[C488]

Hey all,
I don't pretend to have read all the articles written about the Sky, but it seems GM purports to be intentionally limiting production of the Sky. Am I mistaken about that?
If I am not mistaken about that, I think that GM should make as many as they think they can sell. Also, GM should be ready to "ramp up" production if sales warrant such action.
It seems like GM is afraid to succeed.
It's sort of sad, GM is losing market share, losing millions and they aren't capitalizing on a possible winner.
GM needs to sell every car possible to avoid $$ losses and possible bankruptcy.
What's your take?

 

[Jayne]

Limited Production

I really like the idea that the Sky is limited in production. Can you see yourself driving a car that everyone else has? In that way it special. If they flood the market with the Sky the market will saturate too quick. This keeps people lusting after it and puts the brand name in their minds. Put it this way....If I still had my family living at home and need a new family type car but really lusted after the Sky even though it was out of the question for a few year I be more apt to look at the entire Saturn line as my first choice. That would give me a better feel for the company and their services. Then when the time came to purchase my Sky all my reservation would have been put to rest. Two sales verses one. I like the idea of being the only one in the county to have the Sky. Makes me feel special and we all could use that feeling from time to time.
Jayne

 

[C488]

Limited production

Jayne,
Absolutely. I ordered my Sky about 3 weeks and should get it in a few weeks....if all goes well. So, from a selfish and personal viewpoint I am very happy about the probability of limited production.
But from a GM viewpoint, GM should be thinking about turning a profit by selling as many cars as possible to avoid $$$ losses, closed plants and bankruptcy.
It seems like GM is afraid to succeed. Are they just plain stupid or what?

 

[belletire]

Very little profit is made from this vehicle. It is basically a driving advertisment for the "new Saturn".

The initial demand is high due to so very few attractive and affordable roadsters all these years "in my eyes no attractive ones". But, with the impracticality of the vehicle the demand will not remain high. IMNSHO

 

[Rick Tinley Park]

Jayne,
Absolutely. I ordered my Sky about 3 weeks and should get it in a few weeks....if all goes well. So, from a selfish and personal viewpoint I am very happy about the probability of limited production.
But from a GM viewpoint, GM should be thinking about turning a profit by selling as many cars as possible to avoid $$$ losses, closed plants and bankruptcy.
It seems like GM is afraid to succeed. Are they just plain stupid or what?

the market for SKYs is VERY limited. This is not a mini-van or even a PT cruiser. It is a very limited appeal car. If they keep it in check they will sell every car they make (as long as it is about 10,000) but if they crank em out -- the appeal is gone -- too many people have them and it will be 6-10 years before they trade them in...

 

[bubbacc]

:agree:

 

[Rick Tinley Park]

Ford did it with teh T-Bird -- Over produced (and over priced)

 

[ku4zs]

The short supply is a BIG part of the appeal for me. I'd be getting me a Mustang (I do like them) if EVERYONE didnt already have one or two or three... or... come on... EVERYONE has them. You cant go more than a mile without passing at least 1 on any somewhat popular street. I like uniqueness, not to say that (if) the Sky gets VERY popular that I wont like it anymore, but being unique IS a major factor for me, and that its a Saturn, is another MAJOR factor for me. I really really like my SC2, and I delight in "rubbing it in people's faces" that the Sky is a Saturn. I feel like "YEA, THATS RIGHT, ITS A SATURN, THINK SATURNS ARE JUNK? HUH? PUNK? CHECK OUT *MY* SATURN PUNK!!!" .... calming down

 

[SkyMan 08]

Hey all,
I don't pretend to have read all the articles written about the Sky, but it seems GM purports to be intentionally limiting production of the Sky. Am I mistaken about that?
If I am not mistaken about that, I think that GM should make as many as they think they can sell. Also, GM should be ready to "ramp up" production if sales warrant such action.
It seems like GM is afraid to succeed.
It's sort of sad, GM is losing market share, losing millions and they aren't capitalizing on a possible winner.
GM needs to sell every car possible to avoid $$ losses and possible bankruptcy.
What's your take?

Ok The real reason the Sky and Solstice are limited in production are manufacturing limitations more than anything, because of the hydroforming technique and there is alot of hand building in these two cars and the Opel GT, the ability to actually build more cars does not exist, there would have to be an expansion of another complete assembly line and all the hydroforming equipment needed to build the frames and body panels..
last I heard production at full capacity at this time is 20,000 Solstices, 10,000 Skys and 5,000 Opels, with another 5000 available for a future un-named car.
I think they could expand Sky production to the other 5000 As long as they have a backlog of orders they know they can sell every one they can build...

 

[Seagull]

More than enough

GM is making enough for the first run, approx. 7000 compared to the 13000 they did for the Solstice.:thumbs:

 

[Fformula88]

GM is already running 3 shifts at the plant. There is not much extra spare capacity to be had.

Initial demand is higher than supply, but teh roadster market is famous for having really high first year demand followed by dramatic falll-offs in demand each subsequent year. If you flood the market with the car and use up all available demand right away, you run the danger of not being able to move any of the cars a few years later, and start running big losses since you have to pay the factory workers whether they are building cars or doing crossword puzzles on layoff.

GM already did that once with the Fiero in the 80's. They forcast a market of 75,000 per year, but with high demand boosted production to well over 100,000 the first year. It flooded the market, and by the last year they only sold 26,000. Still, they averaged close to 75,000 per year over the full life of the car (which is what they expected). I don't think GM wants to get into that situation again.

 

[marlboromike]

Although this is a specialty car...a fun car...not a family sedan, it is unique in it's design...almost one of a kind. You never get tired of looking at it. I don't believe Saturn will have trouble selling this machine. The price is right...design and style r unique...Let's PLAY!!

 

[SkyBaby]

I love driving my baby and NOT seeing A TON OF THEM ON THE STREETS.... i still havnt seen A SKY ON THE ROAD.... NOT ONE..... and.. we go in and around chicago all the time for my husbands offices....... i have only seen a handful of Solstice's....... I LOVE THE ATTENTION MY BABY GETS... and... i do agree.... YEA PUNK... IT IS A SATURN... GOT A PROBLEM WITH THAT??? hehehe...sry, thought that was very adorable... had to add to it..SkyBaby-07

 

[Skip]

Here in Huntsville and the surrounding counties, I have only seen 3 Sols and no Skys. Of course there is only one Sky in the county and then the demo. Mine has not come in yet nor has AUsom Tiger's. We still wait and wait. Skip...getting impatient... will not yell and scream... hold it in ....:lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[SkyRaider]

I really like the idea that the Sky is limited in production. Can you see yourself driving a car that everyone else has? In that way it special. If they flood the market with the Sky the market will saturate too quick. This keeps people lusting after it and puts the brand name in their minds. Put it this way....If I still had my family living at home and need a new family type car but really lusted after the Sky even though it was out of the question for a few year I be more apt to look at the entire Saturn line as my first choice. That would give me a better feel for the company and their services. Then when the time came to purchase my Sky all my reservation would have been put to rest. Two sales verses one. I like the idea of being the only one in the county to have the Sky. Makes me feel special and we all could use that feeling from time to time.
Jayne

I agree. Let GM keep production limited. I too don't want to be driving a car everybody and their grandmother is driving. That's what happened with the Miata. Mazda had a winner and started cranking them out by the hundreds............

 

[Spag]

I love driving my baby and NOT seeing A TON OF THEM ON THE STREETS.... i still havnt seen A SKY ON THE ROAD.... NOT ONE.....

I pass at least one SKY (once a record of nine) a day on my way to and from work...

It kinda sucks watching them drive around my neighborhood for QC checks when I still haven't imaged!

Living next to the plant is like having food held in front of a starving man... :drool:

patience grasshopper... (that was my inner voice :willy: )

 

[Seagull]

Me Too Can't wait

I love driving my baby and NOT seeing A TON OF THEM ON THE STREETS.... i still havnt seen A SKY ON THE ROAD.... NOT ONE..... and.. we go in and around chicago all the time for my husbands offices....... i have only seen a handful of Solstice's....... I LOVE THE ATTENTION MY BABY GETS... and... i do agree.... YEA PUNK... IT IS A SATURN... GOT A PROBLEM WITH THAT??? hehehe...sry, thought that was very adorable... had to add to it..SkyBaby-07

Like SkyBaby said there won't be a ton of them on the road :banghead: with anticipation

 

[Way2Fast]

I read that the sky is assembled in Spring Hill TN. I also heard that they are made in MD......they only have one plant?....which is it ??

 

[nscrbug]

I read that the sky is assembled in Spring Hill TN. I also heard that they are made in MD......they only have one plant?....which is it ??

Wilmington, Delaware is what I had always thought.

 

[Spag]

I read that the sky is assembled in Spring Hill TN. I also heard that they are made in MD......they only have one plant?....which is it ??

The SKY is made in Wilmington, DE. At the Boxwood GM Plant (along with the Solstice).