Regular readers will remember the spy photos of a mystery Solstice hardtop we posted a month ago. Well, General Motors has made it official, the Solstice is going to compete in National-level Sports Car Club of America road racing. The Solstice racer will make its debut this weekend at the SCCA National event at New Hampshire International Speedway.
The upstart Pontiac will race in the Showroom Stock B class, alongside the Mazda Miata, BMW Z4, Acura RSX and Honda Civic.
You can get your own Solstice racer by ordering your Solstice with the Z0K Club Sport production order option package, which includes ABS, a limited-slip differential, improved power steering cooler and the FE3 suspension option (which will be standard on the Solstice GXP).
Racers will want a few extras before hitting the track, including the nifty racing-only hardtop, racing tires, rollcage, safety harness, etc.
[Source: GM]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Howard Kerr @ May 3rd 2006 5:22PM
Here's hoping that GM doesn't do a Honda on Solstice buyers by charging them an arm and a leg for the top. Or a Mazda on them (see the Mazda story comments in an earlier story) where customers have to buy about a $1000.00 worth of unrelated options to get the top.
Bob_Ericson @ May 3rd 2006 5:25PM
Why?
Hasn't Pontiac committed to a strategic vision of not building enough cars to meet demand? So, every Solstice has a ready buyer.
I've only seen one Solstice on the road in Seattle. GM finally makes a car people want and they won't make enough of them...
JimR @ May 3rd 2006 5:40PM
Heh, anyone with a garbage sack full of money could campaign a SSB Solstice without GM's "official" blessing. Glad to see the corporate support. GM has already been refreshingly forward in performance R&D for the Ecotec engines. This will be good for road racers.
The LSD and ABS in the Z0K are a must. I saw a National-level stock-class Solstice autocrossing, and it had inner-front lockup problems like the Miata. The driver also mentioned it would break the tires loose if you got ape-footed on the go pedal, which is less of a problem with the other C-Stock cars. More engine, more squirt. Sounds like a great car for mixing it up with Showroom Stock Miatas, err, MX-5's.
Now that Runoffs will be held at Heartland Park Topeka, I only have to drive four hours to see the action.
Noah @ May 3rd 2006 5:48PM
I've seen probably 5 Solstices cruising around the streets of Edmonton AB, they look better in person than in the photos. I sure hope that holds true for the Saturn Sky as it looks even better in photos than the Solstice does.
This might be a car people want but the fact is that not nearly as many of these will be or could be sold as the Toyota Camry and Honda Civic will sell this year, even if GM made enough of them. It's a lot easier to make a hit everyone wants in the sports car department than one that everyone will buy if actually given the option.
It's also a lot harder to make desierable cars in the econo-box catagory. The fact is that the Camry might be a big seller people simply don't get "primal" good feelings about it. They buy it because it's the right choice, a lot of that choice is reputation. Their not buying it because the Camry really gives them goosbumps.
I'd say if you REALLY want a Solstice, don't buy one. Wait until GM files Chapter 11 or atleast wait 2 years until the first ones come off lease and then take it back in for all the recalls. Buying hot new cars means paying the hot new car premium, buying hot cars from defunked manufacturers off lease is WAY cheaper... So anyone eyeing a new TVR?
--Noah
Dave @ May 3rd 2006 6:06PM
#4 --- yes, anything that doesn't sell as many as the camry should not be built or sold. [end sarcasm] i wouldn't want a car that everyone else has. gm defunked? you mean defunct? i hardly agree. they still sell the most cars in the world.
Bob-o @ May 3rd 2006 8:09PM
So GM is gonna start factory backing club racing teams? Doesn't that defeat the whole purpose of club racing?
Dumbstruck @ May 3rd 2006 8:24PM
OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! that is the stupidest race ever!!!!!! Honda Civic???? Mazda Miata????????? Acura rsx??????????? Pontiac Solitice???????? im sorry all you japanese and american car lovers, but the BMW Z4 owns like H-E-L-L. that race is so stupid! i repeat: THAT RACE IS SO STUPID.
Stoneman @ May 3rd 2006 8:35PM
I liked the car (regular Solstice). All this badging and junk... who needs it? Get the turbocharged solstice next year (274bhp),with 6-speed. Yes, that will be a better car (I hope). I really want GM to come up on this one.
Stoneman
http://www.stonemanautoreview.com
Pontiac Solstice @ May 4th 2006 12:23AM
That's great news. The Solstice is a great vehicle and the more exposure it gets, the more popular it will become.
For anyone interested in the Pontiac Solstice, check out http://www.solsticeforums.com
Chris Ciccone @ May 4th 2006 9:44AM
To #7 Dumbstruck: You sir are an idiot. I assume you have never seen a well prepared Miata or Civic race? I love it when people bash because they think the name means the car is the best. Get a clue dude. Do yourself a favor and look up RealTime Racing (http://www.realtimerl.com/) and see how many wins they have with Honda/Acura products.
Your name says it all for you.
C-
ian @ May 4th 2006 12:23PM
Well, he's partly right... Z4's have been a force to be reckoned with since their debut in SSB, but that's not to say the other cars in the class are obsolete.
Dumbstruck - this post isn't about drag racing. Road racing is as much about handling and braking as acceleration. The Civics, Miatas and other cars in SSB make for some of the closest, most exciting club racing around. Don't knock it if you haven't seen it.
Oh yeah, RealTime's Acuras have a huge legacy in the World Challenge - but remember that unlike SSB, the WC cars all have 'competitive adjustments' to make them more equal, so the competition is less about the capabilities of the car and more about the drivers' skills and the teams' budgets.