2009 Pontiac Solstice GXP

Description

Poor Pontiac. They perfected the Solstice in this 2009 GXP coupe, and died moments later. Fortunately, the legacy of performance lives on, because this nasty little 2-seater is arguably the best thing Pontiac built in decades, and with just 1589 miles on the clock, it may just be the very best of its kind anywhere.

Pontiac was giving their colors emotional names in 2009, with this dark blue being called simply Deep, and it suits the coupe just fine. Arguably one of the most attractive cars to come out of GM design studios in a long time, adding a top to the Solstice roadster transformed it from cute plaything to serious performance machine. The targa roof is similar to that of the Corvette, and the fastback profile owes more than a passing nod to its Chevrolet cousin. Obviously with so few miles on the odometer, this car is in virtually showroom fresh condition, purchased to be a collectors' piece and used only enough to keep it healthy. Everything is just as it was when it was new, and if there are any signs of use, we can't find them. The GXP was a bit more aggressive-looking, but there's nothing so obvious as a spoiler or stripes, and if you want to turn heads, this little coupe is pretty darned good at it.

The interior was designed with serious performance in mind. Deep leather bucket seats with GXP embroidery and contrasting white stitching make it look far more expensive than it is, and as with the rest of the car, it's all in fantastic condition. As the top-of-the-line model, the GXP received just about everything Pontiac could include, which is a rather lengthy list: A/C, power windows and locks, a tilt steering column, cruise control, and a great-sounding AM/FM/satellite stereo system. The controls are right where you need them, starting with the fat leather steering wheel and stubby shifter for the 5-speed manual gearbox. The coupe added quite a bit of cargo space behind the seats and GM worked hard to maximize utility in the shrink-wrapped cockpit. Red-faced gauges look racy and are easy to read at a glance and with the top off, you'll love the way this little monster sounds at full boil.

That soundtrack comes from a turbocharged 2.0 liter inline-4 making a rather astounding 260 horsepower and an equal amount of torque. In the featherweight coupe, performance is rather surprising, and we guarantee that on your first time out, you'll be running 20 MPH faster than you think. There are a lot of performance upgrades available for these engines, including several significant ones from the dealer, but this one remains completely stock and unmodified, ensuring that it will be reliable for years to come. The engine bay is as new, of course, and the car starts and runs (and smells) like it just rolled off the transporter at the dealership. The 5-speed slices through the gears, and the all-independent suspension is augmented with traction and stability control, plus giant disc brakes at all four corners. Ride quality is firm but comfortable enough to use every day, and the exhaust system has a nice little snarl that's dampened only a bit by the turbo. 18-inch polished aluminum wheels totally stuff the fender arches and carry their original run-flat tires, and the car also comes with a second set of rolling stock (call for details).

So cool that it's a real shame that Pontiac folded, this Solstice coupe delivers on the very big promises made by its dramatic bodywork. Call today!