The early 2000s were tumultuous
years for GM. Most of the company’s
brands were in disarray, and buyers
were deserting by the thousands. The Camaro
and Firebird were dead, SUVs and trucks
ruled the product mix, and car line innovation
was sorely lacking. GM leadership had
to do something, or continue to fall behind
Toyota in the American sales race.
GM had recently brought in head product
guy Bob Lutz to invigorate the company’s
numerous brands. One of the keys to more
sales was more engaging products, and Lutz
set out to streamline the number of nameplates
and models so that more development
money could be spent on more profitable
segments. One of the company’s first moves
was to put Oldsmobile out to pasture.
Cadillac was the first to benefit from this
strategy with the launch of the successful rear-wheel-
drive CTS, reversing a trend toward
front-drive products in every other division.
Pontiac was slated to become an enthusiast
division, with new rear-drive replacements
for aging products and more fun-to-drive
products in general. Results included the
Holden-built GTO, along with a number
of concepts displayed at auto shows to judge
consumer reactions.
The Solstice concept was one of the best-received,
shown first in 2002. It was a convertible
two-seater that was more than a little
reminiscent of the Mazda Miata, with small exterior dimensions, a four-cylinder
engine, and a rear-wheel-drive powertrain.
It had a more aggressive wheel-and-tire package than the Japanese
offering–as well as less refined styling.
The interior looked great, and the
whole package was appealing on paper.
All the key design features from the
concept carried over into the 2004
unveiling of the production Solstice.
The car was built on an all-new compact
rear platform, dubbed Kappa, but
relied heavily on parts borrowed from
other GM vehicles to control costs.
The Cadillac CTS donated a differential
and automatic transmission, while
other bits came from the Hummer
H3, Chevy Colorado, Cadillac XTS
and Cobalt/G5. Even the GMC
Envoy, Opel Corsa and Fiat Barchetta were parts donors according to GM, giving
the Solstice backup lights, seat frames and
sideview mirrors, respectively.
Looking past all the cost cutting, including
the rather heavy-handed use of hard interior
plastics and “leatherette,” the Kappa platform
was more akin to the Corvette than anything
else. It was clear where engineers spent the
most time and money. The chassis featured a
rigid backbone frame, with a deep tunnel and
hydroformed frame rails that GM claimed
gave it rigidity without depending on a
roof structure for strength. All four corners
featured a short-long-arms suspension with
unique control arms and uprights. It even had
the distinction of being the first GM vehicle
with adjustable rear caster.
A fraternal twin was shown shortly after
the launch of the Solstice on the 2006 auto
show circuit. This was the Saturn Sky roadster–
basically the same car as the Solstice,
but with a different front and rear fascia and
a slightly different interior. The Sky shared
its appearance with two other variants of the
car–the only-in-Korea Daewoo G2X and the
European-market Opel GT.
The Sky and Solstice shared a common
engine: a 2.4-liter, 173-horsepower LE5
variant of the GM Ecotec similar to the one
used in the Cobalt and various other GM
vehicles at the time. It was backed by either
a five-speed manual Aisin transmission or a
five-speed automatic. The standard differential
was an open unit, though a limited-slip
differential was available separately or as part
of the Pontiac’s “Club Sport” package, which
also included four-wheel ABS and different
suspension tuning.
True to its sports-car roots, the base Solstice
had few standard features. Air conditioning;
power windows, mirrors and door
locks; and remote entry were all optional, as
were a four-wheel ABS and improved sound
deadening. The Saturn-branded Sky included
most of these as standard, but otherwise it
was almost identical in spec. Both cars could
be loaded up with OnStar, satellite radio,
upgraded audio and chrome wheels if the
buyer wanted. Leather seating was a popular
choice for both cars.
The Solstice and Sky were twins under the
skin, but they had very different looks. The
Pontiac was curvaceous and muscular, while
the Saturn was razor sharp and edgy. The
interiors were no less exciting, with far more
design than most GM products in recent
memory. Both received very high marks on
their styling from reviewers and the public.
Without a doubt, they’ll be noted as high
points in the GM design language from
the period.
From 2007 on, things got more interesting
with the addition of a direct-injection,
turbocharged 2.0-liter Ecotec-based engine
to the Solstice and Sky. The Solstice GXP
and Sky Red Line, as they were dubbed, limited-slip differential standard along with
the new engine. With 260 horsepower on
tap, the turbo twins could rocket to 60 mph
in around 5.5 seconds.
Although the Kappa twins looked great,
had some neat specs on paper, and were
priced aggressively compared to the Miata
and S2000, reviewers compared them unfavorably
to their Japanese counterparts. The
previously mentioned cost cutting was often
cited. The interiors looked great but featured
broad swathes of hard plastic and poor ergonomics.
The cupholders were behind the
driver’s elbow or down near the passenger’s
left knee, for example.
Another oft-mentioned problem was
a top that required several steps to fold
in; meanwhile, competitors had tops that
folded simply or automatically. The top
also removed valuable trunk space–so much
that even in a market segment known for its
miniscule boots, the Solstice/Sky stood out
as being impractical. They couldn’t fit more
than a few small bags in the back. Golfers had
to either play solo or travel with the top up.
But by far the biggest complaint contemporary
reviewers had with the GM roadsters
was their disengaged steering feel and lax
throttle response. While these were meant
to be competitors of the Miata, S2000 and
Boxster, they weren’t even in the same ballpark
in handling and steering precision. The
260-horsepower versions were wonderful in
a straight line, but they lacked the finesse
needed to control the engine’s powerband.
Another major milestone for the Kappa
platform appeared for the 2009 model year:
the addition of a targa-top coupe model
to the Solstice line. The coupe was even
better-looking than the already-handsome
convertible, with a functional tail spoiler and
different taillights than its chop-top sibling.
The interior was more or less the same as the
convertible’s, and the engine and equipment
choices were identical. Unfortunately, the
coupe was very short-lived, as the economic
crisis conspired to end the Kappa model
cycle early.
Things to Know
Solstice and Sky roadsters have depreciated to the point
that there is not much price difference between the different
models. Mileage and overall condition will have a larger
impact on price than model year. GXP/Red Line models command
a premium, and most owners agree that the cars should
have shipped in this trim from the beginning.
These are not especially common cars. According to GM
numbers, around 34,000 Saturn Sky convertibles, 64,000
Solstice convertibles and 1200 Solstice Coupes were produced.
However, enough were made that their value is
unlikely to increase in the near future.
Book values on the convertibles range from a low of
$9500 or so for an early version to more than $17,000 for
a 2009 GXP Coupe. However, most asking prices are well
above these benchmarks. We’ve seen a number of clean
cars sell in the $15,000-to-$18,000 range, so budget a little
more than book value and hope for a good deal.
The only car most GRM readers should consider is a GXP/
Red Line with a manual transmission and a limited-slip differential,
which narrows the field somewhat. The Saturn has
more standard equipment but will be harder to find. If you
want a Coupe, prepare to do some serious searching.
Of the 1200 or so Coupes produced
in 2009, the majority
(781 according to GM) were GXPs; however, only 226 were
delivered with the manual transmission. These are the most
desirable of all the Kappa variants and have attracted some
collector interest. Time will tell if this will be a repeat of the
Turbo Corvair or of the Shelby Cobra.
The Kappa platform actually managed to live on as a
V8-powered hotrod produced in Spain. A miniscule supercar
manufacturer called Tauro bought the Kappa tooling from
GM in 2012 and designed a new Corvette-powered supercar
around a face-lifted version of the chassis. Just $150,000 at
current exchange rates will put one in your garage.
CHASSIS
Several TSBs were issued for differential leaks, so
most of these cars have been treated for this problem.
Differential failures are also a common issue.
The basic Kappa suspension and chassis are great
starting points for a competition car. The geometry contains
few compromises, and there is plenty of room for
more tire and a larger engine. Rhys Millen and Gardella
Racing both fielded Solstice drift cars, and the model
was successful in T2 and SSB while it was in production.
Driveline clunks are a common complaint with these cars.
BODY
The body panels can be fiddly to get right after an
accident, so look carefully for misaligned panel edges,
inconsistent gaps and other problems.
Attempting to shut the trunk with the top partially
down can result in a tweaked lid, another common issue
that can be addressed by a determined owner or a good
body shop. Convertible top problems (leaks, poor fitment
and difficult movement) are often reported as well.
Coupes are generally no different from Solstice convertibles.
However, there is no place in the car to store
the top, so you’ll need extra garage space if you want one
with a roof.
ENGINE AND DRIVETRAIN
The Ecotec engine in the base Solstice/Sky is no powerhouse,
but it provides reasonable fuel economy. Supercharger
kits are available to boost power from the factory
140 wheel horsepower to around 220–about the same as a
stock Red Line/GXP. For $2500 or so, this isn’t a bad deal,
but starting with a turbo 2.0-liter engine will leave more
room for further power increases.
GM Performance Parts offers a kit for the LNF turbo
engine that boosts power to 290 horsepower and torque to
340 ft.-lbs. with nothing more than a couple MAP sensors
and an ECU reflash. The kit may provide only a modest
horsepower gain, but it includes a full family warranty and
can even be installed by a dealer.
If that’s not enough for you, V8 swaps began as soon
as the Solstice/Sky twins landed on dealers’ lots. Several
companies offer the parts to do the conversion, and while it’s
straightforward, it’s far from a bolt-in swap. Any of the recent
LS-series V8s can be swapped into the Solstice/Sky. For a
period during the cars’ production, a company called Mallet
marketed LS-powered Solstice roadsters through GM with
full factory warranties. Mallet still performs the conversion
on customer cars as needed.
INTERIOR
As the cars have aged, their weak points have mostly
concerned the budget-priced interior parts. Rattles,
scratches and broken clips are frequent annoyances
3 mentioned on the message boards.
Comments
View comments on the GRM forums
Kinda heavy, though.
Meyotter is 2,100 - 2,500 lbs depending on model year and I assume trim.
Solstice is 2,800 lbs plus. Sky is a couple of hundred pounds more.
Love the styling of the Solstice in particular. And its passenger compartment is more American sized.
wspohn
HalfDork
5/8/14 10:26 a.m.
A well balanced article with a few inaccuracies.
Actual numbers are
65,724 Solstice (incl. 1266 coupes)
34,415 Sky (incl. a few made in Korea as Daewoos)
7,519 Opel GT
107,658 total Kappa
There were also 30 cars pulled out of the 2009 run as test beds for proposed 2010 changes, but I believe they were included in the above numbers.
As far as the tooling, I doubt there is any way that a small Spanish company, Tauro, could afford a factory full of expensive (e.g. hydroforming chassis machines) tooling. It is my understanding that they are refurbishing used Kappa chassis.
I'm curious if swapping the seats for something thinner would get me enough head room.
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