Test drive: 2006 Pontiac Solstice

I hate Colin. He's the nicest guy you'll ever want to meet, and a great test driver to boot... but why does he keep getting all the really cool cars to review? First it was the '05 Ford Mustang Convertible, then the Porsche 911 Carrera coupe, and now the Solstice, the new two-seat roadster from Pontiac that seems a sure bet to give the Mazda Miata a run for its money. Um... hello... I'm the boss, what ever happened to executive privilege? (OK, granted I did manage to get to the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX, one of my all-time favorite cars, before Colin did... but he got to drive the friggin' Solstice, for cryin' out loud!) Anyway, Colin found the Solstice to be a real looker and a lot of fun to drive, though completely impractical with a trunk so small it makes the Miata look like a Lincoln Town Car. But as Colin (grrr...) points out, sometimes appearance simply trumps practicality. -- Aaron Gold