The Pontiac Solstice is a two-passenger, front engine, convertible roadster manufactured and marketed by Pontiac from 2005 to 2010, initially powered by a naturally aspirated 2.4 L I4 engine, producing and of torque..
Introduced at the 2004 North American International Auto Show, production began in Wilmington, Delaware, starting in mid-2005 for the model year 2006.
The exterior styling of the production Solstice recalls its predecessor, the 2002 Solstice concept. Production was to commence before summer 2005, but delays at the Wilmington plant pushed volume production to the fourth quarter. A hardtop targa top was announced in mid-2008 for model year 2009. The Solstice uses the GM Kappa platform, shared with the Saturn Sky, Opel GT, and Daewoo G2X. It was the brand's first two-seater since the Pontiac Fiero, discontinued in 1988.
History
Pontiac Solstice concept Pontiac presented the Solstice in 2002, first as a concept. Initially, it was to be equipped with a 2.2L Ecotec I4 paired with a supercharger for an output of , as well as a Corvette Borg-Warner 6-speed. It was compared to the Dodge Viper and Plymouth Prowler for its retro styling, a choice encouraged by Bob Lutz having "empowered designers to take the lead, prioritizing their vision over that of engineers, analysts, and economists" in regards to the Solstice's styling.
Post-concept Solstice GM's Vice Chairman Bob Lutz provided the spark for the Solstice, allocating resources to develop the General Motors Kappa platform in hopes of creating an affordable sports car, with a target price tag of $20,000. In 2005, the Solstice entered production "at a rate of just seven cars per hour in mid-2005" in Wilmington, Delaware's GM production facility despite plans to close the facility the year prior.
On release, the Solstice received more attention than anticipated, leaving GM with 7000 cars projected for production in 2005 and 13,000 orders placed.
The Solstice was a finalist for the North American Car of the Year award in 2006 and had multiple successes in motorsport, especially SCCA.
Model Year updates
Model Year 2006: Debuted with a naturally aspirated 2.4-liter 4-cylinder Ecotec engine making 177 horsepower and 166 lb-ft of torque.Transmissions: Offered with a 5-speed manual or 5-speed automatic.Features: Standard 18-inch wheels; antilock brakes (ABS) and electronic stability control were optional.Club Sport: A rare Z0K Club Sport package was made available for SCCA grassroots racing, adding a stiffer suspension, larger brakes, and a limited-slip differential without extra creature comforts.
Model Year 2007: GXP Trim Added with a high-performance turbocharged 2.0-liter direct-injection 4-cylinder engine producing 260 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque; sport-tuned suspension, bigger brakes, StabiliTrak stability control standard, dual exhaust outlets, unique front/rear fascias, shuffling of convenience packages and audio equipment for base models.
Model Year 2008: Antilock brakes (ABS) became standard across all models. OnStar safety system became standard equipment, and an upgraded audio system featuring auxiliary inputs and available satellite radio debuted. Introducion of special cosmetic packages including the SCCA T2 Champion Edition (limited to 88 units).
Model Year 2009: A targa-style removable hardtop coupe joined the lineup in both base and GXP trims. Standard equipment included traction control, stability control, and a limited-slip rear differential. Due to GM's financial restructuring and the phase-out of the Pontiac brand, 2009 was the final full production year, though assembly ended in mid-2009, resulting in a tiny handful registered as 2010 models.
Saturn Sky concept Early in the Saturn brand's history, talk of a convertible 2-door had arisen. As early as 1992, some foundations of ideas had been laid out, but it would not be until 2002 that a genuine convertible concept would be made, at least in any public and official capacity. The actual Sky would draw far more inspiration from the Saturn Curve concept of 2004 and the Pontiac Solstice concept of 2002.
The 2002 auto show Sky featured four doors-- two suicide doors behind the front two, following in Saturn tradition. It was to feature a rear light bar, a 2+2 seating arrangement, and a significantly more bulbous exterior, one very far removed from the rather sharp and small-profiled Sky that actually released. It was to be powered by a front-wheel-drive 2.2L supercharged Ecotec 4-cylinder, making and of torque. It was intended to be only about three-quarters the weight of the production Sky while maintaining the spaceframe design motif from the S-Series line.
The Opel Speedster was also a big influence on the Sky, as many of the body lines and styling cues were used to forge the groundwork for the Sky's overall design.
Post-concept Sky The Saturn Sky would, upon release, differ greatly from the initial concept. The "Sky" moniker was kept regardless, and Sky was transitioned to act as a softer, more luxurious Solstice, as backed both by its higher price and its softer suspension, rather than a direct, original vehicle.
The Sky never sold as well as the Solstice, only peaking at 11,263 units being sold in 2007. Despite this, the Sky tended to be looked upon slightly more favorably, critically speaking, as it had a more "muscular" look than the "doughy" Solstice. Both still received praise for their looks, though the Sky was deemed the more "edgy" of the two. Both took on Corvette comparisons for their similarly-designed platform infrastructure, such as hydroformed frame rails. Both also shared being the first GM vehicles with adjustable rear caster.
Solstice GXP The GXP version of the Solstice debuted at the Los Angeles Auto Show in January 2006. Although heavier than the base model, it made much more power and torque with a new 2.0 liter (121.9 cu in) I4 Ecotec engine equipped with a dual-scroll turbocharger. The engine's output is and . This was the highest specific output of any engine by cubic inches in the history of General Motors in North America (2.1 hp or 1.6 kW per cubic inch) and had the first dual-cam VVT system on an Ecotec motor. According to Car and Driver, the GXP targa accelerates from 0 to in 5.2 seconds, while the soft top GXP did so in 5.6 seconds.
Other GXP features include standard StabilTrak traction control, a limited-slip differential, and anti-lock brakes. Summer tires on 18-inch wheels are standard.
Sky Red Line A Red Line model of the Sky was introduced on April 11, 2006 at the New York Auto Show. It uses the same
turbocharged Ecotec engine as the Pontiac Solstice, as well as the same standard 5-speed Aisin manual transmission. An automatic transmission is optional.
The Red Line had a standard torque-sensing limited-slip differential, standard StabiliTrak stability control, and an enhanced sport suspension over the standard Sky (available as a dealer-add on for regular models). Other exterior enhancements included dual tip exhausts, 18-inch wheels, and a specific front fascia modeled for the Red Line. On the inside, the Red Line had a special leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls, special embroidery on the seats and floor mats, metallic door sill covers and stainless steel pedals, special tachometer and gauges, and a digital boost gauge in the Driver Information Center. The Red Line model started shipping in the third quarter of 2006, with a retail price starting at $29,795. 2007 Saturn Sky Red Line specifications: 0–: 5.2 seconds 0–: 14.7 seconds 1/4 mile: 14.0 seconds at Top speed: drag limited -0 mph braking: skidpad: 0.87 g EPA fuel economy: city/ highway
GMPP Upgrade An available dealer installed option from 2008 onwards was a modified computer tune and two new sensors that resulted in an increased output to and on manual transmission models and and on automatic transmission models, further enhancing the performance of GXP and Red Line model cars. +ModelsTrimEnginePowerTorqueTransmissionBase Solstice/Sky2.4 L LE5 I45-speed Aisin AR-5 manual, or 5-speed GM 5L40-E automaticGXP/Red Line2.0 L LNF I4GXP/Red Line (GMPP Package)2.0 L LNF I4 (Manual) or (Automatic)
Solstice coupe
A coupe version of the Solstice was unveiled at the 2008 New York Auto Show. Engine choices were the same as the convertible versions. The targa-style roof can be removed, but the magnesium-plastic panel roof cannot be fitted into the trunk. An optional cloth top was available for $1100, which can be fitted into the trunk. This option would never be offered for any of the other Kappa variants, which were all exclusively soft-tops.
The car went on sale in early 2009. The Pontiac Solstice coupes are considered to be quite rare: There were a total of 1,266 Solstice coupes that were able to be manufactured before the production line in Wilmington, Delaware, was shut down: 102 pre-production 2009 models, 1,152 sequential vin regular production 2009 models, and 12 pre-production 2010 models. This is in contrast to over 64,000 of the Pontiac Solstice convertibles that were manufactured.
Common issues and design flaws
The Solstice and Sky had notable component design and ergonomic issues. Both were considered impractical for day-to-day use, because the soft tops consumed all trunk space when stowed, and the targa's removable hardtop could not safely stow in the trunk. Both the Solstice and Sky were included in an airbag sensor recall across GM which could reduce crash safety. The vehicles have a reputation of low-reliability water pumps and low-quality materials being used for some parts of the powertrain. Quality of life features, such as cupholders, were considered low-durability and undersized. While the cars were recognized as relatively comfortable for their size, interior space was meager. Innocuous on other vehicles, closing the engine hood with a door open or jacking the car without using "pucks", could damage the paint or car body.
Discontinuation Following the 2008 economic recession, GM discontinued the Pontiac and Saturn divisions in compliance with their bailout deal with the U.S. government. This is in spite of Lutz's harsh opposition to killing Pontiac (although Saturn was not necessarily as difficult of a loss in his eyes), which turned into a matter of pragmatism, citing poor buyer enthusiasm and longtime unprofitability for its closure. In April 2009, after GM announced the discontinuation of the Pontiac brand by the end of 2010, CEO Fritz Henderson stated that the Solstice would not continue under another GM brand. Although they considered selling the Wilmington plant and the Solstice/Sky products to an outside business, the Wilmington assembly plant closed in July 2009, ending production but allowing for a few 2009-produced Solstice and Sky models marked as 2010 models to be produced and sold. In October 2009, the new DeLorean Motor Company expressed interest in continuing production of the Solstice, going so far as to release concept artwork for a 2011 DeLorean Solstice. These plans were shelved shortly thereafter, when Fisker Automotive instead acquired the Wilmington Assembly where the Solstice was produced.
Overall production and sales for the Solstice Calendar year Total produced Total American sales 2005 5,445 2006 21,273 19,710 2007 24,018 16,782 2008 15,587 10,739 2009 4,826 5,642 2010 20 157 Total 65,72458,475 Sales by color of all 1,266 Pontiac Solstice coupes manufactured: 1 Unit - "Santiago" teal metallic (specific to Canadian market - color new for 2010) 26 Units - "Fresh" hydro blue - paint code 22U (USA 25 inc. 1 heritage Ed. /CAN 1/MEX 0) 2% 37 Units - "Mean" yellow - paint code 34U (USA 29/CAN 4/MEX 4) 3% 39 Units - "Deep" blue - paint code 48U (USA 35/CAN 1/MEX 3) 3% 58 Units - "Brazen" orange metallic - paint code 28U (USA 35/CAN 8/MEX 15) 4% 58 Units - "Sly" steel gray - paint code 75U (USA 50/CAN 8/MEX 0) 4%