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2006 Pontiac Solstice Convertible Sports Car
A Gorgeous Disappointment
New Car Review of the 2006 Pontiac Solstice Convertible Sports Car
Base MSRP: $19,915
Base Invoice: $18,820
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MSRP As Tested: $24,915
Versions: Base, GXP (for 2007).
Vehicle Category: Convertible Sports Car
Engine Location: Front Engine
Drive Wheels: Rear-Wheel Drive.
Standard Engine: 2.4-liter, Dual Overhead Cam, 16-valves, I-4,177 – horsepower at 6600 rpm and 155 lb-ft torque at 4800 rpm.
Transmission: 5-speed automatic,5-speed manual.
Fuel Economy (city/hwy): 22/26, 20/28
Optional Engine (for 2007): 2.0-liter, Dual Overhead Cam, 16-valves, Turbocharged, I-4, 201 – horsepower at 5400 rpm and 221 lb-ft torque at 3200 rpm.
Transmission: 5-speed automatic, 5-speed manual.
Fuel Economy (city/hwy): 19/27, 21/30.
Standard Safety Features: Dual front air bags, 4-wheel disc brakes, Daytime running lights.
Competition: Honda S2000, Mazda MX-5, Saturn Sky.
Imagine you're a guy who just got a date with a gorgeous supermodel.
You'd probably spend lots of time getting ready for the big night -- deciding where to take her, picking the right clothes, daydreaming about how the date might go, practicing your Prince Charming smile -- so everything would be perfect when the time arrived.
Then, when you take her to the nicest restaurant in town, you discover the supermodel has awful breath, uncontrollable burping and enough body odor to knock out Mike Tyson.
That's my impression of driving Pontiac's beautiful Solstice roadster.
If cars got awards based on how they looked on magazine covers, the two-seat Solstice convertible would be a contender for Car of the Millennium. It's stunning from every angle, with a long hood, crouching stance, big wheels and slightly muscular curves that evoke the timeless style of a classic Porsche 356 or Jaguar E-type. It's the kind of head-turning car that makes you say, "Boy, I've got to drive that thing."
Once you actually drive it, though, you may wish you hadn't. It just doesn't match how it looks.
For starters, the engine and transmission work together about as well as Denise Richards and Charlie Sheen. They're fine on their own, but combine the two and you end up with a disaster because the engine is designed for high-end power while the transmission feels like it's geared for low-end torque. You'll frequently find yourself shifting from fifth gear to third -- and sometimes even second -- when you want to pass someone because stomping on the gas in fourth or fifth gear does absolutely nothing. It's pointless, really.
