Pontiac Solstice Coupe

The Pontiac Solstice Coupe has a fairly simple brief in life. This is the car for anyone who likes the styling of the Roadster but doesn’t have the degree in origami needed to fold the flying buttresses and get the roof down. But the Solstice Coupe has a sunroof, so you can still get some wind in your hair.

The Coupe looks even better than its sister, currently the top-selling roadster in America. It seems to hug the ground more, even though we’re assured the suspension and powertrain remain the same. No changes were needed because the roof has been made using a lightweight magnesium panel weighing just 31lb (14.2kg) and an aluminium frame. It’s likely to be a bit stiffer, though, and it’ll be fun to experiment and find out whether that makes a difference.

Much of the interior remains the same, but there’s a storage tray behind the seats. You get at the luggage area by opening a glass tailgate – and this time it won’t have the roof in it.