2007 Pontiac Solstice GXP Test Drive
The Pontiac Solstice is a much more convincing roadster in GXP trim, but there's still room for improvement.
MSRP: $21,515 - $26,515
Even though it baked for more than three years, GM pulled the Pontiac Solstice from the oven too soon. It looked done, but the inside wasn’t quite cooked through. As a result, the two-seat roadster cloaked in gorgeous skin was undermined by several flaws — excess weight, a rattly driveline, a barely hospitable interior and a folding top that consumed virtually all trunk space.
The 2007 Solstice GXP rectifies several of those issues. “GXP” is the name that Pontiac gives to its high-performance models, and the designation is fitting here: Packing 260 hp thanks to a new turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, the GXP has the legs to run with entry-level roadsters offered by European bluebloods BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Porsche. A revised powertrain mounting system eliminates most of the rattling and whining. The standard sport suspension with Bilstein shock absorbers raises the already surefooted handling an additional notch. Those who patiently avoided the scramble for the base Solstice were wise to wait for the GXP’s arrival.
Exterior
With the soft top stowed, the Solstice is one of the most fetching new two-seaters to appear in decades. Its blend of pert proportions, voluptuous curves and retro fairings on the trunk lid lifts spirits at every sighting.
Pontiac was smart to avoid the temptation to dress up the GXP edition with unnecessary ornamentation. There are a few visual distinctions between the standard Solstice and the new turbo model, all of which have a functional purpose: dual exhaust outlets, a lower opening in the front bumper that sends air to the turbo system’s intercooler and large front brake ducts to help keep the stoppers cool.
The polished aluminum wheels that are offered as optional equipment on the base Solstice are standard on the GXP. A new rear spoiler is also optional, a pleasant change in an industry where higher horsepower numbers are sometimes communicated through higher rear wings.
Interior
The interior of the regular Solstice was rather unimpressive, and the GXP doesn’t really display any improvement. Unlike its subtle massaging of the exterior, Pontiac responded to serious ergonomic flaws inside by tacking on window dressing that does nothing to improve the cabin’s habitability. There are minor changes to the gauge cluster, with a new digital boost gauge and a tachometer redline lowered from 7,000 to 6,300 rpm. The seats get some new red accent stitching, and pedals can now be decorated with slippery metal trim, an option that should definitely be skipped.
Unfortunately, there is still nowhere in the cabin to stash a cell phone, the cup holders are awkward to use and elbows frequently run afoul of one thing or another — the emergency brake lever rubs the passenger, and arm rests are hard and abrasive. There is no button to centrally operate the power door locks, and the driver has to use his or her right hand to reach the power window controls because the switch is placed so far back on the door. It’s as if the entire interior was designed by blind apprentices grabbing mismatched components from wherever they could find them. The truth is that GM gathered parts from all over the world to save costs and keep the Solstice’s price attractive — a worthy goal, even if the execution is a muddled.
Storage outside the cabin is likewise abysmal. When the Solstice was launched, Pontiac announced that custom-fitted luggage and an external carrying rack would eventually be available through GM’s Service Parts Organization to offset the paltry trunk space. But those plans have yet to bear fruit. So aside from cramming small bags and items in the oddly shaped trunk like puzzle pieces, or vacationing with the top up the whole time, which would allow a little more cargo space, you’re stuck with a two-seater that doesn’t let you head out of town for more than a day or so in terms of packing provisions.
Performance
In terms of displacement, the GXP engine is actually smaller than the one in the regular Solstice, but adding a turbocharger, intercooler, direct fuel injection system and more advanced variable valve timing transforms the car from a modest Mazda MX-5 competitor to a mad sprinter capable of embarrassing European roadsters costing tens of thousands more.
With 260 hp and ample torque available the instant the throttle is opened, the GXP feels like it’s energized by a small eight-cylinder engine, making for a Solstice that is smoother, quieter and better behaved than its less potent twin brother. Due to the reduced engine displacement, gas mileage is actually improved over the non-turbo model, if only by one or two miles per gallon.
Tire size remains the same, but a more aggressive tread pattern and stickier compound allow even moderately skilled drivers to make the most of the new-found power. The extra solidity of the spaceframe helps here as well, plus it inspires confidence on the rough roads that bounce Mazda’s MX-5 Miata, the most direct competitor to the Solstice.
The Pontiac Solstice GXP packs a secret weapon that you may not expect: the optional ($850) five-speed automatic transmission. It isn’t without flaw — for instance, there are no steering-wheel-mounted shift controls (as provided in the MX-5 Miata and many other performance-oriented models), no manual shift mode and incomprehensible markings adjacent to the shift lever reading "PRNDIL." But when you engage the mysterious L position and depress the throttle, all is forgiven; the Solstice goes like a shooting star. The transmission delays upshifts to 5,800 rpm in first and second gears, and to 6,000 rpm in third gear, and it automatically downshifts as you brake hard when entering a turn so that you can get through it speedily. Couple this eagerness with no loss of boost during full-throttle upshifts and you’ve got an engine-transmission marriage made in heaven.
According to Pontiac, the Solstice GXP can go from 0-60 mph in 5.5 seconds and clear the quarter-mile sprint in 13.9 seconds at 100 mph. That’s quicker than the base BMW Z4 and Porsche Boxster, and only a hair slower than a V8-powered Ford Mustang GT.
But the acceleration isn’t the only remarkable thing. What’s marvelous is that Pontiac harnesses the turbo engine in the name of refinement, when they could have just as easily created an equally fast ride that feels unpredictable and raw.
It’s a pity Pontiac’s efforts stopped at the engine and suspension, and that the interior and top designs leave so much to be desired.
(C)Forbes
MSRP: $21,515 - $26,515
Even though it baked for more than three years, GM pulled the Pontiac Solstice from the oven too soon. It looked done, but the inside wasn’t quite cooked through. As a result, the two-seat roadster cloaked in gorgeous skin was undermined by several flaws — excess weight, a rattly driveline, a barely hospitable interior and a folding top that consumed virtually all trunk space.The 2007 Solstice GXP rectifies several of those issues. “GXP” is the name that Pontiac gives to its high-performance models, and the designation is fitting here: Packing 260 hp thanks to a new turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, the GXP has the legs to run with entry-level roadsters offered by European bluebloods BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Porsche. A revised powertrain mounting system eliminates most of the rattling and whining. The standard sport suspension with Bilstein shock absorbers raises the already surefooted handling an additional notch. Those who patiently avoided the scramble for the base Solstice were wise to wait for the GXP’s arrival.
Exterior
With the soft top stowed, the Solstice is one of the most fetching new two-seaters to appear in decades. Its blend of pert proportions, voluptuous curves and retro fairings on the trunk lid lifts spirits at every sighting.Pontiac was smart to avoid the temptation to dress up the GXP edition with unnecessary ornamentation. There are a few visual distinctions between the standard Solstice and the new turbo model, all of which have a functional purpose: dual exhaust outlets, a lower opening in the front bumper that sends air to the turbo system’s intercooler and large front brake ducts to help keep the stoppers cool.
The polished aluminum wheels that are offered as optional equipment on the base Solstice are standard on the GXP. A new rear spoiler is also optional, a pleasant change in an industry where higher horsepower numbers are sometimes communicated through higher rear wings.
Interior
The interior of the regular Solstice was rather unimpressive, and the GXP doesn’t really display any improvement. Unlike its subtle massaging of the exterior, Pontiac responded to serious ergonomic flaws inside by tacking on window dressing that does nothing to improve the cabin’s habitability. There are minor changes to the gauge cluster, with a new digital boost gauge and a tachometer redline lowered from 7,000 to 6,300 rpm. The seats get some new red accent stitching, and pedals can now be decorated with slippery metal trim, an option that should definitely be skipped.Unfortunately, there is still nowhere in the cabin to stash a cell phone, the cup holders are awkward to use and elbows frequently run afoul of one thing or another — the emergency brake lever rubs the passenger, and arm rests are hard and abrasive. There is no button to centrally operate the power door locks, and the driver has to use his or her right hand to reach the power window controls because the switch is placed so far back on the door. It’s as if the entire interior was designed by blind apprentices grabbing mismatched components from wherever they could find them. The truth is that GM gathered parts from all over the world to save costs and keep the Solstice’s price attractive — a worthy goal, even if the execution is a muddled.
Storage outside the cabin is likewise abysmal. When the Solstice was launched, Pontiac announced that custom-fitted luggage and an external carrying rack would eventually be available through GM’s Service Parts Organization to offset the paltry trunk space. But those plans have yet to bear fruit. So aside from cramming small bags and items in the oddly shaped trunk like puzzle pieces, or vacationing with the top up the whole time, which would allow a little more cargo space, you’re stuck with a two-seater that doesn’t let you head out of town for more than a day or so in terms of packing provisions.
Performance
In terms of displacement, the GXP engine is actually smaller than the one in the regular Solstice, but adding a turbocharger, intercooler, direct fuel injection system and more advanced variable valve timing transforms the car from a modest Mazda MX-5 competitor to a mad sprinter capable of embarrassing European roadsters costing tens of thousands more.With 260 hp and ample torque available the instant the throttle is opened, the GXP feels like it’s energized by a small eight-cylinder engine, making for a Solstice that is smoother, quieter and better behaved than its less potent twin brother. Due to the reduced engine displacement, gas mileage is actually improved over the non-turbo model, if only by one or two miles per gallon.
Tire size remains the same, but a more aggressive tread pattern and stickier compound allow even moderately skilled drivers to make the most of the new-found power. The extra solidity of the spaceframe helps here as well, plus it inspires confidence on the rough roads that bounce Mazda’s MX-5 Miata, the most direct competitor to the Solstice.
The Pontiac Solstice GXP packs a secret weapon that you may not expect: the optional ($850) five-speed automatic transmission. It isn’t without flaw — for instance, there are no steering-wheel-mounted shift controls (as provided in the MX-5 Miata and many other performance-oriented models), no manual shift mode and incomprehensible markings adjacent to the shift lever reading "PRNDIL." But when you engage the mysterious L position and depress the throttle, all is forgiven; the Solstice goes like a shooting star. The transmission delays upshifts to 5,800 rpm in first and second gears, and to 6,000 rpm in third gear, and it automatically downshifts as you brake hard when entering a turn so that you can get through it speedily. Couple this eagerness with no loss of boost during full-throttle upshifts and you’ve got an engine-transmission marriage made in heaven.
According to Pontiac, the Solstice GXP can go from 0-60 mph in 5.5 seconds and clear the quarter-mile sprint in 13.9 seconds at 100 mph. That’s quicker than the base BMW Z4 and Porsche Boxster, and only a hair slower than a V8-powered Ford Mustang GT.
But the acceleration isn’t the only remarkable thing. What’s marvelous is that Pontiac harnesses the turbo engine in the name of refinement, when they could have just as easily created an equally fast ride that feels unpredictable and raw.
It’s a pity Pontiac’s efforts stopped at the engine and suspension, and that the interior and top designs leave so much to be desired.
(C)Forbes
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