GM’s Kappa platform had promise. In usual parts-bin raiding, GM built a roadster platform and spawned two North American market cars, the Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky. You could spot the bin-raiding from a mile away: the front fog light assemblies were ripped from the Grand Prix and the reverse light assemblies came from the GMC Envoy. The rest of the car was built in pretty much the same fashion, with bits here and there, but when it debuted it was praised as a promising effort from the Bob Lutz-led GM. The hottest model sold to the public was the 260 horsepower 2.0L Ecotec four-powered GXP. Not bad for something that kept getting compared to a Miata, but not exactly our cup of tea. See, when it comes to open-top roadsters, we tend to look back at Carroll Shelby’s masterpiece, the combination of the AC Ace roadster and a Ford V8 that begged to be beaten on. The Cobra is the kind of deal that causes gearheads to sit up and take notice and the recipe couldn’t be simpler: small car, powerful engine, exhaust note from the gods, and enough handling upgrades that you won’t kill yourself if you’re competent behind the wheel. This red and black version, packing an LS3 and a 15-lb tank of happiness in the trunk, meets the criteria. It’s the GXP version Pontiac should have built. It’s sinister, it’s aggressive, and someone thought it was a good idea to let the Vehicle Virgins drive it. Judging from the look on the guy’s face after he plants the throttle, he might have to change his YouTube name after this.
Language warning: 700 horsepower when you aren’t fully ready for it brings out expletives. You’ve been warned.
I’ll never forget the Hot Rod Solisce about 10 years ago at the Powertour stop in E-town, NJ. The sound was pure heaven!