Don't have a link yet, but Automotive News will report that GM is considering the Wilmington DE plant to assemble the Solstice.

 

I'd imagine that means Solstice is in the final steps before being "approved".

Like I once said, it was a matter of "when" it would be approved, not "if".

 

So can we assume that the Solstice will be built on a RWD only chassis that will be about the same size as the current fwd Delta platform. I would also think that since Pontiac is holding off on a Delta-based FWD car and keeping the Sunfire for at least another 5 years (in the US) this would appear like they are holding out for the Solstice to be their affordable $20,000 performance car by the 2007 MY (3 years from now!).

While the Solstice might have a $19,000 base price I would think that a real-word optioned-out Solstice will be closer to $25,000. I would bet that the Solstice coupe will be a 4-seater in order to be what Lutz called the "next-Mustang", but it will be interesting to see if the convertible ends-up being a 4-seater as well.

While Pontiac in Canada will have their own delta-based FWD car called the Pursuit its interesting to note that the entire population of Canada is less then the population of California. For Pontiac to develope and Canada-only car does sound a little odd but it will be interesting to see if the Pursuit will be made available in the US to eventually replace the Sunfire and to be a cheaper alternative to Solstice's $19,000-$20,000 base price.

I still think that the Pontiac Vibe will get axed and will become the basis of a small Saturn SUV/crossover (smaller then the Vue) and a Pursuit/Delta-based sedan and 5-door hatchback will eventually become the low priced entry level cars to replace both the Sunfire and the Vibe for Pontiac.

Here's a real nice large pic of the Solstice Coupe - http://www.velocityphotos.com//image...ecoupe4904.jpg

 

That Saturn plant is running at about 50% capacity, plenty of room for a few space frame sports cars.

 

Guys,
Have you ever seen how Pontiac gets a version of a Chevy car for Canada. They put a different grille in it. That's it. Oh, and maybe center caps and hubcaps, badges, and air bag module.

I'm sure the Cobalt was designed with a Canadian Pontiac version in mind. So it's costing Pontiac next to nothing to have the Pursuit.

Now back to the Canadian Pontiacs. Let me name a few:

Pontiac Tempest = US Chevy Corsica w/ different grille
Pontiac Acadia = US Chevy Chevette w/different grille (eventually came to the states as the T-1000)
Pontiac Parisienne = US Chevy Caprice w/different grille (eventually came to the states as the Parisienne to fill a gap in Pontiac's line when they discontinued full size RWD Bonneville in 1982)
mid-size Pontiac = US Chevy Malibu w/ different grille (in mid 60s)

That's all the Pursuit is going to be. They've never even done a good job in trying to disguise the fact that it's a Chevy with a different grille.

 

If there is a way to get the supercharged 4 on a base model (say for under $21,000) and came in a coupe, it would be very difficult for me not to buy one of them.

 

That would have been the Beaumont ... they changed the taillights too

Minor nitpick ... the Pontiac Chevette was an Acadian. (you missed the "n")

Also, many of our Pontiacs were Chevy powered.

 

Sorry poSSum,

I knew there would be a guy from Canada to correct me.

 

Is the Solstice going to come in Coupe form? I really dont like convertables. I fell in love with the lines of the orange coupe.

 

W3rd

 

I have always been a big fan of the Lotus Elise and if Pontiac could bring out the Solstice convertible that has similar performance for half the price that would be hard to pass up.

I believe the Elise should finally arrive in the US in 2004/05 with a Toyota engine and sequential tranny from the MR2 Spyder and should sell for around $35,000

Toyota will cease production of the MR2 Spyder in the next 2 years or so to make room for the upcoming next-gen Supra and Supra convertible and a possible convertible version of the Celica replacement (the Celica name my get canned).

While I wont be buying another car until 2008 and Its nice to know there will be some cool cars availble when that time comes.