meh. that's a corporate excuse, which is bullshit if you ask me. they could use the same format, but try to be slightly original. although you have to admit, pontiac's attempts at being original in the last decade have all been terrible, so maybe this is their version of wising up..

 

How is that a corporate excuse? The Solara Convertible sells for sticker price and usually sits on dealer lots for no more than two weeks. If you're gonna copy a car, might as well copy one that's selling like hotcakes.

As for trying to be original, I think the foldable hard top would fall into that category.

 

it's a corporate excuse for not being original. they copy a design that sells well simply so they'll make a few more sales, and hence avoid designing their own car. how is it not a corporate excuse?

saying "we're going to copy this design because it looks like people like it" is a pretty shitty way to design a car. sure it explains the derivative styling (and of many other cars in existence) but it's not a justification.

a foldable hard top is different than what the solara has, but the design of the car is still derivative.

 

Bha I think it looks good. Looks better than a Solara to me. Not as...old lady going to bingo-ish.

 

grrr... i hate how they always put checkered colors on them so you cant see the body lines aswell, i think it will look sexy when they get some good color into it

 

I like the coupe......what's the interior of these cars look like? I see some potential...still wouldn't buy one.

 

I see a Solara coupe and a Solara/Sebring convertible without body-color mirrors.

 

Here's the finished coupe and convertible.



And no, I haven't seen a pic of the retractable hardtop convertible with the top up.

Pontiac 's new G6 family is about to get a bit bigger. GM's "excitement" division will be rolling out a new coupe to compliment the compact sedan that debuted last autumn. That pair will be joined early in the '06 model year by a G6 convertible that takes the retractable hardtop concept to a new - and much more affordable - market niche.

Struggling to rebuild the once solid brand, General Motors is launching a wave of new Pontiac products over the next 12 months, including the Torrent crossover vehicle, as well as the two G6 spinoffs.

"The headline," says Bob Lutz, GM's chief product czar, "is brand building. GM is committed to revitalizing all of its brands."

The G6 is the centerpiece of the effort at Pontiac . The new sedan has scored a modest hit since its introduction, though not quite the home run GM was expecting. The coupe should connect with younger buyers drawn to its more sporty styling, company officials hope. It's a 2+2, though the backseat is more usable than many other two-doors in the segment, thanks to a relatively long, 112-inch wheelbase. Rear legroom is 35 inches, about 1.5 inches less than in the larger Pontiac Grand Prix.

But the real attention-grabber is likely to be the convertible, which features a hardtop that folds away, origami-style, in a mere 30 seconds. The technology is not new, but until now, it's been limited to far more expensive products, such as the Mercedes SLK or Lexus SC430. With the top up, there's 5.8 cubic feet of trunk space; 1.8 cf with the top down.

Both coupe and convertible will be offered in two trim packages. The GT models features a 200-hp, 3.5-liter V-6, while the performance GTP package makes 240-hp with its 3.9-liter, high-output six. A four-speed automatic is the base transmission for both trim levels, though there's also a manual six-speed available on the GTP.

The public will get their first look at both of the new G6 models when the Los Angeles Auto Show opens its doors this week.

http://www.thecarconnection.com/index.asp?article=7895

 

My bet is the 6 speed is offered for 2 years tops before they make them all automatic.

 

I kinda dig it. I'm gonna have to drive a six speed GTP when they're available to determine myself if Pontiac is for real or if their new direction is just lip service.

At least the new steering wheel actually looks sporty, unlike that stupid 4 spoke on the current '05 sedans.