Pontiac Solstice Coupe Options

[clarkma5]

Though a Solstice Coupe concept debuted at the same time as the Solstice Roadster concept in 2002, it wasn't until the 2008 New York Auto Show that Pontiac showed the production Solstice Coupe. Available only for the 2009 model year, and now reported to have only a thousand copies built, the Solstice Coupe features a removable targa hardtop and is available as either a base or a GXP model, just like the roadster. Since the targa hardtop is too big to be fit into the car, the Solstice Coupe also comes with a removable soft roof that can be kept in the car.

The Solstice Coupe shares its running gear with the roadster, so it should be familiar to most of us. That means a 177 HP 2.4 liter Ecotec I4 or a turbocharged direct injection 2.0 that pushes out 260 HP and 260 ft.-lbs. of torque. 5-speed manuals are standard across the board and a 5-speed automatic is available with either motor. You get RWD, two seats, a shallow cargo area underneath a hatch, and some very swoopy styling for about $25k for the base model or $30k for the GXP.

[moe]

Cool, just on the basis that it's probably one of the most beautiful cars on sale. Sure the driving experience didn't quite live up to expectations, but it's good enough really. Besides, coupes are first and foremost about looking good, and the Solstice has style by the bucketload.

[Razor]

Good or not (I'd probably lean a little towards the latter), the coolest American car on sale. Period.

[Zenix13]

i hate this car. it looks like a toe to me. i kind of like the Saturn Skye version's looks a bit better, its angular.

i have driven one just to see what its like, its okay, a civic rides better lol. i don't like many US cars but i hate this one.


this is my ideal solstice:

[UserDrew]

I think the solstice is a pretty cool car. I do prefer the Sky's sharper angles.

[dukenukem]

Its nice and pretty but its not as nice to drive as the miata and i like the looks of the Sky better.

[Bjorn]

I love the Solstice, and after having a Miata for almost a week a few years ago (when the gen three first came out), and having driven a Solstice around the same time, I would have to disagree with duke...The Solstice, ergonomic and storage issues aside, is a better car, IMO, than the Miata.

The sky looks like the boy-racer version of the Solstice, and is not as pretty, where the Solstice kinda looks like a baby SRT-10.

The coupe is all the things I like about the Solstice roadster, turned up to 11. I would have one in a heart beat, and not feel a shred of remorse when I saw a Miata. Now, if Mazda makes good on 20 years of teasing and comes out with a Miata coupe (RC is not a coupe) I might have to revise my opinion.

Cool.

[moe]

^ They did make a coupe, albeit in very limited numbers and for the JDM only.

[clarkma5]

Yeah so that's worthless to discuss for everyone but a handful of japanese people, moe.

I don't believe for an instant that the Solstice is a better car than the Miata out of the box (though it is worth noting that the NC is not as good as the NA or NB) but I bet I'd still enjoy the hell out of driving one.

I did vote cool. I didn't expect so many cool votes, actually.

[Bjorn]

what is an NC, NA and NB?

[clarkma5]

NA is the original 1990-1997 Miata, the NB is the 1999-2005, NC is the current 2006+ model. They're Mazda chassis codes.

[Bjorn]

Ah, then yes, I agree with that, I would say NB>NA>Solstice>NC.

But the NA/NB relationship is not firm in my mind, and the two could switch places depending on how I feel at the time...But I loved the NAs and NBs I have driven, they gelled in a way that the NC lacked.