Super clean Solstice. Desirable 5-speed manual, chrome wheels, properly maintained. Everything works, recent tires, never driven in winter weather. Fast, fun, and inexpensive roadster that delivers all out of proportion to its sticker price.

You’ll never see GM build a car like the Solstice again. Taking risks at this end of the scale is tough, and we should be grateful that they took a chance with these awesome little 2-seaters. The styling has aged rather well and most folks won’t realize that this sleek black Solstice GT is so affordable. And as specialty cars, they’re typically well-maintained and never used in inclement weather, as it the case here. It’s super clean, the glossy black bodywork shines up beautifully, and it has never been wrecked so that’s 100% OEM paint. The panels themselves are mostly plastic, so they’ll look this good practically forever and these are remarkably well-built little cars so the doors close with a sound that’s more Corvette than Chevette. Detailing is appealing, from the silver rings around the front grilles to the matching windshield molding and “double hump” decklid that smoothly ties into the headrests. This is the kind of car you want to buy—washed and waxed on weekends, driven gently to car shows, and always stored indoors, and it shows. For a car just past its 15th birthday, it looks fantastic.

The interior is a great place to spend some time, driver-oriented and smartly arranged. There are big, round gauges, grippy bucket seats, and a fat leather-wrapped steering wheel that feels great in your hands. This car has the optional (and desirable) 5-speed manual transmission which snaps through the gears joyfully and offers light clutch action so it’s easy to manage. And just about everything was standard, including cold A/C, power windows, locks, and mirrors, cruise control, and a heated rear window. The original radio has been replaced by an aftermarket touchscreen AM/FM/CD/iPod/Bluetooth head unit that’s neatly integrated into the dash like it was born there and it sounds great in the open two-seater. There’s also an accessory wind blocker between the seats that really helps control interior wind buffeting. The top is a beautiful black canvas piece with a full interior headliner that makes the car feel expensive, and once you perfect the technique, you’ll be able to stow it in seconds when the urge to drive alfresco strikes you. Of course, top down means there’s not much trunk space, but then again this isn’t a car made for family vacations.

GM’s bulletproof 2.4-liter inline-4 provides the right kind of fun when dropped between the fenders of a lightweight sports car. Torquey and eager to rev, the 16-valve DOHC motor makes a great growl and pulls the roadster around with genuine enthusiasm. It’s also easy to maintain with plentiful parts and inexpensive service at any GM dealer, even though Pontiac is long gone. This one is mostly stock save for the K&N air filter and intake that might add a few horsepower and definitely changes the soundtrack for the better. The rest is stock and nicely maintained, ready to go right now. The 5-speed has perfectly-spaced ratios and a tall overdrive, so the car is easy on the highway and actually pulls down great fuel economy on the open road. The all-independent suspension is descended from the Corvette, so it’s competent without being harsh, and there’s a disc brake at all four corners. The exhaust has an appropriate growl without being annoying or buzzy and you’ll note that the undercarriage is extremely clean with no signs it was ever driven in winter weather (why would you?). The 18-inch chrome wheels were optional, and this one carries big 245/45/18 Goodyear radials all around.

Still entertaining and distinctive, these cars remain one of the best-kept secrets in the car world today. Your neighbors will envy the smile on your face every time you drive it and we won’t tell them just how affordable all this fun really is. Check it out and then give us a call today!

Harwood Motors always recommends and welcomes personal or professional inspections of any vehicle in our inventory prior to purchase.