Several news outlets have been reporting on Pontiac's nagging difficulties with the $30,000 cabrio version of its G6 — now expected to be launched in the first quarter of 2006. The convertible's retractable top, birthed by Karmann USA and midwifed by an expanding team of GM engineers, has been reportedly failing durability tests. According to suppliers, the top hasn't yet made it through more than 10,000 test cycles of openings and closings — not the 16,000 to 20,000 cycles usually demanded. Loose tolerances have also been reported between the deck lid and rear fenders.
According to Automotive News, a Karmann vice-president said that while the top meets GM's standards, in some cases Karmann used "overload" situations for its internal research. According to AutoWeek, a GM source says that if GM misses its March target, the project could be abandoned due to diminishing returns. In other news, production on the G6 coupe and four-cylinder model have begun without a hitch.
Related:
Pontiac Reveals G6 Coupe, Convertible in Brochure [internal]