Pontiac Sets 350Z and Boxster In Its Sights With Turbocharged 260 hp Solstice GXP

The Pontiac Solstice is undoubtedly one of the hottest cars for 2006.

GM lights a fire under the Solstice, creating the ultra-quick Solstice GXP. (Photo: General Motors of Canada)

Click onto any number of websites and you'll find message boards lined with praise and desire for this attractive little roadster. Outside of the virtual world it's causing quite a stir too, selling 1,000 units in just 41 minutes at its 2002 debut, and it has even taken up a role in the season finale of a popular reality TV series featuring The Donald.

On the road, it's quite the performer too. Initial tests have shown it to be a light, quick and nimble handler, all of which complements its deliciously good looks. How could it go wrong? After all, it incorporates all the right classic roadster ingredients.

The Solstice has obviously been noticed by the competition too: so good is this

In GXP trim, Pontiac hopes to go chase 350Zs, S2000s and other hot roadsters. (Photo: General Motors of Canada)

car that Mazda recently downgraded the North American marketplace as being its number-one sales market for the third-generation MX-5 - the little Pontiac two-seater's arch-nemesis.

For 2007, General Motors will be adding something to the Solstice that should make owners of the racy Mazdaspeed Miata sit up and take notice, and it isn't just a new body colour or the option of a hard top. Rather, Pontiac has decided to kick the Solstice into high gear by offering it in GXP guise, giving it the performance credentials to make it a serious threat against the BMW Z4, Honda S2000, Nissan 350Z, and even the Porsche Boxster.

So, what does it take to make the tiny Solstice into something that

the new turbocharged 2.0L by far the most powerful Ecotec motor currently in production, generating an estimated 260 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque. (Photo: General Motors of Canada)

will embarrass big-dollar sports cars? GM's solution is different than the usual, 'no replacement for displacement' answer, as it would throw the Solstice's weight distribution and handling characteristics off. Instead, power for the GXP comes from an all-new 2.0-litre Ecotec four-cylinder that's been turbochaged, not unlike Chevy's new Cobalt SS and Saturn's ION Quad Coupe Red Line - at least in principle. This is by far the most powerful Ecotec motor currently in production, mind you, generating an estimated 260 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. Do the (very) simple math, and that's a supercar-rivaling 130 horsepower per litre, giving it the highest specific capacity of any motor GM has ever created.

The new Ecotec engine is one of GM's most advanced to date, featuring adual-scroll turbo, direct injection and variable valve timing withcamshaft phasing. Wow! (Photo: General Motors of Canada)

The inner workings of the Solstice GXP's engine are truly impressive - this is one very advanced powerplant, words you normally wouldn't hear describing your average GM mill. The engine found in the Solstice GXP is a second generation Ecotec motor, which has evolved from the remarkable range that includes the 240 hp 2.0 litre turbo in the Opel Astra OPC/VXR, the supercharged Ecotec in the Cobalt SS Supercharged/ION Red Line, and the naturally aspirated 2.2 and 2.4 litre engines in various other products.

For starters, the engine receives variable valve timing with dual camshaft phasing to improve efficiency and peak performance. But this is nothing new, and is technology that's already in use on GM's 3.9 litre V6 and the first-gen Ecotec motor series. The big step forward comes from the introduction of SIDI, Spark Ignition Direct Injection, making this GM's first North American powerplant with direct injection.

Like VW and Audi's FSI, and nearly all modern common-rail diesels,

Only 5.5 seconds to spare? That's all the time needed for the Solstice GXP to get you to 100 km/h. (Photo: General Motors of Canada)

SIDI benefits the engine by turning highly pressurized gasoline into a fine mist, which is then directly injected into the combustion chamber. In a super-fine, atomized state, less fuel is needed to cause ignition, allowing it to safely run lean, which makes it more efficient than regular engines. The Solstice GXP is EPA rated at 11.8 L/100 km city (20 mpg) and 8.7 L/100 km highway (27 mpg), impressive for a sports car with such a superb performance potential.

While SIDI and VVT help to boost power, the magical number of 260 was reached mainly by the engine's turbocharging system. Traditionally, it took a turbocharger the size of a watermelon to make the 20 psi (1.25 bar) of boost the GXP has, but these kinds of turbos are avoided because of their lag. Instead, the engine employs a lightweight, twin-scroll system that spools very quickly, and is allied to an air-to-air intercooler to make throttle response instantaneous.

Solstice equipment levels go up with GXP including StabiliTrak, ABS, power windows, mirrors and keyless entry. (Photo: General Motors of Canada)

With the new engine under the hood, revised springs and dampers at all four corners, a limited slip differential at its tail, and StabiliTrak stability control keeping watch, Pontiac has made a tiger out of the 'cute' little Solstice. Mated to either a close-ratio five-speed manual or a five-speed automatic, GM claims that the Solstice GXP can reach 100 km/h in under 5.5 seconds. Top speed has yet to be disclosed, but it should be at least 230 km/h (143 mph), or more. Completing the package are subtle new front and rear fascias, 18-inch wheels, and chromed exhaust tips, on the exterior, plus red interior trim stitching and GXP gauges added to the instrument cluster, inside.

Aside from boosting its performance potential, the Solstice GXP features

If the performance weren't impressive enough, the price tag shouldhelp: the GXP should be a mere $5-6,000 on top of the base Solstice.(Photo: General Motors of Canada)

a much healthier standard equipment list. It features power windows, mirrors and keyless entry, a multi-function leather-wrapped steering wheel, ABS brakes, and a digital information system as standard. Leather trimmed seats, chrome wheels, metal pedals and XM Satellite radio round out the options list.

With a base price of $25,695, the regular Solstice is a terrific deal, but the GXP, on the other hand, looks to be the performance bargain of the century. While GM is tight-lipped on its pricing, the GXP package is expected to ring in at around $5,000 to $6,000 over the naturally aspirated variant, and will be available in dealerships across the nation starting fall, 2006. This means that going 'round corners in a drop top that is capable of besting most seriously expensive sports cars doesn't require a fat wallet, making the Solstice GXP something that performance enthusiasts everywhere can truly get excited about.


Specifications (Solstice GXP):

• Base Price (est. MSRP): $32,000
• Body Type: 2-door roadster
• Layout: Front engine, RWD
• Engine (est): 260 hp, 260 lb-ft, 2.0L, DOHC 16-valve I-4 turbo
• Transmission: 5-spd manual
• Opt. Trans: 5-spd auto
• Brakes (front/rear): disc/disc, ABS, EBD
• Dimensions (L/W/H/WB): 3992/1810/1273/2415 mm (157.2/71.3/50.1/95.1 in.)
• Curb Weight: 1337 kg (2948 lbs)
• Tires: 245/45R18
• Trunk (roof up): 107.6 L (3.8 cu ft)
• Fuel Economy (city/hwy): 11.8 / 8.7 L/100 km (20 / 27 mpg)
• Competitors: Audi TT 250, BMW Z4 3.0si, Chrysler Crossfire, Honda S2000, Mercedes-Benz SLK 350, Nissan 350Z, Porsche Boxster
• Website:www.gmcanada.com