The Pontiac Solstice’s 2.4-liter DOHC four-cylinder engine produces 177 horsepower and 166 lb.-ft. of torque, giving the roadster a surprisingly spirited feel with either the five-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmission. Our test car came with the recently introduced automatic, and good torque and gearing keep this model lively although no paddle shifters are available and it doesn’t measure up to the Miata’s quick shifting six-speed sequential transmission. Even though the automatic transmission shifted smoothly, a whining noise when decelerating from 30 mph could be duplicated at will, which really throws doubt on the car’s long-term reliability and the build quality. A few weeks ago we had a Solstice with a manual transmission and actually returned it a day after picking the car up because of the strange noises it was making. Later, we were reassured by GM’s public relations department that the noises were normal and were being isolated from the cabin in the future.