Northstar

This is a tough one. The front of the G6 is better, but I really like the quirkiness of our Maxx. I'd definetly take a G6 coupe over a Maxx, and probably the sedan too as I don't need the utility of the Maxx.

This should be fun... How about taking the Alero, putting a Z06 chassis under it (thus making it RWD), and sticking the LS7 and Tremec T56 (Z06 powertain) in it?

Wow, that looks pretty good; Saturn should get one when they get the new ION.

See the first post, I editted it, but it's over Wedensday when I get home from school, which means sometime between 3 and 4 PM (Central time, so 4 to 5 PM EST).

Maybe they had shitty drivers, because the C6 non-Z06 runs pretty close to mid 12s.

I hope that's not it, because I don't really like that as the next VUE.

The exterior looks okay, but I'm still not sure I like those headlights too well. The interior looks pretty good with exception of the shift gate, and I like the steering wheel pretty well. The materials look pretty good from what I can see (they look nicely textured). I wouldn't want those engine choices in America, but for Europe they should be okay. I'm guessing that will be the same NAV in the Aura, Solstice/Sky (if they get it), and a lot of other cars that get the new radio.

That's clearly just a chop of the Torana, hell they didn't even get rid of the pink lighting inside.

What a Concept: Solstice gives Pontiac—and GM—a much needed shot in the arm ROGER HART Published Date: 8/29/05 2006 PONTIAC SOLSTICE ON SALE: Now BASE PRICE: $19,995 POWERTRAIN: 2.4-liter, 177-hp, 166-lb-ft I4; rwd, five-speed manual CURB WEIGHT: 2860 lbs 0 TO 60 MPH: 7.2 seconds (est.) FUEL MILEAGE (EPA COMBINED): 23.6 mpg Ever since it was revealed at the 2002 Detroit show, the Pontiac Solstice has been more than just a car for General Motors. Brainchild of GM’s then-new product czar Bob Lutz, the two-seater became an experiment for how quickly the automotive giant could conceive a car that would ignite the public’s interest, and then bring it to market. Shortly after the show car was given the green light for production, the Solstice became the project everyone within GM was looking at. To everyone’s best recollection—and despite a well-publicized delay late in the process— this is the quickest GM has moved from approval to production. In concept form Solstice promised a lot of fun and sportiness. With a Lutz-mandated, etched-in-stone, read-my-lips base price of $19,995, well, many doubted the promise could be delivered for the price. More than one GM engineer noted the “F-word,” meaning Fiero, still echoed in the halls at GM. The budget two-seat Pontiac Fiero of the 1980s had a sporty shape that promised a spirited ride, but it didn’t deliver until after the car had been killed by the company. But Fiero didn’t have Lutz— the Solstice team’s trump card and spiritual father. “There were a lot of times the accountants would look at something I wanted in this car and tell me I could get a similar piece cheaper,” says vehicle line director Darren Post. “I’d tell them we tried that and the cheaper one wasn’t as good, and if they wanted to call Bob [Lutz] I had his number on my cellphone speed dial. I always got the parts I wanted.” While Lutz, now GM’s vice chairman for global product development, has had a hand in several other GM cars since his arrival at the company, Solstice is really the first car developed entirely under his watch. “It’s been a lifelong dream of mine to build an affordable two-seat roadster,” Lutz said. In September 2001, just 15 weeks before the auto show, Lutz wanted a show car for Pontiac, and he staged a sketch-off among GM stylists that was won by designer Franz von Holzhausen from GM’s California studio (von Holzhausen has since left GM for Mazda). Solstice has been a fast-track project from the outset. “Our goal here was not to duplicate an [Honda] S2000 or [BMW] Z3,” says Lutz. “Little would be gained in making another $30,000-to-$40,000 roadster.” But that didn’t mean the Solstice couldn’t ride and handle like those more expensive cars. “While everyone will compare the Solstice with the Miata,” says chassis engineer Steve Padilla, the man who has logged more miles behind the wheel of Solstices than anyone else, “the ride dynamics we were shooting for were more like the S2000, only a bit less twitchy.” Delivering on the car’s sporty looks has been the target of everyone working on the project. Solstice is the first car built on GM’s Kappa small-car rear-drive platform, and because it is being done in relatively small volume (the Saturn Sky, Solstice’s platform sister, will debut next year), the chassis is mostly hand-welded. Engineers raided the corporate parts bin to speed up the gestation period. Everything from SUVs to midsize sedans contributed components, and while the end result could have been a nightmare, it works. Solstice’s heart is a 2.4-liter four-cylinder Ecotec positioned north-south for the first time. The aluminum engine with overhead cams and four valves per cylinder—mounted transversely in front-drive cars such as the 2006 Chevy HHR—makes 177 hp at 6600 rpm and 166 lb-ft at 4800 rpm in the Solstice. Down low, the engine has good pull—a couple of 4500-rpm drop-the-clutch launches proved that, as well as producing some tire smoke—and the exhaust note is tuned for a throaty growl. We will always take more power, especially in a car that looks like this, but we are not disappointed with the Solstice’s performance. GM officials are tight-lipped about offering a Solstice with more punch, but insiders confirm a more potent, turbo­charged or supercharged model will be offered later. The Ecotec mates to a five-speed manual gearbox that operates with nice short throws. Its action is not lightning-quick, like that on the S2000 for example, but it is tight, and engagement is crisp. The clutch takeup on the cars we drove was just perfect, and the brake and throttle pedals are position­ed for heel-and-toe downshifts. An automatic will be offered early next year. Unlike Mazda, which offers a six-speed manual on the Miata, GM makes only a five-speed manual for Solstice. “A six-speed looks good on paper,” says Post, “but in this car it would just be overkill. We tried it, and it made no difference to the performance of the car. In fact, it just made you shift more, and it wasn’t any quicker 0 to 60.” We did notice some mild driveline lash, which Post says his team is working to correct. Our test drive included some city driving, freeway stints and long stretches of tight, twisty two-lane roads under sunny skies—perfect roadster weather. While there are a lot of things we like about the Solstice— its looks and price at the top of the list—after several hours in the saddle we came away most impressed with the car’s ride and handling. We were left wanting just one thing: more seat time. Solstice rides on standard 18-inch aluminum wheels fitted with P245/45 Goodyear Eagle all-season tires. With four-wheel independent short/long-arm suspension, the ride is firmer than that in the new Miata we sampled about a week later. Yet at no point did we perceive the Pontiac’s ride as harsh. The chassis feels rock-solid, with no unwanted vibrations or cowl shake. At freeway speeds the car has a solid, boulevard-cruiser feel, but spot an opening in traffic and you can slot into it with go-kart quickness. The steering action is quick, but not so darty as to change lanes on you if you sneeze. In a car full of pluses, the responsive steering is a delight. On a closed stretch of hilly switchback road we pushed the car as hard as we would have on a racetrack, and its road manners impressed. The balance is far more neutral than we expected, with the rear end only wanting to step out when you near the limit. That can be credited some to the car’s 52/48 front/rear weight balance, and the big tires gripping the road. The four-wheel disc brakes—11.7 inches up front, 10.9 inches in the rear—did everything we asked of them without complaint. Several hard runs couldn’t bring about any sense of fade. After a couple of runs up and down the hill, there were grins all around, especially on the face of Lutz. We started our test with the car’s top down. Without a doubt, the Solstice looks much better with the roof stored below the rear deck so its clean, rounded lines are undisturbed by the manually folding cloth top. At freeway speeds, top down, there is a bit of wind buffeting, but you can still easily carry on a conversation with the passenger. As the day wore on and the temperatures rose toward triple-digits, we gave up style for comfort, raised the top and switched on the air conditioning. The top, fitted with a glass window with standard rear defroster, can easily be handled by one person. It is not as simple as a Miata top, because you need to get out of the car and open the decklid to operate it. Top up, there’s enough cargo space to hold a couple of pieces of luggage, enough for two people for a long weekend. But with the top stowed, storage space is at a premium. And whatever is stored had better be soft-sided in order to conform to the cramped space. Pontiac officials boasted about getting two sets of golf clubs in there, and they did, but they were the smallest golf bags we ever saw. If you’re planning a golf trip, we’d suggest shipping your clubs—and maybe some luggage—to your destination. The cockpit is simple and functional. All controls are straightforward. Materials look and feel nice, and the panels fit well. The manual seats are supportive and have decent side bolstering. There is enough leg-room, even for drivers taller than six feet. At 2860 pounds, Solstice is 300 pounds heavier than the Miata, but it has a bigger interior and a bit more horsepower. Pontiac is said to be working on what might be dubbed a track model, stripped of all sound-deadening, air conditioning and other weight additives. Lutz also hinted a removable hardtop for the roadster could be available soon and a coupe version is being considered (both roadster and coupe concepts were shown at the car’s 2002 debut), in part because there are some racing classes in which the Solstice could compete that require an enclosed cockpit. At 20,000 or 30,000 cars annually, Solstice won’t do a tremendous amount for GM’s bottom line. But with 10,000 orders in hand before the first production car rolled off the Wilmington, Delaware, assembly line, the Solstice seems to signal an attitude shift not only inside the company, but also by its customers. A production car nearly identical to its concept that hits the market just a few years after inception at the announced price. What a concept indeed. Full gallery: http://www.autoweek.com/files/specials/gal...ce/pages/01.htm

I think Lutz was the one that messed up the new Buick's timing, but it was probably for the better. I'm guessing we got better products because he made them re-do them for the most part, even if it took longer to get them to market.

Saturn has been sponsoring the show for the last couple of years; that's why the Sky was there.

*bump* Still no one has gotten it? If everyone gives up then I guess I'll have to reveal the answer, but SOMEONE has to know.

Wow, it sounds as if the lack of inventory is going to take it's toll on GM's sales. Only 23.1% of the market share :unsure: :o :blink:

Worst place to park, other than in some ghetto, would probably have to be the school parking lot. People at my school are terrible at parking. In the winter the worst place to park is definetly on a side street that rarely gets plowed; you're just asking for trouble if you do that.

I don't think Daewoo is helping with the RWD stuff, and I think some other RWD stuff is wrong, but it's probably about 95% accurate otherwise. They are missing the Buick Theta and Saturn and Chevy sub-Thetas.

I've seen a lot of EPP commercials. The Saturn "Dibs" one, at least one GMC one where they talk about being professional grade, quite a few Chevy ones (mostly Silverado and Cobalt), Buick with the LaCrosse (waterfall one with a thing at the end about the EPP), a Saab one, and I think that's it. I've never seen one for Cadillac or Hummer. As for Buick sales sliding... well it took a while until the LaCrosse began selling at the same volume of the Century and Regal, plus add in a few lost sales from the Park Ave, LeSabre sales falling because it's so old, dismal sales from the Terraza and Rainier, and obviously they aren't having much success. With the Lucerne and Lambda X-Over, I think Buick will be ok. The premium Theta SUV could do well and really help cement Buick's future. I see it possibly becoming the RX of the Buick brand if it is well received.

I don't know what I think about the new 9-5. It looks ok in silver, but in other colors the metal around the headlights makes the car look weird. Almost like it's bandaged-up and tape or something is holding the headlights on.

I'm 17.

By Yuzo Yamaguchi Automotive News / August 29, 2005 http://www.autonews.com/article.cms?articleId=54306 TOKYO -- Subaru plans to add a minivan to its U.S. lineup in late 2007 or in 2008. Based on the Subaru Legacy platform, the seven-seat vehicle with a 2.5-liter engine would be smaller and more affordable than the B9 Tribeca, says a source at Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd., which makes Subarus. Another Fuji source confirmed the company's plans for the minivan. The B9 Tribeca sport wagon, which went on sale in May, has a base price of $31,320, including destination. Powered by a 3.0-liter V-6, it is available with five or seven seats. The minivan will offer two key Subaru elements: all-wheel drive and a boxer engine. When the Subaru Traviq minivan flopped in Japan last year, Fuji Heavy learned the importance of those attributes. The Traviq, a rebadged Opel Zafira that General Motors assembled in Thailand, lacked a boxer engine and awd. A boxer engine has horizontally opposed cylinders. In the United States, Subaru expects the minivan to help it achieve its sales target of 250,000 in 2010. In 2004, Subaru sold 187,402 units in the United States. The minivan will be sold globally to achieve economies of scale. In Japan, the new minivan will replace the Traviq. GM stopped building the Thai-made minivan for Subaru last December, about three years after Fuji Heavy launched it in Japan. Last year, Traviq sales here plunged 36.1 percent from a year earlier to 1,847.

By Kathy Jackson Automotive News / August 29, 2005 http://www.autonews.com/article.cms?articleId=54329 As gasoline prices flirted with $3 per gallon, Honda CEO Takeo Fukui surprised reporters in Tokyo this month when he said the company was looking at its first V-8. A new V-8 while gasoline prices reach record highs? Yes, Honda is finally hedging its bet on fuel-efficient four- and six-cylinder engines. The company is turning its attention to vehicles it purposely has ceded to the competition: big SUVs and pickups with V-8s. Honda's aversion to V-8 trucks has cost it some business. But its contrarian tradition of environmentally conscious engineering will make Fukui look like a genius if consumers flock to high-mileage vehicles. In the meantime, Honda's strategy has limited its U.S. growth. From 2000 through the first seven months of 2005, Toyota, Lexus and Scion have gained 3.5 points of market share, Nissan and Infiniti have gained 2.0 points, and Honda and Acura have gained 1.3 points. Toyota and Lexus have sprinted ahead of Honda partly because Honda has not offered full-sized body-on-frame pickups and SUVs, which account for 20.1 percent of the U.S. market. Other factors have slowed Honda's growth: Toyota's youthful Scion brand of cars is a hit, while Honda's answer, the Fit, won't come to the United States until next spring. Toyota sells about 2½ times more hybrids than Honda in the United States, though Honda put a hybrid on the market first. Consumers are balking at the high price of Honda's first pickup, the Ridgeline, which went on sale in February. Lack of service capacity has hurt the brand's image, as reflected in customer service studies. Honda steadfastly refuses to give consumer rebates. "They're in the middle of a price war. Toyota and Nissan are taking initiatives. If Honda doesn't want to deal, Nissan will," says Raj Sundaram, president of Automotive Lease Guide in Santa Barbara, Calif. Still, Honda's strategy yields strong profits. Honda Motor Co. posted net income of $4.53 billion in the fiscal year ended March 31. By comparison, General Motors had net income of $3.69 billion in 2004, and Ford Motor Co. reported net income of $3.49 billion in 2004. And sales of Honda's long-struggling Acura Division were up 9.7 percent for the first seven months of the year, to 124,854 units. Acura is now the No. 4 seller among luxury brands. Honda has signaled that change is coming. The redesigned Civic, for instance, will have more interesting styling and better performance than the current car. And there's the V-8. Fukui's V-8 musings encourage dealer Dave Conant of Los Angeles. "It excites me to think they're reopening the gate" about a V-8, he says. "Our product is pretty much dated, other than the Ridgeline and Odyssey (minivan). But our turn is coming again, first with the new Civic." Critical new Civic A redesigned 2006 Civic will hit the market this fall. It's critically important because many young entry-level buyers have flocked to Scion, Mazda and other brands. Chevrolet has improved its small-car offerings, as have Kia and Hyundai. A redesigned Nissan Sentra arrives next summer. The 2006 Accord will be reskinned, primarily in the rear, at a cost of about $20 million. John Mendel, senior vice president of automobile operations at American Honda Motor Co. Inc., admits that the "Accord is under fire." But he says the company still can sell 300,000 to 400,000 units annually in the United States without resorting to heavy consumer rebates and eroding resale values. Honda sold 386,770 Accords in 2004 and 404,192 in 1999. "That (Accord) segment is hard," Mendel says, "but we have maintained residuals and not spent a lot of money. We think we can move into the future with the same attitude. We've never laid off an employee. We can be flexible at our factories. We're in pretty good shape." The entry-level Fit, which is made in Japan, will be introduced in the United States and Canada next spring. Staying true to its roots, Honda plans more environmentally friendly autos. It will add cylinder deactivation to more vehicles. Says Fukui: "Honda will further expand its product lineup in order to respond to increasing customer demands for vehicles with high fuel efficiency." Shy of trucks Honda has aggressively added light trucks in recent years, such as the Element, Ridgeline and Pilot. For the first seven months of this year, light trucks accounted for 45.6 percent of Honda Division's sales, slightly more than Toyota Division's 45.4 percent. Light trucks accounted for 54.2 percent of sales for the entire U.S. industry. The company introduced the V-6 powered Ridgeline - its first pickup and its largest vehicle - in the United States in February. The company projects 50,000 Ridgeline sales during the first full year, but only 18,166 have been sold through July. Koichi Kondo, president of American Honda, says the $30,000 price tag - about $10,000 above competitors' vehicles - is hurting Ridgeline sales. Now CEO Fukui says the lack of a V-8 on vehicles such as the Ridgeline and Acura MDX also is a weakness. "Without such new engines, we can't see more growth," he says. Honda has said it will equip the redesigned Acura NSX with a V-10 in three to four years. Fukui said a decision on the V-8 is due in about three years. He said the company also will begin building the CR-V sport wagon in North America to help strengthen truck sales in this market. CR-Vs for North America are assembled in England and Japan. Strengths, weaknesses Lincoln Merrihew, managing director of the automotive practice for Compete Inc. in Boston, says the good news is that Honda's weaknesses - a lack of V-8s, too few sport wagons and other trucks - can be fixed. He says its strengths, engineering and reputation, are intact. "Honda has always gotten away with its historic strengths, but it now needs to augment those strengths to remain competitive in new segments," he says. Merrihew, who monitors consumer buying habits, says the Civic and Accord are "must-shops" in their segments. This brings a constant stream of shoppers into Honda dealer showrooms, which lowers advertising costs. For example, Merrihew says Honda spends only about $55 per shopper to lure Civic intenders into showrooms, compared with the industry average of about $200. "That's a benefit to Honda," he says. "Honda has great luxuries: advertising efficiencies, low incentives and great technology. They now need to apply that to broader segments." No connection Mendel, a former Ford executive who came to Honda from Mazda last December, acknowledges that Honda tends to be insular and lacks an emotional connection with many potential customers. "We don't tend to be open; we're even tight-lipped with our dealers," he says. "I thought at first that was a weakness, but not now. There's a good reason to keep tight-lipped about product." But he says the company will seek an emotional connection with consumers beginning with the new marketing campaign for the Civic. "We want to put a little more effort on connecting emotionally," he says. Says dealer Robb Brown of Toledo, Ohio: "The advertising needs to be more up-to-date, more contemporary." Brown is a member of the Honda's National Dealer Advisory Board. So maybe Honda is starting to come out of its shell. Dick Colliver, executive vice president of sales for American Honda Motor Co., once said the only V-8 you'd find in an Acura showroom would be on a vegetable-juice can. Now the company is talking V-8 engines and V-10s.

Damn, that's pretty funny sciguy. I don't think anyone has really ever said anything weird about my car.

You mean Ferrari, right Rich? But yes, that is correct; Rich wins.

It was a Phaeton Convertible, but I'm not sure about the Roadmaster part (unless they were all Roadmasters).

I'm not sure who designed it, but it's not a Lotus.

I'm guessing the Z06's tires aren't too shabby, though there probably are better non-run flat ones out there. Anything that can handle and accelerate as well as the Z06 does can't really have that bad of tires.