The main feature of this program is the new front-end they give the car, which they have borrowed from the magnificent Pontiac G8 GXP!

Other very cool feature of this $3,590 (AUD) is the tuned V8 engine which develops 450kW (600 hp) and 770 Nm of torque.

National Sales and Marketing Manager for WP Tony Harris says the brand is capturing lots of attention with its new warranty offer, which applies equally to customers with a new Holden or Holden Special Vehicle, undertaking a performance upgrade.

Pontiac was founded in 1926 during the economic boom time of the roaring twenties by GM itself, as a complimentary line and brand to the Oakland Motor line of vehicles. Basically in the 1920s GM had a price scale system that worked quite well, with a brand for each price range. The low end started with Chevrolet, followed by Oakland, Buick, and finally Cadillac, however there were price gaps in a few years, so in order to fill the gaps GM made a few more brands to stick in the middle areas. Pontiac was one of those. The final layout looked like this: Chevrolet would have no companion, Pontiac was the low end partner to Oakland, Viking was the lower end to Oldsmobile, Marquette was the lower end to Buick, and LaSalle was the lower end to Cadillac (which was at the top).

All of the filler brands failed – except Pontiac. Pontiac became so popular that it dominated Oakland, and actually shut down the Oakland brand and line – even though it was spawned from Oakland itself. Throughout the Pontiac run in the early days of the car, it was seen as a quiet and nice car, however it was no beast. After the war ended this changed quickly, as the brand saw that the younger generation was not interested in a car seen as being made for being just quiet and reliable.

By 1949 the new models appeared, with new styling, chrome, and lots of different variations, resulting in the Chieftain model that replaced the old favorite Torpedo. Following this came one called the Star Chief, and finally their sales began to climb back up. Throughout the latter fifties and early sixties they began to introduce better, bigger, and faster engines, starting in 1955 with a 173 horse V8 that gave the cars a kick. Throughout this time the horsepower and the overall design changed, and finally it reached its peak in the 60s with cars that had new sleeker bodies and engines that were rated as high as 285 horses without modification. With all of these things culminating in powerful cars, it led to their entry into the muscle car war of the late 60′s. However in the early 70′s the Feds were getting involved with more safety regulations, insurance costs were coming up, and a fuel crisis began.

Because of this they reeled back from super performance cars – although they did attempt to keep the image. Compact and Sub-Compact designs began to be common and more of the cars that were lighter, smaller, and had better fuel emissions were sold. The shifts in focus lead to Pontiac becoming associated with more luxurious economically sound vehicles. However in 1982, they changed pace with the new firebird, which lead to a return to power in their cars, going to dramatic radical designs that involved just a two seated vehicle for young thrillers.

In the later 90′s Pontiac yet again stopped focus on performance and went to minivans and other such things – GM had ordered the Firebird car taken out back and shot, along with the Chevy Camero, there was no funeral service after. Following this, two years ago Pontiac started to redesign everything in its line and go back to making power based vehicles, with the new G5 this year, and the G8 in two years from now.

The Pontiac Solstice is currently the top selling roadster in the US and it has a lot to do with its looks and performance.  The 2009 coupe has taken its design one step further with a nice fastback shaped roofline, plenty of classic lines and nice looking spoiler.  In addition the targa roof makes it easy for those that enjoy both the wind in their hair on sunny days and a practical car during the winter to rejoice.  The roof panel is about 31 pounds and can be removed or installed in a few minutes.

Plenty Under the Hood
The 2009 Pontiac Solstice is a light car, which most would assume, and has a very peppy 2.4L Ecotec four cylinder engine.  This engine generates 173 horsepower.  For those looking for lots of performance, there is also a 2.0L turbocharged engine delivering a whopping 260 horsepower.  Besides have a decent engine, the interior is quite comfortable and designed with access to storage.  While storage space is not sufficient for those with large families, for the single driver or for those buying this vehicle for recreational purposes, it will definitely suffice.   Perhaps the best part is the price of this vehicle.  With many options, expect to pay under $30K for both the 2.0L turbocharged the 2.4L Ecotec four cylinder model.