Saturn announces Sky prices

[ifcar]

Saturn Puts a Price on the Sky

Saturn's new Sky roadster arrives in showrooms in the spring wearing a base pricetag of $23,690, for models with a five-speed manual transmission. A version with a five-speed automatic will cost $24,540. Standard features on the Sky, which shares its mechanicals and 177-hp four-cylinder engine with the Pontiac Solstice, include 18-inch wheels, anti-lock brakes, air conditioning, power windows/locks/mirrors, an AM/FM/CD player, and dual front airbags.  

[Raza]

It's one pretty, pretty car.

[thewizard16]

If I had the cash right now, I'd buy one. Just because it's so good looking.  

[autom?vel]

I'm extremely excited for the new Sky.  I just hope the Aura doesn't come out as disappointing as some seem to think it'll be now.

[Raza]

My biggest fear about the Sky is that it will be softer than the Solstice.

[JYODER240]

My biggest fear about the Sky is that it will be softer than the Solstice.

same here  

[VetteZ06]

[Colonel Cadillac]

I hope it does to Saturn what the Solstice is doing to Pontiac.  

[so cal cookie]

Not bad.  
I prefer the looks of the SKY to the looks of the Solstice after looking at pics of the two.

For comparison, a Solstice equiped as close as possible is $23,215.

[ifcar]

I hope it does to Saturn what the Solstice is doing to Pontiac.

All it's doing for Pontiac is giving them a competitive product, inserting a second truly sporty car into the seven-car lineup of GM's "performance division".

There is nothing that indicates it's doing anything for the rest of the brand.

[giant_mtb]

I hope it does to Saturn what the Solstice is doing to Pontiac.

All it's doing for Pontiac is giving them a competitive product, inserting one truly sporty car into the GM "performance division."

There is nothing that indicates it's doing anything for the rest of the brand.

Perhaps that's because there isn't enough word out yet.  I've seen 0 Solstice advertisements.  I'm still seeing/hearing ads about the "first ever" G6.  That sales pitch still bugs the f'ck outta me.  First Ever!  Who cares?    

[TurboDan]

Oooooh..  it looks like a mini Corvette.  Not bad.

[mazda6er]

I hope it does to Saturn what the Solstice is doing to Pontiac.

All it's doing for Pontiac is giving them a competitive product, inserting one truly sporty car into the GM "performance division."

There is nothing that indicates it's doing anything for the rest of the brand.

Perhaps that's because there isn't enough word out yet.  I've seen 0 Solstice advertisements.  I'm still seeing/hearing ads about the "first ever" G6.  That sales pitch still bugs the f'ck outta me.  First Ever!  Who cares?  

 I totally agree.

That's when you know they've got nothing going for it: it's a new model, and their sales pitch is "Hey guys, look! It's a new model!"  

[Raza]

I hope it does to Saturn what the Solstice is doing to Pontiac.

All it's doing for Pontiac is giving them a competitive product, inserting one truly sporty car into the GM "performance division."

There is nothing that indicates it's doing anything for the rest of the brand.

Disregarding the GTO, of course.

[ifcar]

Quite an omission. :o

Amended.  

[ifcar]

I hope it does to Saturn what the Solstice is doing to Pontiac.

All it's doing for Pontiac is giving them a competitive product, inserting one truly sporty car into the GM "performance division."

There is nothing that indicates it's doing anything for the rest of the brand.

Perhaps that's because there isn't enough word out yet.  I've seen 0 Solstice advertisements.  I'm still seeing/hearing ads about the "first ever" G6.  That sales pitch still bugs the f'ck outta me.  First Ever!  Who cares?  

They can't build enough of them as it is. They need to change their blend of sporty-looking (G6, Grand Prix) and not sporty-looking (SV6, Vibe, Torrent) rebadges to actual upgrades over their mainstream versions, or get them out of the lineup.  

[SJ_GTI]

GM sold 2700 solstices (solsti?!?) in December. That is a huge month!

[Raza]

I've seen 4 times as many Solstices on new car lots than on the road, and the same amount in shopping malls.

[VetteZ06]

I've seen 4 times as many Solstices on new car lots than on the road, and the same amount in shopping malls.

I was just at a Mazda dealer the other day and I saw at least eight MX-5s sitting there, not sold.

So Pontiac shouldn't worry.    

[ifcar]

But Mazda is building more MX-5s than Pontiac is Solstices, correct?

[VetteZ06]

I actually have no idea . . . I wouldn't hesitate to guess that more MX-5s will be built, though.

[SJ_GTI]

But Mazda is building more MX-5s than Pontiac is Solstices, correct?

If they are, its probably not by much (speaking for the NA market only). I have no doubt Mazda will sell every Miata they build, and probably without incentives. It has never been a high-volume car.

[TBR]

I think they sell 100,000+ a year, but I could be wrong.  

[SJ_GTI]

I think they sell 100,000+ a year, but I could be wrong.

That might be true for the entire world, but not for NA.

They typically sell  between 20-30k if I remember correctly. I think the 350Z and Z4 have actually been outselling the Miata lately.

[TBR]

I thought they had sold over a million in 1999 or something, but that might have been worldwide.  

[ifcar]

That's impossible. More reasonable would be if they sold their millionth in 1999.

They sold 10k Miatas and MX-5s in the US in 2005, but MX-5 production is going to be much higher IIRC.

[SJ_GTI]

Um, not even close. They haven't even sold that many Miata's in the history of its existence much less one year.

Again, the Miata is not a high-volume car...never has been. When you hear things like "best selling sports car" its referring to the life of the product. On a monthly sales basis it is outsold by several other sports cars.

This is not a critism of the Miata. In fact I think it is one of the keys to its longevity and I think its something GM should try to mimic with the Solstice/Sky.

[TBR]

Sorry, I wasn't very clear, I did mean over the 9-10 years it had been in production at that point.  

[Laconian]

Could the wheel size be indicative of the Sky not being soft? You don't put 18 inchers on there for ride quality, that's for sure. Those are HUGE for such a small car!

[BRealistic]

Does it have plastic body panels?