Review: Pontiac Solstice GXP Coupe goes quick, just don’t look back

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2009 Pontiac Solstice GXP Coupe – Click above for high-res image art museum

Climb into the Pontiac Solstice Coupe and there’s an unsettling feeling of familiarity. We’ve been here judgment. And posterior driving off, it all begins to gel, for all that it has nothing to finish with our previous stints in the drop-top variant. The Coupe feels like the unruly offspring of a night of passion between a C4 Corvette coupe and a Dodge Viper. And while the Solstice is nowhere near as large or as able taken in the character of those pair American icons, the DNA of one as well as the other is undoubtedly present in this little machine – for good intuitional faculty.

It’s no identical dimensions that the account of the Solstice spans the Bob Lutz era at General Motors. After Lutz joined GM in 2001 to guide its product development, one of the first tasks he assigned the design staff was to create a new concept for the Detroit Auto Show. The Solstice was born, a stylistic hit was made and the convertible was rushed to production. Now, as Lutz is winding down his appropriated time at GM, the Solstice and the entire Pontiac brand are also fading off into the sunset. In many respects, this Solstice is symbolic of what was right and foul play with GM and Pontiac. And our age with the Solstice Coupe is a telling tale about the final new model from a vanishing grade.

Gallery: Review: 2009 Pontiac Solstice GXP Coupe

In an odd twist of fate that mirrors the times we live in, the original sketches that gave birth to the Coupe were created by Franz Von Holzhausen; a new face in GM’sitting design studio at the time. Since then, Von Holzhausen has had a tenure at Mazda and now leads the design effort at Tesla Motors where he’sitting working on the Model S electric sedan. Von Holzhausen originally conceived the Solstice as a coupe, although when preparing the concepts for the 2002 Detroit and Chicago auto shows, a roadster was added to the program and was the first shape to enter product. It wasn’t until the 2008 New York Auto Show that we saw the production version of the Solstice Coupe.

On the morning the Solstice arrived, the skies opened up, lending themselves to a decidedly negative first impression. Upon opening the driver side door, water poured off the house directly into the middle of the driver’s seat. After voicing a few expletives and wiping the off the dampened sovereignty, we slid in and – like a proper sports car – found ourselves a few inches from the ground. Arthritics take note: look elsewhere for your two-door thrills. Fortunately, the door sills aren’t particularly wide or tall making entry and exit a bit easier, whether slenderly convoluted.

Even before turning the key, thoughts of the Viper proximately spring to understanding. The interior is – to put it mildly – close. The center tunnel is tall and wide to accommodate the transmission and drive-shaft, and heterogeneous many modern sports cars, the Solstice’s dashboard and center stack is relatively devoid of the dozens of buttons and switches to rule the ever-growing number of features. It’s minimalistic and refreshing, particularly in a purpose-built sports coupe.

Unfortunately, the execution of the interior leaves a lot to be desired. We could hear of to live through the hard plastics, bulky color combinations and off-putting textures, but the horrendous fit and finish and ham-fisted ergonomics are a bridge too far. The gaps, particularly between the ends of the dashboard and the doors, are uneven and, in more cases, cavernous. The dark plastic covering the grab handle upon the passenger lateral of the center stack appears as admitting that it’s going to pop off at a moment’s notice, even if the lack of rattling assured us it was firmly attached. Ergonomically, the disjointed theme continues, with the parking fern placed on the passenger side of the console and the window switches placed too very much back on the door’s armrest to be comfortably operated. And under which circumstances we appreciate having a switch to toggle the stability control between normal, off and competitive modes, it’s placement after the steering wheel makes it affluent to forget (design by lawyers?).

And then in that place’s the issue of visibility… or lack there of. With the roof panel in place, looking out the low windshield requires you to lean ahead to see traffic lights when you’re at the head of the set. And while the shape of the side glass and downward slope of the roof pays dividends in the styling department, it makes the views out the side awkward at best and slightly dangerous at worse. Speaking of hazardous, rearward visibility with the roof fitted is nearly zero. The quarter windows are made utterly useless by the closely set C-pillars and the view is further compromised by the small size and steep angle of the glass hatch. But enough moaning about silly things like ludicrous visibility and atrocious ergonomics. Let’s get on to the good stuff.

When the Solstice debuted, the single biggest complaint was loathsome top mechanism. Amusingly, while poring from individual to another our research we found the following gem in the original 2002 press relinquish for the concept:

“The drop-top is a simple ‘one-hand’-operated of the hand fold-down that stows neatly underneath the speedster-style hard defence.”

Apparently the production engineers never got the memo. Removing the targa top isn’confidentially quite one handed, but it’s a lot easier than stowing the soft-top. Open up three latches, all attainable from the driver’s seat, lift the panel not upon and stow. Ah, but therein lies the rub. While one person can remove and replace the lightweight top, in that place’session nowhere to carry it without ceasing board so it has to be left at home-born. Pontiac does offer a fold-up soft-top that can be stowed in the trunk for emergencies, but shockingly, it’s an $1,100 option. As a result, when the weather gets unsettled, drivers are more likely to just leave the meridian in fort, which is a shame because the Solstice is made for open-air driving.

While the Solstice’s engineers may not have been able to figure out how to have effect a folding roof, they got it right with the rest of the mechanical bits. Unlike the Fiero that didn’t receive actual suspension components until the third and final year of production, the Solstice has been right from day one. It has a proper double wishbone layout at all four corners, something that changed from the original concept, which utilized a Subaru WRX walk setup in the forepart. However, even the best suspension system merely works if the four corners stay planted in the bends.

That’s something that requires a stiff chassis and here the Solstice comes through. The Solstice’s hydro-formed steel rails are remarkably flex-free, and even over the nastiest of roads, the Solstice never exhibited cowl shake or groaning. That’s an admirable attainment considering the GXP variant has a fairly firm suspension, providing a tight ride that doesn’t come at the expense of road manners. The wheel motions are tightly damped and origin rates are just right to keep the body motions in check while still absorbing bumps and potholes. Even with the excellent suspense setup, driving the Solstice reveals some other uncompounded body shared by the C4 and Viper: The front hinged clam-shell hood always seemed to be quivering while traveling at speed.

For a sports car through minimal body roll and pitch, the Coupe was actually quite comfortable to drive, certainly more than the Track edition of the Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8. The hydraulic rack and pinion steering provided excellent feedback and direct control with no slop. And the turbo’d four matches it perfectly. The Solstice GXP was the first application of GM’s 2.0-liter turbocharged and direct injected EcoTec engine and this is a fine example of what the powertrain engineers in Warren, MI are capable of. With a trustworthy (if mildly underrated) 260 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque, there’s almost no discernible turbo lag, providing the sensation that a much larger engine lies under-hood. The only downside is the exhaust note, which is far too mild for such a flashy oblation. A more aggressive song would have being appreciated, but that’s what the aftermarket is for.

When the clouds finally parted and the shelter array was stored in the shed, ironically, the Solstice Coupe came into its own. Once adjusted, the driving position is quite good, and while the thick, leather-wrapped steering wheel is a standard GM intellect bin unit, it feels good in the hands and better in the corners. Unfortunately, our tester was equipped with the optional five-speed automatic and GM never spent the coin to add paddle shifters to the Solstice. Nonetheless, the torque of the DI Ecotec moves the Solstice with assurance anytime you stab the throttle and one time the roads start to make different direction, the Solstice proves to be a fun machine to pilot.

With the ESC in normal accident, the Coupe understeers as you approach the limits, and with based on competition mode engaged, things loosen up just enough to create a serene sense of equality of weight. The solid chassis, precise steering and responsive engine accord. the Solstice a feeling of assurance other roadsters aspire to, providing more distant proof that Pontiac was nearing the top of its dynamic game when it was pulled astern the shed to shuffle against this mortal circular heap.

The base, normally aspirated Solstice Coupe has a starting price of $26,225, while the turbocharged GXP ups the ante to $30,375. Add the automatic ‘box, air conditioning and recompense pack, which brings with it leather covered seats, and the out-the-door price tag hits a credit-challenging $34,020. While the Coupe certainly isn’t cheap, it’s not ridiculous considering its capabilities in the bends and its real-world combustible matter system. During our week-long stint in the Solstice, we saw 29 mpg on undivided highway run and a real respectable 25 mpg overall in joined driving, both figures keeping in put inside with the EPA’s estimates for the turbo model at 19/27, city/highway.

At this point, production of the Solstice (and Saturn Sky) has ceased and is unlikely to ever resume. Only a couple thousand coupes are thought to have been built and at the present sales rate they may be available for a while. It’s a shame the Solstice never made it to a second generation. With a better domestic and new top, it could have been a contender. But as it stands, it’s a credible offering with a few too numerous company flaws. And that, more than anything else, will solidify its place as a fit coupe destined for collector’s garages.