Looking for a Solstice? Then turn and earn

[Northstar]

By Jamie LaReau
Automotive News / September 12, 2005

PORTLAND, Ore. - If you're a big-volume Pontiac dealer in a hot, sunny state, consider yourself lucky. If not, you might wait awhile to get the new Solstice roadster on your lot.

With 13,000 orders in hand, Pontiac has devised a dealership allocation plan based on a combination of "turn and earn" and geography.

Turn and earn means dealerships that have the highest sales volume for the past 12 months will get a Solstice before smaller dealerships, Chris Ayotte, Pontiac marketing manager for small cars, said at an event here last month.

Pontiac also will consider where the roadster segment is strongest, which is typically in sunny and warm climates, says Mark-Hans Richer, Pontiac marketing director.

"We have a distribution strategy that does have a small skew toward sunnier climates," Richer says. "At the same time we want to make sure we take care of our Pontiac dealers.

"Many of our largest dealers happen to be in more North Central and North Eastern markets. So we've taken a balanced approach whereby everyone gets taken care of but maybe at different times."

More: http://www.autonews.com/article.cms?articleId=54445

[Flybrian]

I love Florida!

[AAS]

so does this mean I will finally get to see one on the road!?! let me answer my own question... I sure hope so!

[Mach5GTP]

Damn, I won't see one here in Chicagostan til next year... :angry: May be just as well, since I'll probably start crying when I see my first- tears of joy, tears of hopelessness. :(

[99camaroSS]

how long do u think it would be here in st. louis? we have a monster pontiac buick gmc dealer. it was about 7 months after the launch before i started seeing gto's tho.......

[Cremazie]

Good lord, it'll be years before it ends up in Edmonton!

[ToniCipriani]

Well I guess there could be a few Pontiac dealers in Toronto to be considered high-volume... fingers crossed...

[Satty]

For right now its a decent strategy, we're closing in on the winter months, not many people in the northern areas are going to want what is essentially a Sunday cruiser for the cold months. Hopefully they'll even out the distribution early next year so those of us who dont live in year round 70 degree weather will get to see some, and the SKY should be distributed evenly from the start, just to keep with their customer friendly history.

[The O.C.]

I live in L.A./Orange County and haven't seen a SINGLE Solstice....! I've VERY surprised by that....I figured Pontiac would want them all over southern California....I drive all over southern Cal for work and haven't seen them in either L.A., or O.C., or San Diego. I'm dying to see the car in person..... However, my local Pontiac dealer in Laguna Hills is not by any means a large Pontiac dealer.

[RBB]

how long do u think it would be here in st. louis? we have a monster pontiac buick gmc dealer. it was about 7 months after the launch before i started seeing gto's tho.......

[post="13591"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

I've already seen on ona Hwy 40, heading west just west of Mason Rd. I mentioned it in the "Car Spotting" thread.

-RBB

[Nick]

Cool, I should be seeing some then...being that I live next to one of the largest volume Pontiac dealerships in America...Shaver Pontiac/Jeep...

[99camaroSS]

I've already seen on ona Hwy 40, heading west just west of Mason Rd.  I mentioned it in the "Car Spotting" thread.

-RBB

[post="13676"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

wow really? thats right infront of my school. when was it?

[RBB]

wow really? thats right infront of my school. when was it?

[post="15186"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

You're a CBC guy, eh?

I saw it on September 1st, on my way home from work.

-RBB

[99camaroSS]

Yep cbc guy, i just got an auto club started here and we are going to be having a big car show in the spring for charity, u should try to make it out. hopefully i catch that solstice some time soon

[tmp]

I've been cruising by Martin Pontiac-Cadillac in West LA for a while now looking for one, and they don't have any.