This isn’t the news that GM wants talked about so soon after the first deliveries of the Pontiac Solstice. But it’s
news, so talk about it we must. Apparently the retractable hardtop of the new Pontiac G6 convertible is failing
durability tests, lasting for less than half of its projected life cycle.
Autoweek claims this information comes from four supplier
and industry sources, although both GM and the hard top’s supplier, Karmann USA, deny there are any unusual quality
concerns. Whatever’s going on, it’s pushing back the debut of the drop top until at least the first quarter of 2006,
obviously later than the January ’06 debut date GM quoted last February. Dropping the convertible is also a possibility
if these issues aren’t fixed by March, which is the point after which the cost of the convertible’s development could
not be recouped before the G6 line is redesigned.
Pontiac G6 convertible pushed back
This isn’t the news that GM wants talked about so soon after the first deliveries of the Pontiac Solstice. But it’s news, so talk about it we must. Apparently the retractable hardtop of the new Pontiac G6 convertible is failing durability tests, lasting for less than half of its projected life cycle. Autoweek claims this information comes from four supplier and industry sources, although both GM and the hard top’s supplier, Karmann USA, deny there are any unusual quality concerns. Whatever’s going on, it’s pushing back the debut of the drop top until at least the first quarter of 2006, obviously later than the January ’06 debut date GM quoted last February. Dropping the convertible is also a possibility if these issues aren’t fixed by March, which is the point after which the cost of the convertible’s development could not be recouped before the G6 line is redesigned.