General Motors · 2005–2009

Saturn Sky

The Pontiac Solstice is a two-passenger, front engine, convertible roadster manufactured and marketed by Pontiac from 2005 to 2010, initially powered by a naturally aspirated 2.4 L I4 engine, producing 177 hp (132 kW) and 166 lb⋅ft (225 N⋅m) of torque.. Introduced at the 2004 North American International Auto Show, production began in Wilmington, Delaware, starting in mid-2005 for the model year 2006. The exterior styling of the production Solstice recalls its predecessor, the 2002 Solstice concept. Production was to commence before summer 2005, but delays at the Wilmington plant pushed volume production to the fourth quarter. A hardtop targa top was announced in mid-2008 for model year 2009. The Solstice uses the GM Kappa platform, shared with the Saturn Sky, Opel GT, and Daewoo G2X. It was the brand's first two-seater since the Pontiac Fiero, discontinued in 1988.

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History

=== Pontiac Solstice concept === Pontiac presented the Solstice in 2002, first as a concept. Initially, it was to be equipped with a 2.2L Ecotec I4 paired with a supercharger for an output of 240 horsepower (180 kW), as well as a Corvette Borg-Warner 6-speed. It was compared to the Dodge Viper and Plymouth Prowler for its retro styling, a choice encouraged by Bob Lutz having "empowered designers to take the lead, prioritizing their vision over that of engineers, analysts, and economists" in regards to the Solstice's styling. Post-concept Solstice. GM's Vice Chairman Bob Lutz provided the spark for the Solstice, allocating resources to develop the General Motors Kappa platform in hopes of creating an affordable sports car, with a target price tag of $20,000. In 2005, the Solstice entered production "at a rate of just seven cars per hour in mid-2005" in Wilmington, Delaware's GM production facility despite plans to close the facility the year prior. On release, the Solstice received more attention than anticipated, leaving GM with 7000 cars projected for production in 2005 and 13,000 orders placed. The Solstice was a finalist for the North American Car of the Year award in 2006 and had multiple successes in motorsport, especially SCCA. Model Year updates. Model Year 2006: Debuted with a naturally aspirated 2.4-liter 4-cylinder Ecotec engine making 177 horsepower and 166 lb-ft of torque.Transmissions: Offered with a 5-speed manual or 5-speed automatic.Features: Standard 18-inch wheels; antilock brakes (ABS) and electronic stability control were optional.Club Sport: A rare Z0K Club Sport package was made available for SCCA grassroots racing, adding a stiffer suspension, larger brakes, and a limited-slip differential without extra creature comforts. Model Year 2007: GXP Trim

Saturn Sky

The Saturn Sky was Saturn's rebadge of the Solstice, and was initially released in the first quarter of 2006 as a 2007 model. It uses the Kappa automobile platform alongside the Solstice. The Sky concept was shown at the 2005 North American International Auto Show, with the production version following at the 2006 show. It was built at GM's Wilmington Assembly plant in Wilmington, Delaware, alongside the Solstice. The Sky featured 18-inch wheels and a 2.4 L (146 cu in) Ecotec LE5 inline-four engine with direct injection and variable valve timing that produced 177 hp (132 kW), a new 2.0-liter turbocharged direct injected inline-four engine also featuring VVT that made 260 hp (194 kW) and 260 lb⋅ft (353 N⋅m). An optional dealer-installed MAP sensor and ECM flash upgrade kit was also available for the Red Line model from 2008 onwards. Both five-speed manual and automatic transmissions were available. The styling for the Sky, penned by Franz von Holzhausen, was based on the Opel VX Lightning concept car's design. It was available in some European markets as the Opel GT, which acted as a follow-up to the Opel Speedster, but was not released in the British market like the Speedster, as it was not intended to be right-hand drive from factory. A rebadged version named the Daewoo G2X was unveiled as a concept vehicle for the South Korean market in 2006, then released for sale in September 2007. The price of the G2X was nearly double the price of the Sky and Solstice as sold in the United States, likely due to tariffs and cost of shipping from the Wilmington plant. The Wilmington Assembly plant closed in July 2009, ending production as both the Pontiac and Saturn nameplates were retired. 2007 Saturn Sky (base model) specifications: 0–60 mph (97 km/h): 6.9 seconds 0–100 mph (161

Differences between the Solstice and the Sky

=== Interior === Whereas the Solstice's interior created a cluster of functions in a rightwards motion stemming from the steering wheel, the Sky's interior favored a more thinly-spread, traditional layout of buttons placed all across the vehicle. The Sky featured one fewer hand-hold than the Solstice, instead placing the vehicle's electrical socket nearby the lost appendage. The vehicles had differing shifters, gauges, air vents, power window/mirror/lock control placements, and different placements of the passenger airbag notifier in addition to the dissimilar button placements. The Sky was marketed as being more luxurious than the Solstice, offering power windows, traction control, cruise control, keyless entry, leather steering wheel wrap, fog lights, StabiliTrak, and a limited-slip differential as standard equipment — all optional on the Solstice. Conversely, the Solstice was "perceived to be generally more sleek than its Saturn counterpart, with a sportier feel that put more emphasis on performance." Exterior. Both the Solstice and the Sky shared their platform, engine, and transmission, as well as numerous other parts from other General Motors models. The Saturn Sky exhibited slightly different badge positioning and nomenclature to the Solstice, opting for no front quarter panel badging (which was atypical for the brand at the time of the vehicle's release, though more common in later vehicles), a badge mounted to the front fascia, rear badges reading "SKY" and "TURBO" with no mention of the brand's name, only the Red Line badge preceding "SKY" on the left and the Saturn badge in the center beneath the third brake light.The optional spoilers for both were mounted and shaped unlike one another, with the Sky's being called "subtle" and "projecting a more refined and

Technology

The sharing of technology and various components is a common practice among automakers, resulting in reduced parts costs. The Solstice shares major components with nearly every GM division: The rear axle and differential are from the Sigma-based Cadillac CTS The passenger side front airbag, steering column, and exterior and interior door handles are from the Chevrolet Cobalt The reverse light assembly is from the GMC Envoy The heating, ventilating, and air conditioning modules are from the Hummer H3 The front fog lamp assembly is from the Pontiac Grand Prix Steering components, such as the wheel and column, also featured in the Pontiac G5, Chevrolet Corvette, and Chevrolet Cobalt The 2.4 L Ecotec engine is shared with the Pontiac G6, Chevrolet Cobalt, Chevrolet Malibu, and Chevrolet HHR The five-speed manual transmission is the same as in the Hummer H3, GMC Canyon, and Chevrolet Colorado The five-speed automatic is identical to those of the Cadillac CTS, STS, and SRX

Other models

=== Daewoo G2X === Daewoo had already shown a version of the Opel Speedster called the Daewoo Speedster, but this remained a one-off. In 2006, they showed a show car called the Daewoo G2X; simply a rebadge of the Saturn Sky. In September 2007 it was available for Purchase in the South Korean market. Some sources would erroneously claim the G2X featured a V4 engine configuration, which is untrue, as the G2X came with the same LNF engine as the Pontiac Solstice GXP, Saturn Sky Red Line, and Opel GT. It remained on sale until early 2009 and 179 examples were delivered in total. Similarly to the Opel GT, the South Korean G2X was only offered with the turbocharged 264 PS (194 kW) LNF engine from the Sky Red Line, combined with the five-speed automatic transmission. Carbon Flash Special Edition Saturn Sky. For the 2008 model year, GM offered the Carbon Flash Special Edition Saturn Sky. Unlike the two Limited Edition models launched later in 2009, its production was slightly higher at 550 units. The Carbon Flash Special Edition featured a unique metallic Carbon Flash paint color, removable silver racing stripe standard, and Monsoon premium audio standard. The largest differentiator, however, is Carbon Flash Edition's silver inserts in the interior seating and steering wheel that provide a black-on-silver appearance. Ruby Red Special Edition and Hydro Blue Limited Edition. For the 2009 model year, GM launched two limited-edition Saturn Sky roadsters jointly; Ruby Red Special Edition and Hydro Blue Limited Edition. Both are VIN-coded and some blue books track it as a limited-edition vehicle. All limited editions featured Monsoon premium stereos. The Ruby Red Edition featured the Ruby Red color and a unique, removable carbon racing stripe that was exclusive to the 500 Sky units p

Concepts

=== Weekend Club Racer concept === Built by GM Performance Division, this special Solstice features a removable hardtop, an aggressive body kit, and an oversized spoiler. It featured a turbo I4 engine rated at 325 hp (242 kW), 18-inch wheels with Goodyear Eagle F1 255/45ZR18 tires, a cat-back performance exhaust system, a T-2 race suspension package, and larger diameter disc brakes. The car was unveiled at the 2005 SEMA Show. This vehicle is featured as Jazz in the 2007 film Transformers. GXP-R concept. The GXP-R concept is a modified GXP with an engine rated 300 hp (224 kW) and 315 lb⋅ft (427 N⋅m) of torque. It includes an SSBC Performance Brake Package and 19-inch x 8.5-inch wheels with Goodyear Eagle F1 245/40ZR19 tires. The car was unveiled at the 2006 SEMA Show. SD-290 race concept. The SD-290 race concept is a single-seat Solstice GXP with engine rated 290 hp (216 kW). Weight is reduced by installing driver-side only windscreen and elimination of door glass/hardware, convertible top/hardware, HVAC system and wiper system. It includes Solo Performance cat-back exhaust system, KW Automotive coil-over suspension package, 6-piston aluminum calipers with 13-inch (330 mm) rotors from Stainless Steel Brake Company, forged 19-inch wheels with Hoosier R6 racing tire, rear spoiler, removable racing-style steering wheel, racing seat with four-point safety harness, chrome fire extinguisher, Pegasus center console gauge package, and a driver's roll bar. The car was unveiled at the 2006 SEMA Show. Solstice GXP Coupe concept. The Solstice GXP Coupe concept is based on the GXP coupe. It is equipped with a GM Performance Parts Stage 2 performance kit and a performance air intake kit, which boosts engine power to about 290 hp (216 kW). The car also includes a GM Performance Parts

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Specifications

name: Pontiac Solstice
Manufacturer: General Motors
Production: 2005–2009, 65,724 produced
Model years: 2006–2010
Assembly: United States: Wilmington, Delaware (Wilmington Assembly)
Class: Sports car
Layout: Front mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive
Platform: GM Kappa platform
Predecessor: Pontiac Fiero
Body style: 2-door roadster, 2-door targa coupe
Wheelbase: 95.1 in
Length: 157.2 in
Width: 71.4 in
Height: 50.2 in, 50.9 in (coupe)
Kerb weight: 2860 lb (Base), 2976 lb (GXP)
Engine: 2.4 L Ecotec LE5 I4 (gasoline), 2.0 L Ecotec LNF turbo I4 (gasoline)
Transmission: 5-speed Aisin AR5 manual, 5-speed 5L40-E automatic
Related: Saturn Sky, Opel GT, Daewoo G2X
Designer: Franz von Holzhausen (2001), Vicki Vlachakis, Wayne Cherry