DMC and an undisclosed partner had hoped to restart the 3.2 million sqaure-foot Wilmington, Delaware plant with renewed production of the Kappa-based coupes, which were the last vehicles built at the plant.

This turn of events put those plans in question.

"I'm glad to see some progress with Fisker's project and glad to see some of the DOE/ATVM money used to support green cars and green manufacturer," said James Espy, Vice President of the DeLorean Motor Company in a quick chat with us today. "I still hope there's a future for a Solstice/Sky product to carry on and until we hear otherwise we'll continue our efforts towards that end."

How much hope is there? According to Fisker, production likely won't begin until late 2012, which means the plant will sit, tooled for building Solstices, until renovations and retooling starts.

It's possible Fisker could consent to making money off the plant and putting people back to work immediately by starting limited production on Solstice vehicles before all the tooling is scrapped, but we've yet to hear anything confirming this as a possibility.

In the meantime, Solstice/DeLorean fans will have to wait.

After civil wars, multinational organizations like to engage the various parties in a truth and reconciliation commission to bear witness to what happened with the hopes of avoiding a similar occurrence. If the "New GM" is going to succeed, the company needs to understand where the "Old GM" went wrong.

This isn't about unions or an addiction to SUVs. This has nothing to do with the Chicken Tax or the Interstate Highways Act. This has everything to do with a company's ability to build a gorgeous car with a peach of engine that's not a particularly good car.

The story is almost too sad to tell. When GM hired Bob Lutz he knew Pontiac had to get away from the body-cladding, embrace a RWD platform, offer something with a fourbanger, make it affordable and European looking. For the Detroit Auto Show he needed to make a statement and, to quote a 2002 Car And Driver article:

It would be a Pontiac only, shared with no other brand. It would sell for about $20,000 for a naturally aspirated version and just under $30,000 for a supercharged one like the show car. It would be basic, with a manually operated softtop.

So close and yet, actually, not that close at all.

The Solstice GXP, despite its engine, is a car that should probably be driven slowly. It'll give you more time to enjoy what GM got right. The 2.0-liter turbocharged ECOTEC engine is wonderful. There's so almost no lag and, though short on cylinders, it delivers the power my right foot wants. Plus, driven slowly enough, you don't notice how confused the five-speed automatic transmission this wonderful powerplant is paired to gets at the slightest hint of an acceleration change.

While lightly trotting teenagers and others with poorly-supported jaws openly gawk at the curvaceous body, which seems to be made up entirely of eye-pleasing curves. Helen of Troy incarnate in well-shaped metal launching a thousand comparisons to Beyonce, Salma Hayek, and Marilyn Monroe. Stop long enough for anyone to look more closely and someone might notice the standard GM square radio stuck unevenly in the rounded-off dash or the slowly eroding gasket that runs along the top of the windshield curiously designed to tear each time you put the top up.

At under 30 MPH the GXP has all the traits of a well-engineered RWD car. It stays Tina Fey-flat around corners and steering is sharp and turn-in is quick. Get above 60 MPH and the car, top up or down, begins to become uncomfortably unstable. Cornering at high speed, with the traction control off, and suddenly grip evaporates. The expectation is of controllable oversteer. In reality, the car merely starts to go in the direction of momentum and then, just as the tires catch, it downshifts again so any correction you just made becomes invalidated.

True to the desire of Lutz, it has a manually-operated soft top. But it's so weirdly complex it's hard to call it simple. In order to open it you have to, first, put the car in park. Second, hit the "trunk release button." Third, reach up and release the handles. Fourth, reach out and push top backwards. Fifth, tamp down the top so it fits into the trunk space. Sixth, slam the trunk. Seventh, really slam it, put some weight into it. It's basically the same to put the top up, except you also have to snap the rear of the soft top into place.

The concept was right, but too many of the steps to get it to reality were the wrong ones. Too much planning was sacrificed for the benefit of the concept. Nothing fits quite right. Nothing feels quite right. It's not a pure Pontiac, as anyone driving a Sky can tell you.

In the end, it's about making the right decisions, coming to the right conclusions, and taking many wrong steps to get there. It's the story of a once-great brand, and a once-great idea, not quite fully-fulfilled. To quote Dr. John:

I been in the right place but it must have been the wrong time.
I'd of said the right thing but I must have used the wrong line.
I been in the right trip but I must have used the wrong car.

What, exactly, GM will do with NUMMI, their cooperative manufacturing effort with Toyota, remains unclear, but Fritz definitely claims they'll have to talk to Toyota and come up with something to do with the plant. Our guess is Toyota will just ask GM to continue making the Toyota Matrix (made on the same line as the Pontiac Vibe, by the same UAW workers) and just increase production numbers on it or, since Matrix production was moved to Canada last fall, maybe they'll just shut the whole place down.

Why the Matrix always sold so much better than the Vibe, we'll never understand. Wait a second, we remember — the picture to the left just jogged our memory. Eeeew. OK, now we know why the Matrix sold better.

There's a truly eclectic and diverse mix of cars including classic American muscle like the Cougar; Korean eco-rockets like the orange Kia; Japanese supercars like the Nissan GT-R and Toyota Supra; German über whips like the Porsche 911; and at least one Honda Civic.

It's clear this nicely installed display at the base of the central tower of the RenCen borrows from two sources: the perennially obnoxious Lexus "December to Remember" ad campaign with it's bows and yuppies, and the incessantly played American Express advertisement where some random dude wins a pair of Solsti and gives one to his fainting wife for Christmas.

Somewhere in the dream the two were mixed together and a giant spidery bow that seems to be pooping out the Solstice was added. This whole thing would've worked a lot better if it wasn't parked next to considerably cooler cars like the Riviera and Impala. Something tells us even though they're pushing a Solstice at GM employees and fancy restaurant goers, the display won't be doing a lot of convincing in this, the December of our despair.

GMPP has bumped up the output from the 2.0-liter Ecotec to 290 HP via intake tweaks, a performance cat-back exhaust and a Stage 2 tuning kit. Lowered and firmed-up suspension sits beneath, and the package is finished off with a Hydro Blue racing stripe. We've liked the idea of a Solstice coupe since we saw the first one — it's too bad chances are slim we'll ever see one in showrooms. We'll bring you shots from the SEMA show floor starting later today. [GM via eGMCarTech]

Editor-in-Chief

Now, at least one Solstice forum found out about this week's Showroom Showdown, but I doubt that alone explains the fact that the Solstice won by a 4 to 1 margin. Ouch! Personally, I think the Solstice looks way better, but I'd still take the Miata...

PONTIAC UNVEILS 2009 SOLSTICE COUPE

Hardtop Extends Appeal of Classic Design

NEW YORK - Drawing inspiration from classic sports cars, the 2009 Pontiac Solstice coupe was created for drivers who appreciate both dramatic styling and balanced performance. Unveiled at the New York Auto Show as a GXP model, the Solstice coupe builds on the success of the convertible model while offering a greater range of all-season driving opportunities.

For drivers still wanting an open-air experience, the coupe also features a removable roof panel, fully opening the cockpit to all of the sensations of the road.

"Today's Solstice is the top-selling roadster in the U.S., and we believe this new model has even broader appeal," said Jim Bunnell, Buick-Pontiac-GMC general manager. "The coupe has all the design cues and pleasing performance of the original roadster, and is an all-season alternative for people who enjoy open-air driving."

The coupe is expected to arrive in Pontiac dealerships in early 2009.

The making of a coupe

The new coupe was inspired by the Solstice coupe concept shown at the North American International Auto Show in 2002. True to the concept, it is a modern sports car with classic lines. The roofline has a "fastback" shape with stylized "rails" that run from the front of the roof to the rear, culminating in a stylish and functional ducktail-style rear spoiler.

The coupe's roof is fixed aft of the B-pillars, with side windows and a rear liftglass for access to the cargo area. The roof panel is easily removed from the passenger compartment, and an optional soft roof cover stores in the cargo area. A home storage case for the roof panel will be offered through GM Accessories.

Engineering the design

Despite its dramatic new look, engineers made only minor structural changes to create the Solstice coupe. The rear fenders and rear fascia are the same as those on the convertible. New taillight assemblies flow more smoothly into the tapered roofline.

"The Solstice coupe represents a major collaboration of design and engineering," said Bruce Kosbab, chief engineer. "The sleek lines of the new roof give the car a fresh appearance, yet only minimal changes were made to the body structure - it's a great example of building on an already solid foundation."

Lightweight structure

The roof's structure was strengthened with additional support elements, including an aluminum roof bow attached with aluminum brackets. The bow and brackets are stiff, yet low in mass, a design feature that pervades the coupe's overall construction. The roof includes a lightweight sheet molding compound cover affixed to a rigid aluminum frame for additional lightweight support. A lightweight magnesium roof panel frame weighs just 31 pounds (14.2 kg) and can be removed by one person. The cover is also made of sheet molding compound.

Powertrain and suspension

Because the change to a coupe body style resulted in only a slight increase in curb weight, no drivetrain or suspension changes were necessary to shift from the convertible body structure. Initial tests have shown that the Solstice coupe will deliver ride and handling, acceleration, braking and fuel economy comparable to the convertible model.

The coupe is powered by a standard 2.4L Ecotec four-cylinder engine that generates 173 horsepower (129 kW), while the GXP version is equipped with a 2.0L turbocharged Ecotec engine with 260 horsepower (194 kW).

Interior additions

Much of the coupe's interior remains the same as that of the convertible. However, the area behind the seats was redesigned for easy access to the cargo area, and a storage tray was mounted directly behind the headrests.

Removing the folding-top mechanism made way for a new, flat cargo floor and several storage compartments. The cargo area's covered bins provide secure storage for smaller items. Cargo tie-down hooks help secure irregularly shaped items.

PONTIAC UNVEILS 2009 SOLSTICE COUPE

Hardtop Extends Appeal of Classic Design

NEW YORK - Drawing inspiration from classic sports cars, the 2009 Pontiac Solstice coupe was created for drivers who appreciate both dramatic styling and balanced performance. Unveiled at the New York Auto Show as a GXP model, the Solstice coupe builds on the success of the convertible model while offering a greater range of all-season driving opportunities.

For drivers still wanting an open-air experience, the coupe also features a removable roof panel, fully opening the cockpit to all of the sensations of the road.

"Today's Solstice is the top-selling roadster in the U.S., and we believe this new model has even broader appeal," said Jim Bunnell, Buick-Pontiac-GMC general manager. "The coupe has all the design cues and pleasing performance of the original roadster, and is an all-season alternative for people who enjoy open-air driving."

The coupe is expected to arrive in Pontiac dealerships in early 2009.

The making of a coupe

The new coupe was inspired by the Solstice coupe concept shown at the North American International Auto Show in 2002. True to the concept, it is a modern sports car with classic lines. The roofline has a "fastback" shape with stylized "rails" that run from the front of the roof to the rear, culminating in a stylish and functional ducktail-style rear spoiler.

The coupe's roof is fixed aft of the B-pillars, with side windows and a rear liftglass for access to the cargo area. The roof panel is easily removed from the passenger compartment, and an optional soft roof cover stores in the cargo area. A home storage case for the roof panel will be offered through GM Accessories.

Engineering the design

Despite its dramatic new look, engineers made only minor structural changes to create the Solstice coupe. The rear fenders and rear fascia are the same as those on the convertible. New taillight assemblies flow more smoothly into the tapered roofline.

"The Solstice coupe represents a major collaboration of design and engineering," said Bruce Kosbab, chief engineer. "The sleek lines of the new roof give the car a fresh appearance, yet only minimal changes were made to the body structure - it's a great example of building on an already solid foundation."

Lightweight structure

The roof's structure was strengthened with additional support elements, including an aluminum roof bow attached with aluminum brackets. The bow and brackets are stiff, yet low in mass, a design feature that pervades the coupe's overall construction. The roof includes a lightweight sheet molding compound cover affixed to a rigid aluminum frame for additional lightweight support. A lightweight magnesium roof panel frame weighs just 31 pounds (14.2 kg) and can be removed by one person. The cover is also made of sheet molding compound.

Powertrain and suspension

Because the change to a coupe body style resulted in only a slight increase in curb weight, no drivetrain or suspension changes were necessary to shift from the convertible body structure. Initial tests have shown that the Solstice coupe will deliver ride and handling, acceleration, braking and fuel economy comparable to the convertible model.

The coupe is powered by a standard 2.4L Ecotec four-cylinder engine that generates 173 horsepower (129 kW), while the GXP version is equipped with a 2.0L turbocharged Ecotec engine with 260 horsepower (194 kW).

Interior additions

Much of the coupe's interior remains the same as that of the convertible. However, the area behind the seats was redesigned for easy access to the cargo area, and a storage tray was mounted directly behind the headrests.

Removing the folding-top mechanism made way for a new, flat cargo floor and several storage compartments. The cargo area's covered bins provide secure storage for smaller items. Cargo tie-down hooks help secure irregularly shaped items.

# # #

...it's much hotter than the over-pixelated shot above — with a gorgeous line running from the front of the Jazz-y transformer-wannabe around the coupe-top in the rear and all the way back to the front. We're assuming you'll be seeing this up on this page in the very near-term future — so stay tuned.

Well — why don't you ask this guy who seems to have the "inside scoop" everyone else already knew about Jazz. He seems to think he's the "source" on all things GM, so have him reveal one of them. Just make sure you don't force him to have tocatch his breath. You may be waiting for a while. Also, while you're at it, ask him what the "XXX" in "eXXXlusively" is for. Is that a misspelling or is he trying to tip us off to the fact that he slept with Bob Lutz to gain access to this already widely-known information? Who knows. Better yet, who cares? What we do know is we're continuing to look forward to the New York Auto Show.

On the occasion of our company's 40th anniversary in 2008: The Irmscher GT i40. V8 Power to be enjoyed

Irmscher constructs the GT for GourmeTs

It's the ingredients that make the difference! And here is the menu:
A 6,0l V8-engine with 480PS in an Opel GT-body for excellent driving performance.
Perfectly prepared and served à la maison.
For 40 now Irmscher has been providing proof of its competence in matters of vehicle construction and individualisation.
On the occasion of the company's 35th anniversary the most powerful and strongest of the Opel Vectras had caused a stir by reaching a speed of more than 300km/h. However, that which is emerging from the factory floors in Remshalden for the company's 40th anniversary is a vehicle for the true connoisseur: the Irmscher Opel GT i40. The figures in the model's number stand for the data of the company: Günther Irmscher senior started up in1968 in Winnenden with the first vehicle modifications. In the person of Günther Irmscher junior, the second generation is at the fore of the company in 2008 and is proof that 40 years of company history should be celebrated properly at this anniversary.
The Remshalden company is starting its anniversary with a world premiere in Geneva. Here, the GT will be making its first appearance and is sure to cause a stir at the company's stand in Hall 2.
V8-engine and a driving performance that puts it in the company of thoroughbred sports cars male the experts sit up and take notice and connoisseurs tingle with anticipation. As it is known that appearances also matter, the GT is optically enhanced by means of a discreet modification to the car body, and, on the interior with an exclusive leather fitting.
For desert, Irmscher serves the news that the vehicle is to be produced in a small series. The appropriate attention is being paid to this already. The menu therefore also exists in takeaway form.
The GT i40 currently stands in a long tradition of elect vehicles.V8-engines have always had an important role to play at Irmscher. In this line of history stand the Senator V8 and not least the successful races in the Omega V8 with the F1-driver Johnny Cecotto at the wheel, who was able to win the championship twice.
The models with the "i"".
Special models with the "i" in their name have always had their place in the company history. The GT i40 here lines up with a whole row of other vehicles, from the i120, i130, i200...via the i500 to the i35 which appeared for the company's 35th anniversary. At that time, a compressor helped enhance the performance of a V6-Motor. The result was the fastest Opel limousine in series production in the world. 5 years later it is a V8 that will cause a sensation in a Roadster.
All that remains to be said in conclusion is:

Dinner is served!

Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail.

PONTIAC SOLSTICE SD-290 RACE CONCEPT

Designed to evoke the emotions of classic sports cars, the Pontiac Solstice SD-290 race concept captures the purposeful design of vintage racecars. The design is dramatic, featuring a passenger cockpit tonneau cover and a driver windscreen, creating a pure racecar that looks ready to take the checkered flag even while sitting on the starting grid.

Aerodynamics have been improved and the SD-290's weight reduced with the removal of the windshield, side glass, window regulator, convertible top, climate system and windshield wiper system. Complementing the design are new side fender gill panels, a new hood with heat extracting grilles and a competition red paint scheme.

Backing up the race-ready appearance is the available Club Sport Z0K suspension package and an all-business cockpit filled with auxiliary gauges, a roll bar and racing seat.

Vehicle highlights:

* Pontiac Solstice SD-290 race concept
* 2.0L Ecotec direct-injected and turbocharged generating 290 horsepower
* Five-speed manual transmission
* Weight reduction through installation of driver-side only windscreen and elimination of door glass/hardware, convertible top/hardware, HVAC system and wiper system
* Solo Performance cat-back exhaust system with center-mounted outlet
* KW Automotive coil-over suspension package
* Three-piston aluminum calipers with 13-inch rotors from Stainless Steel Brake Company
* Forged 19-inch wheels with Hoosier R6 racing tires
* New front fascia, grille inserts, hood and front fenders, leading to better aerodynamics
* Passenger-side hard tonneau cover
* Competition red exterior color
* Rear spoiler
* Tinted headlamp lenses
* Removable racing-style steering wheel
* Racing seat with four-point safety harness
* Chrome fire extinguisher
* Pegasus center console gauge package
* Driver's roll bar

# # #

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