Why the Solstice must live

I can't lie. I love the Pontiac Solstice. This is unusual, because I usually have the same level of affection for American cars as I have for, say, bananas. Honestly though, how can you not love the Solstice? I mean, it's cute! Sure, there's a little too much part-sharing, and no MX-5 or VW Cabrio fan would ever buy one, but you can't deny that the Solstice (more so than the Saturn Sky, at least so I think) is a very appealing little car. Which is unfortunate, because Pontiac is dead in the water. The Vibe is the Toyota Matrix, so that legacy will live. The G8, sadly will survive only in Australia. The Solstice, however, will no longer be available to anyone, anywhere. This is a shame, which brings me to my next point.

Back in the 1980s, Buick made a sexy little car called the Reatta. It wasn't a huge success, but it still commands a loyal if modest following. It had a touch-screen CRT dash. Now THAT is classy.

Well, I think it's Reatta time again. GM ought to sell the Solstice as the Buick Reatta, trim the front fascia up a bit, and luxurize (is that a word?) the interior. Abracadabra! We now present you with Buick's new, stylin' ragtop coupe. The trick would be to remind people as much as possible that the new Buick is indeed the Solstice by any other name. This does go against traditional marketing wisdom, I'll give that, but here's the thing: people like the Solstice. I'm not the only one out there who thinks it'd be a cute car. This would be good for both the Solstice (it would live) and for Buick (it may attract customers who aren't retired.)

The Solstice isn't even going to hurt GM's CAFE standing. It's a fuel miser, which should make the auto-gurus in Washington happy. No other company makes a small, traditional luxurious roadster that's even remotely afforable. The closest thing to the new Reatta would be the Volvo C70. Arguably, the Volkswagen Eos would also be a competitor. As the new Buick would be pricier and more upscale than the Miata, Mazda's sporty offering would no longer be a worry for GM. If you ask me, this is a super idea. Buick: meet Solstice. Solstice: meet your new, elderly parent.