[gwader]

This car couldn't of be designed by GM people. It looks way to cool for GM designers. Anyone know any stories about the creators? My wife and I were eating some ice cream and watch people surround the car. That was when I said. "This car couldn't of be designed by GM people."

Later

Greg

 

[Blue Sky]

Opel

Highly likely this has european OPEL designers helping. However the sharp lines are similar to Cadilac convertible.

 

[HiredGun]

The design comes from . . .

This may be one of the first, if not best, design to production efforts ever. See the link:

http://www.cardesignnews.com/news/2003/030514vauxhall-lightning/index.html

I have always thought that if more automobile manufacturers would just measure the "drools" at the auto shows they could come up with more winners. But, unfortunately, there is the problem of those couch potatoes at the RenCenter in Detroit who are too afraid to innovate because in corporate America you NEVER do anything that might effect your retirement!

 

[bullseye]

Got to admit, they did an exc. job in the design of the sky/solstice, nice to see that american companies are capable of putting out a beautiful design. If they could just shave about 500 pounds off the weight, tho.

Chris

 

[bradsky]

From Googling:

GM is hoping Saturn's new models will have the same appeal in the U.S. as its hot-selling Pontiac Solstice. Bryan Nesbitt, executive director of design for GM Europe, led the design of all three cars. And like many top auto designers, his credentials span the Atlantic. Nesbitt, 36, was born in Phoenix and studied at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Calif.

Before joining General Motors, he worked as design manager at DaimlerChrysler (DCX) and was principle designer of the Chrysler PT Cruiser, which was unveiled in 1999.

 

[achieftain]

One person responsible for the Solstice concept moved on even before production started. http://www.skyroadster.com/forums/showpost.php?p=16062&postcount=1 He is credited for having a hand in the creation of the Sky as well. I had thought thae the Sky was done in-country while being influenced by Opel and Vauxhall and Lotus designs. The final version of teh Sky was done long before the Opel version was announced.

 

[SkyMan 08]

opel, saturn, vauxhall, pontiac.. all GM... It was Designed, Engineered and built all by GM companys or susidaries/contract suppliers.... all under the watchful eye of Mr Bob Lutz...

 

[gwader]

Good read!

Thanks
Greg

 

[C20LET_50]

opel, saturn, vauxhall, pontiac.. all GM... It was Designed, Engineered and built all by GM companys or susidaries/contract suppliers.... all under the watchful eye of Mr Bob Lutz...

:agree:
The Kappa is a USA/Europe consolidated product and it's done excellent. There was no problem with the old Opel GT build in Germany and most of them sold in the states, so it's no problem today to build the New Opel GT in the USA and sell them in Germany.

The only problem is they won't sell the most in Germany :jester:

 

[bradyb]

Not to mention the Corvette C6 influence too!

 

[Jordan]

GM has plenty of design capabilities, but have spent too much time trying to become bland like the foreign brands.

 

[brentil]

The chassis and everything but the exterior skin and the interior design on the Sky is the same as the Solstice. The Solstice is 100% USA/GM designed. Some people like to say it was influenced by Opel or Vuaxhall or Lotus or etc etc etc but it wasn't. Vauxhall did a design concept based off of a Solstice and showed it off. GM decided to use that design as the foundation for the exterior of the Sky (instead of the old ugly Sky design).

 

[KappaMan]

Ohhh - the older FIRST saturn sky

http://www.solsticeforum.com/forum/showthread.php?p=2965#post2965
http://www.solsticeforum.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=85&d=1086122807
http://www.solsticeforum.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=86&d=1086122807

Apalling. Absolutely hideous. <shakes head. Crosses arms and sits back>

Somewhere, there's a designer at Mazda WISHING Saturn had gone with this first one...

... and somewhere, there's a Saturn designer that's absolutely relieved they didn't.

:lol:

 

[KappaMan]

The chassis and everything but the exterior skin and the interior design on the Sky is the same as the Solstice. The Solstice is 100% USA/GM designed. Some people like to say it was influenced by Opel or Vuaxhall or Lotus or etc etc etc but it wasn't. Vauxhall did a design concept based off of a Solstice and showed it off. GM decided to use that design as the foundation for the exterior of the Sky (instead of the old ugly Sky design).

Don't forget, b', there's a small change in the tuning for the SKY vs. the Solstice... depending on the source of the info it is either "more refined", more "ride travel" or "softer but no loss in handling..."

 

[Catgirl]

Ohhh - the older FIRST saturn sky

http://www.solsticeforum.com/forum/showthread.php?p=2965#post2965
http://www.solsticeforum.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=85&d=1086122807
http://www.solsticeforum.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=86&d=1086122807

Apalling. Absolutely hideous. <shakes head. Crosses arms and sits back>

Somewhere, there's a designer at Mazda WISHING Saturn had gone with this first one...

... and somewhere, there's a Saturn designer that's absolutely relieved they didn't.

:lol:

Couldn't agree more. Fugly. (am I allowed to say that?)

 

[Turk]

Ohhh - the older FIRST saturn sky

http://www.solsticeforum.com/forum/showthread.php?p=2965#post2965
http://www.solsticeforum.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=85&d=1086122807
http://www.solsticeforum.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=86&d=1086122807

Apalling. Absolutely hideous. <shakes head. Crosses arms and sits back>

Somewhere, there's a designer at Mazda WISHING Saturn had gone with this first one...

... and somewhere, there's a Saturn designer that's absolutely relieved they didn't.

:lol:

Whoooaaaa now wait a minute! My wife and I absolutly feel in love with that old design. We saw it at the Cleveland car show and said if they build it, we would buy it. It was years later that I heard is was going to be build. My wife had those first two pictures taped to her wall at work. 4 years later we own one.

Man I'm glad they didn't build that design. I'd have a butt ugly car sittin in my garage!!!!