2006 Pontiac Solstice

After All the industry hype, unabashed television promotions, the promises spoken and unspoken that this is the car that would prove once and for all GM knows where it needs to go to remain competitive, our impression fell somewhat short after living with the little guy for several weeks. At first sight, the Solstice is a stunner. With echoes of the swoopy Jaguar D-Type, the aggressive stance of a Lotus Elise, and the personal involvement of Bob Lutz himself, the Solstice makes big promises. The exterior design and its intended mission are among the most daring to come out of General Motors since Ed Cole's Corvair shocked the industry in 1959.

On paper, the Solstice makes the numbers it should as a two-seat sports car, but isn't overly rewarding getting there. One run up through the gears presents the sound of an engine lacking the sweetness of its archrival, the Mazda MX-5. Steering, suspension, transmission, and throttle response don't meld as well as they do in that car, either. Then there are the haphazard ergonomics in the hard, plasticky interior. GM has more data on biomechanics than almost any other automaker, but rolling down the power windows is as difficult as touching one's elbow with the fingers of the same arm.

The retractable cupholder located on the waterfall between the seats is darn near inaccessible. And then there's the soft-top that at times took 10 minutes to clip back into place. There's value here: a solid chassis, big rolling stock, eye appeal, and attractive pricing. But the details fall short, replaced by a wish list. Call this a stand-up double or perhaps a triple--but at least a base short of the promised home run.