First Glance
The heading of this section is "first glance." Very appropriate. Prior to taking over the G6 test coupe I happened to spot a current Toyota Celica from a rear 3/4 angle. At first glance I thought it was a Pontiac G6 Coupe. Which tells you where I'm at on the G6 styling; a semi-clone of a Toyota that's being phased out. What's more, I think it's time the entire wedge-shape design concept was phased out. My test drive colleague Colin Hefferon suggested that maybe the younger generation sees it as being very up-to-date and (nudge-nudge, wink-wink) maybe it's me, the ancient one, who should be phased out.Well, I reminded Colin that I was writing ads for wedge-shape cars way back in the early 70's and in my experience, the wedge is already old-fashioned. Time to move on and time for the kids to catch up. Oh, and I also dislike those narrow windows and from the butt view the car is butt-ugly. Still, knowing how much power lies under the hood and that a 6-speed manual transmission awaited my pleasure along with a sophisticated fully-independent suspension system and 4-wheel disc brakes, I set aside my styling prejudices and headed for the BC Ferry that would take me and my GTP back home. This would be fun, right? Wrong.
In the Driver's Seat
Pontiac boasts that the coupe's wide doors make it easier for rear-seat passengers to enter and exit. That's good because they'll have to exit twice in order to pluck the driver from the pavement. He'll fall out while attempting to close that long door. Inside, he'll try adjusting the seats and steering wheel for best driving position and be surprised to find the backrest angle must be changed manually with one of those awkward handles. If Pontiac wants to cut corners to save a few bucks I don't mind but surely an easily accessible knurled wheel would be better.
Nicely contoured seats and a handsome dashboard soon calmed my nerves and I loved those red-on-black instruments after sunset. Reminded me of magical night training hours in a Cessna 172. So in some respects I truly admired the G6 Coupe's interior with its chrome trim and easily-accessed controls. That is, until I had to squirm into the back for picture-taking. To put it mildly, I can only suggest that the rear seat is best suited to kids up to the age of 12 or short adults on short trips. Which, oddly, may not be a problem, for the G6 Coupe's ideal owner is a young family guy with two young children. Understand that, and you'll begin to appreciate this car.
On the Road
Maybe GM is on to something. While every automaker in the world continues developing costly twin-overhead-cam V-6 power the General clings to what it now calls "cam-in-block" V-6 engines. These are not the old lead-sleds but a new generation of pushrod plants that boast low-down torque and mechanical simplicity. The 3.9 liter Pontiac G6 Coupe offers an impressive 240 hp and 241 lb.-ft. of torque. Hit the throttle on this baby and she really moves. Hit the throttle hard and the steering wheel moves right out of your hands: front-wheel-drive torque-steer is a monster. And be prepared to shift into second quickly or you'll hit the rev-limiter, as I did.Sadly, driving the G6 GTP became more work than fun. Shifting that 6-speed manual was similar to driving a 1956 Greyhound bus. The brake/accelerator positioning made the heel-and-toe technique, beloved of old racers like me and still part of the fun of manipulating a manual transmission, impossible. So what's the point? If you'd like to own a G6 GTP Coupe I highly recommend the 4-speed automatic version driven by fellow About Cars tester Jason Fogelson. Forget the 6-speed manual; it will only make your life miserable.
Journey's End
Wishing to be open-minded, I'd give full marks to roadholding, for this was a car I could toss through the curves with confidence. The suspension nicely balances handling with comfort. Steering response, while not the quickest I've experienced, is good. Except when hammering throttle to floor she's quiet and comforting. I noted how, Porsche-style, the windows lower slightly when the doors were open, assuring a snug fit. Unlike Jason I didn't spot any orange peel paint, though when your test car is already orange that may be difficult.
Would I buy a Pontiac GTP with manual transmission? Not a chance. With an automatic? Perhaps. A Pontiac G6 sedan with sunroof and a comfortable interior? Yes, though I'd trade it on a coupe if they'd get lose the wedge.
