Do you remember Pontiac? It was General Motors’ fun brand that focused on more affordable and more enthusiast-centric cars. That was until GM’s bankruptcy during the recession of 2008.

A major restructuring and shuttering of certain brands was in order for the massive American manufacturer, and sadly, that included Pontiac.

One of the most fascinating GM brands shut down, just like that. The Pontiac brand has churned out some pretty great cars over the years. Let’s ignore the stinkers, like the Daewoo-based Le Mans and the infamously ugly Aztek, and talk about one of the brand’s highlights.

The only problem is that while the Solstice GXP may have been a highlight, it wasn’t exactly a successful car. Surely, that means it’s the perfect time to buy one, then?

What is The Pontiac Solstice?

This might get a little confusing. Throughout the 2000s, GM launched an entire lineup of RWD sports cars aiming to compete with the all-conquering Mazda Miata.

This whole idea was somewhat shifted into high gear by the Opel Speedster and Vauxhall VX220, identical twins that were based on the Lotus Elise, but used a turbocharged GM four-cylinder instead of the Elise’s Toyota-sourced 2ZZ-GE engine.

Seeing the merits of such a vehicle, GM put together some more road-friendly RWD sports cars as the decade progressed. Pontiac’s version was the Solstice, of course, but there were also the Saturn Sky, the Opel GT, and the Daewoo G2X.

The Solstice was the only one from the group that looked different, as the other three shared basically every panel. The Solstice was an American take on the classic roadster formula. Remove as much weight as possible, make sure it’s RWD, and give it a canvas roof for good measure.

When the Solstice first came out, it had a similar “problem” as the Miata: not that much power. While 177 hp, courtesy of a 2.4-liter NA four-cylinder, was marginally better than the Miata’s output of the time, it wasn’t exactly a speed demon. That was the case until 2007.

The GXP Introduced Forced Induction

For model year 2007, the Solstice GXP joined the lineup. Out went the 2.4-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder, and in its place came a 2.0-liter unit with a turbocharger. Even though this engine was smaller, remember that these days, there is a replacement for displacement — we even wrote an article about it.

Power in the GXP went up to 260 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque. This engine was very similar to the one found in cars like the Chevy Cobalt SS and the HHR SS. Obviously, the major difference being that the Solstice had less weight to carry around.

According to Car and Driver, the GXP could reach 60 mph in 5.6 seconds. Say it with me now, that’s quick even by today’s standards. They also pointed out that it was just a tiny bit quicker to 60 than a contemporary Boxster. A Boxster!

Despite the slight weight disadvantage over the competition, it was still a blast to drive. Like any good roadster, the Solstice GXP offered a manual transmission.

Confusingly, it was a five-speed where a six-speed would have made more sense, but it got the job done. Fuel economy wasn’t bad either, and according to Felix Wong, the gearbox is also a joy to use.

Wong also talks about how great the GXP is to drive. It drives like a small RWD sports car should, which is pretty surprising coming from General Motors. An automaker who wasn’t exactly renowned for handling was able to make a small sports car that handled properly?

Who would have thunk it? Of course, the GXP did have a few issues, including the completely manual convertible top. Only the tonneau cover was power-operated; the rest was all manual.

It wasn’t even like the Miata, where you literally undo the latch and just throw the top behind you. Oh no, you have to get out. If you get caught in a sudden rainstorm on the highway, this might be inconvenient.

Of course, Pontiac also offered a different solution to the potential rainfall. A hardtop coupe version of the Solstice GXP. It was exactly what it said on the tin: a Solstice GXP with a metal roof that didn’t fold away or do any other acrobatics. This is a fantastic idea on paper, but there was one problem: nobody bought it.

The Elusive GXP Coupe

Actually, even though it was called Coupe, that was in name only, as it still had a removable targa roof. The rear roll bar area was covered by a glass hatch, turning the Solstice GXP Coupe into a hatchback.

Sure, you had to leave the targa top in the garage if you wanted to take it off, but you still had all the great qualities of the Solstice in an attractive coupe body. What’s not to love about that?

Well, good luck finding one. When the Solstice GXP Coupe was introduced, the aforementioned recession was well underway, and it meant that Pontiac was shut down before any significant number of GXP Coupes could actually be shifted.

According to Carscoops, only 1,266 examples of the Solstice GXP Coupe were ever built, making it the rarest of the Solstice breed. To give you an idea of how low that number is, there are four more Porsche Carrera GTs globally than there are Pontiac Solstice GXP Coupes.

You also might need to pay through the nose for a Solstice GXP Coupe, as the rarity demands a significant premium on the used market. That’s, if you can find one at all. If you do, and if it’s not monstrously expensive, should you?

Actually, you might. A masterclass of automotive design that does everything as well, if not better than the competition, plus a rare piece of automotive history. That’s a winning formula right there.