Solstice is getting factory tuning parts.

[Quiggs]

DETROIT -- Here is Pontiac's worst fear for the 2006 Solstice roadster: Sales start out strong when the car reaches dealerships in July but fade quickly.

Mark Reuss, executive director of General Motors' performance division, says Pontiac's plan to keep that from happening involves taking the Solstice racing. The low-slung car -- the first four-cylinder, rear-wheel-drive two-seater from GM -- will be offered with a slew of factory-engineered performance engine and suspension parts so weekend racers can compete in Sports Car Club of America events against the Mazda Miata.

And there may be at least one other body style in the works for the Solstice.

Reuss showed a picture of a car labeled the 2007 Solstice GT during a panel discussion at the SAE World Congress. The photo showed the car in coupe form with a sloping, fixed roof, like the Audi TT.

He would not confirm that the car is planned for production. Reuss said he's pushing for a hardtop, either fixed or removable -- a requirement before the Solstice can be raced.

"We want to take the showroom stock B class from the Miata," said Reuss.

Other panelists said automakers can attract younger buyers and enthusiasts by offering a wide variety of performance parts and accessories that enable customization.

"MazdaSpeed has brought new customers to Mazda," said Robert Davis, senior vice president of product development and quality for Mazda's North American operations. Referring to Toyota's Scion division, he said: "It doesn't take a new brand to attract younger buyers."

MazdaSpeed is the automaker's performance brand.

Ford is rebuilding its lineup of SVT performance vehicles. SVT vehicles sometimes appeal to buyers who would not normally buy a Ford product, said Hau Thai-Tang, who was chief engineer of the new Mustang before taking over as Ford director of advanced product creation and head of SVT.

"Ninety-two percent of (Mustang) Cobra customers wouldn't have considered a Ford product," Thai-Tang said.

Thai-Tang and his counterpart at the Chrysler group, Daniel Knott, director of Chrysler's SRT performance division, said that part of their strategy is for engineers to visit racetracks and talk directly to the amateur racers who buy their products.

[ScionDriver]

Thats a really good idea. I am glad they are doing it from the get go. I like the Solstice, a lot.

[dydzi]

i think its really good idea, in fact one of really few american cars i like a lot

[blackcat77]

Bravo! GM slowly drained the life from both the Corvair and the Fiero by castrating all the performance from a sporty vehicle. In both cases, they got it right eventually, but by then, buyers had long since moved on to other vehicles. The Solstice looks like a fine car and it deserves the performance to go along with it's good looks right from the start. Glad to see SOMEBODY in the executive offices finally got the message.

[Dino Scuderia]

GM smoke and mirrors BS talk in full-swing.

Solstice/Sky are great looking. Lots of promise.

But they're part of GM. Call me in five years and see where this whole thing has gone.

Until every last car they make is as sweet, is just as "gotta have", GM doesn't have a chance of remaining around for another decade. They need winners out of mundane cars, and that's where GM gets killed every time.

No matter how cool the GM roadsters are, the new Miata has a proven pedigree from a company with a mission that sticks to it. GM? Haha. Those dumbass suits don't have a clue.

[CdocZ]

This is exactly what that car needs. And for that matter, what GM needs.

[Smokescreen]

I believe Bob Lutz has a clue. They can do it, and I think that they actually will. I think that these cars are actully gonna be competative and will give the Miata a run for it's money. It looks amazing, nothing like a $20,000 car. The only problem I see is if it is successful, GM wanting to to axe it after about 5 years, then making a similar car with a different feel. I think they need to make the right car at the right time and let it evolve from there, then people will still like it even in down times, looks at muscle cars for example, they were started in a time perfect for them, and even though the time weren't exactly great time to sell V-8s people still bought them.

[aNOBLEman]

I think that this will be very good for both Pontiac and GM. It has great looks and rear wheel drive and with this extra performance it should be a winner (hopefully).