Solstice surges past Miata in roadster race

[Variance]

Solstice surges past Miata in roadster race

Automotive News / February 6, 2006 - 6:00 am

For 16 years, Mazda's MX-5 Miata has been the world's top-selling entry-level two-seat roadster. With more than 700,000 built, the Miata has knocked off British Leyland's venerable MGB, produced from 1962 to 1980, as the most popular roadster ever.

But the Pontiac Solstice is off to a strong start, and is far outpacing the newly redesigned Miata.

In January - the first month of full availability for the Solstice - the sleek Pontiac roadster nearly doubled the Miata in sales, 1,990 to 1,067. It was the same story in December, when the Solstice clobbered the Miata, 2,746 to 1,007.

To be sure, Miata sales in January were 106.8 percent ahead of the same month last year, when the previous model was on its last legs. But the new Miata isn't doing well in one critical area: consumers' willingness to pay more than sticker. Based on completed eBay auction sales, the highest price a 2006 Miata sold for was $21,900, but a Solstice brought $26,100. Including freight, the base Miata MX-5 stickers for $20,995, and the Solstice stickers for $20,490.

Pontiac officials are thrilled and a little surprised by the early results. Said Pontiac spokesman Jim Hopson: "The Miata is an extremely strong competitor, and we thought it was going to be a really good horse race."

Link: http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/arti...efsect=AMERICAS

[AAS]

2,746 Solstices sold in DECEMBER! Holly Crap! And everyone complained about the delayed release running into colder months, and the impact it would have.

[CSpec]

Aren't these still the backordered ones from last spring?

[AAS]

Aren't these still the backordered ones from last spring?

Oh yeah...

[Imaj]

It's like america was waiting for such a car from GM!!

[trinacriabob]

Not the kind of wheels I would want to drive, but it is definitely better looking than the Miata. Good going, Pontiac.

Edited February 10, 2006 by trinacriabob

[razoredge]

Of course..theres nothing else on the road in American like it.

[cmattson]

Nice backhanded slam.. very worthy of an Asian automaker spokesperson:

"The Miata is an extremely strong competitor, and we thought it was going to be a really good horse race."

..we thought it was going to be.. means: it hasn't been.

[Snate]

Nice backhanded slam.. very worthy of an Asian automaker spokesperson:

"The Miata is an extremely strong competitor, and we thought it was going to be a really good horse race."

..we thought it was going to be.. means: it hasn't been.

That was from the Pontiac spokesperson

[frogger]

That was from the Pontiac spokesperson

I think he is saying the Pontiac guy was slamming the Miata in a backhanded way.. The sort of thing that if it was the other way around there would be 15 posts slamming the Mazda spokesperson and the journalist that quoted him.

[samuel]

Of course..theres nothing else on the road in American like it.

Uhhh, isn't the Miata just like it? That's kind of the point...that the Solstice is beating the Jap version...

[Coach]

Hmmm....note to GM, see what happens when you pay attention to beautifully designed automobiles?