See you in September: Production snafus may delay launch of Pontiac Solstice roadster until fall
If early orders are an indication, Pontiac could have a winner in its Solstice roadster.
GM quickly booked 1,000 orders for the two-seat convertible this month during a TV promotion.
But now
GM says it won't ship a significant number of Solstices to dealerships until this fall - well past its summer target date meant to coincide with the peak of the convertible selling season.
Industry sources say fit problems are delaying the launch at GM's Wilmington, Del., plant.
In material distributed to reporters in January at the Detroit auto show, Pontiac said the Solstice was "expected in Pontiac showrooms in mid-2005." But GMTV, GM's Webcast media site, said last week that
the car won't be on dealer lots until the fourth quarter. GM spokesmen say the Solstice will arrive in substantial quantities in late September or early October.
Dealers are cautious
Several Pontiac dealers say they are not promising delivery to customers until the fall, even though some vehicles may trickle out before then.
One Pontiac dealership in Houston was able to order four of the first vehicles - but GM has told the dealership the vehicles may not arrive until October.
"Now we're saying, 'Hey, you can expect it in August or two months after that," says Joe Pierce, a new-car sales manager at Beck & Masten Pontiac-GMC. Pontiac gave no reason for the delay, Pierce says.
"They are being really vague about it," he says. "It's hard to give an estimate on time."
Why the change?
Multiple sources close to the situation at the Wilmington, Del., plant say the Solstice is suffering from fit problems on the front fascia and convertible top.
Pontiac says it is "underpromising and overdelivering" to make sure cars satisfy customers.
"Quality is the biggest issue," says Pontiac spokesman Jim Hopson. "That's the critical element at this point, getting the last little bit taken care of."
Pontiac would not elaborate on quality issues. But it said nearly all startup programs have issues.
A spokesman for UAW Local 435 at Wilmington refused comment.
The Solstice, championed by GM Vice Chairman Robert Lutz, is built on the new Kappa rear-wheel-drive architecture. The automaker used a rapid development cycle for the vehicle.
Lori Queen, vehicle line executive for small cars, has said GM "blew up the entire vehicle-development process" in developing the Solstice.
GM tested ride and handling by computer simulation.
GM also is using a new hydroform stamping technique, cutting tooling costs and time.
"We are trying to do this extremely fast for GM," Hopson says. "It really is an experimental program, and we want to make absolutely certain we get it right."
Some dealers have expressed frustration with the delay because of the hype generated by Pontiac's marketing campaign involving "The Apprentice" TV show in mid-April.
The show dealt with the creation of a marketing theme for the Solstice, and Pontiac announced it would take orders for the first 1,000 cars.
GM says all 1,000 orders were placed, backed by $500 deposits.
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