http://www.thecarconnection.com/index.asp?article=7763

 

250hp w/ hard top convertable, now that sounds nice.

 

I can't wait to see and drive one. With a stick that could/will be a fun car to drive. I hope they can keep the price of a GT model under $30k...I don't see why they can't. A base GT 4 door stickers now at under $24K, so a $5K or so jump seems reasonable, especially considering its a hardtop!! Economies of scale will hopefully make it cheaper than it costs the SSR team to include it on their product? GM got some practice with that top, too...

Maybe the SSR was good for something after all

 

looks like a solara from the profile shot, jmho

 

The price was/is my biggest question mark. I can see this exceeding or approaching $30k easily. I mean, some of the loaded coupe models with the 200hp 3.5 are around 26-27k, and retractable hardtops don't come cheap.

Not a bad idea, but i'm one of those people that would have preffered an AWD option over a retractable hardtop option. Especially since that AWD would have made its way over to the high performance GXP version as well.

 

I sure hope GM has a good handle on the market as IMO that would be a segment better covered with a RWD.

 

Yeah, well consider these cars you mention have the panoramic roof...a $1,500 option. I, uh, don't think these will be optional on the convertibles...

Comparing an apple to an apple, a G6 hardtop with everything rings in at $26k tops, with On-Star, chrome wheels, leather, heated seats, 6 CD etc. The only option I am leaving off is side airbags, something most people don't seem to care about on a G6, as of yet.

 

It's funny that I saw a $27,500 G6 the other day. Throw in the premium for the hotter model, not to mention the folding hardtop, and I think a $35-40K G6 droptop is very possible. Who in their right mind would pay that much for a G6?

The reality is that G6 droptop will probably see rental car service in the sun-belt, just like the Chrysler's Sebring Convertible. Remember the Sunfire/Cavalier convertible rental cars? After that niche was abandonned, there were even a few V6 Camaro convertibles offered by Alamo. Much like the G6 sedan, the folding hardtop Pontiac will make a better used purchase than new. As a "rental buyback" it will be a great alternative to all those Sebrings.

It's too bad that all of this developement money was wasted on a dreary Pontiac. The 4-seat folding hardtop technology should have premiered on Cadillac's Sigma platform, not on a mainstream Epsilon product. Just image a CTS-V convertible to compete with Audi's S4 Cabriolet. In that utilization, there would have been enough power to offset the weight of the folding hardtop and enough prestige to justify the horrendous expense of the top mechanism.

As it is, the G6 convertible will be big news at Alamo and Enterprise rental counters in Florida. The trick will be finding enough retail buyers after the initial glow has faded. Pontiac had better have a whole army of determined JasonE-type salespeople at the ready.

 

I know the G6 is a better made car by far than the Grand Am. I know the G6 will have more horsepower under the hood than it's predecessor. I know that Grand Ams could look pretty silly with all that body cladding.

But, the G6 simply doesn't have that personality the Grand Am had. Mariied couples could agree on Grand Ams. Grand Ams pulled in alot of younger buyers who wanted an agressive looking car over a agressive performing car.

No one is going to deny the Grand Am had Personality with a "P". I don't yet feel that with the G6 after seeing one in person. It looks nice, it's built well. But it seems more like an applience. And it's rear wheels seem too far back and make the rear wheels look like an afterthought.

The Grand Am consistantly was one of GM's top 3 selling cars. I don't think the G6 is going to achieve that.

 

I hope the G6 coupe with the stick comes in ~$26,000, putting it under the 6 speed 240hp Accord.

 

I don't know, I would disagree with you there. I liked the outgoing G/A, espesially w/o the cladding, but I think the G6 is a much more attractive car with with long wheelbase, very short overhands, and raked front and rear glass. My only quiblle is the kinda drab looking interior and drivetrain choice (at the moment at least). I think the G6 has the potential to pick up and omprove where the G/A left off.

But I could be wrong....

 

I think that the G6 GTP with 6spd manual is gunna be one hot ride. Deffinatly faster then the Accord. I hope that Pontiac takes out the electirc asst. steering out of all the G6's and leaves them in the Malibu.
The picutre of the G6 coupe on that infomercial looked soooooo good! Cant wait.

 

I think it looks great but will be expensive. Looks better than the current hard top model.

The thing I hate about this car and that I think ruins its looks is THE DAMN STICKING OUT DOOR HANDLES.

The pre-production car had flush handles, like f-body. It looked so much cleaner. The handles actually ruin the look of the car to me.

And does anyboyd know why we have to suffer external handles like that?

I heard its because the ladies are tired of breaking nails on handles like the f-body.

 

http://www.thecarconnection.com/imag...8696_image.jpg

Either that guy is small, or this car is huge