How Many Pontiac Solstices Were Made And Are They Future Collectibles?

I have been with SlashGear for just under a year, during time which I have written about 25,000 words about various Pontiac models. The majority were muscle car-focused, like a piece about the importance of the 1964 GTO and another highlighting some interesting tidbits regarding the 1967 Firebird. Several of my Pontiac articles have focused on the Solstice, a two-seat roadster that came around in 2007, just before GM dumped the Pontiac division as part of its bankruptcy restructuring. In researching this quirky little convertible, I have developed quite a fondness for its rounded styling, which is evocative of Lightning McQueen, the animated star of the 2006 Pixar hit movie "Cars." 

My fascination has led me to attempt to hunt down a used Solstice, but I have been frustrated in my efforts to find one for sale nearby. This prompted me to wonder just how many were made during the model's brief five-year run, and if the Solstice was destined to become a highly-coveted collectible.

[Featured image by Greg Gjerdingen via Wikimedia Commons|Cropped and scaled|CC-By 2.0]

The Solstice's run technically lasted from the 2006 model year through 2010, but in that last year, only 20 pre-production examples were manufactured before the Pontiac brand met its end. That makes this vintage the rarest of the approximately 65,724 Solstices produced, according to Motor Trend. The overwhelming majority of those were convertibles, but Autoweek reports that 1,266 Solstice coupes added to that total. Of all the model years and variants of the Solstice, the ultimate unicorn is the pre-production 2010 convertible. 

Only eight of the 20 examples from that year featured the drop top, which means getting your hands on one of them is like finding a needle in a haystack. There isn't a single one of those 20 specimens listed on Classic.com, which chronicles past and present sales from hundreds of dealerships, auction houses, and websites around the world. Among the full production years of 2006 through 2009, the lowest output was 4,826 units in 2009. About 1,250 of those were coupes, meaning they, too, will likely be in very short supply. If you prefer the sensation of the wind whipping through your hair, set your sights on a 2006 or 2007 convertible Solstice. About 45,000 were made over those two model years, compared with 15,587 in 2008. 

[Featured image by Elise240SX via Wikimedia Commons|Cropped and scaled|CC-By 4.0]

Beginning in 2007, Pontiac also produced a high-performance variant of the Solstice known as the GXP, which had as standard equipment several features that were optional on the base Solstice. The GXP also had a more powerful engine, stiffer suspension, a higher axle ratio, and stability control. Roughly 13,000 convertible GXPs were built, but only 781 coupes got the GXP treatment like the one pictured above. Unsurprisingly, the GXP coupe's rarity makes it the most valuable Solstice today. 

While Solstice sales averaged a little over $17,000 in the past few years, the precious few current listings available for GXP coupes ranged from around $20,000 to above $40,000. The death of the Pontiac brand has made some older models like the GTO and Trans Am appreciate in value, and as the car-collecting public catches on to the charm and fun factor of the Solstice, it's possible to expect resale prices to climb in tandem. So grab a Solstice if you can find one, especially if it's a GXP with the targa top.  

[Featured image by IFCAR via Wikimedia Commons|Cropped and scaled|Public Domain]