What happened to the Sky/Solstice?

Duke said:

In reply to wspohn :

I always thought the coupes looked really cool.  Kind of like an American TVR.

 

Exactly why I liked them. I've never driven one or even got in one though. 

There's been like.....2 semi local for sale in all the years I've looked both for far more than I'd pay

It was also sold as an Opel GT.

preach (fs) said:

It was also sold as an Opel GT.

TIL

In reply to noddaz :

I never really looked into it but I am pretty sure GM USA tapped GM Opel division for cars to make the US Saturn and possibly at the same time UKs Vauxhal(sp?). I think it may have been prior for the UK though. Maybe Oldopelguy or someone else may know.

I thought it had a lot to do with the fact that Pontiac and Saturn no longer exist and GM sold Opel and Vauxhall off to the French. 

Also sold as a Daewoo

So it has the storage of a MR-S Toyota? That's a shame, the thing that I liked about my AW11 is that between the frunk, trunk and behind the seats you could easily go on a trip with another person for a few days.  

mtn (Forum Supporter) said:

Also sold as a Daewoo

 

TIL that the Daewoo G2X existed:

I knew about the Sky/Soltice/Speedster(GT) platform sharing but had no idea it had another

I looked in to them early on. Typical GM sales nonsense. Only ones available at the dealership where fully loaded models with automatics and then had the obligatory mark up over sticker because they were were so damn desirable and such a hot commodity.  No discounts or bargaining there. I cross shopped the Miata  (PRHT) which I ended up purchasing for thousands less and I still have today.  Not long after both the Solstice and Sky were gone as well as their divisions, Saturn and Pontiac.  So for me a happy ending. I chose wisely.

Wouldn't buy one today except as a collector toy garage queen. The last couple claims I've had on them the parts were already half discontinued. They also aren't worth as much as you'd think and get totaled easy.

All of the Kappas were manufactured at the GM plant in Wilmington Delaware. There were no British versions although some of the ideas behind it were taken from similar looking Vauxhall prototypes (different platform, engine etc.)

Storage isn't their  best feature. My coupe is OK - you have the platform behind the seats plus a reasonable space under a hatch across the back, and for some reason a smaller hatch over a space big enough to store a couple of sandwiches.  I've managed to haul four cases of wine (another hobby) but had to use half cases that you fit in like playing Tetris.  The convertibles are much worse - once the top is down, there is room for a couple of small tote bags on either side of the hump (the gas tank lives under it and the top folds onto the top of it.

OTOH, the storage is not too far short of what some of the British traditional sports cars allowed.  

Prices on convertibles have fallen considerably, while the coupes are usually at least double in comparison, probably due to rarity and also owner preference for them.

As with any car that has been out of production for more than a decade, parts specific to them, especially body parts are now hard to find, but driveline bits were shared with many other GM models as were quite a few interior bits - switches etc., so it isn't as bad as it might seem.

We had a few as press cars BITD. Once my wife asked me to pick up a loaf of French bread on the way home.

It didn't fit in the trunk. 

It's already been said, but my two thoughts immediately were, "I can't imagine how a chubby little thing like that has no room in it."  Followed by, "But GM had a lot of experience with that, because they built a Fiero that always had the corner of the dash pad broken off from the driver trying to get into it."

We won't get into the Dustbuster vans with the red label warning you not to hit your head on the corner of the stupidly drawn door.

We have a local guy that runs CAM in his ls6 powered solstice. Almost the fastest car every event. 

SWMBO's parents have one, forget the year but they let me drive it about 2 years ago and I broke the 10K mileage.  It looks brand new.  Auto, had to leave the top up, felt kinda cramped like that.  It was fun on the highway.  Her mom let her drive it and kept goosing her to go faster, think she might have hit just south of 100mph on a highway stretch.

In reply to David S. Wallens :

I hope you’re kidding!

You know, a lot of people here say they are unappealing, but sales figures during the run were higher than Miatas'. So SOMEONE liked them more.

CyberEric said:

In reply to David S. Wallens :

I hope you’re kidding!

With the top down, he is probably not kidding - at least not without some maneuvering of the top. 

FMB42 said:

Well, at least that Saturn Sky Coupe was 'replaced' by a worthy successor.

What am I forgetting, or is this a joke?  I don't recall anything good coming from Saturn in it's latter years.  

I live in SE MI, in the Detroit metro area, and lots of people work for the big three still, including several neighbors.  I see far more domestic brand vehicles than most other areas of the country.  Now this thread has come up I realize I can't remember the last time I saw either version, which is quite shocking really.  I remember when they were closing Pointy-ack and were clearing inventory I searched the whole country looking for a manual Solstice GXP Coupe and couldn't find one anywhere.  It was only years later I discovered the reason was they only ever built about 1,200 of them, even fewer being manual.

What I was implying is that totaled Sky Coupe was replaced by a 240sx. Meanwhile, as an emissions tech back in the day, I saw a couple of 1 or so year old Saturn's that pegged the test. I asked the owners about what kind of fuel mileage they were getting, and the answer was 'terrible'. I then asked them why they didn't report this to the dealership. And, in both cases, their answer was that the dealer said everything was OK.

Yes the more mature drivers who love American cars that want to push the envelope & let the top down while driving by the beach bought them all. I see 4 or 5 everyday around here gram & gramps being cool out cruis'n to go play pickleball. Or just gramps cruis'n to golf.

In reply to mdshaw :

I wonder where the golf bag would fit lol.

Adrian_Thompson (Forum Supporter) said:

I live in SE MI, in the Detroit metro area, and lots of people work for the big three still, including several neighbors.  I see far more domestic brand vehicles than most other areas of the country.  Now this thread has come up I realize I can't remember the last time I saw either version, which is quite shocking really.  I remember when they were closing Pointy-ack and were clearing inventory I searched the whole country looking for a manual Solstice GXP Coupe and couldn't find one anywhere.  It was only years later I discovered the reason was they only ever built about 1,200 of them, even fewer being manual.

I live very close to Adrian.  Today I saw a yellow Solstice and a Silver Saturn, both convertibles, on the road.  He's obviously not watching closely.  
TBH-these are the first two I've seen on the road in a year.  

In reply to Tk8398 :

That's why Grammy isn't there. The clubs are riding shotgun.