Kappa is General Motors' new compact rear-wheel drive automobile platform. The architecture will debut in the 2006 Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky, but GM has diverted funding from future Kappa projects in the near term to higher-profit vehicles. Future compact sport sedans could appear on Kappa once the GMT900 trucks are launched. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1024x768, 174 KB) Summary This image, unlike the other Solstice image, is able to be used on Wikipedia. ... General Motors Corporation (NYSE: GM), also known as GM, is an American automobile maker with worldwide operations and brands including Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, Holden, Hummer, Opel, Pontiac, Saturn, Saab and Vauxhall. ... The Rambler American introduced in the late 1950s was an early compact car. ... Rear-wheel drive (or RWD for short) was a common engine/transmission layout used in automobiles throughout the 20th century. ... An automobile platform is a shared set of components common to a number of different automobiles. ... The Pontiac Solstice is a roadster automobile from the Pontiac division of General Motors. ... The Saturn Sky is a roadster automobile which will go on sale in early 2006. ... GMT is the name used for all of General Motors large SUV/truck automobile platforms. ...

Kappa uses an independent suspension, short-long arm type, in front and rear. The Ecotec Family II engine is widely used, as is a 5-speed manual transmission. A 5-speed automatic will soon also be available. An Independent Suspension is an automobile suspension system that allows the wheels on an axle to move independent of each other. ... The Family II is a straight-4 piston engine that was originally developed by Opel in late 1970s for use in the Opel Ascona B and Opel Kadett D. Over time, the engine block has evolved to include many modern features such as DOHC and fuel injection. ... This is an article about manual transmission in general; for guidance on how to drive with a manual transmission, see Manual transmission driving technique. ... An automatic transmission is an automobile gearbox that can change gear ratios automatically as the car or truck moves, thus freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually. ...

In 2002, the Pontiac Solstice Concept was shown in two forms: a drivable roadster convertible, and a design study of a fastback coupe.

The Pontiac Solstice was received very well at the 2002 NAIAS. The drivable roadster concept car shown had been cobbled together from many different components, using a heavily modified portion of the Delta. The thinking was that this architecture might be heavily modified and used to produce the Solstice in the near future. Delta is General Motors new compact front wheel drive automobile platform. ...

It is speculated that when General Motors decided to try to produce the Solstice as a highly-styled, low-cost, low-volume niche vehicle for enthusiasts, it became apparent that there were no existing platforms that could be used to achieve the needs of a modern compact rear wheel drive roadster.

Therefore, the Kappa Platform was developed to provide the necessary structure for a two-seat, Rear Wheel Drive convertible. It features hydroformed rails and a tunnel structure similar to the Corvette architecture, and is designed for a short-long-arm suspension for the front and rear. It features rear wheel drive, longitudinal-mounted transmission and front-mid engine.

It has been stated by GM that the platform has only been designed to accommodate a single engine - the Ecotec Family II. It has also been stated by GM representatives that this platform was only designed to be "left-hand drive". However, there are aftermarket tuners that have already accomplished engine transplants in Solstices, albeit the engine swaps are definitely not "bolt and go". The Family II is a straight-4 piston engine that was originally developed by Opel in late 1970s for use in the Opel Ascona B and Opel Kadett D. Over time, the engine block has evolved to include many modern features such as DOHC and fuel injection. ...

Since the Solstice, GM has designed another roadster that looks substantially different, but shares the same underlying Kappa Platform: The Saturn Sky. The Saturn Sky was styled after the pattern of the Vauxhall VX Lightning design. There is a European version built off the same platform, essentially a turbo-engined SKY with Opel badging, under the name Opel GT. The Saturn Sky is a roadster automobile which will go on sale in early 2006. ... Opel GT The Opel GT is a two-seat sports car introduced by Opel in 1968. ...

Three other concept vehicles were built off the initial Kappa Platform, and shown at the 2004 NAIAS: The Vauxhall VX Lightning, The Saturn Curve and Chevy Nomad. All three cars were received reasonably well, but were not nearly as embraced as the original Solstice Concept.

The original 2003 Vauxhall VX Lightning Concept is the same size as the original Solstice Concept, and pieced together in the same manner as the 2002 Solstice Concept, and had been shown in Europe several months earlier, before the "Kappa Platform" had been finalized and named (debuting approximately mid-May, 2003, for Vauxhall's Centenary celebration). The Vauxhall VX Lightning is the styling pattern after which the appearance of the Saturn Sky is based. When the Vauxhall VX was shown at the 2004 NAIAS, the Lightning part of the name was dropped and the vehicle referred to in the literature at the show as merely the "Vauxhall VX".

The Saturn Curve and the Chevy Nomad Concept Cars were built on "modified" versions of the Kappa Platform, and exhibited 12" longer wheelbases, and 2+2 seating.

Another concept car, built by Holden and called the Torana TT36, was rumored to have started as a Kappa-platform with a twin turbo V6, but the modifications necessary to accommodate the engine, trans, and general vehicle size made it necessary to refer to the platform as "based on architecture similar to the Kappa and the Corvette."

Shared Components

The Kappa architecture uses major components from nearly every GM division and modern platform:

• The rear axle and differential is from the Sigma Cadillac CTS
• The Solstice's interior storage bin is from the Y-body Cadillac XLR
• The passenger-side airbag, steering column, and exterior and interior door handles are from the Delta Chevrolet Cobalt
• The backup lights are from the GMT360 GMC Envoy
• The heating, ventilating, and air conditioning modules are from the Hummer H3
• The front fog lamp assembly is from the W-body Pontiac Grand Prix
• The steering wheel is from the Theta Pontiac Torrent
• The 2.4 L Ecotec engine is shared with the Delta Saturn Ion, Pontiac G6, Chevrolet Cobalt, and Chevrolet HHR
• The five-speed manual transmission is from the Hummer H3, GMC Canyon, and Chevrolet Colorado
• The five-speed automatic is from the Cadillac CTS, STS, and SRX

Sigma is General Motors new full-size rear wheel drive automobile platform. ... The CTS is Cadillacs luxury sports sedan. ... The Y platform, or Y-body, is General Motors high-end rear wheel drive automobile platform from the 1980s through the 2000s. ... The XLR is a luxury sports car sold by Cadillac and is assembled in Bowling Green, Kentucky. ... Delta is General Motors new compact front wheel drive automobile platform. ... The Chevrolet Cobalt is a compact car that was introduced by Chevrolet in 2004 for the 2005 model year. ... The GMC Envoy is an SUV from the GMC marque of General Motors. ... The Hummer H3 is a vehicle from the General Motors Hummer family, introduced in 2005. ... The W-body is a automobile platform from General Motors which underpins midsize cars with front wheel drive. ... // 1967 Pontiac Grand Prix convertible. ... Theta is General Motors new crossover SUV automobile platform. ... The Pontiac Torrent will replace the Aztek as the companys SUV in 2006. ... Delta is General Motors new compact front wheel drive automobile platform. ... 2003 ION2 at Spring Hill headquarters The Saturn ION is a compact car sold by General Motors Saturn marque. ... The Pontiac G6 is an automobile released in 2005. ... The Chevrolet Cobalt is a compact car that was introduced by Chevrolet in 2004 for the 2005 model year. ... The Chevrolet HHR (Heritage High Roof) is a retro-look station wagon that was launched at the 2005 Los Angeles Auto Show as a 2006 model. ... The Hummer H3 is a vehicle from the General Motors Hummer family, introduced in 2005. ... The Chevrolet Colorado (and similar GMC Canyon) is a compact pickup truck from General Motors. ... The Chevrolet Colorado (and similar GMC Canyon) is a compact pickup truck from General Motors. ... The CTS is Cadillacs luxury sports sedan. ... The STS (Seville Touring Sedan) is a luxury car sold by Cadillac. ... The Cadillac SRX is a luxury SUV based on the companys rear wheel drive Sigma automobile platform. ...

Vehicles

Current vehicles based on this platform:

• 2006 Pontiac Solstice

Future vehicles using this platform: The Pontiac Solstice is a roadster automobile from the Pontiac division of General Motors. ...

• 2007 Saturn Sky
• 2007 Opel GT
• 2007 Solstice Turbocharged (Solstice GXP)

Concept vehicles based on this platform but are not slated for production: The Saturn Sky is a roadster automobile which will go on sale in early 2006. ... Opel GT The Opel GT is a two-seat sports car introduced by Opel in 1968. ...

• Chevrolet Stingray
• Chevrolet Nomad
• Saturn Curve
• Vauxhall VX Lightning

Possible vehicles to be produced on this platform Chevrolet, or Chevy for short, is a brand of automobile, now a division of General Motors. ... Chevrolet, or Chevy for short, is a brand of automobile, now a division of General Motors. ... Adjective Saturnian Atmospheric characteristics Atmospheric pressure 140 kPa Hydrogen >93% Helium >5% Methane 0. ... Vauxhall Motors is a UK car company. ...

• 200? Solstice hardtop (Solstice GT)
• Cadillac CTC (BMW 3 series fighter)
• Pontiac G4 sedan
• Saab 9-3X
• Saab Sonnet roadster

Cadillac is a brand of luxury automobile, part of the General Motors corporation, produced and mostly sold in the United States; outside of North America, they have been less successful. ... The BMW 3 Series is a line of compact luxury sports sedans manufactured by BMW since May 1975. ... This article concerns the automobile; for the Native American leader, see Chief Pontiac. ... Saab 9-3 Sport Sedan Saab Automobile AB is a Swedish automobile maker, now owned by General Motors. ... The Saab Sonett IV is rumoured to be a Delta-based two-seater roadster, which contains the genes of the first Saab Sonett, and numbers two and three. ...

See also

Current GM platforms: General Motors has embraced the sharing of automobile platforms globally, although the company currently uses the term, architecture rather than platform. ...

• Gamma - subcompact FWD
• Delta - compact FWD
• Epsilon - mid-size FWD
• Kappa - compact RWD
• W - midsize cars FWD
• Sigma - midsize RWD
• G/K - fullsize cars FWD
• V - full-size RWD
• Theta - crossover SUV AWD
• U - minivan FWD
• Lambda - minivan FWD/AWD
• Y - sports cars RWD
• GMT - trucks RWD