What if the Reatta had Survived"

Could this have been a Reatta's destiny?

http://www.autoguide.com/manufacturer/buick/2014-buick-regal-gs-review-3807.html?utm_source=ag03182014&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=weekly

OK, how do we shoehorn this drive train into our cars?

why do the american car makers insist on increasing horsepower instead of mpg?

Because, as Americans, we feel that we need to consume every drop of oil on the planet. It all belongs to US. We are entitled to all of it. We will continue to do so until it's all gone. The rest of the planet be damned! Bumpa-dump bump. Ouch... I just fell off my soap box.

John F.

I don't think that this is what the Reatta would have evolved to if it had survived. The now defunct Pontiac Solstice or Saturn Sky are probably closer to what the Reatta would have become. I shudder to think it would have become a 4 door sedan.

If the Reatta had survived, I fear it would have fallen victim to endless efforts to reduce cost. It likely would have been taken out of the craft centre and moved into a conventional assembly plant. It probably would have goten the SC 3800 as an option, but other parts of the design would have suffered from being tweaked downward or homogenized by the busy bodies at GM.

Eventually, it probably would have been a badge engineered version of a Solstice/Sky. While those were nice cars, they were not a Reatta.

And John makes a good point WRT energy use trends. Right now we are still in the second era of the muscle car. While I believe people should buy what they want - and have the ability to do so free from interference from those who claim to "know better" - I can't understand the regular driver's fascination with these 400+ hp supercars. Where can one legally use that power except at the track? And how many people are actually using these cars that way versus as a status symbol.

That much juice in a street use car is just an invitation for the cops (and lawyers, inevitably) to bleed you dry in traffic tickets and plea downs. And these days, they are thoroughly enjoying doing just that. Seems we don't even get the old 3-5 mph leeway they used to give in most places. So, a 180 mph speedo and the ability to deliver backing it up really serves no purpose other than bragging rights. Meanwhile we are at $3.50/gal gas again and it isn't even peak season for gas prices.

As with everthing else in modern America, we are on a collision course with the consequences of a long and ongoing string of bad decisions.

The careless over-use of energy where it is entirely elective and unneccessary to do so is just one of many places we have screwed up. Momentum and inertia prevent the ship from being righted before being run aground I'm afraid. Pain and suffering are the most effective teachers, and it looks like we are going to do some real learning.

KDirk

I still think when Pontiac & Saturn left they should have Buickfied the Solstice and Skye and kept that little 2 seater on the market. I think it would have fit nicely into the Buick stable. If not Reatta it nay have been a good reuse of SkyHawk.

why do the american car makers insist on increasing horsepower instead of mpg?

I think the American companies were forced back down the horsepower road by foreign competition, the once economy leaders coming from overseas got into the performance and horsepower trend. If you look at GM I think you will find a good many hybrid options, I just saw an add last night for a diesel from GM and we have the e-assist which is interesting as well.

Why my new toy is a Crossfire. Was looking for a m/t Fiero GT and found the XF had depreciated to about the same with more power and a 6-speed. Is the first car I had to modify the interior with a sawzall to get comfortable. Is a hand-me-down from a last-century Merc and has a tranny from a Jeep Wrangler so has room for improvement. OTOH one has managed an 11 second 1/4 mile...

The Reatta's fate was the same as all but one American two seater built in the last 60 years. Chevrolet's Corvette is the only two seater that has survived. There has been times in its history, that serious consideration was given to its demise. It is clear that American will not buy a two seater car! Frankly, they don't seem that willing to buy a two door car anymore. The Reatta can't be faulted for its comfort or its room. The public seem to demand a back seat and two additional doors. As far as fuel mileage and horsepower is concerned, today's vehicles have both. Enormous strides have been made in fuel economy in recent years. Many four cylinder engines of today, have HP ratings higher that the Reatta's V6 with better fuel economy. If I were going to fault America in the terms of fuel usage, I would point to the people who insist on purchasing huge pick-up trucks (the Ford F-150 is the best selling vehicle in America) and SUV's. I find it hard to believe that so many people require vehicles of this nature. If you have a job that requires a pick-up, then I understand, but I doubt many purchaser do. As for SUV's, I have one question, why? They are nothing more than station wagons on steroids. Why is a station wagon not cool and an SUV is? I have asked people that I know why they chose a SUV over a sedan. The first words out of their mouth, "oh, we need the room". When I ask for what, I get a blank stare. For those who are concerned about the fuel usage situation, there are two vehicles that come to mind that do not use fossil fuel. The hideous looking Nissan Leaf and the better looking Tesla Model S. One is affordable and one is not. However to charge these vehicles on anything other than solar power, fuel is used in the power grid. The fuel could be natural gas or coal. In rare cases, nuclear. Soon we will be dealing with cars that the government has mandated very high MPG ratings. These cars will be so expensive, no average person will be able to afford them. The new standard by 2025 is 54.5 MPG. There is no IC engine car in the US that meets that standard. Not even the vaulted Toyota Prius. As far the batteries in many hybrids and pure electrics, that contain the finite element, lithium. Lithium, like crude oil, will not last forever. Walking appears to be the most ecological mode of transportation.

a) My Jeep is an SUV but is equipped with a class IV hitch and I have always had a tow car. Frankly this one is the best of all I have had. 290 hp 3600 DOHC 6 and 24 mpg at 70 in cruise with air on. It has five doors. It also has 4 wheel disk brakes, ABS, and independent suspension front and rear

it can run on biofuel

c) with the rear seat folded I can stretch out, with the passenger seat folded I can carry 10 foot 2x4s with the tailgate closed.

d) it is a '12. It has depreciated about 3%

ps did I mention that I do not care for 4 cyl engines ?

Edited March 21, 2014 by padgett (see edit history)

Since the big family sedans many of us grew up with are no longer legal to build, most people with families with a couple of kids really require something with three rows. Gotta have room for a carpool kid or two, grandparents, etc. That means a van or SUV. They just work better than old style station wagons.

It is an interesting footnote that when the Reatta went out of production, the Craft Center was converted into building the EV-1 - another two seater. It could be interesting to muse how a next gen EV-1 with lithium batteries could have hit the same target market as the Tesla Roadster eventually did.

Tesla is a local here in Silicon Valley. I have met and talked with one of the co-founders of Tesla at a talk that he gave. When GM cancelled the EV-1 and called in all the leased cars - despite all the protests, the Tesla founders saw the opportunity in the aftermath. The founders noted that almost all the folks who leased EV-1s had household incomes of over $200k/year. So they explicitly wanted to build a car to appeal to that demographic, and NOT build some strange 'science project golf cart-like' car that no one would want to be seen in. Since over the past 30 years the entire auto industry has been outsourcing much of their R+D and manufacturing, Tesla could take advantage of all the same outsourced sources - including using Lotus to do most of the chassis design. The result has been nothing short of phenomenal. The Roadster has already achieved 'collectible' status, and Model S is very popular. I see lots of them every day.

I rent a lot. There is a balance that engine size v weight v gas. a small "suv" w 4 cyl gets 25 mpg on hwy. larger suv 6 cyl still gets 25 mpg hwy. both are under-powered. larger eng in both cases will require less gas to make same HP. I think. only way to get 32 mpg is a larger engine working less hard. all these scenes same year, ask the new Taurus.

I am not sad the the Reatta did not survive. I can only imagine what the kiddies in charge of the "new" GM would have done to it.

It is a nice car as is. If I were to get crazy with a 90 convertible, a clear bubble top might look pretty cool with improved A/C to help keep it cool.

Sort of like the ones that were made aftermarket for the 53 to 55 Corvettes.

I am very pleased with my Reatta, it is 25 years old and some of the interior trim pieces are showing their age. About the only thing I would like to see would have been a rear drive Reatta. I am guessing that would remove some of the space behind the seats or trunk, but how big a trunk do 2 people need? There was a rear drive Reatta built along with a supercharged version and a magazine guy totaled a one of a kind hand fabricated Reatta. Anybody ever seen how it was put together before the wreck?

They have been rumoring this coming out in the Buick Regal line, I could see the Reatta name on it.

Looks like a Chrysler Sebring.

John F.

Just what we need, a 'vert with a rear end that looks like a 34 Ford. Have thought occasionally the Reatta coupe would be better looking with a 67 GTO roof line.

The Crossfire is my Reatta for this century and is RWD with a 6 speed and on a fast 1-2 shift the traction control is needed.

Just put Bluetooth/HFP/aux in the '90 vert (anyone have a non-cd cubby for a reasonable price ?) and have decided if I ever buy another 'vert it will be a retractable - no more cloth tops.