Pontiac Sunfire convertible skews upscale with GT equipment
Bob Plunkett
Date Posted: 5/10/2005
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BODEGA BAY, Calif. -- Strap into the contoured cockpit of Sunfire, Pontiac's cub-size convertible, and you'll quickly recognize that this Baby Firebird is anything but a Spartan subcompact.
It delivers content, style and, with the lid dropped, a dose of ragtop pizazz.
Scope out the cockpit and you'll see that door and dash surfaces look radically round and fluid, even down to details like the sculptured shape of a levered door handle and the downward curving roll of a creased ledge which wraps across the panel's face from door to dash to door.
And check out Sunfire's sleek styling.
A swoopy exterior presents the overall appearance of an exotic, if diminutive, racer, with muscular side bulges at all four wheel wells, a tapered nose, sharply canted windshield and circular wrap to a stocky tail with rakish spoiler attached to the trailing edge.
From every angle, one fluid curve oozes into the next.
Now pop the top to bring the sun inside: Pontiac's convertible makes the operation easy.
A single latch, mounted front and center atop the windshield, unlocks Sunfire's lid with an easy twist which also sends the steel-braced vinyl top hustling rearward, where it folds into a storage bay concealed between rear seatback and trunk.
Once the top's dropped you may mount a 3-piece boot to cover the folded pleats and enhance the sleekness of Sunfire's silhouette. When not needed, the center section of this boot stows in a well behind the rear seat as side panels go to the trunk.
With the top raised, a vinyl exterior layer ensures waterproof coverage, while a headliner dresses the interior with the finished look of a coupe.
Also, you can dismiss any outmoded convertible notions of blurry plastic rear windows because Sunfire provides a large glass back window for crystal-crisp visibility.
Pontiac's convertible starts with underpinnings of the subcompact Sunfire coupe.
To create the convertible version, Genasys, an automotive outfitting company in Lansing, Mich., takes a Sunfire coupe underbody and reinforces the chassis with structural components like secondary rockers which improve chassis stiffness, special side frames to strengthen A pillars, plus another cross member added to the frame immediately in front of the rear seat to thwart the natural torquing tendency of a convertible body due to the ragtop's lack of a superstructure.
You'll never see these structural components, however, because they're buried behind all of that curvy sheetmetal, but you'll certainly notice their stiffening effect when steering Sunfire through a set of turns.
It feels stable at highway speed, flat and predictable in curves, even aggressive.
The suspension, with progressive ride tuning linked to Sunfire coupe's setup, includes higher spring rates, a front anti-roll bar, dual-path front struts and a quicker steering ratio for the power rack and pinion design.
Sunfire in new GT trim rolls on big 16-inch cast aluminum wheels mounted with blackwall performance tires.
Stopping comes quickly too, thanks to power-assistance from 4-wheel disc brakes with computerized anti-lock action.
Safety elements range from dual air bags for front riders to the 4-wheel anti-lock brakes, body-mounted safety belts, knee bolsters and 5-mph front and rear bumpers, plus Pontiac's unique slotted frame rails which permit the vehicle to absorb more impact energy near the front of the body structure to buffer the passenger compartment.
Pontiac's PASSlock anti-theft ignition system is also installed with the standard 4-speed automatic transmission, which links to a traction control system to stem wheel spin.
For juice, this Pontiac packs a dual-cam 2.4-liter 4-in-line engine equipped with four valves per cylinder and multi-point fuel injection. Horsepower runs up to 150 and, for a relatively light-weight vehicle, it puts a decided kick in Sunfire's pedal.
Redline of the engine reaches to 6500 rpm, so you can punch it high through each gear to maximize thrust.
The 4-speed automatic has sophisticated electronic controls and serves as GT Sunfire's standard transmission, but a manual 5-speed may also be applied.
This automatic was aboard for a series of Sunfire test-drives on windy routes through California's Sonoma County.
Sunfire held its own in a flat stance on twisty roads, and the engine had enough strength to maintain driver confidence for speed maneuvers, such as passing slower traffic or hustling up a freeway.
It also felt comfortable after several hours behind the wheel, despite dimensions of a subcompact package.
The passenger compartment, with twin reclining buckets in front and space for up to three in back with surprising legroom for a convertible, contains an array of convenience items, plus functional hardware such as a driver's seat with firm interior support systems that hold your body securely in place around a hard turn.
Dashboard shows analog instruments with tachometer like you'll find in an expensive sportster, and that glove box: It's big enough to carry a 12-pack of soda cans.
An optional sport interior package brings firmer and larger side bolsters for both front bucket seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, plus seatback storage pockets.
When the convertible variation of Sunfire first appeared as a 1995 model, it built upon the coupe's mid-level SE trim with a 115 hp 4-cylinder engine aboard. The 1999 Sunfire convertible moves upscale from this continuing issue by lacing aboard enhanced elements of the GT coupe.
That's why it now shows on the list of standards a larger engine and automatic transmission, but new features extend to comfort and convenience items like air conditioning, cruise control, a tilting steering wheel, and a stereo sound kit with dash-mounted compact disc player.
Options for GT confine to power and security controls.
Pricing of Pontiac's Sunfire GT convertible begins now at $21,665, which includes a delivery fee.
1999 PONTIAC SUNFIRE GT CONVERTIBLE
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| 1999 PONTIAC SUNFIRE GT CCONVERTIBLE VEHICLE SPECIFICATIONS |
| Description: |
Subcompact convertible |
| Model Options: |
Subcompact convertible |
| Wheelbase: |
104.1 inches |
| Overall Length: |
181.9 inches
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| Engine Size: |
DOHC 2.4-L I4
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| Transmission: |
Manual/5, Auto/4 |
| Drive: |
Front |
| Braking: |
Power 4-disc/ABS/TCS |
| Airbags: |
2 |
| Gas Mileage: |
M/5: 21/29 mpg
A/4: 23/31 mpg |
| MSRP Price: |
$ 21,665 |
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