Pontiac Solstice?

Well, I went and test drove one, and then I bought one!

They made around 1100 apparently, but only 267 manual GXP coupes, pretty low production, but then they go axed right after delieveries started, so if you want one, the remaining dealer inventory is all she wrote.

Very impressed with it - great fun, notwithstanding limitations in storage space and rear vision. I ordered the turbo upgrade (who wouldn't want an extra 30 BHP and 80 ft-lbs?) before I had even taken delivery of the car.

Nice and fast already (a little slower than my turbo Fiero, but then it puts out a little more power and is a little lighter), it has been a hoot getting to know the car (the process is ongoing).

If you want one, don't miss the boat.

My car at a local ski hill - and no, the rubber wasn't from me, it is a favourite place for local youth to 'play'.

Love that color. Good find. I did not realize that they were that rare. I have to think that long term, this particular one will be the one to have. I wonder how Sky values will fare long term?

How picky are the local law types about front plates where you live? That's definitely not helping it in the looks department, but I guess legality has to come first.

jg

Very nice coupe! I agree, they should've made those, as well as convertibles, from the beginning.

A regular at our local autocrosses drives a Solstice. I rode with him a few times last year, when it was stock. Then I rode with him a few times this year, with suspension, R-compounds, and a supercharger. Then today, we did fun runs - he handed me the keys. I loved it. In a car I'd never driven before I obliterated my best time of the day in my Miata, and being unfamiliar with the Solstice I drove it poorly in some places. It did everything well, just tended to understeer some. I definitely understand the appeal of these cars. I liked it. :)

wspohn, have you got the upgrade kit in yet? I ended up pulling the trigger on the yellow 'vert (absolutely love it). I'd like to hear if there is a noticeable difference before and after. It seems that in addition to the output increase the kit allow for a few other goodies: "no lift shift" where throttle can remain applied when shifting, raising rev limiter from 6300 to 6500 rpm, and disabling of an adaptive function that limits output to stock levels even after modifications.

I'd be installing and programming my own kit. One thing I did not like about the idea is splicing the new connector style pigtails into the factory harness. If I do it I'm considering pulling the terminals from the new connectors that come with the pigtail and installing the proper terminals on the factory wiring, then putting those terminals into the new connectors.

What a great looking car. It's really too bad they had to pull the plug.

White_and_Nerdy wrote: It did everything well, just tended to understeer some. I definitely understand the appeal of these cars. I liked it. :)

Did you reset the traction control? If it is set on normal (nanny) level it will understeer. There is also a competition setting and you can turn it off to toss it around as you please, which I understand is the way to do it in a slalom.

Tighe wrote: wspohn, have you got the upgrade kit in yet? I ended up pulling the trigger on the yellow 'vert (absolutely love it). I'd like to hear if there is a noticeable difference before and after. It seems that in addition to the output increase the kit allow for a few other goodies: "no lift shift" where throttle can remain applied when shifting, raising rev limiter from 6300 to 6500 rpm, and disabling of an adaptive function that limits output to stock levels even after modifications.

If I were you I'd have the dealer do the mods - it should be about 1 hour worth plus a half hour to enable the PCM changes (they have to call GM for the validation). I understand that it is a very noticeable difference as I expect with a boost of 30 BHP and 80 ft-lbs.

The 'no-lift-shift is something I will never use. For boy racers and would be drag types it is OK, I suppose. For those that don't know what we are talking about, IF you are using full throttle and IF you hit 6300 but do not exceed 6500 when the limiter cuts in, the management system will 'idle' the cams (it is a variable valve timing thing like Honda's VTEC) and prevent the RPM rising any further for 0.2 secs while you slam a shift, keeping your foot to the floor.

I am much too sensitive a guy to subject the beast to that and I do not doi any sort of racing that would warrant it anyway. Sounds better in theory, I think, than in practice.

wspohn: Is that a MO plate? Where are you from?

alex wrote: wspohn: Is that a MO plate? Where are you from?

BC.

Unfortunately they mandate a front plate! Ugly, but what can you do?

Okay, looks like one of our local plates. (Mandatory front, too.)

If you were from MO and around a ski hill, you'd have been close to where I grew up. Not much skiing in MO, you see.

Very nice and certain to be a future collectable. Congrats!

wspohn wrote: If I were you I'd have the dealer do the mods -

Haha, yeah that's what I meant when I said I'd be doing it; I'm a tech at a Chevy and Buick dealer.

wspohn wrote: Unfortunately they mandate a front plate! Ugly, but what can you do?

Isn't that annoying? Few cars look as bad with a front plate as the Solstice...

I didnt know the Manuals were such a low number. I know the color we chose was only 2% ? of the car production totals.. so I m guessing this one is pretty rare.

crap... you guys are really making me want to go out and get one of these...

You certainly should. They're very fun.

If you guys want to drool, see

http://www.autoblog.com/gallery/2010-p-oandn-tiac-s-ol-sti-ce-c-oupe/full/

<img src="" /> Here you go one with the top off.

Okay coupe owners, what is the headroom like in these? We currently own a 2007 GXP convertible and my head is very close to the top. Actually, unless I keep my hair cut short it does rub. Is the coupe about the same? We are tempted to trade, but I want to make sure I fit and no dealer nearby has one I can sit in.

the top comes out, so its something like 1 million miles, give or take.

...i'm sure someone who knows will chime in soon

Strizzo wrote: the top comes out, so its something like 1 million miles, give or take. ...i'm sure someone who knows will chime in soon

hahah true. Maybe I should get a custom bubble roof made like Gurney had.

wspohn wrote:

alex wrote: wspohn: Is that a MO plate? Where are you from?

BC. Unfortunately they mandate a front plate! Ugly, but what can you do?

Don't run it anyway. They mandate front plates in Ohio also, and I don't run one on my Solstice or any of my other cars, except for my wife's. I've never been stopped for that, and even if I was, it's not a moving violation, so I look at it as a fee to not have to run a front plate.

Cotton wrote: Okay coupe owners, what is the headroom like in these? We currently own a 2007 GXP convertible and my head is very close to the top. Actually, unless I keep my hair cut short it does rub. Is the coupe about the same? We are tempted to trade, but I want to make sure I fit and no dealer nearby has one I can sit in.

The coupe actually gives slightly better head room - and slightly better storage, but since storage space is a cruel joke anyway that probably won't sway anyone toward a purchase. ;-)

Thanks, that is good to know.

wspohn wrote: Did you reset the traction control? If it is set on normal (nanny) level it will understeer. There is also a competition setting and you can turn it off to toss it around as you please, which I understand is the way to do it in a slalom.

No, I did not. I've never owned a vehicle with traction control (only 1 with ABS), so such thoughts don't occur to me. And since the guy just handed me his keys, he hadn't disabled it for me. We'll have to look into that.

Now I'm kicking myself for running with traction control on and not getting the full experience...!