Do we see just a wee bit of the original Viper GTS Coupe in the picture above? Hmmm…just might be, considering the man who championed that Dodge offering is today the "car czar" at General Motors. And from the moment the original Pontiac Solstice Roadster Concept made its debut at the Detroit auto show until today, GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz has personally steered it through every obstacle in its path.
The Solstice Roadster has proven one of the few real success stories in the Pontiac line-up, in recent years. And with the demise of the largely forgettable GTO remake, the little two-seater is about the only product to justify that old tagline, "We build excitement."
There was certainly a lot of excitement when the hardtop show car made its debut, and now, at the 2009 New York Auto Show, its finally making it into production.
With its removable roof panels, the 2009 Pontiac Solstice Coupe will offer much of the fresh air fun of the roadster, but it can also button down for cold weather driving, perhaps even a full Winter in Detroit, should a buyer be willing to pop for the right tires.
The overall look retains the striking, cab rearward look of the roadster, but the Solstice Coupe gets an aggressive new side profile, that makes it look a little more muscular, at least in our eyes, and less of a weekend boy toy.
Look for the 2009 Pontiac Solstice Coupe to roll into showrooms sometime early next year.
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