''All the stops were pulled out to make sure the production model delivers an exhilarating driving experience to capitalize on the 'promise' of the Solstice's design,'' Lutz says.
Faithfulness to the concept can be seen in Solstice's proportions, which are comparable in terms of overhangs, wheelbase and track width. Solstice is 3,994 mm long on a 2,415-mm wheelbase, rises 1,274 mm from the ground, is 1,819 mm wide, has a front track of 1,537 mm, a rear track of 1,555 mm, and will weigh about 1,300 kg.
Independent front and rear suspensions that feature independent SLA designs with forged aluminum upper and lower control arms contribute to responsive handling, says Lutz.
Monotube shocks and coil springs also play a role in delivering what Lutz calls ''uncompromised handling response and sporty driving characteristics, while the wheels-at-the-corners wide stance enhances handling.''
Eighteen-inch wheels and tires are standard, as are four-wheel disc brakes.
The interior is oriented around the driver, says Lutz, ''with a clean design and intuitive controls.''
According to Lori Queen, the vehicle line executive for GM's small cars, the interior of the Solstice is ''surprisingly spacious, especially for a smaller car. We wanted to create a comfortable environment suitable for longer drives without sacrificing the 'personal' feeling of a driver's car.''
That's what happens when your company's chairman (Rick Wagoner), and two vice-chairman (Lutz and John Devine) are all very tall men. Hurrah.
Queen says the Solstice designers ''worked carefully to transfer the clean lines and taut proportions of the concept vehicle to the production model.''
Franz Von Holzhausen, the car's design manager, says that if you put them side-by-side it's very difficult to tell the production model from the concept. ''The front and rear fascias are slightly longer on the production model, but overall the car remains faithful to the concept; it's a minimalist approach that emphasizes proportion.''
A dual-port grille and expressive lighting at all corners instantly identifies the car as a Pontiac, but there are also unexpected details, including a body-color extension into the passenger compartment that Queen says ''gives the Solstice an integrated appearance when the top is down.''
In fact, the top folds flat into the rear clamshell opening, providing a smooth seamless appearance.
''There is no visible stack from the folded top to disturb the shape," says Von Holzhausen. ''Indeed, there are no extraneous lines whatsoever; it has a tight, purposeful look, as if it were shrink-wrapped around the driver.''
He says that the design team also ''insisted on a lower ride height to ensure the car's sporty appearance. That makes it the lowest, most ground-hugging car at GM. We were adamant that the Solstice look absolutely right from all angles.''
Queen says that ''creative leveraging of GM resources, as well as clever solutions to other needs, helped complete the Solstice's design efficiently and economically.'' For example, the rear corner lamps are from the GMC Envoy, while the door handles, fog lamps, seats, engine and transmission are shared with other GM vehicles.
Faithfulness to the concept can be seen in Solstice's proportions, which are comparable in terms of overhangs, wheelbase and track width. Solstice is 3,994 mm long on a 2,415-mm wheelbase, rises 1,274 mm from the ground, is 1,819 mm wide, has a front track of 1,537 mm, a rear track of 1,555 mm, and will weigh about 1,300 kg.
 |
| 2006 Pontiac Solstice (photo : General Motors) |
Monotube shocks and coil springs also play a role in delivering what Lutz calls ''uncompromised handling response and sporty driving characteristics, while the wheels-at-the-corners wide stance enhances handling.''
Eighteen-inch wheels and tires are standard, as are four-wheel disc brakes.
The interior is oriented around the driver, says Lutz, ''with a clean design and intuitive controls.''
According to Lori Queen, the vehicle line executive for GM's small cars, the interior of the Solstice is ''surprisingly spacious, especially for a smaller car. We wanted to create a comfortable environment suitable for longer drives without sacrificing the 'personal' feeling of a driver's car.''
That's what happens when your company's chairman (Rick Wagoner), and two vice-chairman (Lutz and John Devine) are all very tall men. Hurrah.
Queen says the Solstice designers ''worked carefully to transfer the clean lines and taut proportions of the concept vehicle to the production model.''
 |
| 2006 Pontiac Solstice (photo : General Motors) |
A dual-port grille and expressive lighting at all corners instantly identifies the car as a Pontiac, but there are also unexpected details, including a body-color extension into the passenger compartment that Queen says ''gives the Solstice an integrated appearance when the top is down.''
In fact, the top folds flat into the rear clamshell opening, providing a smooth seamless appearance.
''There is no visible stack from the folded top to disturb the shape," says Von Holzhausen. ''Indeed, there are no extraneous lines whatsoever; it has a tight, purposeful look, as if it were shrink-wrapped around the driver.''
 |
| 2006 Pontiac Solstice (photo : General Motors) |
Queen says that ''creative leveraging of GM resources, as well as clever solutions to other needs, helped complete the Solstice's design efficiently and economically.'' For example, the rear corner lamps are from the GMC Envoy, while the door handles, fog lamps, seats, engine and transmission are shared with other GM vehicles.