Certain GM owners will be joining Toyota owners on the recall lines as 1.3 million Chevrolet and Pontiac vehicles have been targeted for recall due to a power steering failure issue that is tied to 14 crashes and 1 injury in the United States. Those vehicles to be recalled include the 2005-2010 Chevrolet Cobalt, 2007-2010 Pontiac G5, the Canadian-sold 2005-2006 Pontiac Pursuit, and the 2005-2006 Pontiac G4, which was sold in Mexico.

The NHTSA was advised by GM on Monday about the recall, after GM concluded an internal investigation that was started in January of 2009. The NHTSA opened its own investigation covering 905,000 Cobalts after receiving 1,100 similar complaints.

GM said that the issue tends to develop over time, and is unlikely to affect those vehicles under warranty. The condition has been noticed to impact those vehicles that have been driven 20,000 to 30,000 miles. It is important to note that even if the power-steering failure occurs, the vehicle can still be controlled safely, as the consumer will still be able to steer the vehicle.

- By: Stephen Calogera

Source: CNNMoney

Despite its being included in the recent Toyota recalls, GM says that the Pontiac Vibe is safe to drive. The 2009-2010 Vibes were included in the recall by virtue of their being the sister vehicle to the Toyota Matrix and having been produced at GM and Toyota’s former joint venture plant in Fremont, California.

GM received no complaints of faulty accelerators before the Toyota recalls, but since the recall they have received several complaints of sticking accelerators, but it is believed that none of the complaints involved a crash or incident.

Both GM and Toyota seem to be trying to pawn responsibility off to the other for the recall, but GM spokesman Alan Adler has said that they believe Toyota to be responsible as they designed, engineered, and manufactured the Vibe. Toyota on the other hand, waives responsibility as they say GM had sourced pedals from CTS to build the Vibe as part of the joint venture.

“We ran the Vibe wide open at 60 miles an hour and the brakes were able to bring the vehicle to a safe stop within 169 meters, consistent with our internal requirement for brake performance.” said Martin Hogan, GM director of brake systems.

However this issue of responsibility is to be settled, GM has said it will communicate with Vibe owners about getting the vehicles fixed at Buick-GMC dealers once Toyota prescribes a fix. Until then, Vibe owners who experience a sticking accelerator should park the car and have it towed to a GM dealer.

Press Release:

GM Tests Show Vibe Brakes Can Stop Unintended Acceleration

General Motors has tested two Pontiac Vibe small SUVs and found the brakes stop the vehicle in case of unintended acceleration.

The 2009-10 Pontiac Vibe, a sister vehicle of the Toyota Matrix, is included in two Toyota recalls related to unintended acceleration, one for sticking accelerator pedals and one for possible floor mat entrapment. The Vibe was designed, engineered and manufactured by Toyota through August 2009 at New United Motor Manufacturing, which was a GM-Toyota joint venture.

“We ran the Vibe wide open at 60 miles an hour and the brakes were able to bring the vehicle to a safe stop within 169 meters, consistent with our internal requirement for brake performance.” said Martin Hogan, GM director of brake systems.

In the rare case of a sticking throttle, a driver should apply the brakes firmly and steadily until you come to a stop. Do not pump the brakes, which can deplete the available vacuum boost from the brake system.

Any customer who experiences any accelerator pedal issue should immediately park the vehicle, and have it towed to their GM dealer for an inspection.

Toyota has identified a repair for the Vibe, which will be serviced by GM dealers. GM and Toyota are sorting out how soon parts will be available. The Vibe braking tests were conducted by GM engineers on Saturday at the Milford Proving Grounds after several customers complained of sticking accelerator pedals following the Toyota recalls involving the Vibe were announced Jan. 21 and 27.

None of the complaints have resulted in a crash or injury.

Prior to the recall announcements, GM had not received any relevant customer complaints in the 2009-2010 Pontiac Vibe. Nor were there any complaints found in a search of U.S. and Canadian databases.

GM will communicate with the approximately 99,000 Vibe owners in the United States and Canada as soon as additional information about the recalls is received from Toyota.

- By: Stephen Calogera

After General Motors decided to kill Oldsmobile in 2004, 80 percent of Oldsmobile drivers have moved onto non-GM brands. Hoping to prevent the situation with Pontiac owners, GM is offering them four free maintenance visits during 2010.

“It’s to keep the relationship with the Buick-GMC dealer,” said Brian Sweeney, general manager of Buick-GMC. “We thought the best way to do that was through service.”

GM mailed out the offer last month to customers who own a 1999 or later Pontiac purchased new or as a certified used vehicle. Sweeney says that that’s about a million people. Buyers can redeem the offer, good for oil changes and tire rotations, at any Buick/GMC dealership in the United States.

- By: Omar Rana

Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required)

According to General Motors’ sales executive, Susan Docherty, a total of 1,712 Saturn and Pontiac vehicles remain in the company’s inventory. Docherty told reporters and analysts that only 796 Pontiacs and 916 Saturn units remain, as compared to 32,000 Saturns and more than 70,000 Pontiacs the company had in May as it filed for Chapter 11.

While GM waits for a successful bid for Saab, it is continuing to wind down the brand. As of right now, 1,235 Saab vehicles remain in inventory. Hummer, which is being sold to a Chinese company, has 2,176 units.

Together, the four brands represented 9 percent of retail sales in December, compared with 15 percent in May 2009.

- By: Omar Rana

Source: AutoObserver

According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, General Motors is offering huge incentives to dealers to speed up the sales of leftover Saturn and Pontiac vehicles on their lots. The move will essentially help GM report stronger December sales.

In a letter to dealers, GM said that it will give $7,000 for every new Saturn or Pontiac on showroom lots that is moved to rental-vehicle or service-vehicle fleets. That will allow the vehicles to be classified as used since the dealers will be the first owner. In turn that will allow dealers to sell Saturns and Pontiacs at a very steep discount, as much as 46 percent of the MSRP.

The offer is valid until Jan. 4, which is the last day of Dec. sales for cars.

- By: Stephen Calogera

Source: Reuters

According to J.D. Power and Associates 2009 Avoider Study, nearly one in five new car shoppers avoid a brand due to their concerns over the future of the company.

J.D. Power and Associates said that the top five brands being avoided by consumers are domestic brands including Chrysler, Dodge, HUMMER, Pontiac and Saturn. The firm said that at the time of the study, GM had announced that Saturn, Pontiac and Hummer will not be part of the new GM. It said that Ford, Lincoln and Mercury had a much lower level of avoidance.

“For some American manufacturers, quality and reliability performance in the past has led to a poor perception among consumers and, ultimately, to overall avoidance of those brands,” said Kerri Wise, director of automotive research at
J.D. Power and Associates. “These perceptions are slow to change among consumers, so domestic brands must continue to focus on quality improvement and make sure their efforts are communicated to consumers.”

The 2009 Avoider Study is based on responses of 45,000 owners who registered a new car in May or June 2009.

Click through for the press release.

Press Release:

J.D. Power and Associates Reports:
Uncertain Future of Brands Dissuades Some New-Vehicle Buyers from Considering Particular Brands

Lack of Awareness and Styling Are Obstacles to Consideration for Many New-Vehicle Launches

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif.: 15 December 2009 – Nearly one in five new-vehicle buyers who avoid a particular vehicle model cite their concern over the future of the brand as a reason for avoidance, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2009 Avoider StudySM released today.

The study, now in its seventh year, examines the reasons consumers fail to consider or avoid particular models when shopping for new vehicles. While the top three avoidance reasons in 2009-styling, price and perceived reliability-remain unchanged from 2008, concern over the future of the brand is the fourth-most-frequently mentioned reason for avoiding a particular model. Included in the study for the first time, this reason was mentioned by 18 percent of avoiders.

Among brands that were avoided due to concerns over their future viability, the top five are domestic brands: Chrysler, Dodge, HUMMER, Pontiac and Saturn. At the time of the study, GM had announced that HUMMER, Pontiac and Saturn would not be part of “New GM,” while Chrysler, along with GM, was in bankruptcy proceedings. Ford, Lincoln and Mercury had much lower levels of avoidance because of concerns over the brands’ futures. This could be largely attributable to the fact that Ford did not enter bankruptcy proceedings or receive government assistance during the auto industry bailout.

“New-vehicle buyers want to know that if anything goes wrong with their vehicle in a year or two that the manufacturer will be there to back up their product,” said Kerri Wise, director of automotive research at
J.D. Power and Associates. “While Chrysler and GM struggled to gain the confidence of some consumers, Ford actually made strides in improving perceptions of its products and reducing year-over-year avoidance in the critical areas of quality and reliability.”

Buyers who avoided a particular brand due to concern about the brand’s future are more likely to also avoid the brand because of reliability, rapid depreciation, the manufacturer’s reputation and poor quality, when compared with avoiders who did not express concern with a brand’s future.

The uncertain economic outlook has also negatively impacted avoidance rates for import brands. Although imports have increased 2009 year-to-date market share by 3 percentage points, compared with 2008, a “Buy American” sentiment has grown from 2008 among domestic buyers who avoid imports. In 2009, nearly six in 10 domestic buyers who avoided an import model cite they “didn’t want a foreign/import vehicle” as a reason for avoidance-compared with 46 percent in 2008.

“Several import models are actually produced in the U.S. but are still avoided due to foreign origin,” said Wise. “To combat this growing sentiment against import vehicles, import brands that produce vehicles in the U.S. must continue to promote and emphasize their domestic ties, as well as other product advantages.”

The study, which also examines the performance of 19 all-new models, finds that one of the biggest obstacles to consideration for all-new model launches is a lack of awareness among consumers. While launches such as the Chevrolet Camaro and Dodge Challenger have high levels of awareness, due to both their past generations and consumer buzz over the new releases, some new vehicles do not have high awareness among consumers.

“Creating awareness and an identity in the crowded automotive market takes both time and money,” said Wise. “A new-vehicle buyer who purchases in a segment in which an all-new model competes and doesn’t even know that the new model exists presents an obvious concern for future sales of that model.”

Styling is also a critical element of consideration for all-new model launches. The study finds that the Audi Q5, Dodge Challenger, Kia Soul and Pontiac G3 are “universally desired,” meaning that buyers are driven to purchase them due to styling and avoiders are not turned off by the styling. On the other hand, some models appear to be polarizing when it comes to styling, including models such as the Ford Flex and Nissan Cube. While buyers of these models are influenced to purchase due to styling, this same styling causes many consumers to avoid these models.

“Many manufacturers would like their vehicles to be universally appealing, but ‘love it or hate it’ models have the potential to create just as much buzz and move as quickly off the lot,” said Wise. “It is important for launch models to hit the mark when it comes to styling, as a hot model launch may be a game changer for a brand overall.”

The 2009 Avoider Study is based on responses from nearly 45,000 owners who registered a new vehicle in May or June 2009. The study was fielded August through October 2009.

- By: Stephen Calogera

General Motors built the last Pontiac for the U.S. market on Wednesday, reports The Detroit News. The white Pontiac G6 sedan rolled off the assembly line around 12:45 p.m and there was no celebration, GM officials or media on hand. The only people allowed in the facility were a group of “final process” workers to oversee the last 100 G6 models assembled.

Some workers stopped to pose for photos as the last units made their way down the assembly line, turning out to be a subdued goodbye for the 82-year-old Pontiac that debuted in 1926 at the New York Auto Show.

General Motors announced in April that it would kill the Pontiac brand as part of a bailout funded by the U.S. government.

- By: Kap Shah

Source: Detroit News

If you’re someone looking to get into a Pontiac before General Motors shuts the brand down, you better act fast. Tweeting at its Twitter account, Pontiac today listed the number of units for each model left in its dealer inventory.

Here is the list as it stands today:

Pontiac G8 GXP: 16
Pontiac G8 GT: 570
Pontiac G5: 1500
Pontiac Torrent: 400
Pontiac Solstice Coupe: 139
Pontiac Solstice Coupe GXP: 160
Pontiac Vibe: 350
Pontiac G6 GXP: 530

Check out our review of the 2009 Pontiac G8 GXP here.

Reviewed: 2009 Pontiac G8 GXP:

- By: Omar Rana

All Photos Copyright ©2009 Omar Rana – egmCarTech.

Source: Twitter

Just last week we introduced you to the Lingenfelter 455 T/A Concept, a car that will make its world debut at the 2009 SEMA Show later this week. We now have our first real look at the car before its official SEMA debut thanks to CARandDRIVER.

Besides the new redesign and the 20-inch honeycomb wheels, the Lingenfelter 455 T/A Concept gets a 455-cubic-inch V8 that helps pump out 655-hp with a maximum torque of 610 lb-ft.

Other modifications include:

- Corsa custom stainless exhaust
- Lingenfelter 6 bolt LS9 twin disk flywheel and clutch assembly
- Heavy duty driveshaft
- Nitto tires
- Custom classic interior
- Custom 71 Trans Am inspired exterior

Head over to CARandDRIVER for more pictures.

- By: Kap Shah

We absolutely love the new 2010 Chevrolet Camaro and we respect the old Pontiac Trans Am as a true American sports car. However, you will never catch us transforming a perfectly good 2010 Camaro to pay tribute to the Pontiac Trans Am. Well, Lingenfelter seems to disagree.

At the 2009 SEMA Show next week, Lingenfelter will show its new 2010 Camaro LTA, which will have an exterior and interior theme of the Pontiac Trans Am.

This Lingenfelter Camaro LTA car features:
– Custom RHS aluminum engine block
- 455 cubic inch displacement
- 655 hp / 610 lb-ft tq
- Corsa custom stainless exhaust
- Lingenfelter 6 bolt LS9 twin disk flywheel and clutch assembly
- Heavy duty driveshaft
- Custom honeycomb wheels — 20×10F / 20×11R
- Nitto tires
- Custom classic interior
- Custom 71 Trans Am inspired exterior

2010 Lingenfelter Camaro LTA:

- By: Omar Rana

With the death of Pontiac and now Saturn, GM’s rear-wheel-drive based Kappa-platform has been left to die – until now. According to our friends at Jalopnik, DeLorean Motor Company is planning on using the Kappa-platform for its upcoming car.

“JZD always said that the best memories of his automotive career were at Pontiac, and that connection between JZD and Pontiac is probably one of the better known associations among car enthusiasts,” said James Espey, Vice President of the DeLorean Motor Company.

The company has released drawings of a new model based on the Pontiac Solstice GXP Coupe. The move could put several hundred people back to work at the Wilmington plant.

Check out our review of the 2009 Pontiac Solstice GXP Coupe.

- By: Omar Rana

Source: Jalopnik

Chevy plans to announce this Monday that it will be offering a new model for police use, likely to be based on the Pontiac G8. Chevy will outline their strategy to convention of police chiefs in Denver, Colorado, said the division in an e-mail today.

According to Automotive News, GM CEO Fritz Henderson told an Australian newspaper that the automaker is working on car for American cops, based of a Holden vehicle. “We’ve been working on a package for (U.S.) police applications. I think that’s going to work,” Henderson told The Sydney Morning Herald. “We’re pretty optimistic about it.”, reports Automotive News.

With GM set to drop Pontiac from its lineup, a spokesman from Chevrolet declined to acknowledge whether or not the G8 is the car in question.

GM also denied a story five months ago that they were considering rebadging the G8 as the Caprice and marketing it to police agencies. In July however, a GM source said the G8 would be rebadged and positioned as a pricier sedan above the Impala, but Vice Chairman Bob Lutz bloged a week later that the plan was dead.

“The G8 will not be a Caprice after all,” Lutz wrote. “Upon further review and careful study, we simply cannot make a business case for such a program. Not in today’s market, in this economy, and with fuel regulations what they are and will be.”

Check out our review of the 2009 Pontiac G8 GXP.

Stay tuned to find out what happens.

Reviewed: 2009 Pontiac G8 GXP:

- By: Stephen Calogera

All Photos Copyright ©2009 Omar Rana – egmCarTech.

While we’re still mourning the death of the Pontiac G8 sedan, Holden has launched two special edition models of the Commodore, which the G8 was based on. The two models, based on the SS V-Series Special Edition sedan, Sportwagon and Ute, get styling treatments that are reminiscent of our beloved Pontiac G8.

The models ditch the original Australian style grille in favor of the two-part grille as seen on the Pontiac G8. Basically, the special edition models are a Pontiac G8 without the Pontiac badge.

Check out our review of the 2009 Pontiac G8 GXP here.

Click through to learn more in the press release posted after the jump.

Holden VE Commodore SS V-Series Special Edition:

Press Release:

Holden to Launch Two New Special Editions

Holden will hit the streets with two new special edition models delivering very different approaches to Australia’s best-selling car range.

The SS V-Series Special Edition sedan, Sportwagon and Ute will achieve immediate attention with styling treatments even more aggressive than Holden’s established performance hero models.

For motorists seeking great value, International sedan and Sportwagon models will deliver $7,500 of extra features (based on recommended retail price of extra features) including leather seat trim and 18 inch alloy wheels.

Holden Director of Marketing Philip Brook said the two offerings highlighted the different ways in which Holden special editions stimulated demand in Australia’s best-selling range.

“These vehicles cater to motorists at both ends of the Commodore-buying spectrum – those looking for great value and those looking for striking performance looks,” Brook said.

“SS V-Series has always been about sports performance and ultimate road presence. Now we’ve dialled it up even further.

“The International edition is even better value when you combine extra features with the advanced 3.0 litre direct injection engine and 6-speed automatic transmission.”

SS V-Series Special Edition Sedan, Sportwagon and Ute

The SS V-Series Special Edition will boast a new aggressive twin nostril front fascia with unique lower splitter and twin letter-box hood scoops. The sedan variant will feature a decklid spoiler and chrome highlights.

On sale from November, the SS V-Series Special Edition will be available in three colours – Phantom black, Red Hot and Voodoo blue.

The Recommended Retail Prices (RRP), not including dealer delivery or Government charges, for the three SS V-Series Special Edition packs are carryover from the standard SS V-Series models and are as follows:

- VE Ute SS V-Series Special Edition (man) $47,490 RRP
- VE Commodore sedan SS V-Series Special Edition (man) $55,290 RRP
- VE Sportwagon SS V-Series Special Edition (man) $57,290 RRP
- Six-speed automatic transmission +$2,000 RRP

The SS V-Series Special Edition Ute will make its debut at this year’s Deni Ute Muster which starts on Friday 2 October.

“Holden has sponsored the Deni Ute Muster for 11 consecutive years and its popularity continues to grow,” Brook said.

“The event that attracts the country’s most passionate Ute enthusiasts is the perfect place to launch this special edition Ute.”

Special Edition International Sedan and Sportwagon

The new International offers an impressive level of standard features, five star safety and the performance and refinement of the all new 3.0 litre Spark Ignition Direct Injection V6 engine and six-speed automatic transmission. The new powertrain offers fuel efficiency that is better than some major four cylinder competitors.

In addition to Omega, the Special Edition Commodore International includes:

- 18 inch alloy wheels (4)
- Berlina front grille
- Leather appointed seat trim
- Leather wrapped steering wheel
- Bluetooth for compatible mobile phones
- International badge
- Chrome decklid eyebrow moulding (sedan only)
- Rear Park Assist (sedan only as already standard on all Sportwagon models)

On Sale from November, the driveaway pricing for the two International packs is as follows:

- VE Commodore International Sedan (auto) $35,990 driveaway
- VE Commodore International Sportwagon (auto) $37,990 driveaway
- Metallic paint $500

A 3.6 litre dual fuel LPG Alloytec V6 engine with four-speed automatic transmission is available on Commodore International sedan only.

- By: Stephen Calogera

It seems like General Motors CEO can’t keep up with all the questions pouring in from his “Tell Fritz” website, so our main man Maximum Bob Lutz decided to step in. Bob Lutz answers questions about what we can expect from GM advertising, how the automaker plans to attract the younger audience to Buick, why GM is keeping GMC around and whether or not Pontiac is really dead forever.

So, without any further ado, here is Bob Lutz…

Click through to watch the videos.

What cane we expect from GM marketing, advertising and communications going forward?

The new Buick LaCrosse looks great, but how are you going to convince younger audience to give the car – and the brand – a chance?

Chevy and GMC seem to have an awful lot of product overlap, so why keep GMC around?

Is Pontiac really dead…forever? Any chance of Pontiac coming back?

- By: Omar Rana

The Pontiac G8 is one car that many keep hoping will see resurrection. At first, there were rumors that the much-loved G8 my be revived as a Chevrolet Caprice. General Motors’ Bob Lutz even confirmed that the Detroit automaker will go ahead with a Chevrolet based on the Pontiac G8, only to disappoint us later saying that the company can’t make a business case for it.

Yesterday, during a live chat session on GM FastLane Blog, Buick/GMC manager Susan Docherty was asked whether the Buick Grand National could be revived based on the Pontiac G8.

“The G8 won’t become the Buick Grand National,” said Docherty. Furthermore, she confirmed that there will be no Buick Coupe and no return of Pontiac.

Check out our review on the 2009 Pontiac G8 GXP.

“There continues to be lots of questions about a Buick coupe and even specific questions about a Riviera for Buick’s future,” she said. “We don’t have any plans in the short term, however, we’ll continue to evaluate what would be best for Buick. We have had great response for the Riviera concept revealed in Bejing.”

Docherty said that Buick plans to introduce two more sedans, one will be mid-sized and the other will be compact.

However, she did say that the brand is “keeping our fingers crossed on a future Buick Riviera — it would be a nice addition.”

- By: Omar Rana

Source: Inside Line

During a live chat on GM’s FastLane Blog, general manager of Buick and GMC Susan Docherty said that the company will convert 3,000 dealerships that sold Buick, Pontiac and GMC brands into 2,000 Buick/GMC duals by October 2010.

“All our franchise agreements will be renewed then, and we’ll only offer one contract: a dual Buick-GMC,” Docherty said.

According to a report by Automotive News, there will be no stand-alone Buick or GMC dealerships after that.

Docherty said that GM is getting rid of discontinued Pontiacs faster than it expected. By tomorrow, GM expects to have only 16,000 to 17,000 units left.

- By: Stephen Calogera

It’s true – less than a year since production commenced on the 2009 Pontiac Solstice Coupe, it has ceased. July 29, 2009 marked the last day of production for General Motors Company’s Boxwood plant in Delaware, which is responsible for making GM’s Kappa-platform, the Pontiac Solstice, Saturn Sky and the recently introduced 2009 Pontiac Solstice Coupe.

The hard-top Solstice Coupe took the 2008 New York Auto Show by storm. The more aggressive and sleeker looking targa-top fastback offers up an alternative for those who aren’t always looking for fun in the sun, but alas, as the rest of the Pontiac faces extinction, so does the Solstice.

“To me, it’s not a celebration,” said James Graves, a 29-year veteran of GM’s Boxwood plant. “It’s a sad day. It’s like a funeral.”

Click through to read more and to view the high-res image gallery.

Reviewed: 2009 Pontiac Solstice Coupe GXP:

2009 Pontiac Solstice Coupe GXP Specifications:

Base Price: $30,375
Price as Tested: $33,140
Engine: 2.0L turbocharged 4-cylinder Ecotec – 260-hp/260 lb-ft of torque.
Transmission: 5-Speed manual
Curb Weight: 3018 lbs
0 to 60 mph: 5.5 seconds
Fuel-Economy: 19/28 mpg city/highway

Exterior:

“The new Solstice coupe has all the design cues and pleasing performance of the original roadster, and is an all-season alternative for people who enjoy open-air driving,” said Susan Docherty, vice president of Buick-Pontiac-GMC.

There is no doubt that the 2009 Pontiac Solstice Coupe looks outstanding. Put it on the road next to any other coupe or sportback, and it is sure to attract the lion’s share of the attention. However, despite the dramatic new look, GM says that engineers made minor changes to create a hard-top version of the Solstice. The model features a fixed roof aft the B-piller, complete with side windows and a rear lift-glass providing easy access to the storage compartment behind the seat. The sloping roofline provides the look of a classic fastback, as it runs from the front of the roof and merges with the ever fashionable ducktail style rear spoiler.

The roof, which weighs 31 pounds, can be removed easily by one person – or so GM says. I personally had trouble taking the roof off myself, and not because I’m weak. It was because it is just too big for one person to take off without fear of damaging it. A soft roof-cover is available as an added option though, just in case you get caught with your top down on a rainy day. Gm Accessories also sells a storage case for the removable roof.

Interior:

Not much differs between the Coupe and the Roadster. However, GM did do a little redesigning though in the area behind the seats, providing easy access to the cargo area. It also seems that GM’s engineers couldn’t find place for a cupholder, so they haphazardly placed them behind the headrests.

Interior options include AM/FM and CD stereo with six speakers, an enhanced sound system with an MP3-compatible stereo and an iPod jack, XM Satellite Radio and of course, OnStar.

Our 2009 Pontiac Solstice GXP included a two-way power driver seat height adjuster, racing-inspired sport bucket seats with GXP stitching, a leather-wrapped manual shift knob, an adjustable steering wheel, and a rear window defogger. Oh, and while we’re talking about the rear-window, there is a huge issue with rear-visibility, or the lack there of.

Performance:

Based on GM’s Kappa-platform, the rear-wheel-drive 260-hp 2009 Pontiac Solstice Coupe GXP goes from 0 to 60 mph in about 5.5 seconds; pretty impressive for its class. The rough 5 speed manual transmission and subpar handling detract from the experience in a big way though.

Our test vehicle, the 2009 Pontiac Solstice Coupe GXP, was powered by a 2.0L turbocharged Ecotec that produces 260-hp and a peak torque of 260 lb-ft. Now, when you look at GM’s list of key competitors you might begin to wonder why you would spend $30,375 on this car.

GM says that the base model Solstice targets the Mazda MX-5 Miata and its retractable hardtop, while the Solstice Coupe GXP targets the Nissan 370Z. Why anyone would opt to spend a single dollar on the Solstice when they can pick up a 332-hp 2009 370Z for just over $29,000 is beyond us.

Overall:

So should you be glad the 2009 Pontiac Solstice Coupe is now dead? Well, it all depends on how much you love Pontiac and American cars, because if we had $30,375 to spend on a brand new car, we’d be heading into the Nissan dealership right about now.

Reviewed: 2009 Pontiac Solstice Coupe GXP:

- By: Omar Rana

All Photos Copyright ©2009 Omar Rana – egmCarTech.

By now we shouldn’t even be doing introductions to our Miscellaneous Thoughts posts (believe us we’re not close to wrapping up this day right now, but it’s time for a little break).

2009 Pontiac Solstice Coupe GXP: After a week of driving, we are slowly starting to fall for the 260-hp little bugger. There may be things that make you think twice about dropping more than $33,000 for the GXP variant of the Solstice Coupe – but it’s definitely a vehicle to consider if you’re shopping in this segment (especially if you have a buy-American motto). Check out this recent pic of that we took of the hood popped up.

Iacocca Ford Mustang commercial flies you to the moon: The new commercial for Iacocca’s Silver 45th Anniversary Edition Ford Mustang features a wonderful piece by none other than Frank Sinatra. Based on the 2009 Ford Mustang, two engine options will be offered: a normally-aspirated 4.6L V8 making 320-hp and a supercharged version pumping out 400-hp.  - Motor Trend

- By: Kap Shah