When I was in elementary school, the original Transformers cartoon series that originally began airing in the fall of ’84 was must-watch television. It helped that my brothers and I all agreed on it, so there was usually no argument about what to watch in that timeslot as there might have been with Looney Tunes reruns (my other pick), The Smurfs, He-Man / She-Ra, or any of the other children’s programming that ran on the major networks starting in the afternoon. I can remember precious little about the original Transformers cartoons now, and I just never got on board with any of the reboots over the years, but I just remember both the Transformers shows and toys as seeming so high-tech in that glorious, ’80s-overkill kind of way. I can still hear the intro music sung through a vocoder: “Transformers… more than meets the eye!” Solid.
The Dennis household didn’t have any Transformers (or similar Go-Bots) under our roof, but my cousin Nate did, and I was transfixed as I watched him convert them back and forth between robots, vehicles, airplanes, and the like. It became almost like a game of dexterity, to see how quickly and efficiently one could execute and reverse the process. I have wondered if my one-time fascination with the Transformers franchise of the ’80s is at least partially responsible for my interest in retractable hardtops.
I say “interest” not so much in terms of wanting to own one myself (though I wouldn’t be opposed to it), but rather just curiosity about their workings and engineering. According to MotorWeek, it was Karmann of Germany that had engineered the retractable hardtop mechanism on the G6 GT convertible. (All ’07 convertibles were in the GT trim level.) All of that extra gimcrackery added over four hundred pounds over the weight of the GT coupe, with the convertible starting at almost 3,900 pounds. This example is powered by the 3.5 liter V6 engine with 217 horsepower driving the front wheels through a four-speed automatic. There was also an optional V6 displacing 3.9 liters that added 10 horsepower, and that version was able to do the 0-60 sprint in the mid-eight second range, citing that same Motorweek test. These cars weren’t fast, but they were fast enough for the comfortable cruising they were envisioned for.
Whereas Motorweek seemed to gush with praise for the drop-top G6, Consumer Reports gave it middling marks, with the reviewer at the latter publication seeming unimpressed with its cheap-feeling interior materials, subpar fit and finish, acceleration, handling, accessibility to the rear seats (hampered by the front seat belt assembly), and a few other things. Both magazines indicated combined city/highway fuel economy of about 20 miles per gallon, which seems lower than I would have expected for a modern convertible with a V6 (and not a V8). I find nothing wrong with the G6’s styling, largely the work of Nigeria-born designer Jelani Aliyu. As the son of a west African immigrant myself, and also once a kid whose first career ambition was to design cars, I surely would have looked up to Aliyu for inspiration. My late, Liberian father often made me feel like there was nothing I couldn’t do if I consistently applied myself. I didn’t always believe, but with a clear mind, focus, and priorities, I aim high today.
It had been almost three years since I had last been to beautiful Omaha, Nebraska before my return a few weeks ago, when I spotted our featured Pontiac. As I’ve written about before, I’ve learned to make business travel genuinely fun and something I truly look forward to, taking my camera along with me and going on little adventures after working hours are over for the day. I fell hard for Omaha during my first overnight stay about a decade ago, becoming smitten with its friendly people, clean and pretty downtown area, displays of public art, a proliferation of visually stunning and historic buildings, unique shops for every taste, walkability, photo ops, and shockingly great diversity that I just wasn’t expecting. There was definitely “more than meets the eye” when it came to my first visit to the city nicknamed the “Gateway To The West”.
That’s not to say I think that Omaha is the “Pontiac G6 GT convertible” of United States midwestern cities. When writing this essay, I felt cautious about drawing parallels between Omaha and the G6 convertible, as I was legitimately concerned with offending fans of either the car or the city. With the G6 convertible, I remember wanting so badly for it to be a slam dunk in all of its key metrics, being the perpetual GM cheerleader I’ll probably always be, having grown up in the factory town of Flint, Michigan. I look at the G6, and I see a pleasing shape, innovation… and also, sadly, some unfulfilled potential.
2009 Pontiac G6 GT convertible. Edgewater, Chicago, Illinois. Saturday, October 1, 2022.
The cost-cutting was undoubtedly in the interest of keeping the starting price of the convertible within reach of more buyers. The ’07 GT convertible base-stickered at around $30,000 (only about $500 more than the smaller Volkswagen Eos), which is about $43,000 today, fifteen years later. I don’t necessarily see this approach as a uniformly bad thing, if it meant more top-down Pontiac driving fun for more people. A major downside of this lower-quality strategy was erosion of any perception of the G6 hardtop convertible as being a first-choice, premium car. Total G6 sales would peak at 156,000 units in ’06, the same year the convertible was introduced. Just over 150,000 G6s would find buyers in ’07. I couldn’t find a breakout of ’07 convertible production, but only about 677,000 G6s were produced over its six and a half year run before the plug was pulled on Pontiac in mid-2010.
When I see a car like a G6 convertible in the year 2022, I wonder if I would be brave enough to risk operating the fully automated, 30-second roof mechanism on a warm day, lest something go awry. What would I do if this was my only car, I had no secure garage and relied on street-parking, and the roof got stuck somewhere in the halfway open position? I might instead opt to treat my G6 like a pillarless hardtop and just roll all the windows down. Regardless, it was truly a joy to spend time back in clean, pretty Omaha and also to have the opportunity to snap a few photos of a car that has long intrigued me. Unlike the Transformers franchise, a reboot of the Pontiac brand is unlikely. But like those ’80s toys that were used, discarded, and now bring considerable fun and bucks in good condition to nostalgic people in my age group, I hope at least a few great examples of these cool G6 convertibles are preserved for the future.
Downtown Omaha, Nebraska.
Monday, October 3, 2022.
I forgot they made a convertible G6. I thought the G6 looked pretty decent when it came out, certainly better than the Grand Am it replaced, which isn’t saying much. This G6 convertible is also much easier on the eyes than the contemporary Sebring convertible. I believe at least G6 coupes could be had with a 6-speed manual; I’m sure GM was struggling to keep up with demand for stick-shift G6’s…
It’s funny you should mention the Sebring hardtop convertible, as I saw one of those earlier this month, as well. I think most hardtop convertibles (with a few exceptions) had proportions that were at least a little wonky due to the necessity of hiding the roof in the back, but the Sebring had (IMO) the most unfortunate compromises to its styling. I don’t think they’re hideous. I’d like to think if I had a nice one in black that I’d take care of it and keep it in good condition.
“I believe at least G6 coupes could be had with a 6-speed manual”
They could. I had a GTP coupe with a 6-speed. The xmsn was sourced from Germany and had a decent but not great shift feel. The 3900 V6 had variable valve timing ( cam phasing ) and variable intake runners. Good for 240 HP and very flexible with lots of torque. Really liked that car as it was comfortable, and fun to drive: handled well, but not in the autocrossing sense, had a solid, quality feel to it. I could see the “vert” being less solid, and the 3900 engine was de-rated to 227 HP due to a more restrictive exhaust.
Wish I still had it, but I got the “I want a new car” fever and traded it in after 10 years.
It is sad that the few Pontiacs remaining on the road seem to be ratty cars driven by ratty drivers. It is nice that you were able to find the rare exception to that stereotype.
This is largely my observation, as well. I remember thinking the same thing, about the last time I saw a nice-condition Oldsmobile, or Plymouth. There’s a nice Grand Prix GTP in burgundy that “lives” in my neighborhood, but examining it closely when I walk past it, its showing all the telltale signs of just a car being used.
Try this on for depressing: the final Pontiac ever produced was a fleet-spec G6 four-door that got totaled out in 2015.
Like Corey above, I had forgotten about these. But then the only late Pontiac that captured my imagination was the G8.
My biggest knock on this car isn’t anything unique to Pontiac or GM – it is that I have yet to see a hardtop convertible that looks good with the top up. Every one I can recall seeing makes so many style sacrifices to mechanical necessities. Most traditional convertibles looked really good with the top up, but not these. I guess the solution is to leave the top down year around and keep it parked indoors awaiting convertible weather.
So the answer to your concern about top malfunctions has an answer – it just requires a second car. 🙂
I fully agree with your two-car assessment, J.P.
Very nice matched set.
Oh, wow – I should have read your comment before responding to Corey, above. You and I seem to agree about hardtop convertibles and styling compromises, but I’ll stand by my premise that (IMO) the G6 convertible is genuinely a decent looking car.
“… What would I do if this was my only car, I had no secure garage and relied on street-parking, and the roof got stuck somewhere …”
When the top motor failed on my ’53 Chrysler convertible I was showing off my “new-to-me” car to friends on a cold winter afternoon… and it started to snow. After explaining what happened to a curious cop, I asked my father for his garage space, climbed into the very dark trunk, and drained the brake fluid from the top system spilling most of it in the process.
That worked for a fabric top; I suspect that might not work for the G6 “hardtop”.
“… I might instead opt to treat my G6 like a pillarless hardtop ..”
Exactly. That’s mostly what I did – it was a real heavy top to bring back up from the down position. Sometimes I put it down, but I usually did the back-up struggle in private as it was an awkward and kinda embarrassing endeavor.
And while I predate transformers by [many] decades, I still smile at Roadrunner cartoons which my first son Chris (b. 1965) and I enjoyed on our little B&W TV in the mid-1960s.
Son number 2 (b. 1989) was a possible transformer kid, but he was totally into dinosaurs thanks to the Jurassic Park movies. Lots of toy dinos, no transformers at all.
Thank you for this. Like you, I probably would have done that top-up “dance” in private, as well, as my triceps could probably use more developing.
And I still watch Roadrunner cartoons. There are so many of them on the WB YouTube channel. They invariably make me laugh out loud. They’re probably best watched when on days when one feels like one just cannot win.
I can’t find one angle on this car that doesn’t seem forced or ill-proportioned.
They’re certainly not for everyone. I like them. I’ll always get way, way more flack for many of the other cars I like. I wrote about a ’75 AMC Matador coupe earlier this year. I’m about to meet with former high school classmates, at least one or two of which will probably never let me live that down.
In another decade, there will be a whole bunch of people thinking this car is a neat collectable. Still wouldn’t want one though.
When these first came out, I seriously thought about replacing my ’97 Grand Prix GTP with one. The thought of a convertible without a soft top (since I have no garage) appealed to me. My then wife, a tech at the Pontiac dealer where I bought the GTP, recommended against it, saying several came back for warranty repair issues.
Although many of the issues with that retractable top were more often than not someone forgetting something was in the trunk (big oops there), I thought the better of it.
When she and I split up, and I no longer had easy access to my Pontiac mechanic, I went back to my first love… Ford. That’s how I ended up with my Mustang. As much as I loved the GTP, at about 165K, I was starting to have issues with it.
And as to the Transformers, I was already in my mid-twenties when the animated versions were on the TV, so it was a little too late for me. But as to the movies? While they won’t win too many movie critics’ positive reviews, I found them very entertaining, and definitely ‘more than meets the eye’. 😉
Can you imagine being that person who inadvertently presses the button for the top mechanism, forgetting that something expensive and/or breakable is in the trunk, and end up messing up both the expensive / breakable thing and the top and/or mechanism? I’d be kicking myself for the rest of the year. I wonder if there were infrared sensors back there that would prevent operation. Probably not, given the cost-cutting.
I remember really like the G6 when it first came out, as it’s clean lines were such a refreshing change from the baroque “plastic fantastic” clad Pontiacs preceding it. I will say however, that my enthusiasm was restricted to the four-door version only, as both the coupe and convertible seemed ill-proportioned in contrast. This represented a complete change from earlier generations of GM intermediates, where the coupes always had better styling while the four-door models suffered from too many awkward angles.
My memory of the Pontiac G6 was Dan Neil’s review of the car in the LA Times, and he pilloried the car (and GM) so badly that they pulled all their advertising from the paper for awhile. The review is worth reading (I think it’s still available on the paper’s website) in that, a few years before the bankruptcy he nailed just about everything that was wrong with GM at the time.
I am fascinated by convertible hardtops, but as others have said here I probably wouldn’t want to own one. It just seems like an awful lot of mechanical complexity that also requires sacrificing a trunk. But dang are they cool to watch work. I’ve probably spent more time that I should watching videos of Ford Skyliners in operation.
https://www.curbsideclassic.com/curbside-classics-american/curbside-classic-1957-ford-fairlane-500-skyliner-reaching-for-the-sky/
Joe, I too loved Transformers. My first job out of college was working in the toy department of a funky college town variety store (the kind of place where you could buy Archie McPhee-like stuff, indian-print wall hangings, and pipe screens at the front register). We sold the sort of then-exotic Transformers, and I’d spend full days transforming them there behind the register.
Jeff, I like that you referenced the original Ford Skyliner. I honestly have wondered if there were engineers in the late ’90s that drew direct inspiration from it when developing these retractable hardtops. (I’m sure there’s a CC article about this, but I’m working on limited time this PM before getting back to other projects. 🙂 )
A few years ago our local trusted mechanic’s shop had one of these as a Loaner vehicle (they also operate a decent used car dealer). My wife was tossed the keys to a convertible G6 nearly identical to the example in the post. My daily was riding the bench in the driveway with an increasingly unignorable oil leak, so she picked me up from work in the G6 loaner. Assuming that she’d show up in some anonymous CUV, I was kind of excited to see the not-that-common G6. It was late fall here in San Antonio, so it was only in the mid-fifties, but a sunny afternoon. I expressed my surprise that she’d be given such a potentially troublesome folding-hardtop-equipped car as a loaner. She looked at me with a quizzical expression, having not even noticed that it was a convertible (she was at this time only beginning to get into cars, and just hadn’t given much thought to the G6, only noting that it was cool that it had a pillarless design. I asked her if they told her not to touch the top button, expecting to hear a story or them saying, ‘no matter what you do, DO NOT MESS WITH THE TOP’, but instead she shrugged and said, ‘nope, they just mentioned that it was throwing a Check Engine code for an oxygen sensor or something. She got pretty excited that it was a convertible, and wanted to put it down. I again checked that they absolutely did not say anything about leaving it alone, and she replied that nothing was said about the top. I then agreed that it couldn’t hurt to give it a try, fully expecting that they’d long-since pulled the fuse for the top, and that pressing the button would do nothing. She hit the button and the top dropped without a single issue.
I was amazed. We drove home with the top down, heater heating, and listening to the MULTITUDE of rattles, squeaks, and clunks the car offered as we ferried ourselves home. Upon pulling into the driveway I was more than a little anxious about whether the 12-yr-old mechanical marvel would, in fact, marvel us with returning into it’s secure, up position. With absolutely no fanfare my wife hit the top button again. And as before, the top hummed, clunked, and squeee’d itself back into place. I was dumbfounded, and took this as a sign that our mechanic definitely knew his stuff if this thing was still working as new.
We drove the car for the next three or four days, with weather that became increasingly more fall-appropriate, necessitating the need for the top to remain up for the remainder of our time with it.
A couple of months later, with our trusty-but-ageing Elantra back in the shop for another old-car ailment, the wife was again tossed the keys to the G6. Out of pure curiousity and with great ceremony we parked the car, and pressed the Top button. Nothing.
I guess the poor G6’s one party trick was no longer able to put on a show. But we still managed to feel far fancier than our accoutrements would dictate when we dropped all four windows and pretended we were riding in an E-Class coupe, and not a 13-year-old orphaned GM product.
Absolutely loved reading this – thank you for taking the time to recount and write about your and your wife’s experience with one. I had to go back and re-read that had been a time lapse of only two months between when the G6’s top worked and quit working.
It honestly may have been even less than two months. It was not a long time at all. When she returned the G6 the second time, she inquired about what had gone wrong with the top. The mechanic gives the car the most loathesome expression, paired with a simple, “That f*ckin thing”.
A few months later we were preparing to send the Elantra to wherever 300,000-mile Hyundais go to live out their final days (Albania?) and were upgrading to a new-to-us Mk7 GTI. When she brought it by the mechanic’s to give it a PPI, he suddenly became the parent that he is outside of the shop, and made her PROMISE HIM that she would ALWAYS keep up with oil changes.
It’s rare that you build a relationship that verges on family with the person/people that fixes your stuff, but we cannot complain. 🙂
I was just a little too old for the Transformers, but I totally remember that TV ad jingle. That was the sort of Velcro-covered line that once heard, would instantly stick and couldn’t soon be removed from one’s head. ACKKK! Even now just thinking about it, I can’t get it out!
I think Motorweek caught the appropriate spirit of this car better than Consumer Reports. This is clearly a car more about passion than practicality, even though the sales pitch for retractable hardtops is fundamentally practical (convertible lifestyle with the benefits of a closed car). One must be willing to embrace technology enthusiastically to enjoy this car. That means submissively placing yourself in the engineers’ loving embrace and not sweating about whether to put the top down based on concerns about it going back up.
I’ve never been a big fan of the G6. It was cleanly styled, but too cab-forward for my tastes. Having owned a traditional convertible for a few years in the distant past, I have found the idea of hardtop convertibles appealing. It would be nice to have an almost real roof over your head when the top is up, then be able to drop it when the weather is good. But the mechanical complexity is daunting!
Jon, thinking about your comment a bit more, I think the true benefit to a hardtop convertible would be to a city dweller who might need to rely on street parking. Soft cloth tops are easily cut open, and expensive to replace. Having a hardtop convertible would eliminate at least a few of those worries. Then, there’s (in theory) a quieter cabin and the elimination of the need to replace the soft top after so many years.
About the quieter cabin, though, most reviews I referenced while putting this piece together a few weeks ago mentioned all of the rattles, shakes, etc. Apparently, these cars made noise, and that breaks my heart.
My children were never into the Transformers thing at the time, however my adult daughter went through a Japanese phase, avidly watching the Japanese children’s and young adults’ TV shows (with subtitles) which, she assures me, inspired Transformers franchise. The other day in her car I heard the unmistakable sound of the Sentai Gokaiger theme music, so the phase lingers on.
Joseph, another great piece on a car I knew nothing about. Looking at your profile shot, I have to wonder what production vehicle had the most steeply raked beltline. This must be right up there. A wedge shape is all very well, but not always the most practical for a vehicle which rarely goes fast enough for the aero effect to really matter. When the VE Commodore (aka Pontiac G8) was released, one of the few criticisms I read was that young children in the back complained that they couldn’t see out – the beltline effect.
I watched Speed Racer when I was a kid. I don’t even know when that was made, but I think they were old reruns when I watched it in the 80’s. Of course, Godzilla and other giant Japanese monster movies were a must-watch, too.
And I agree, the steeply raked beltline was a bit much on these.
I loved Speed Racer when MTV started running old episodes (early ’70?) late at night when I was in college in the early ’90s. I was borderline obsessed with it at the time. I think there was even some techno tune I used to hear out at clubs that put the theme song to house / tribal beats. That was my jam, though I never owned the CD5 single.
Peter, thank you. And about the sloping beltline, I think the effect works better on cars that are longer or have a longer wheelbase. The exception to this is the Triumph TR7 / TR8, and the reason I think that wedge-look worked on them was because they were low to the ground.
I’ve bypassed Omaha on I-80, once. And I passed on driving a G6, once when I got a 2 door G6 coupe as a rental on vacation in Hawaii with my family, when my kids were in high school. I argued that this was not the “mid-size” car I had reserved, to no avail, and ended up paying quite a bit to upgrade to a Ford Escape. Which had a lot roomier back seat, not to mention easier ingress and egress. I don’t think our son would have been happy in the back of the G6 … he complained enough about riding in the back of our Forester.
Rental car classifications always make me laugh. I think Enterprise has a Corolla as a “midsize” car. I’m like, “In what world?” I’ll be thrilled if I get an actual Corolla, though.
I don’t think I’ve ever been a passenger in a G6, ever, though I have ridden in Grand Ams. I think it would be hard to find a Generation X’er who hasn’t.
At least Corollas (at least US rental company Corollas) have 4 doors. I would have been fine, well OK, with a 4 door G6.
I got as far as test-driving one of these in 2006, but also didn’t have a garage at home or work, and I knew the mechanism wouldn’t hold up to 2-4 uses a day. Just as well the headroom was so tight for me, because I was still tempted. IIRC, the door tops and wheel were black, which is almost as stupid as dark seats in a convertible in the Sunbelt. Seven years later, I got a used Cadillac with a sunroof, and it gives me enough of a wind in my non-hair experience.
The sunroof is what I think is the decision ultimately made by many who are tempted by a convertible. Especially with city dwellers who don’t want to have to worry about getting their tops slashed and contents stolen. It’s a shame no manufacturer seems to have perfected t-tops and making them weather-tight.
I have a G6 convertible 2008, just simple things go wrong I had to replace the headlight, and the door handle. Other than that this car is pretty quick and I didn’t pay very much for it. I love this car.
Excellent. I’m always happy to hear or read about a great, firsthand ownership experience. Here’s hoping the good times keep rolling with your G6 for a long time to come.
I’d like to have one of those “VW EOS” , hardtop convert’s!
I love and drive my 08 G6 hardtop as my daily driver. Living in the south, weather allows me to take advantage of dropping the top almost daily, and I do. I have never had any issues with either the car or top other than normal maintenance.
My spouse and I also have an 07 g5 gt and an 08 Solstice gxp.
I still wish for a Pontiac resurgence. Until that magic day happens, I will love and keep my Pontiacs well maintained and cruising.
Thanks for the article on the G6. I don’t think they got the credit/love they deserved. As a kid of the 80’s I had some transformer vibes with my G6 top operation. It made me smile to see someone else had the same thoughts.
Great minds, Alex. Thank you for this, and many happy miles of enjoyment of your Pontiacs.
I have my 2007 g6 gt convertable and its my pride and joy. With only 34000 miles,i plan on putting collector plates in it in 2027. People are amazed by the retracking har top. Handles like a vet and is quick as a jaguar. My wife and I enjoy our trips across the country Andy get a lot if comments on our styleish ride.
I bought my 07 g6 convertible in 2013 and had been my daily driver up until 2019. I wish i would have gotten a secondary car sooner as to not have so many miles on it. Ive honestly really have enjoyed this car. Ive never had an issue with the hard top and i think some of the issues people with it are due to not refilling the hydraulic fluid tank. I have never had so many compliments on any car that i have owned as i have on this g6. Sometimes id let my girlfriends drive it and theyd come back telling me stories how guys would try to hit on them by complimenting my car. Lol. Im gonna do my best to keep her in the best condition possible and look forward to seeing people in awe of her in 20yrs from now.
We have a 2007 G6 convertible. Had the top go bad once because we had thrown a water bottle in and it was on top of the pull back sheet. Took us a year to find a part that we needed to fix it, but finally did. We love the car and as soon as it is warm enough we have the top down. No matter what, we get remarks about our car all the time. People love it up or down and think it is a newer car. Will keep this forever.
Carol, I also have a red 2007 G6 convertible and people are often admiring it. I have been having a few issues. My latest issue is that my AC has gone out and my driver rear window is not going up once i get it down. I can not even find the part for this at the moment so, I’m not able to let my hard top down. A few individuals have asked if i wanted to sell it, but I’m really not ready to depart from it. Heck it might even be worth some money soon. It only has 146,000 miles.
When GM was ending the Pontiac brand I purchased a G6 GT 3.9 convertible as GM was basically giving them away for next to nothing. The car is in garage and covered all winter and has never seen rain. After 15 years, the odometer just hit 4000 miles. Although I only drive it about 300 miles a year, I still enjoy having it and plan to give to one of my children. To keep it in perfect new condition all of the fluids get replaced and leather/rubber seals are conditioned every few years. The vehicle is just getting to the age now that it is starting to look like a classic.
I picked up a 2007 G6 GT special order 3.9 convertible for 3k. I love it. My 1st car was a pontiac sunbird, then 3 fieros, 84, 85, 86, firebirds, 85 TA, 1 grand am GT, now this. I will always love pontiacs. More than my Cadi CTS 6 speed manual!
Valerie – your white G6 looks awesome! And what a great price you got it for!