Of course, roadsters have their limitations, the obvious one being the lack of storage space. Oh yes, it's all fun and games until you need to do the weekly grocery shop, or you want to take off on that two week motoring holiday!
Problem solved....Because GM's gone and put a lid on it!!!
Now typically, (at least in my books), that means the death knell for any vehicle. After all, rack your brains and try to think of a single car that didn't look better with the roof chopped off. No, somehow, whenever a company decides to convert a roadster into a hardtop, it tends to all go sour and the vehicle ends up a complete and utter mess.
Until now that is, because the new 2009 Pontiac Solstice Coupe is actually better looking than the soft top version. Hard to believe eh? Well just wait until you see one in the flesh, because the car is absolutely stunning.
Honestly, the GM design team has achieved an amazing feat with this vehicle. Before seeing the Coupe version, I would never have believed that a roof could actually improve the looks of the Solstice, but it has!
In fact, it has done more than that, it has transformed it into another vehicle altogether. View it from the back, and one could be forgiven for believing it to be the latest offering from Lotus.
The way in which the designers have blended the side bodylines into the rear spoiler is simply design at its best. I'm also pleased to say that they resisted the temptation to simply bolt on the rear spoiler, which many designers might have done, to simplify the design.
Of course, that resulted in a smaller opening for the glass hatch, which does somewhat limit the size of your luggage. However, that problem can easily be solved by purchasing some soft-sided cases.
Another nice design feature on the vehicle is the removable roof panel, which lets in nearly as much fresh air and sunshine as the soft top version. The panel can be easily removed by two people, although it is light enough to be handled by a single person with practice. The panel can also be left at home if required because the Solstice Coupe comes with its own folding cover.
The new Solstice Coupe perfectly blends what we all love about the Solstice, with the addition of a lot more usable space. In many ways, it reminds me of the MGB GT which was marketed many years ago by British Leyland. That vehicle sold in huge numbers all over the world over the course of two decades, and that only featured a pull back sunroof.
I see nothing but good roads ahead for this vehicle, and I believe that it is going to be an extremely popular addition to the GM line-up.
photo:Kevin Corrigan
Problem solved....Because GM's gone and put a lid on it!!!
Now typically, (at least in my books), that means the death knell for any vehicle. After all, rack your brains and try to think of a single car that didn't look better with the roof chopped off. No, somehow, whenever a company decides to convert a roadster into a hardtop, it tends to all go sour and the vehicle ends up a complete and utter mess.
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Until now that is, because the new 2009 Pontiac Solstice Coupe is actually better looking than the soft top version. Hard to believe eh? Well just wait until you see one in the flesh, because the car is absolutely stunning.
Honestly, the GM design team has achieved an amazing feat with this vehicle. Before seeing the Coupe version, I would never have believed that a roof could actually improve the looks of the Solstice, but it has!
In fact, it has done more than that, it has transformed it into another vehicle altogether. View it from the back, and one could be forgiven for believing it to be the latest offering from Lotus.
The way in which the designers have blended the side bodylines into the rear spoiler is simply design at its best. I'm also pleased to say that they resisted the temptation to simply bolt on the rear spoiler, which many designers might have done, to simplify the design.
Of course, that resulted in a smaller opening for the glass hatch, which does somewhat limit the size of your luggage. However, that problem can easily be solved by purchasing some soft-sided cases.
Another nice design feature on the vehicle is the removable roof panel, which lets in nearly as much fresh air and sunshine as the soft top version. The panel can be easily removed by two people, although it is light enough to be handled by a single person with practice. The panel can also be left at home if required because the Solstice Coupe comes with its own folding cover.
The new Solstice Coupe perfectly blends what we all love about the Solstice, with the addition of a lot more usable space. In many ways, it reminds me of the MGB GT which was marketed many years ago by British Leyland. That vehicle sold in huge numbers all over the world over the course of two decades, and that only featured a pull back sunroof.
I see nothing but good roads ahead for this vehicle, and I believe that it is going to be an extremely popular addition to the GM line-up.
photo:Kevin Corrigan
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