Some people are always trying to have it both ways, you know.
Take
Now, for those of you thinking what a lucky guy I am to have a sporty cruiser just as the glories of spring begin, let me tell you the back story here – I actually had my bright red tester a couple of months back when it felt like a deep freeze around these parts.
So my actual top down motoring time was limited, but I endured the frostbitten ears and permanently blue-tinted skin for your edification. And this review was held for just such a Friday as today when the azaleas are blooming and lots of folks’ thoughts turn to the joys of open-air driving.
Frankly, convertibles don’t do much for me, thanks to the necessary performance and structural integrity compromises necessitated when the roof comes off. My preference for enjoying motion and the outdoors is aboard a Kawasaki Concours motorcycle shared with wife Claudia.
But there are thousands of people out there who love four-wheel convertibles and Pontiac thinks it’s time for the General Motors division to get a bigger slice of a pie that has in recent years been pretty much the exclusive preserve of Toyota, Ford and Chrysler.
The G6 convertible is sporty in a middle-age sort of way. There are two available engines, a standard 3.5 liter V-6 and an optional 3.9 liter good for 221 horsepower, as part of the Sport package option on my tester. A four-speed automatic transmission with a manual shift option is the sole shifter.
Chopping the top does compromise the G6’s structural rigidity a bit and hamper its handling prowess when pushed hard into corners. That isn’t likely to be an all-too-frequent occurrence given the demographics of the typical G6 convertible buyer.
That buyer will love the soft ride quality of the G6, the abundant room for four adults in the interior and the visual goodies like the 18-inch alloy wheels and dual exhaust outlets. The 7.5 second 0-60 mph time will be more than enough performance for most of them, too.
At $32,015 for a loaded GT model, the G6 convertible represents an excellent value buyers who want to smell the roses while cruising the neighborhood.
Car Reviews
Autos
Pontiac G6
Convertibles
Fast Cars
New Car Reviews
