jayhawk
08-22-2005, 05:54 PM
So me and my buddy were up at Road America, a road race track in Wisconsin; we got there super early because I was going to "tour" the track with about 60 other cars.
So we pull into the paddock to line my car up, and off to the side was a Soltice with Michigan licence plates and quite a few people gathered around it. Apparently, from the what the driver told us, he works for GM in R & D, and uses this car for testing and daily driving...im assuming it was suggested to him to go to Road America to "show" the car off.
He popped the hood, the trunk, and let people sit in it. My impressions? Very, VERY cool. First off, its so tiny, but very wide, too. Sitting in it, I have to say that everything was placed perfectly, insofar as steering, pedals and shifter was concerned. Shifter has a ridicoulousy short throw. Seat was comfortable, but also held me in place well. Handbrake is where should be...on the passenger side. Gauges were very visible and redline looked about 6800 RPM's. Engine is place where it should be, behind the rear wheels, with an engine cover that says "ECOtec VVT."
A few gripes, though. Looking through the wheels and under the car, the suspension layout and geometry is a work of art, very UN GM, but the the wheel gap is huge! Also, the tires on the car were...gag....Eagle RS-A's.
So I was ripping along the track, and the Soltice was behind me...rearview mirror impression were that it was quite stable through turns, very little body and suspension lean.
So, GM did it right, overall. Its exactly how a roadster should be...a manual transmission ONLY! small, and a ragtop thats worthless. Perfect.
So we pull into the paddock to line my car up, and off to the side was a Soltice with Michigan licence plates and quite a few people gathered around it. Apparently, from the what the driver told us, he works for GM in R & D, and uses this car for testing and daily driving...im assuming it was suggested to him to go to Road America to "show" the car off.
He popped the hood, the trunk, and let people sit in it. My impressions? Very, VERY cool. First off, its so tiny, but very wide, too. Sitting in it, I have to say that everything was placed perfectly, insofar as steering, pedals and shifter was concerned. Shifter has a ridicoulousy short throw. Seat was comfortable, but also held me in place well. Handbrake is where should be...on the passenger side. Gauges were very visible and redline looked about 6800 RPM's. Engine is place where it should be, behind the rear wheels, with an engine cover that says "ECOtec VVT."
A few gripes, though. Looking through the wheels and under the car, the suspension layout and geometry is a work of art, very UN GM, but the the wheel gap is huge! Also, the tires on the car were...gag....Eagle RS-A's.
So I was ripping along the track, and the Soltice was behind me...rearview mirror impression were that it was quite stable through turns, very little body and suspension lean.
So, GM did it right, overall. Its exactly how a roadster should be...a manual transmission ONLY! small, and a ragtop thats worthless. Perfect.