around long-term based on those numbers as it’s just not worth their trouble or spending their (currently) limited re$ource$ on. The only way I see it happening is if Pontiac and Saturn can successfully argue that they need those types of vehicles if only to generate showroom traffic/sales.

Keep in mind, in its worst sales year (1989 - it's last year of production) the Fiero sold almost 40K units and sold almost 140K units in its best year.

I guess we’ll know for sure in two or three years and whether there is a “next generation” of these vehicles.

 

Each vehicle is built upon a costing platform different from the other with volume in mind.

So, if GM plans to produce 20K cars, then thats a profitable (not break even) selling figure. An Impala would be a failure and fullsize trucks would close down the doors. But the Solstice is already set to make money at a different level.

 

I suspect that, were it looked into and assuming we could find accurate figures, we would find that GM has killed off many vehicles it was making a profit on but not enough profit to justify (in their opinion) keeping the model in production.

That said, maybe and if GM is really taking a different track with these vehicles then maybe things are different than they used to be!

 

GM isnt making any profit on the Kappa cars , they stated that from the get go .

 

Corvette sales run between 25-30K on a good year. Can't say GM is racing to drop the Vette.

I suspect you are still looking at the old GM. Under the old GM, either the Solstice would have never seen the light of day, or GM would have flooded the market with at least 80,000 of them the 1st few years, then kill it when it couldn't sustain that number.

This round, General Motors has done everything right. They got the car to market for considerably less money than Pontiac uses in advertizing per year. GM's keeping production numbers low so the market won't wear itself out and the cars will stay fresh. GM is also inviting heavy aftermarket participation in addition to their own add-on items. To top it off, GM is also doing what appears to be a phased expansion of the line & introduction overseas, further insuring demand continues to outstrip supply.

If that's not enough, it's also safe to say it certainly isn't going anywhere while Lutz or Wagoner is still around. And to add to the pile, it's probally a safe bet that Pontiac's isn't about to let Solstice go without open warfare erupting inside GM. And I'm sure Solstice fans, and the press isn't going to let it lie either. This is no Fiero here.

I suspect it's also safe to say that unlike the Fiero the Solstice is well on it's way gathering a pretty rabid following and is building a solid race history. There is no mistake that this was done from the start as a sports car, Pontiac isn't even trying to market it as a "commuter" car, and the types of people who buy 2 seat roadsters aren't the type to buy their car for daily transportation to & from work (again, different from most Fiero buyers).

Under the old GM, I'd agree with you, or at least give the car 1 year after Lutz leaves GM. But not only do I see GM running this differently already, I see it becoming entrenched at Pontiac.

I don't yet see the same thing happening with the Sky, and I doubt it will. Saturn is turning out to be a high style division, and styles come & go. Pontiac is more performance oriented and passionate. I think Solstice is going to be around for some time.

 

Well this is some unbelevably good news. As an avid pontiac enthusiast, it's good to hear that Pontiac will actually be having some exciting products on the showroom floor.

 

1988 was the last year for the Fiero, sales with a 70% drop in the adv budget fell to 26,402 units.

 

In the past few years the Corvette has sold as high as 35.5k units a year. The following for the Fiero is still much more rabid than the Solstice. As far as racing goes, the Fiero won the manufacturers championship in the GTP class in 1987 and 1988, beating even the Corvette.

 

1988 production VIN Type Cars produced
1G2PE11R#JP2##### Fiero 23,603
1G2PE119#JP2##### Fiero Formula 15,968
1G2PG119#JP2##### Fiero GT
Total production 39,571
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pontiac_Fiero

Wikipedia is certainly not the best source in the world but if you have more accurate numbers, please post them and where they came from as I'd be interested in seeing them.

 

Come on now guionM, you know the Vette's sales figures aren't an apples-to-apples comparison. There are GM executives who would chain themselves to every door of the Bowling Green plant and slash their wrists before they would let GM kill the Corvette…the Corvette isn’t produced because of its “huge” sales figures.


You may be correct...maybe the "new" GM won't kill it off anytime soon but personally, I wouldn't bet on that. At any rate, don't be so quick to downplay the Fiero's following even to this day or its accomplishments on the track.

 

Also, the Corvette is certainly the most profitable car which GM sells.