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Pontiac Solstice GXP

The Pontiac Solstice GXP is a two-seater convertible or targa-style coupe that was built on the Kappa platform. The nameplate spans a single generation that  launched for the 2007 model year and was discontinued in 2010.

Pontiac Solstice GXP Quick Facts
Model Years 2007 – 2010
Assembly Location Wilmington Assembly Plant, Delaware, USA
Body Style(s) Convertible, Coupe
Layout Front-Engined, Longitudinal
Engine(s) Turbo 2.0 LNF I4
Transmission(s) Aisin AR5 5-Speed Manual, GM 54L0-E 5-Speed Auto
Drive Wheels Rear-Wheel-Drive
Availability U.S.A., Canada
Predecessor
Successor

First Generation

The Pontiac Solstice initially debuted in 2002 when General Motors revealed two variants of the Pontiac Solstice Concept, including a convertible roadster and a fastback coupe – the former was a drivable concept while the latter was design study.  Then, in January 2006, the Solstice GXP debuted at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

Opting for the Solstice GXP instead of the base model meant having the benefit of a boosted engine under the hood, with a peak output of 260 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque, which was enough to propel the two-seater from zero to sixty miles in 5.2 seconds when equipped with an automatic transmission. To clarify, the Solstice GXP was available with either a five-speed manual or a five-speed automatic, both in rear-wheel drive configurations. The sports car was also available as a convertible or as a coupe, with the coupes being much more limited.

As mentioned, Pontiac Solstice GXP was built on the Kappa platform, meaning it shares the same underpinnings as the Saturn Sky Red Line, Opel GT, and Daewoo G2X Turbo. Special edition variants include the Heritage Edition and SCCA T2 Champion Edition models. The latter was built to celebrate Pontiac winning the SCCA T2 class in 2007, and was limited to just 88 units. Another noteworthy Solstice GXP is “Jazz” a character from the Transformers story who’s depicted as a Pontiac Solstice GXP with a removable hardtop in the first two installments of the movie franchise.

First-Gen Pontiac Solstice GXP Model Year Availability
Model Comments
2007 Pontiac Solstice GXP First model year
2008 Pontiac Solstice GXP Second model year
2009 Pontiac Solstice GXP Third model year
2010 Pontiac Solstice GXP Final model year

Discontinuation

The Pontiac Solstice GXP was only produced from the 2007 to 2010 model years, and its death came during GM’s bankruptcy, which saw the end of Hummer, Saturn, and Pontiac brands altogether. Specifically, the selling of GM’s Wilmington Assembly plant in Delaware to Fisker Automotive was the nail in the coffin for the Solstice and its corporate twin, the Saturn Sky. Fisker would go on to use the site to produce the Fisker Karma, which rode on GM’s E-Flex vehicle platform and featured a hybrid system that utilized the same turbocharged 2.0-liter LNF engine that powered the Solstice GXP and Saturn Sky Red Line.

Gallery

Discussion

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