Ever since Pontiac’s sporty two-door roadster came out in 2006, chiropractors have seen an increase in pulled neck muscles

OK, now that's an eye catching car. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, Canadian Auto Press)

due to rapid head turning when the cars drive by. Ok, that’s totally not true, but there’s no doubt that Pontiac’s Solstice, especially the GXP model, is one hot looking car that attracts the attention of onlookers young and old.

With its boisterous curves, sleek lines and amazing road presence, it was hard to drive around without the acknowledgment of a fellow motorist or a random pedestrian, whether or not the top was up or down. Of course, the Inferno Orange metallic coat of paint made it stand out just a little bit more. Ok, a lot more, but it’s a car that I don’t mind being seen in at all. I’m sure most Solstice drivers would concur. And now that it comes endowed with a turbocharged engine you’ll have to snap your neck twice as fast to catch a glimpse. Thank goodness for chiropractors.

The ’09 Solstice remains unchanged from the 2008 model year, but Pontiac does have something up its sleeve that will be hitting the streets in early 2009. Yes, for all those who love the ragtop configuration but don’t love the challenge of putting it down or up, a coupe version of the popular American roadster is just around the next hairpin turn. Unveiled at the New York Auto Show earlier this year, the new hardtop Solstice will be endowed with a modified four-cylinder engine yielding as yet unspecified output levels, and will come with a removable roof panel as part of its targa style top. Thus it gives its driver an open-air feeling without the hassle of dropping the top, sort of. Needless to say the glass panel will not fit within the car’s diminutive cargo are, but GM will offer a cloth cover that will.

Back to the here and now, the Solstice GXP comes well equipped with a 2.0-litre, 16-valve, 4-cylinder, DOHC, turbocharged engine that produces 260 horsepower at 5,300 rpm and 260 lb-ft of torque at 5,300 rpm. This is the same

Not your father's Pontiac... well it might be if you've got a cool father. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, Canadian Auto Press)

turbocharged four-cylinder as found under the hoods of Chevy’s Cobalt SS and the Chevy HHR SS. Purrrr, or should I say Grrrr. The authoritative, low-note grumble the GXP’s engine emits is quite nice combined with the throaty yet tame rumble that comes from the high polished dual outlet of the stainless steel exhaust system. Again, another attribute of the Solstice that turns heads fairly quickly.

When it comes to the GXP, the 260 horses and mellifluous exhaust note are not even the icing on the cake. What adds that extra bit of punch is definitely the handling and suspension of the roadster. Built on GM’s Kappa rear-wheel drive platform, the independent sport-tuned suspension combined with Bilstein monotube shocks, in my opinion, is the car’s strongest asset. Not only does it have the finesse to dance effortlessly through tight turns, such features as pavement-hugging P245/45R18 performance tires with 18-inch chrome

GXP badge means serious performance. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, Canadian Auto Press)

aluminum wheels ($230), a limited slip differential, Stabilitrak electronic stability control system and four-wheel disc brakes with ABS make it safer and way more fun to just throw it around. It seems like it could handle almost anything, literally.

And as luck would have it, I was able to take this two-door sports car for some weekday cruising up a favourite road of mine. I had the top down with the sun shining above and the XM radio cranked up on my favourite channel (of course it’s the BPM channel 81- all techno all the time.) It was a fantastic ride until the reality of work set in and I had to go back to the office. It’s moments like these that make me feel like I’m one of the luckiest people on earth. Then it rained the rest of the week. I didn’t feel so lucky after that!

I was also fortunate that the GXP came with the standard five-speed manual transmission, not the optional five-speed automatic. Why? To me, a ‘real’ sports car

A great looking cockpit, everything's close at hand and designed for driving first and foremost. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

comes with a manual transmission. Not saying that the optional automatic discredits it from being a ‘real’ sports car, but it’s just way more fun to drive when I’m the one taming the 260 horses.

The head-turning phenomenon associated with the Solstice GXP does come at a price, a base price of $35,800. Certainly you can snap necks for less, with the normally aspirated Solstice starting at a very reasonable $28,830 (and $3,500 less if you’ve got cash). Now if such optional features as air conditioning ($1,200), leather seating ($1,115), premium paint ($380), 18-inch chrome wheels ($230), metallic finish sport pedals ($150) are added to the GXP mix, and let’s not forget the $1,045 destination charge, the two-door prices out at $40,020.

Fuel economy is pretty decent, so day-to-day costs should be fairly decent. The turbocharged 2.0-litre engine only uses about 10.8 L/100 km in the city and

Gotta get out and pop the trunk to lower the top... ugh. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, Canadian Auto Press)

7.0 on the highway, so it won’t leave its driver completely empty handed.

The Solstice falls short with the impracticality of its interior, however. Call me high maintenance, but there was no where to put my ‘stuff.’ When I say stuff, I mean my cell phone, iPod, house keys or whatever other useful or useless items I felt the need to have close at hand. There is a cupholder that pops out of the left side of the glove box and another between the two seats, but unless you’re using it to hold a beverage, everything else slips through the cracks, literally. And since I’m not one who frequently ‘drinks and drives’, I generally use cupholders for items other than the occasional tall, non-fat, extra-hot, raspberry steamed milks from a world-renowned coffee shop! You know the one.

Needless to say, there were no other cupholders/storage areas by the emergency brake or within the side door pockets, and no centre console bin. I wouldn’t consider the glove box a convenient location to put anything other than the owner’s manual and registration. There was, however, a little cubbyhole behind and beside the driver’s side, but it served very little purpose when needing something close at hand. If you think I’m being picky, I am. For $40K, I expect a little more. Would it be a deal breaker for me? Not necessarily, but if the competition, like the Mazda MX-5 or Honda S2000, can accommodate, there really isn’t any reason the Solstice should be lacking.

As for the drop top configuration, that’s another review in itself. It’s not an ideal system by any means. Basically, it requires the driver to get completely out of the car to open the rear-hinged trunk and stuff the top in. Likewise for putting it up,

Not much room back there, but who cares as it's a blast to drive. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, Canadian Auto Press)

plus the added work of snapping the twin ‘buttresses’ down to finish off the job. Is it a big deal or a small price to pay for such a cool car? I say a small price to pay, but you also pay when it comes to trunk space considering there barely is any. Sigh. With the top up there is only 153 litres (5.4 cu-ft), and 60 litres (2.1 cu-ft) when it’s folded down. That’s enough room for a couple bags of groceries and a tennis racquet if someone is sitting in the front seat.

If I can put the lack of trunk space and storage space aside, Pontiac’s Solstice GXP is a fantastically fun car to drive. Its superb handling and bold, sleek look make for a lethal combination, and with the Solstice coupe arriving shortly the hot little two-door is going to get even hotter.


Specifications (2009 Pontiac Solstice GXP):

• Price Range (MSRP): $35,800 – $42,041
• Price as tested: $40,020
• Body Type: 2-door, 2-passenger convertible
• Layout: front engine, RWD
• Engine: 260-hp, 260 lb-ft of torque, 2.0L, 16-valve, DOHC, I-4, turbocharged
• Transmission: 5-speed manual (optional 5-speed automatic)
• Brakes (front/rear): disc/disc, ABS
• Exterior Dimensions (L/W/H/WB): 3,992 / 1,810 / 1,273/ 2,415 mm (157.2 / 71.3 / 50.1 / 95.1 in)
• Curb Weight: 1,350 kg (2,976 lbs)
• Tires: 245/45 R18
• Cargo Volume (top up/down): 153 / 60 L (5.4 / 2.1 cu-ft)
• Fuel Economy (city/hwy): 10.8/7.0 L/100 km
• Warranty (mo/km): 36/60,000 comprehensive; 72/160,000 powertrain
• Competitors: Honda S2000, Mazda MX-5, Saturn Sky, VW Eos
• Website: www.gm.ca

Interior

Exterior

Mechanical

Safety

Dimensions

Misc

(JF5) Metallic Sport Pedals

(J005) Standard Gloss Paint

(J004) Standard Black Paint

(1SB) Preferred Equipment Group

(B32) Colour-Keyed Floor Mats

(C60) Air Conditioning

(MX0) 5-Speed Automatic Transmission

(ZQ2) Power Package

(ZQ3) Convenience Package

(34U.) Competition Yellow

(28U.) Inferno Orange Metallic

(PD5) 18" Chrome Flangeless Aluminum Wheels

(QF8) 18" Polished Flangeless Aluminum Wheels

(R6A) Leather Package

(U2K) XM Satellite Radio

(D52) Spoiler Sport

(UUI) AM/FM Stereo w/ USB Port

(UQ3) Monsoon Premium Audio System

(Z0K) Club Sport Package

(US9) AM/FM Stereo w/6 Disc CD Changer