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Confirmed: GM to limit Solstice, G6 convertible production

06/12/2006, 9:33 AM

By admin

General Motors has decided to limit production of the new Pontiac Solstice and G6 convertible to strengthen residuals and maintain demand, said Buick-Pontiac-GMC general manager John Larson. GM will build 17,000 Solstices for the 2006 model year, and 20,000 for the 2007 model year (including the GXP), reports Automotive News. Larson said the goal is to keep people wanting the car. The Automotive Lease Guide estimates the SOlstice will hold a 54 percent residual value after three years. Anything over 50 percent is considered outstanding. In May, GM’s Bob Lutz said demand for the Solstice was 35,000 cars per year. However, it was widely speculated that GM would not boost production to these levels.

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06/12, 9:36 AM

posted by:

Madcapp

Don’t forget the “Limited Edition” badge.

06/12, 9:45 AM

posted by:

Anonymous

Limited production*

*excluding the other two (Saturn and possibly Chevy) rebadged identical cars.

06/12, 10:11 AM

posted by:

Jake

#2,

What are you smoking? The Sky is not identical to the Solstice. I presume you have also criticized Toyota for rebadging the Camry as a Solara.

06/12, 10:33 AM

posted by:

Anonymous

Yes, I think that is also pointless. Other than body panels, it is.

06/12, 10:42 AM

posted by:

Toy Yoda

If this is the only way GM can improve it’s image, then more power to them.

I’m sure the high end German cars do this too by combination of inflated prices and limited production.

06/12, 10:54 AM

posted by:

Toy Yoda

What about the Z, which the Solstice would be more likely compared to?

06/12, 11:05 AM

posted by:

Ed

So GM is the new Ferrari? They’re going to build less so that people will want more?

GM Marketing Drone: “Let’s see, our sales keep dropping like lead and there’s very little interest in the majority of our cars. Thankfully, we have a few that are selling quite well so here’s our plan: let’s build less of what they want!”
GM Exec: “Why?”
GMMD: “Because that way people will continue wanting the car!”
GME: “Won’t they buy something else? Like a Miata?”
GMMD: “No, no, no. They know the Solstice is ‘teh L337!!1!!eleven!!’ so they’ll just wait until they can buy one.”
GME: “Ok, if you say so…”

Fast forward a few years when all the people who wanted a Solstice are now driving something else and GM has an overstock of Solstices in dealers’ lots.

06/12, 11:33 AM

posted by:

Ahk-Med

Too bad for GM, one of their best looking products in years and they feel that they have to create artificially high demand for it Now their dealer network can take that limited supply and gouge the consumers, killing any value the car might have had. The buyers who don’t get fleeced by the dealers will head on over to the Mazda dealership, as Ed has suggested.

Person A: I have criticism of GM products (dosen’t mention any other maunfactuer).
Anti-import zealot/domecstic fanyboy: Are you stupid? Toyota does the same thing! I hope you crticize them.

You guys are so predictable, there is atleast 1 of you guys, who redirect any criticism at GM right back to Toyota in every article here at LLN.

06/12, 1:04 PM

posted by:

Dean

“Bob Down” … did you just finish reading that book about incorrect punctuation and grammar? Those two items you mention are right out of the book (forgot the title).

And then you blow it by using the word “ain’t”.

FUNNY. Either you’re about being right or you’re not … fence sitter.

06/12, 1:12 PM

posted by:

Lee

#12… is this a weblog about cars or about books?
think about that question for a second, and i would like to hear from you again. =)*altough i think that you’re pretty damn right*

Uchum, about GM…WHY?! the solstice is a nice car…but it really isnt that great…it looks nice, and i’m sure it drives great to,*im not buying or even driving one just for the information* and it could help GM out of their problems and let them get rid of the bad name they have…so this may be the stupidest thing they’ve ever done….

06/12, 1:39 PM

posted by:

Dean

“Lee” … if I wanted to post about ear wax, I’m permitted to do so. And, yes, I know I’m right about what was ironic.

If GM was making billions and growing, like Toyota, would the idea of limited production be sooooo bad? If everything else in the stable was selling well, wouldn’t a cap on sales of the Solstice add to the desire of owning one … assuming the car really was “the bomb”?

Example, the coming Camaro, or Charger … limited production wouldn’t hurt (in my opinion) considering there seems to be a wave of interest that wouldn’t necessarily subside because of either substitution or wait time. If you really want it, you really want it.

And considering there isn’t a lot of direct competition with it, I don’t see this being a bad thing.

06/12, 2:18 PM

posted by:

Zan

The big 3 would do much better if they went out for direct competition. I am not saying the solstice is a bad car I think its a nice design, but what if they had a car like the solstice that competed with a Boxter or the Z4.

06/12, 2:58 PM

posted by:

Dean

Doesn’t the Solstice compete directly with the Miata ????

That’s difficult enough for them, and now you want them to go upmarket?

One step at a time.

06/13, 3:46 AM

posted by:

Lee

Dean… im not saying that it is wrong to post about…earwax… im just saying that yoo should stick to the GODDAMN subject ok? And you can keep talking about that this is the right thing to do…but its not. there may be people who really really want it, and those people will buy it, no doubt, but the ones who are doubting about it…they are going to buy something else. and thats just plain stupid…but thats my opinion, and i am also permitted to have one Mr Dean…like you’re weblog about earwax…

06/13, 8:54 AM

posted by:

Paul D.

Zan, whether or not GM was capable of building a car like a Boxster or Z4 out of the Solstice, it would attract very little crosshopping. Pontiac doesn’t have the cache of a BMW or Porsche, that is just the sad truth.

BMW shares a showroom full of “Drivers cars”, as does Porsche. MEanwhile, Pontiac glorifies the Solstice while it is sharing showroom space with an SV6 minivan on one side and a generic frontdrive, pushrod Automatic equipped sedan on the other. Can you feel the excitment…

06/13, 1:25 PM

posted by:

Dean

Thanks for that … post police.

You think I’m wrong and I think you’re wrong.

Who cares.

06/14, 9:00 AM

posted by:

Rudy

Pontiac dealers will love this news. They can continue to add their mark-up. Sometimes it just doesn’t work. The dealer in my town added 10 grand to two he got from a dealer back east. That was a month and a half ago. He still has one. Greedy people sometimes get the screwing they deserve. I think it’s a nice car for the sticker but how long will GM allow dealers to screw their customers.

06/14, 9:04 AM

posted by:

Rudy

Those that play the mark-up game will drive customers to the dealers and or brands that do not. No matter who does it this game has to stop. Almost all makes are guilty of this at one time or another!

 
 
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