all-new 2006 Pontiac Solstice

[Jaguar D-Type]

[Jaguar D-Type]

Buick, Pontiac/GMC General Manager John Larson (left) accepts the MotorWeek Drivers' Choice Award - Best Convertible from MotorWeek Producer, Host and Creator John Davis for the Pontiac Solstice at the Chicago Auto Show Thursday, February 9, 2006.

[Jaguar D-Type]

Pontiac will likely build around 20,000 Solstices this year.

[Jaguar D-Type]

[Jaguar D-Type]

1,859 Solstices were sold last month.

"Customer demand for the Pontiac Solstice remains very brisk. In February it posted among the highest total turn rates of all vehicles in the industry (39 percent)."

- media.gm.com

[Jaguar D-Type]

Dual-scroll turbocharged I-4 with direct injection

[Jaguar D-Type]

The new turbocharged Solstice GXP is due in August. The added performance of the GXP does not affect fuel economy or emissions. The GXP's 2.0 liter, dual-scroll turbocharged I-4 is referred to internally as the Ecotec LNF.

[wlkjr]

I wonder how much this bad boy is going to cost?

[speedphreak]

Woah, I have loved every roadster that has come out. But this this just looks horrible! And the interior color choices are just pitiful! I actually sat in one at the Fort Luaderdale Auto Show and was just disgusted by the way the seats felt. Feels more like a Cadillac then a "sports" car. I'm sure its a fine automobile, but it does in fact get my 2 thumbs down EEK! Now off to the MX-5! haha.

-Chris

[Jaguar D-Type]

The Solstice is sold out for the 2006 model year.

[Jaguar D-Type]

Pontiac Unveils Red Bull Solstice GXP for Drifting Competition

Rhys Millen will pilot turbocharged roadster on June 10th in Chicago

It will race in Formula Drift.

The turbocharged Red Bull Solstice GXP Drift is a two-door hard-top roadster with rear-wheel drive and a six-speed transmission. The heart of the Solstice GXP Drift is the Ecotec 2.0-liter turbo engine, producing over 500 horsepower, roughly double the horsepower of the street-legal GXP available in dealerships this fall. This competition Ecotec turbo engine, running on E85 ethanol-based fuel, uses thick-wall iron cylinder liners, a race-ported cylinder head, tubular stainless steel exhaust headers, a performance camshaft, a unique engine control system and a water to air intercooled turbocharger.

The engine will be hand-built at GM's Performance Build Center in Wixom, Michigan. Wixom is a Detroit suburb. Cadillac's new 4.4 liter Northstar V-8 SC (supercharged) and the Chevrolet Corvette Z06's 505 hp LS7 are also built there.



Pontiac Solstice GXP road & Drift Specifications

Models: Pontiac Solstice GXP ---- Pontiac Solstice GXP Drift

Body style: two-passenger, two-door roadster convertible ---- two-passenger, two-door roadster hard-top

Driveline: front-engine, rear-wheel drive performance model ---- front-engine, rear-wheel drive competition model

Construction: welded galvanized steel enclosed central tunnel and hydroformed tube ---- welded galvanized steel enclosed central tunnel and hydroformed tube with SCCA roll cage

Exterior: specific Solstice GXP front and rear fascias with dual-outlet exhaust ---- specific Solstice GXP front and rear fascias with dual-outlet exhaust. Carbon fiber hood, decklid, and top

Interior features: driver/passenger GXP logo seats with red-accent stitching ---- Sparco driver racing seat; passenger seat delete

Transmission

Type: five-speed manual (MM5) ---- six-speed manual (Tremec T-56)

Gear ratios: (:1):

First: 3.75 ---- 3.01
Second: 2.26 ---- 2.07
Third: 1.51 ---- 1.43
Fourth: 1 ---- 1
Fifth: 0.73 ---- 0.71
Sixth: N/A ---- 0.56
Reverse: 3.67
Final drive ratio: 3.73:1 LSD ---- 3.73:1 LSD
Clutch: single disc ---- Exedy twin disc and custom flywheel

Suspension

Front: independent short/long arm, with 33.3 mm stabilizer bar independent short/long arm with four-way adjustable shocks and coil-overs

Rear: independent short/long arm, with 25.4 mm stabilizer bar independent short/long arm with four-way adjustable shocks and coil-overs

Brakes

Type: four-wheel disc; ABS with dynamic rear proportioning and ESC ---- four-wheel disc, with adjustable brake bias front-to-rear

Front Rotors: 296mm x 25mm vented discs ---- Rotora two-piece 298mm x 21mm directional slotted discs

Rear Rotors: 278mm x 13mm solid discs ---- Rotora two-piece 298mm x 21mm directional slotted discs

Front Calipers: single piston calipers ---- Rotora forged micro six-piston calipers with Rotora H6 NAO ceramic pads

Rear Calipers: single piston calipers ---- Rotora two-piston calipers with Rotora H6 NAO ceramic pads

Wheels/Tires

Wheel size and type: 18 inch x 8 inch polished aluminum ---- Racing Hart 18 inch x 9 inch front, 18 inch x 9.5 inch rear aluminum

Tires: P245/45R18- Goodyear Eagle F1 GS2 96W all-season tires ---- Bridgestone Potenza RE-01R, P265/35R18-93W rear, P225/40R18-88W front

Engine

Assembly site: Spring Hill, Tenn. ---- GM Racing, Wixom, Mich.

Type: Ecotec 2.0-liter DOHC turbocharged I-4 ---- Ecotec 2.0-liter DOHC turbocharged I-4

Bore x stroke: 86mm x 86mm ---- 86mm x 88.5mm

Block material: 319 aluminum ---- 319 aluminum with thick-wall iron cylinder liners

Cylinder head material: 356 T6 aluminum ---- 356 T6 aluminum with race CNC porting

Intake manifold: cast aluminum ---- custom fabricated barrel valve

Exhaust manifolds: cast stainless steel ---- tubular stainless steel

Compression ratio: 9.2:1 ---- 9.7:1

Valve train: dual overhead cam; four valves per cylinder ---- dual overhead cam with performance grind; four race valves per cylinder

Valve lifters: hydraulic lash adjuster, roller finger follower ---- mechanical lash adjuster, roller finger follower

Firing order: 1-3-4-2 ---- 1-3-4-2

Fuel system: Gasoline high-pressure, variable-rail pressure, spark ignition direct injection ---- MSD coil near plug ignition, FAST engine control system with custom fuel map

Horsepower: 260hp @ 5300 rpm ---- 550 HP @ 7800 rpm est.

Torque: 260 lb-ft. @ 2000  5300 rpm ---- 450 lb-ft @ 6800 rpm est.

Fuel shut off: 6300 rpm ---- 8800 rpm

Crankshaft: forged steel ---- billet steel

Connecting rods: forged steel ---- billet steel

Induction: air-to-air intercooled dual-scroll turbocharger system ---- water-to-air intercooled precision ball-bearing turbo with waste gate

Fuel: Premium recommended (not required) ---- E85 ethanol-based fuel

Fuel tank: 13.6 gal. ---- 8 gal. fuel cell

Engine oil: Mobile 1 synthetic, 5 qt. ---- Mobile 1 synthetic, 8 qt.

[Jaguar D-Type]

Solstice classed in SCCA Club Racing

It will race in the Showroom Stock B (SSB) class.

Go to page six for the info

The news in the first post on page two said that the Solstice would race against the BMW M3 in the Showroom Stock B class, but the M3 races in a faster T2 class. Only the 2.5 liter Z4 is allowed in SSB and it is penalized with weight.

[Jaguar D-Type]

Pontiac Solstice Debuts in SCCA National Road Racing

press release

5-2-2006

WARREN, Mich.,- Pontiac Solstice will make its much anticipated debut in Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) National Road Racing this Saturday, May 6 at New Hampshire International Speedway in the New England Region May National event.

Newly classed by SCCA in Showroom Stock B (SSB) for 2006, a Pontiac Solstice prepared by Phoenix Performance will be driven by 18-year-old amateur phenom Andrew Aquilante.

"Anticipation for this weekend has been building within GM Performance Division since the introduction of the Pontiac Solstice," said Performance Division's resident racing guru John "Heinrocket" Heinricy. "We always felt the Solstice would be a great option for the weekend racer in SSB, and now we finally have the opportunity to prove that theory."

Aquilante is the SCCA 2004 Rookie of the Year and 2005 Philadelphia Region Driver of the Year. He is also the two-time defending Northeast Division Touring 1 (T1) champion for 2004 and 2005 driving a Corvette C5 Z06.

His race-prepared Solstice is one of the first to roll off the line with the Z0K Club Sport regular production order option package. The option is designed for the weekend racer and is currently available to order through any Pontiac dealership.

Developed by GM Performance Division, the Club Sport package features the standard five-speed manual transmission along with antilock brakes (ABS), a limited-slip differential, an improved power steering cooler and a suspension option called FE3. The FE3 suspension will be standard on the recently announced 2007 Pontiac Solstice GXP.

No other options are available when ordering the Club Sport Solstice, but some components and safety equipment must be added to make it track ready, including a racing-only hardtop, racing tires, higher friction brake pads, rollcage, seatbelts, etc. A catback exhaust system (sans muffler) will maximize the power output.

The Pontiac Solstice's primary competition in SSB will be the same competition it faces in the marketplace, which includes such competitors as the Mazda Miata, BMW Z4, Acura RSX and Honda Civic.

"The predominantly Asian competition is well established in SSB, but we know the Pontiac Solstice is up to the challenge," said Heinricy. "The Club Sport option provides racers with a current model GM vehicle built to win in SCCA SSB racing, and winning on the race track helps translate into winning in the marketplace."

[Jaguar D-Type]

The rear-wheel-drive Solstice may be joined by other rear-wheel-drive Pontiacs by the end of the decade. GM might debut a rear-wheel-drive sedan concept in January, 2007 at the Detroit Auto Show.