Pontiac Solstice Coupe
3/17/08, 08:42 AM
#6
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Surprised it took Pontiac this long to roll it out. A great looking addition to the great looking Solstice vert. My guess it that the mechanicals will be pretty much identical to the vert excepting the usual minor suspension tuning difference to account for minor weight differences.
While the turbo four is a really nice motor, I'd love to see a version of the 3.6 V6 in there tuned to about 300hp. That much oomph in the fairly diminutive Solstice platform, in addition to a more euphonious exhaust note and improved NVH qualities would really set this thing apart and create a poor man's Z4 / Cayman. I think it would also be wise to shore up the smaller, more efficient performance car offerings in this age of ever tighter EPA and CAFE standards to counterbalance the big V8 offerings in the Pontiac line. Smaller cars can be immensely fast and entertaining -- look at the Lotus Elise/Exige as an Nth degree example of this -- and need not be simply be relegated as penitent penalty boxes as has been Detroit's want in the past.
Also, perhaps a bit of a mid model run freshening of some of the interior components and materials would be nice too for the Solstice line in general.
While the turbo four is a really nice motor, I'd love to see a version of the 3.6 V6 in there tuned to about 300hp. That much oomph in the fairly diminutive Solstice platform, in addition to a more euphonious exhaust note and improved NVH qualities would really set this thing apart and create a poor man's Z4 / Cayman. I think it would also be wise to shore up the smaller, more efficient performance car offerings in this age of ever tighter EPA and CAFE standards to counterbalance the big V8 offerings in the Pontiac line. Smaller cars can be immensely fast and entertaining -- look at the Lotus Elise/Exige as an Nth degree example of this -- and need not be simply be relegated as penitent penalty boxes as has been Detroit's want in the past.
Also, perhaps a bit of a mid model run freshening of some of the interior components and materials would be nice too for the Solstice line in general.
3/18/08, 09:41 AM
#7
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If they could have had this out earlier, I might be driving a Solstice coupe today instead of a Mustang. I really liked that bodystyle when the solstice coupe concept came out about 4 or five years ago.
3/18/08, 09:57 PM
#8
Team Mustang Source
3/18/08, 10:20 PM
#9
I was actually excited about this car, but the targa top is a letdown for me. Don't misunderstand as I have nothing against a nice targa, but I was looking forward to the rigidity of a true, full-roof coupe and this wont offer that. Bummer.
3/19/08, 09:31 AM
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They also added built in rear spoiler and the b-pillar is now black instead of body colored like the original coupe concept. These two features also make it less appealing to me.
Here's the original that I fell in love with:
It looks much cleaner without the rear spoiler and with the painted b-pillar, in my opinion.
3/19/08, 10:53 AM
#15
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Looks pretty nice, if not quite so much as the Concept (no surprise). I am surprised they went for a targa roof configuration as that mitigates a lot of the increased structural rigidity benefit, especially bending, that a full hard top confers and given they have the open air aficionados covered with the vert.
My only real stylistic gripe would be the way low top window line that's really got to impinge on the external visibility and lend a rather cave-like quality to the interior. Maybe that's the reason for the targa top, to relieve some of this bunker feel. The rear window looks very cool and stylistic though if I were to be a pragmatic stick-in-the-mud, I would have to wonder about rear visibility.
Fortunately, Pontiac seems to be sticking with its newfound design sophistication and maturity and avoiding the usual tacky and oh-so-predictable "performance" stylistic shtick -- the usual raft of adolescent and overwrought scoops, wings and spoilers -- and rather, focusing on the basics of excellent forms and balance.
Still would love to see a V6 option in the engine room (V8 would be too much to hope for, what with the Vette in the GM stable), to really wake this thing up and create a poor man's Cayman/Z4 coupe. The turbo four is a great motor for what it is and quite strong, but at the end of the day, it's still just a four banger.
My only real stylistic gripe would be the way low top window line that's really got to impinge on the external visibility and lend a rather cave-like quality to the interior. Maybe that's the reason for the targa top, to relieve some of this bunker feel. The rear window looks very cool and stylistic though if I were to be a pragmatic stick-in-the-mud, I would have to wonder about rear visibility.
Fortunately, Pontiac seems to be sticking with its newfound design sophistication and maturity and avoiding the usual tacky and oh-so-predictable "performance" stylistic shtick -- the usual raft of adolescent and overwrought scoops, wings and spoilers -- and rather, focusing on the basics of excellent forms and balance.
Still would love to see a V6 option in the engine room (V8 would be too much to hope for, what with the Vette in the GM stable), to really wake this thing up and create a poor man's Cayman/Z4 coupe. The turbo four is a great motor for what it is and quite strong, but at the end of the day, it's still just a four banger.
3/19/08, 08:44 PM
#16
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I think it looks pretty darn good. better than the convertible that's for sure.
I remember seeing one with a bubble like hardtop... i think it was a race version.
that one didn't look too bad as well.
I remember seeing one with a bubble like hardtop... i think it was a race version.
that one didn't look too bad as well.
3/19/08, 09:00 PM
#17
Originally Posted by Vermillion06
It looks much cleaner without the rear spoiler and with the painted b-pillar, in my opinion.
3/20/08, 11:38 PM
#19
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You know this could leave the door open for Mazda to finally do a true-coupe MX-5. Only question is, stick with the I4 and MX badging or drop in a Rotary and call it the RX-5?
3/21/08, 08:11 AM
#20
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http://www.hotrod.com/projectbuild/h.../photo_10.html. I like its design and it actually adds rigity. The Club racers use them alot and asked GM for it. Didn't know it was going to be targa I was hoping it would be solid, would have made a tight handling little car.
Last edited by Slims00ls1z28; 3/21/08 at 08:13 AM.