SOLSTICE RAG-TOP POWERFUL FUN ON THE ROAD.Byline: GREGORY J. WILCOX Staff Writer Top's down, Ventura's fading in the rearview mirror with Big Blue a placid presence on the left. An uncongested Highway 101 unwinds ahead of us. It's a perfect setting to indulge the essence of Pontiac's Solstice solstice (sŏl`stĭs) [Lat.,=sun stands still], in astronomy, either of the two points on the ecliptic that lie midway between the equinoxes (separated from them by an angular distance of 90°). , a relatively new entry in the rag-top competition. Asphalt below, open sky above and wind whistling in our ears. It's a car that almost demands you drive sans top. The curvy, sporty two-seater got lots of attention when it was introduced in concept form in 2004 and then as a production model at the 2006 Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. Auto Show An auto show, or motor show, is a public exhibition of current automobile models, debuts, concept cars, or out-of-production classics. It is commonly attended by automobile manufacturers. Most auto shows occur once or twice a year. . That eye-candy factor -- think a character from "Cars," the animated film from Pixar Animation Studios, sprung to life -- shows no signs of waning. This roadster averages dozens of smiles per mile and its looks even impressed the owners of two new Mercedes models. That's due to some aggressive styling at the General Motors Corp. design center in North Hollywood, and 18-inch chrome wheels that came on the test model. It's a low-slung road hugger with a wide footprint, equipped with a five-speed manual transmission. It can negotiate two-lane canyon roads with gear changes and little use of the brakes. This model had a 2.4-liter dual overhead cam engine turning out 177 horsepower that had no problem zipping up to freeway speeds or keeping up with traffic. Pontiac used the GM Kappa platform Kappa is General Motors' new compact rear-wheel drive automobile platform. The architecture debuted in the 2006 Pontiac Solstice and 2007 Saturn Sky. Kappa uses an independent suspension, short-long arm type, in front and rear. for the Solstice, and it also supports the Saturn Sky The Saturn Sky is the first ever roadster from the Saturn marque of American automaker General Motors. It was released in the first quarter of 2006 as a 2007 model. It uses the Kappa automobile platform shared with the Pontiac Solstice. and Opel GT The Opel GT is a two-seat sports car introduced in 1968 by Opel, a German possession of General Motors. It relied partly on components from the contemporary Opel Kadett B and had a body made by French contractor Brissonneau & Lotz. . Other drivetrain and exterior parts come from a variety of GM products, including Cadillac (interior storage bin) and the GMC Envoy The GMC Envoy is an SUV from the GMC marque of General Motors. It was introduced as a luxury version of the Jimmy for the 1998 model year, the same year the Jimmy was restyled. (backup lights.) And while it's not the fastest sports car on the road, speed isn't its main purpose. The Solstice is best suited as a cruiser that relishes gobbling up curves and sunshine. The cockpit is comfortable and surprisingly quiet with the top down. Passengers don't have to shout at to utter shouts at; to deride or revile with shouts. See also: Shout each other even while zipping up the 101 in convertible mode. And it's a car a minimalist would love. Tuck away the top and a small duffle is all that will fit into the trunk. So if you take it on vacation, the top will probably have to remain up until you reach your destination. And be careful putting stuff in the trunk. I leaned over to put something at the middle of the rear and came away with tread marks Tread Marks is a 3D, third-person perspective, multiplayer-focused tank combat and racing computer game developed by Longbow Digital Arts. The game won the 2000 Independent Games Festival grand rrize, later renamed to the Seumas McNally award in honor of the game's lead on my pants, courtesy of those big wheels. A large, easy-to-read speedometer speedometer, instrument that indicates speed. A cable from an automotive speedometer is attached to the rear of the transmission of an automobile; the cable turns at a rate proportional to the speed of the car. and tach dominate the dash with a small, almost shot-glass-size gas gauge tucked in between. The comfortable steering wheel includes controls for the cruise control See adaptive cruise control. and audio system. But there is no center console Center console may refer to:
The glove box glove box n. An enclosed workspace equipped with gloved openings that allow manipulation in the interior, designed to prevent contamination of the product, the environment, or the worker. accommodates the owner's manual and not much else. A small storage bin is tucked in between the driver and passenger seats and is awkward to access, especially while driving. And the master controls that operate the automatic windows are a tad too far back on the driver's door armrest for comfort. Those are minor annoyances, though. Overall, the Solstice cockpit is surprisingly comfortable (even for someone over 6 feet tall) and the seats present good driving and riding positions. The convertible top is a breeze to operate and can be folded back into the trunk with one hand. And the car is also surprisingly quiet with the top up. Overall, this is a nice ride, especially for sunny Southern California. Or, as my wife put it as we headed out for a short road trip with the top down on a recent sunny day, "Honey, we're young again." greg.wilcox(at)dailynews.com (818) 713-3743 Pontiac Solstice TOP SPEED: 140 mph ENGINE: 2.4 liter DOCH Ecotec TRANSMISSION: 5-speed manual SUSPENSION: 4-wheel independent with Bilstein monotube shocks BRAKES: 4-wheel disc FUEL ECONOMY: 20 mpg city, 28 mpg highway PRICE: $20,395 base, $26,814 as tested TRIVIA: The Solstice was featured in a challenge on the third season of "The Apprentice." Winner Kendra Todd developed a sales brochure for the car and Pontiac used her color descriptions ("aggressive" red, "cool" silver, etc. THE MANUAL SAYS: Your vehicle has a tire inflator kit. There is no spare tire, no tire-changing equipment and no place to store a tire. THE WIFE SAYS: "Honey, we're young again." Source: Daily News Research CAPTION(S): 2 photos, box Photo: (1 -- color) The Pontiac Solstice seems to be made for Southern California, with a knack for hugging curves and an easy-to-use convertible top. Tina Burch/Staff Photographer (2 -- color) Pontiac Solstice Michael Owen Baker/Staff Photographer Box: Pontiac Solstice (see text) |
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