San Francisco: Pontiac’s
G6 convertible looks beautiful and performs well, a far cry from the
brand’s days as a home for gussied-up Chevy’s. It adds some much-needed
excitement in the Pontiac lineup. Inside, the G6 has a mid-size cabin
that’s comfortable and higher quality than GM has produced in recent
years.
You can tell a lot
about a car by the soundtrack it prompts. For me, Hank Williams and
Johnny Cash seem fitting when I drive a pickup truck. When I’m in a
luxury car, it’s classical standards like Beethoven and Mozart. And I
always find myself listening to strange, underground techno music when I
drive a Mercedes. But a Pontiac? That presents a challenge.
Until recently, I’d
probably pick National Public Radio because hearing about the war,
economics, genocide and snobby art reviews, anything, really, would be a
nice distraction from the car I’m driving. Pontiacs a few years ago were
basically Chevrolets with a kidney-bean grille, good for some basic,
stylish transportation, but hardly anything to get excited about.
When I started driving
the Pontiac G6, though, I couldn’t bear tuning the radio to NPR. The car
was just too cool, in a mainstream sort of way.
So I changed to the
top-20 station. It was a perfect fit.
The G6 isn’t the kind
of cutting-edge car that inspires euro-trash, techno-music, like the
Mercedes. It has a fairly soft suspension that’s comfortable for long
trips, making it more of a grand tourer than a sports car. There are
several things that make it worthy of a thumping Rhianna song, though.
The engine is a good
place to start. While I can’t speak for the four-cylinder engine that
comes in the base model, the 3.6-liter V6 in my test car is a sweet
singer. It has enough power to chirp the wheels, sometimes unexpectedly,
but even more impressive is the way it sounds.
It has a hint of the
pleasant exhaust from a classic English sports car, like the engine is
swimming in a tub full of Mr. Bubbles. It sounds spectacular without
being too loud or annoying. Also impressive is the rock-solid chassis.
It feels like the whole car is carved from a giant block of steel.
And the range of
vehicles with the G6 name is stunning. You can get it as a four-door
sedan, two-door coupe, or a hardtop convertible, which is what I tested.
Prices range from around $17,000 to over $30,000 for a fully loaded
convertible.
The convertible is
expensive but very, very nice. You simply press a button to have the
roof fold away into the trunk, which isn’t too unusual except for the
fact that the roof is made of metal. While a cloth-top convertible might
sound like you’re driving in a tent when the top is raised, this one is
nearly as quiet as a true coupe. It’s a good way to have the style and
fun of a convertible without the drawbacks.
Speaking of drawbacks,
there are a couple of them in the convertible.
For one, the electric
top takes a long time to put up and down, or at least it feels that way
because the switch to open and close it is located up by the rear-view
mirror, which isn’t the most comfortable place to shove your finger for
30 seconds.
It’s also pricey. My
test car rang up at nearly $32,500, which is a lot to pay for a two-door
Pontiac, even if its coolness is worthy of Hurricane Chris.
What was
tested? The 2007 Pontiac G6 GT Convertible
with a base price of $28,680. Options on the test car: Premium package
($1,450), sport package ($1,290), side air bags ($295), adjustable
pedals ($125). Price as tested including a $650 destination charge:
$32,490.
Why avoid it?
This convertible is awfully expensive for a Pontiac.
Why buy it?
It looks gorgeous, performs admirably, and is available in a wide range
of prices and layouts. The hardtop convertible is especially nice
because it offers top-down fun without the top-up noise.
By Derek Price © AutoWire.Net -
San Francisco
Pontiac Home Page
Byline: Syndicated content provided by Tony
Leopardo © AutoWire.Net
Column Name: The 2007 Pontiac G6 GT Convertible
Topic: The G6 convertible offers mainstream
excitement
Word Count: 742
Photo Caption: The 2007 Pontiac G6 GT Convertible
Photo Credits: Pontiac G6 Convertible Internet
Media
Series #: 2007 - 54
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