Through Ian's Lens: 2009 Pontiac Solstice Coupe GXP

In the wake of General Motors filing for bankruptcy, I would like to take a moment of silence to honor the short life of the 2009 Pontiac Solstice GXP coupe (pause). Now that the moment has passed, I would like to remember the Solstice coupe as one of the prettiest cars I’ve seen come off a General Motors assembly line in the past five years. This little two-door will only be produced in a small run this year, then will disappear forever as Pontiac closes its doors.

As for the design of this coupe, the swooping hatch reminds me of a crossbreed between Corvettes and Porsches of yore, while even the nose harks back a bit to the British two-seaters of yesteryear. If that’s not enough for you to take a second look, the only production model we could find in the flesh to shoot was painted in a racing yellow, which, well, left a lot to be desired. Why can’t more fleet cars be black? I’d even take gunmetal gray ...

I honestly wish I’d had a chance to drive it. But, alas, we will never see the likes of it again. Adieu, little buddy, adieu.

GM Plant Closures Signal Product Shift

Now that it’s operating under bankruptcy protection, GM has ramped up the scheduled plant closures it had previously announced. Four assembly plants will be closed this year, impacting current products.

The least surprising closure is the Wilmington, Del., plant that produces the Saturn Sky and Pontiac Solstice roadsters and coupes. It's also the most immediate, shutting down in July of this year. The 2010 Pontiac Solstice coupe just went into production at the plant, and company officials have said only 1,000 will be produced. One is already sold to GM executive Bob Lutz, meaning there are only 999 available.

The other three assembly plants and what they build are listed below.

What the End of Pontiac Means To You

Today GM announced it would stop producing new Pontiac models by the end of 2010. This is the end of an era for the once-proud performance brand, but it also leaves a lot of questions for car shoppers and Pontiac owners.

We talked to Jim Hopson, Pontiac’s manager of communications, this morning to clarify GM’s statement. He said that Pontiac will continue to operate normally even with today’s announcement. All warranty work will be completed as usual; any new Pontiacs sold will have the same full warranty they did last week, one which has the backing of the U.S. government. The government's backing is to help ensure consumers that its safe to still purchase new GM cars while the company seeks to restructure. Only cars purchased through May get the government-backed warranty.

GM will continue to make parts for Pontiac models indefinitely and most Pontiac dealers also sell the Buick and GMC brands and will continue to operate. The automaker still produces replacement parts for the defunct Oldsmobile, which GM shuttered in 2004.

What Hopson couldn’t say was when certain models would be phased out.

The current Pontiac lineup reads as follows, including how many days of inventory was sitting on lots as of April 1.

• Pontiac G3: 617 days of inventory
• Pontiac G5: 443 days of inventory
• Pontiac G6: 83 days of inventory
• Pontiac G8: 92 days of inventory
• Pontiac Solstice: 276 days of inventory
• Pontiac Vibe: 149 days of inventory
• Pontiac Torrent: 99 days of inventory

The national average for all brands is 83 days of inventory.

We detail specific information on Pontiac models below.

Video: 2009 Pontiac Solstice Coupe

Folks going to the New York auto show this week will get to check out the all-new Pontiac Solstice coupe. Those not so lucky can sit in the comfort of their desk chair and check out Joe Wiesenfelder’s video highlighting the good — hey, more headroom — and the bad — wicked blind spot — of the new two-seat sportster.

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More on the Pontiac Solstice

Up Close: 2009 Solstice GXP Coupe

More than six years after its concept debut alongside the Solstice roadster, the Solstice coupe is a real product. It looks pretty good in person. Even though the rear quarterpanels are the same as those on the roadster, the fastback roofline looks organic and well-integrated.

I removed the targa top, which attaches via two levers in front and one in the back. Though it's 31 pounds, it's a bit wide. I was able to handle it by myself, but some people will require a helper on the other side. They'll also require a garage to leave it in. Unfortunately, the roof panel doesn't fit into the cargo area as the Chevy Corvette's does, so you pretty much have to leave it at home and hope it doesn't rain. Pontiac's solution is an optional fabric roof panel that can be carried in the back, just in case. There wasn't one to play with, but the accessory should be available when the car goes on sale in January or February of 2009.

The roof panel isn't the only thing that won't fit in the cargo hatch; where the convertible has a famously cramped horseshoe-shaped depression under its trunklid (and that's only when the soft top is up), the coupe improves things only a little bit. Being a hatchback helps, but with the exception of some modest bins in the cargo floor, all the space is above the occupants' shoulder level. Technically, this isn't a safe way to carry cargo in case of a collision.

The coupe is slightly more aerodynamic than the roadster, but that's unlikely to improve gas mileage much. The car is only about 20 pounds heavier than the roadster, so Pontiac says to expect similar EPA figures. The base roadster gets 19 mpg in city driving and 25 mpg on the highway. (Remarkably, the turbocharged GXP gets better mileage — 28 mpg on the highway.) Though the auto show coupe is a GXP, a base model will also be available. More photos below which we'll continue to update.

Related:
2008 New York Auto Show: 2009 Pontiac Solstice Coupe

2008 New York Auto Show: 2009 Pontiac Solstice Coupe

• Competes with: Mini Cooper, Volvo C30, VW GTI
• Looks like: Pontiac has a true inheritor for the Fiero
• Drivetrain: 173-hp, 2.4-liter four-cylinder or 260-hp, turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder with five-speed manual or five-speed automatic
• Hits dealerships: Early 2009

There aren’t many inexpensive sports coupes on the market, and Pontiac is hoping the 2009 Solstice coupe will catch fire and generate a buzz like the convertible did a few years ago.

The coupe is almost identical to the convertible in terms of the engines and transmissions offered, as well as the interior layout and materials. What’s obviously different is the fastback body style, which really sets it apart from its sibling.

Without the clunky fold-down ragtop and its assorted mechanisms, there’s a flat floor behind the front seats for storage; cargo room is virtually nonexistent in the convertible and doesn't look much improved here. The coupe isn’t actually a fixed roof — the roof panel can be removed, just like on the Corvette, and is made of magnesium.

We wonder what the demand for the Solstice coupe will be, but much of it may depend on the price. Common practice usually prices coupes less than convertibles, and the 2008 vert’s prices of $22,165 and $27,845 for the base and GXP versions are already pretty affordable. We’d still love to see a sub-$20,000 base price. Check out more photos below.