The 2002 Pontiac Solstice concept car previewed which production convertible?

The 2002 Pontiac Solstice concept car previewed the production Pontiac Solstice convertible.

Pontiac first presented the Solstice as a concept at the 2002 North American International Auto Show. Its retro-inspired styling proved popular enough that General Motors approved a production roadster, helping launch the rear-wheel-drive Kappa platform. The production car retained much of the concept’s visual character while adopting more practical engineering and manufacturing components.

The production Pontiac Solstice arrived in 2005 for the 2006 model year and was built at GM’s Wilmington, Delaware, plant. Its standard engine was a naturally aspirated 2.4-liter Ecotec four-cylinder producing 177 horsepower. A more powerful GXP version later used a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine rated at 260 horsepower.

The Mazda MX-5 is another two-seat convertible, but it was not previewed by the Pontiac concept. The Chevrolet SSR was a separate retro-styled pickup-based convertible, while the Saturn Sky was a related Kappa-platform model that followed its own concept history. The Solstice also later gained a rare targa-style coupe variant for 2009.