Solstice, Sky: Different But Similar

By Anthony Fontanelle

General Motors Corp.’s distinct brands Pontiac and Saturn will be rolling off different but similar cars. How ironic could they get?

Earlier, the largest American automaker launched the Pontiac Solstice. The stunning roadster was unveiled at the 2004 North American International Auto Show. The automaker began its production in mid-2005 for the 2006 model year in Wilmington, Delaware. The debut served as an antidote to the bland lineup of the GM brand.

Shoppers who wanted the Solstice had to wait months for one to arrive, and they paid as much as $6,000 above the sticker price to be among the first in their neighborhood to have one, reported the New York Times. The waiting lists swelled after the Solstice appeared in an episode of Donald Trump’s reality TV show, “The Apprentice,” and Mr. Trump promised one to that season’s winner.

Solstice owner Hal Waldrop said that he recently saw six of the roadsters lined up at the Pontiac dealership near his home in Frisco, Tex., just north of Dallas. “I had never seen more than two there previously,” he told The Times. The 49-year-old Mr. Waldrop was told he was 45th on the dealer’s waiting list for a Solstice and would have to wait up to a year to receive one when he ordered one in November 2005.

“The car is just a joy,” Mr. Waldrop noted. “When the top’s down and you’re on a twisty road, I can’t imagine anything would be more fun. Even today, I cannot stop at a gas station without someone walking up and telling me how much they like it. Almost everybody guesses it would be a $40,000 car if they don’t know what it is.”

Though the car was such a big hit, it did not bolster much interest in the overall Pontiac brand. As such, even the Solstice itself appears to be hurting its existence. Sales of the Solstice are down 19 percent in 2007 through July. The Detroit-based automaker, which apologized for not building enough Solstices initially, now has about worth of five months’ supply in inventory, double the automaker’s average.

According to Autodata, a company that trails auto statistics, sales of Pontiac-branded cars and trucks are off 17 percent, compared with nine percent for all eight GM brands.

“It was such a radical departure from what people expected out of Pontiac that it created a tremendous buzz when it first hit the market,” said Wes Brown, an auto consultant and a partner in the Los Angeles marketing firm Iceology. “It looks pretty cool, but ultimately it’s not able to overcome some of those barriers people have within their mind with regard to the brand image.”
On the other hand, the demand for the Solstice’s fraternal twin Saturn Sky has shown no signs of declines. The automaker has about one month’s worth of the Sky available, and many shoppers still have to wait several weeks or months for the more expensive and more angular twin to arrive.

“They’re very much fashion statements,” Brown said of cars like the Solstice. “The newest one that arrives is the hottest one, and that bloom can last from 6 to 18 months, depending on what else comes out.”

The Saturn hood and other auto accessories are etching a dependable name in the industry. This is the reason behind the company’s constant growth. “Saturn, although it had been struggling, has nowhere near the type of negative baggage that the Pontiac brand does,” noted Mr. Brown. “That brand is damaged. If you ask the average person, I don’t think they could tell you what the brand’s supposed to be.”

All-new Pontiac G8 to unleash in 2008

By Jerick Brooks

Though the 2008 Pontiac G8 will be available in dealerships early next year, Pontiac introduced its all-new, rear-wheel-drive performance sedan at the Chicago Auto Show. As the first North American application of General Motors (GM) new global rear-wheel-drive architecture, the G8 is developed by GM’s Australian subsidiary Holden. The G8 has a styling packages such as a dual-port grille, fog lamps, bold wheels and a confident, wheels-at-the-corners stance. The design accents the car's performance lineage, with fenders that flare over the wheels, seemingly hugging the wide tires, making it very sporty.

Distinctive elements include hood scoops and front fender vents, and projector-beam headlamps housed in crystal-clear lenses. Jewel-like tail lamps are found at the rear. These are mounted in housings and feature bright detail work surrounding the red lighting elements. G8 models all have red tail lamp lenses and twin chrome exhaust outlets. At the rear of the roof, all models have a mounted antenna. On its power train, the base G8 model has a 3.6L DOHC V-6 with variable valve timing. Rated at 261 horsepower (194 kW), it is paired with a five-speed automatic transmission with manual shift mode. Combined to give the G8 a confident, sharp driving experience are the 114.8-inch (2915 mm) wheelbase, 62.7 inches / 1592 mm wide front and 63.3 inches / 1608 mm rear tracks. These give a fully adjustable, four-wheel independent suspension system.

In the rear, the four-wheel independent suspension system has a MacPherson strut design in the front and a four-link coil-over-shock design. Tuning uses a direct-acting front stabilizer bar, decoupled rear stabilizer bar and lateral ball joints on the rear suspension. This system transcends increased lateral stiffness for enhanced handling.

The front suspension features fully adjustable caster, camber and toe while the rear suspension has fully adjustable camber and toe, which enables more precise, tailored suspension tuning.

When starting the engine, the brand assured that the Pontiac exhaust will release gases smoothly, making it more comfortable for the driver as well as the persons outside the car who will breathe in the exhausted gases.

As to its four-wheel disc brake system, the car has standard anti-lock and traction control features. The system is partnered with a standard electronic stability control system. Its features vented front and rear disc rotors, with twin-piston alloy calipers in front. The rear brakes feature alloy calipers with single-piston actuation.

The G8's interior delivers both comfort and convenience, packaged in a level of sophistication not often found in other cars within its price range. A driver-oriented instrument cluster positions the gauges for easy, direct line of sight. Between the large, round tachometer and speedometer, an electronic driver information center is located.

Attention catcher details include jewel-like instruments, selective use of satin and chrome trim and rich-feeling, grained textures throughout. The instrument cluster glows with crisp. While white light on the primary instruments and Pontiac’s signature red lighting enlightens the rest of the instrument panel cluster.

The seats offer firm support to hold passengers and occupants in place during aggressive cornering. As an option, the G8 models will also offer two-tone cloth or leather combination that pairs black with either red or blue inserts and color-matched instrument faces on certain exterior color combinations. With an all-new Pontiac exhaust system, G8 uses 362-horsepower (270 kW) 6.0L V-8 engine and optional six-speed manual transmission.

Pontiac General Manager John Larson said the company’s commitment to its performance DNA is showed in the balance of rear-wheel drive and the availability of V-8 power in G8. He further said they expect this vehicle to be very competitive in the segment where it belongs, even against cars that cost far more expensive.