2006 Pontiac Solstice

摘要

We asked for it and we got it a good-handling Solstice. Well, actually we got a drive in some engineering test mules, But by all indications, the production versions of this new-for-2006 Pontiac roadster will feel appropriately lithe and entertaining to drive. Just what we were after. In these pages ("Editorial", April), we asserted that GM and its chief car guy, tBob Lutz, Were taking on a major challenge of pack-aging, chassis development, and ergonomics in presenting the Solstice to the world. A small, open-air, two-seat roadster absolutely must be lively and responsive in the driver's hand. It has to have balance and polish, feel compliant as well as stable, perform in a spirited fashion regardless of its actual test nmbers, and generally possess a loveable character. A Mazda Miata delivers this package, and if the world's largest car maker, with all its vast engineering resources, were to come up short, no one would even care why it happended. Shared componentry? Shortage of development time? Trying to hold to a price point? Looking for the widest possible audience? We've heard all the excuses, and they won't wash this time. A coupe or sedan that doesn't come out quite as sporty as promised is just a mild disappointment; a roadster that misses is a disaster and an embarrassment. Like an Italian restaurant with no garlic in the kitchen. Why bother?