Custom Pontiac Solstice V8

When the Pontiac Solstice first came out, sports car enthusiasts went gaga over its alfresco treatment and crisp handling. The only downside was the subdued throttle response of the four-cylinder Ecotec powerplant. A turbocharged version was added to the lineup, but it's still fairly mild in the minds of many sports car fans raised on the likes of the Shelby Cobra and Sunbeam Tiger.

Like a Rock
So it was only logical for an ambitious tuner-car company to drop in a V-8 pulled from the GM parts shelf, namely a Chevy LS2. Now let's cut right to the juicy part: What's it like to drive Solstice stuffed with a 400-horse V-8? Imagine the spine-tingling thrill of handling a nimble sports car with low-end torque in abundance, where too much is just about right, where a subtle stab of the go-pedal induces all the wheel spin you could possibly ask for and more, with tail-out driving at the slightest provocation. Then you'll relish this V-8 version of the Pontiac Solstice GT.

With its Mallett LS2 engine conversion, along with a number of enhancements from Mike Jonas of Stainless Steel Brakes, this Solstice is more fun than any car has a right to be. No matter what you want to do, this Solstice is ready to be your new best friend. Lightning-fast acceleration, the sweetest exhaust note this side of a new Vette, and genuine excitement every time you push your right foot to the firewall.


You want numbers? How about 4.4 seconds to scamper from 0-60 mph? That's two full seconds quicker than a stock Solstice. And it'll run up to 100 mph in less than half the time (10.2 versus 21.0 seconds). Initial results on the quarter mile were in the high the twelves at 112 mph (compare that with stock engine's somnambulant 15.4 seconds at 89 mph). After tweaking the suspension and running better tires in optimum conditions, Mallett claims a time as fast as 11.3 seconds @ 113 mph.


V-8 Solstice's 0-60mph acceleration figures are comparable to a Corvette's despite the difference in weight between them because the shorter gearing on the Solstice requires an extra shift to get to 60 mph. (Consider installing a taller ratio for the rear end, which would also lower cruising revs.) Not only that, the Solstice is one tail-waggin' puppy, so it takes some finesse to keep it off the wall and headed in a straight line down the strip.