Custom Pontiac Solstice V8

Time-Honored Tradition
We're not griping, though. This is what real sports cars should all be like—a wild hare that requires your full attention. You really have to DRIVE the car, with your inputs—be they steering, braking or acceleration, all integrated and part of the sensory experience. No autopilot wanted here. That's the real fun of this vehicle.

This type of full-tilt boogie shouldn't come as that big a surprise to high-performance Pontiac enthusiasts. Dropping a hot V-8 into a lightweight roadster is a time-honored and highly successful approach to producing exhilarating performance. As noted at the outset, Shelby's Cobra from the Sixties is just one noteworthy example of a British roadster greatly improved by some Yankee engineering. But countless other cars have benefited from an engine transplant. Now add to the list the Pontiac Solstice, thanks to Mallet Cars.


But this engine install is not as easy as changing a set of tires. It takes a company that knows its way around GM performance. By way of background, Mallett Cars, Ltd. was founded in 1997 by racing veterans, Chuck and Lance Mallett. They're known for building some of the fastest, signature series 5th generation (C5) Corvettes, along with 6th generation (C6) Corvettes and Cadillac V Series. With all this firsthand experience breathing on Corvette engines, what's next? Well, pound one into a Pontiac Solstice, of course.

Extreme Exchange
It's not a simple swap, though. Mallett Cars engineered the transplant as a complete package, and did extensive track and street testing to ensure that that the car handles better than stock with that big load of LS2 firepower up front. The cars are complete from front to back using Genuine & Official Licensed Products of GM with the stock OEM catalytic converters for emissions compliance. The package retains stock features such as cruise control, ABS brakes and all OBD-II diagnostics. Mallett Cars backs the car with a two-year, 24,000-mile warranty.

Digging into the actual mechanics of the engine exchange, a couple of aspects helped simplify matters. For one thing, there's sufficient space under the hood, and the stock drivetrain is certainly stout enough (the five-speed manual comes from a Chevy Colorado and the rear end from a Cadillac CTS).