Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky could live on... with different parents
Pontiac Solstice Coupe - Click above for a high-res image gallery
General Motors' acting CEO Fritz Henderson has said the Wilmington, DE plant that currently produces the Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky could be sold if a buyer was interested in producing the two roadsters. "If someone were to approach [us] with a proposal that made good sense for our people, we'd be open to it," Henderson told Autoweek. The move would ape Chrysler's plan for the Dodge Viper's production facilities, allowing another automaker to take control and continue building the niche model.
The Delaware plant also produces the Opel GT, a rebadged variant of the U.S. market Solstice and Sky, for GM's German arm, and it's obvious that as the General rushes to restructure before its June 1 deadline the automaker is looking to cut loose any and all extraneous operations. With Pontiac's future sealed, Saturn's all but assured and all three models returning little (if any) profits, the decision to nix the roadsters was obvious. Now it's time to see if someone is willing to take the reigns.
Gallery: 2010 Pontiac Solstice Coupe
[Source: Autoweek]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
carcomptoy 7:08PM (5/11/2009)
I didn't know the Opel GT was built there--how cool to see an Opel here in the States!
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dwightB 8:08PM (5/11/2009)
Considering the fact that it looks EXACTLY like the Saturn Sky, not very, lol.
AMcA 8:27PM (5/11/2009)
I've been thinking about how this could be done for the past week.
I wanna do this.
How? Tough question.
What do we suppose Kappa Motors would be worth?
PJ 9:58PM (5/11/2009)
I'd love to see this too, if only so someone could take the achingly beautiful Solstice coupe and put it back in the R&D oven until fully cooked.
Any trunk/interior storage/decent seats/6-speed manual/non-Kmart plastic suppliers out there want to give it a go?
SimbaDogg 10:43PM (5/11/2009)
gah'd damnit guys...just take this car, slap a chevy badge on it, and call it a day. this is seriously too sweet of a car just to throw away
tuxchown 11:32PM (5/11/2009)
I'd love to see the Sky stay as a Chevy.
Jared 7:09PM (5/11/2009)
So maybe the new owner could actually fix the convertible tops?
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Jesse 7:23PM (5/11/2009)
What, exactly, is wrong with the convertible tops on these cars?
Owning a Solstice and a Miata, it's no comparison, aside from needing to get out to close the trunk afterwards, the Solstice's top is much easier to stow and raise.
Hike15 7:31PM (5/11/2009)
From what I've heard, the tops leak....that's not good
HotRodzNKustoms 7:53PM (5/11/2009)
@Hike15: I don't know about you but every convertible I've owned have had a leak somewhere CLK's, SLs's, 3 series, Miata, Mustang, and more. They all leak! It's just something you give up when having unlimited headroom.
Snowdog 7:55PM (5/11/2009)
Say what?
1: It takes up the pitiful trunk
2: you need to stop somewhere, and get in/out of the car a couple of times, pack it in trunk:
As seen here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHP_QBwhhN0&feature=related
Putting it back up you have to reverse the procedure and go to each side of the car and snap in the "Wings".
Its fiddly, takes longer, need to exit car, takes up trunk.
IOW worse in every way than a Miata top. I could flip mine (MX-5) open in 10 seconds while at a light, without leaving my seat.
Heck Even when Mazda went with a Folding Hard top it still doesn't take up trunk room.
It is just terrible engineering to have a soft top that takes up the trunk these days. It is inexcusable. Lose the wings as well.
MGBYG 7:55PM (5/11/2009)
The Solstice top is easier than the soft-top NC MX-5 Miata?
What drugs are you on?
I can, from the driver's seat, raise or lower the top in under 8 seconds, on my 06 MX-5. Lower each window an inch (the buttons are right on the tunnel), unlatch one and toss back as it folds and clicks down locked. Reverse process when it rains (which that is a rarity here in the OC).
I admit the Solstice is pretty/sexy, but the NC MX-5 Miata is superior in every other way.
BigWill 8:14PM (5/11/2009)
"Owning a Solstice and a Miata, it's no comparison, aside from needing to get out to close the trunk afterwards, the Solstice's top is much easier to stow and raise."
No comparison? You must be the guy driving the Solstice I see all the time with the top's "wings" flapping in the wind.
tump 9:13PM (5/11/2009)
Jesse, it looks like a Band-Aid stuck on, when closed. Fit on it is awful. Plus, there's no way it touches this bugger: http://image.automotive.com/f/multimedia/photo_gallery/6696782/0609_b+2007_mazda_mx5_miata_hard_top+02.jpg
Saxxon 7:11PM (5/11/2009)
Maybe who ever buys the right to build it can put a v8 and a decent trunk in it, and make it a car worth buying.
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aj121489 7:18PM (5/11/2009)
Mallett or Lingenfelter should take over. That would kick so much ass.
letstakeawalk 8:28PM (5/11/2009)
Aj's right:
http://www.mallettcars.com/solstice-conversion.htm
Chad 3:45PM (5/12/2009)
Tesla
Scallon 7:08PM (5/13/2009)
thank you thank you thank you! I was worried that by the time I could actually afford a red line they wouldn't be built anymore. Now my hope lives on, if only by a very small thread.
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Jake B 3:13AM (5/12/2009)
For real. I am really not too scared of the idea of getting an aftermarket red-line here in a little bit. Sexy fast little car, and they make those stage 1 - 3 upgrades that really give that power plant a kick in the pants, not saying the 260 stock horse is awful.