2009 Pontiac Solstice Coupe

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What is it?
2009 Pontiac Solstice Coupe

What's special about it?
The name pretty much sums it up. The 2009 Pontiac Solstice Coupe is a fixed roof version of the standard roadster. So instead of the annoyingly complex soft top, you get a rigid, weatherproof lid that might actually save your neck in the event of a rollover.

Actually, that might not be true, as Pontiac says its engineers made only minor structural changes to create the Solstice coupe. The roof itself is fixed from the B-pillars back using an aluminum frame covered in a molding compound of aluminum sheet.

There's a removable magnesium panel between the A- and B-pillars, so the Solstice coupe doesn't completely deprive you of the open-air experience of the standard model. The panel can be stored in the cargo area, which is accessible through the rear liftglass. It only weighs 31 pounds, so it's only a one-person job.

No other mechanical changes have been made to the 2009 Pontiac Solstice Coupe. Base models get the same 173-horsepower, 2.4-liter inline-4 as the roadster, while GXP coupes are upgraded with the 260-hp, turbocharged 2.0-liter engine. The transmissions are the same five-speed manual and five-speed automatic found in the roadsters. Even the suspension is the same, as Pontiac says the extra weight of the fixed roof isn't significant enough to affect the ride, handling or performance.

All of this should be good news to drivers in the SCCA's Showroom Stock B racing class. Up until now, drivers who wanted to pilot a Solstice had to order a special package and then add a hardtop among other things. Starting early next year, they can be halfway there right out of the showroom.

What's Edmunds' take?
Don't expect to see many of these on the road. The racetrack might be another story. — Ed Hellwig, Lead Senior Editor, Inside Line