Like the GTO, the Kappa was envisioned to be around only a set period of time (3-5 years if I remember).

With 2005 as the start, it seems the car won't make it past 2010 at most. Like the GTO, seems there is sufficient circumstances working against an extention:

1. Kappa isn't a flexible structure. Evok can go more into detail on it than I can, but there isn't anything else you can do with Kappa without essentially creating a new car (in short, it's very expensive to change it).

2. It's Wilmington Delaware plant seemingly doesn't have a future. It seems the plant (which was already closed) was given a reprive for Solstice. Kappa was envisioned (or sold as) a structure that could create a whole line of cars. In retrospect, it seems that idea was used as a way to get the Kappa into production past GM's beancounters since there's no way you can make a sedan out of it.

3. The North American "Zeta" is likely a natural replacement for the Kappa chassis. It's highly flexible, similar in width, likely cheaper to produce, and can be made on the same assembly line as other "Zetas".

GM has shown that they will stick to production runs, and will let things die when times up (ie: GTO). I don't see GM investing money in Kappa at the end of the decade to meet future standards if they have a chassis that has higher volume where the costs can be rolled in with the rest of the lineup.

My opinion?

Get your Solstice/Sky soon.

 

Interesting....

Wonder what would have happened if they had just took Kappa's resources and plowed it into building the Kappa cars on the North American Zeta. Maybe we would have all our cars sooner.

 

I don't see this happening.

Especially with the media and public attention the two vehicles have recieved.

 

Business wise it is easy to see why they would Axe Kappa. It is a an unflexible platform that only underpins cheap low voilume cars. It is built in an old, extremly underutilized plant that is out of the way of suppliers (GM is closing plants that are off the I75 corridor), that will likely be closed after the Kappa run. I don't see how Kappa can make money to be honest. It doesn't take an accounting degree.

 

Actually.... the plant was never closed. It was on the hit list in the early 90's, and then built the Malibu and also the famous L- series. We'll see what happens. Don't count us out yet.

 

Hasn't someone else said GM was not going to make moany on the Kappa twins? And wasn't that person quoting Bob Lutz or someone else high up at GM?

I can't remember who it was, but I'm pretty sure it was on this board.

That's really a shame, IMO. The Kappa twins are great image cars for GM in the enthusiast market. I don't know if a Camaro could capture their appeal. And from what I gather about N/A Zeta, it's not flexible enough to be downsized into a small roadster.

Sad news to me.

 

Remember who we're talking about here

 

Who?

 

I would imagine, that if they sell well, the kappa platform may be eleminated but the Solstice and Sky will be futher integrated and built off of a more flexible and more widely used platform. This is just my thought on it however, and may not happen at all.

David

 

The miata has been around a long time, basically on the same platform for most of it's life. I don't know why the Solstice would have to die.

 

I don't see it as such a bad thing. If Zeta is cheaper and more flexible, then surely it would be a better chassis (than Kappa) by 2010? Anyway, if it helps GM's bottom line, shifting cars from the Kappa platform to Zeta, it's a good thing. Or am I missing something here?

 

If Kappa is that unflexable, then how much of Kappa was used on the Torana project?

 

I was referring to the well documented history of GM killing cars just when they are becoming interesting.

 

AFAIK, A-arms and some other suspension pieces.

 

Kappa will NOT be axed. Instead, it will be "morphed" so hey...I guess you could say it will be axed.

Also....the Torana was nothing Kappa approved from General Motors. Instead, it was Holden taking their ideas and running with them without approval from General Motors until "outside support" had caught on.

With everything being said, Bob Lutz will not let his idea of the Solstice die anytime soon, and it won't be without a fulfilling replacement.

Also one other thing to consider. With the hard-top coming on-line very soon and the possibility of more performance Solstii's making it to market....pretty soon you have yourself at about 100k - 150k capacity for production. The only thing I think could be made at Wilmington would be the Delta HHR if production has to be shared at another plant.