Filed under: Aftermarket, SEMA, Coupes, GM, Pontiac
SEMA 2008: Pontiac Solstice GXP Coupe Concept in the flesh
Click above for a high resolution gallery of the Solstice GXP Coupe Concept
GM gave us an early look at its Solstice GXP Coupe Concept a few days ago, but we made sure to stop by the GM display to check out the coupe in person. We're glad to say that it's just as attractive in person, and we hope the graphics kit is an option when the coupe goes on sale later next year. Already available from the GM Performance Parts catalog is the Stage 2 performance kit and cat-back exhaust that bumps output to 290 hp. This particular Solstice also features blue accent stitching on the seats and race-style pedal covers. Check out the gallery below for the live shots from the show floor.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
bravenrace 9:22AM (11/05/2008)
I currently have an '08 GXP company car. Great little car, with the exception of cheap interior materials, an abomination of a top, and no storage space. I wouldn't buy one of my own for those reasons. The coupe looks better, does away with the soft top, and has more and more useful storage area. Fix the interior and I'd be in line to buy one.
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RG 9:32AM (11/05/2008)
The Sol/Sky twins have been plagued by a feeling I get that they are half-baked- pulled from the oven to soon. You have the points mentioned by braven and then you have the coupe.
This coupe was a great opportunity to fix and remove some of the problems associated with the covnertible (roof and storage). But what do they do? They create a hatch with probably the worst opening area I have ever seen. ONLY THE GLASS OPENS! Would it have been so hard to have an actual hatch open to expose a useful storage space?
It is just another in the rushed ideas to get this car to market. I was originally of the belief that this is ok and that all of these things will get resolved in ver2.0, but with that in Jeopardy, the Sol/Sky might go down as one of the greatest sports car "coulda beens." Right where it didn't want to be- right next to the Fiero.
bravenrace 10:37AM (11/05/2008)
I agree, and also forgot maybe one of the most important reasons this car doesn't sell better. I'm 5'-7", 170 lbs, and I barely fit in this car. My buddy is 6' and can get behind the wheel, but when he does his knees are literally hitting the dashboard with the seat as far back as it will go. Oh, and the seats are a real PIA to adjust. And red gauges! Who decided that was a good thing! Very hard to read at night. They may think they're sporty, but in my opinion, a sporty gauge would be an easy to read gauge. Take a clue from Honda, the king of clear gauges. Other than that, and the fact that it sounds like a UPS truck, I love it!
AZZO45b 10:58AM (11/05/2008)
The coupe does NOT look better IMO... I would buy the SCCA/ SSB hardtop to eliminate the piss-poor soft top & save the added weight & odd look of the coupe
Andrew 12:29PM (11/05/2008)
I'm 6'4" and I fit in the solsitce/sky just fine. At first I didn't and thought the seat was back all the way, but it wasn't. I put the seatback upright and then slid it back all the way and found that I was quite comfortable. 5'7" is not very tall. Bob Lutz had this car designed so that he could fit in it, and he's 6'2" I think??
bravenrace 12:38PM (11/05/2008)
Well you are right there. If you make the seatback bolt upright, you do gain leg room. However, that is how my buddy had it adjusted. Keep in mind that two people of the same height can have different leg lengths. But if it was me, I wouldn't buy one for that reason, since I don't want to feel like I'm drivng my pickup truck when I'm in my sports car.
LloydChiro 3:38PM (11/05/2008)
When you start to drive with your seat back upright, rather than with a gangsta lean, you will find that it is a much better driving position for sport.
Will 9:23AM (11/05/2008)
Pity they did the hardtop conversion on the monkfish Solstice instead of the much prettier Sky. I would love to see a coupe version of that car.
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LloydChiro 9:36AM (11/05/2008)
The car looks pretty cool, even though it's a little too fiberglass looking at the front and back bumpers. I'm eager to try one to give it the benefit of the doubt before I save longer for a Z4 coupe or a Cayman.
Moving to the interior, importantly, this car at the show is an automatic. What the hell?
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Robert 9:43AM (11/05/2008)
Speaking of how this car has always seemed rushed to market... why on earth can't they move the radio antenna from the passenger's side window to somewhere on the rear of the car??? Doesn't anyone at GM realize just how dumb it looks where it's at? Cripes, invest in 50 cents worth of an extra 2 feet of cable and move that thing.
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TJ 9:47AM (11/05/2008)
When is job1 for the coupe's?
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fixitfixitstop 10:46AM (11/05/2008)
They still should have put the Chevy Nomad concept based on the platform into production.
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Jared 11:10AM (11/05/2008)
Agreed. The Nomad concept was cool.
IOMTT 11:20AM (11/05/2008)
I like what they are trying to do, but I do not like the looks of this IMHO.
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Serge 12:35PM (11/05/2008)
I love how this car looks! Sat in it (the convertible) at the auto show, and found it to be just fine (I'm 6'2").
I would get one when GM stuffs their new 3.0L DI V6 with an Eaton blower underneath that hood. That should be good for 300+hp :)
While I like the interior design, the materials are a little on the cheap side... but GM is fixing this issue with all their cars.
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Christian de Saint Preux 12:39PM (11/05/2008)
Car is simply beautiful. Only thing missing is an LS7 in there.
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tuna 1:14PM (11/05/2008)
Overall, not bad. Doesn't make me want to rush to the nearest Pontiac dealer either. That radio antenna location has got to be one of the worst afterthoughts in the industry.
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