Driving the Pontiac Solstice falls only slightly shy of being a blast. Good power, solid braking, responsive steering, predictable handling and zero cowl shake all combined to leave wide grins on our faces.The biggest kick was rowing through the transmission on a winding, two-lane back road. Brake and accelerator pedals are properly juxtaposed for dancing the heel-and-toe jig, something that can't be said for all sports cars. Clutch travel and take up is certain, although hints of linkage lash leaked into the cabin at low speeds and especially when shifting into and out of reverse. And a persistent buzz in the pedal left our foot tingling, although on the up side, strongly discouraging us from riding the clutch between shifts or while stopped. Shift throws are short and sure, with nary a doubt about which gear we were seeking or had selected. At night, however, and just in case we hadn't been paying attention, the rear window perfectly reflected the shift lever in the rear view mirror.
Exhaust sounds satisfied, but didn't excite, and didn't quite mask sundry engine and other mechanical sounds rumbling around beneath the burble coming out the tailpipe. The Solstice also weighs in at some 400 pounds more than the Miata, while offering only seven more horsepower and 26 more foot-pounds of torque. This latter figure means it hops right off the starting line, but once underway, it's not quite as fleet.