"...production of the Solstice would not begin until mid-2005."

GM to shutter Delaware plant for almost a year (http://www.freep.com/news/statewire/sw93783_20040301.htm)

GM to end L-series early, idling plant (http://www.delawareonline.com/newsjournal/local/2004/03/02gmtoendlseriese.html)

That's a long wait. A year and a half... I don't think I can hold out that long. And then there is going to be an even longer wait for the supercharger/ turbocharged one.

I've already had my car for 8 years... She's not going to last two more. Partly because I've beat it since the day I bought it, and partly because I'm ready for a change. I guess it just wasn't meant to be. It's a shame though, I would have liked to have owned one.

I think they should strike while the iron is hot. Ford took years to bring their overpriced Tbird to market. By the time it finally arrived it was already old news.

I think they should strike while the iron is hot. Ford took years to bring their overpriced Tbird to market. By the time it finally arrived it was already old news.

The wait is tough, especially given the speed they did the concept. Looks like most oif the wait is because they must phase out the Saturn L series production and then it takes another year to retool the plant for Solstice. Would love it to be in showrooms in late 2004 but it's not in the cards.

Also bear in mind that the Solstice has a relatively quick concept-to-production schedule, especially for GM. Most cars take much longer, as the inital magazine articles have commented. I'm not 100% sure on the dates, but I think it was:

Jan 2003: initial concept shown
Jan 2004: production prototype shown
Mid summer 2005: full production

...So you're talking only 2 1/2 years from showing the concept to having the assembly lines going full speed. That's pretty quick. And actually, I think the decision to go ahead and build the solstice wasn't made until last fall, which makes it like 20 months or so from green light to full production (assuming they make the mid-2005 target). That's pretty quick for an all-new model.

-Stephen M

Also, there are newer concepts going into the Solstice that have never been tried before in mass production (body panel forming, etc)

Thanks for these one. Looks like good ones only. I will read them later.

I think they should cool!

The Golden Triangle tour of India is by far the most popular tourist route through North India. The raw Golden Triangle takes you through Delhi, Agra (home of the Taj Mahal) and Jaipur (the capital of Rajasthan state). However, the tour often includes extensions, such as Ranthambhore - famous for its jungle tiger safaris and Shimla - summer home of the British Raj.

When starting in Delhi, it can be a big culture shock to suddenly be immersed in such a loud, bustling and crowded place! However, after a little adjustment it can be an amazing place to be introduced to India. There are plenty of famous spots to see in Delhi, such as the Parliament House, India Gate, Gandhi's cremation site and also Gandhi's house! Taking a cycle-rickshaw ride through the narrow streets of Old Delhi bazaar (market) is also a must.

The next destination on the agenda is Agra. Agra is the home of the incredibly well-known Taj Mahal. The Taj truly is as amazing as it is said to be. It is well worth using a guide to explain the beautiful history behind this amazing monument. The story of how Shah Jahan built the Taj in memory of his late, beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal, in the 1700's. Upon Mumtaz Mahals deathbed, Shah Jahan promised her that he would never marry and that he would build the richest and most magnificent tomb for her memory. The story has been melting hearts since it's creation in the 1600's. The Taj Mahal took 22 years and a whopping 22,000 workers to construct.

It is very common to visit Ranthambhore after Agra, to experience the Indian jungle on a tiger safari game drive. To reach Ranthambhore, the route is to drive to Bharatpur and board the train from there. The drive is around an hour, an hour and a half and the train is then around 2 and a half hours. In Ranthambhore, the atmosphere is rather peaceful and a complete contrast to the hustle and bustle of Delhi. The town is small, natural and completely revolves around the tourism from Ranthambhore National Park. There are two safaris per day, one in the morning (between 6:30am - 10am) and again in the afternoon (2:30pm - 6pm). There are also two different vehicles to choose from, a small 6 seater jeep or a larger 20 seater open-bus canter. When on safari in Ranthambhore National Park, you can see the Tiger, Leopard, Sloth Bear, Sambar Deer, Wild Boar and many many more species of animals, plants and birds.

The next stop is Jaipur. To reach Jaipur from Ranthambhore is around a 4 hour drive. Jaipur, nicknamed the 'Pink City' is the capital of Rajasthan state and is famous for its beautiful royal buildings. It screams out stories of it's royal past everywhere you look. On the Golden Triangle tour, it is popular to visit the Ambar Fort in Jaipur in order to ride an elephant up the fort entrance into the fort. The elephant holds two people, plus one elephant driver, for lack of a better term! After the elephant ride, you should visit the City Palace and the Hawa Mahal - beautiful examples of Indian architecture which are very well preserved. The Jantar Mantar is also a must. The Jantar Mantar was built in the 1700's and is an observatory. Extremely accurate, the jantar mantar provides information on the sun, time of day along with the positions of the stars and the zodiac.

The new users are welcome !!!
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