Rhys Millen's Pontiac Solstice GXP Drift Machine Feature Video

By Edmunds Video Productions | Published September 25, 2009

3:41 min

Rhys Millen's Pontiac Solstice GXP Drift Machine Rhys Millen has scored wins at the Formula Drift Professional Drifting Championship before, but back then, he was driving a Pontiac GTO. With the GTO fading out of production during the 2006 model year, the GM-sponsored Millen switched his ride to the only rear-drive Pontiac around: the turbocharged Solstice GXP. The car has been beefed up for its drifting adventures by Roush Industries in Michigan. Roush pulled apart a stock Solstice and built a roll cage, making the cars overall structure more rigid as well as providing a measure of driver protection. This car's suspension configuration is the same as that of the production Solstice, but there are differences in detail and tuning. The front suspension's control arms, tie rod ends and toe links are specially built to maximize steering angle. After all, steering angle is to drifting what straight-line traction is to drag racing � there can never be too much of it. These Racing Hart SP-10 wheels that measure 18 by 8 inches in front and 18 by 9.5 inches. They're stock Racing Hart pieces, but they feature a bolt pattern that has been custom-drilled for the Solstice. The tires are supplied by Bridgestone. In front, huge Rotora discs clamped by six-piston calipers handle the braking. In back is another pair of Rotora discs, with each disc matched to a pair of two-piston calipers. The first set of rear calipers operates as part of the primary braking system controlled by the brake pedal. The second pair of rear calipers is plumbed into its own master cylinder controlled by a hand-operated rally brake. Using the rally brake, Millen can induce sweet slides by locking up the rear wheels while letting the front wheels roll free. Drifting originally developed as an organized sport in Japan with rear-drive cars powered by turbocharged four-cylinder engines. So in at least one respect, the turbocharged four-cylinder engine in Millen's Solstice GXP represents a return to tradition compared to the V8-powered GTO. The Ecotec inline-4 in the drift Solstice is slightly larger in displacement than the 2.0-liter version used in the stock Solstice GXP. It runs on high-octane E85 � a blend of 85 percent alcohol and 15 percent gasoline. The turbocharged engine runs a relatively high 9.72 to 1 compression ratio. But it's the turbocharger system that sends the Ecotec's output through the roof. In all, the engine is capable of between 450 and 500 horsepower, transmitted through a Tremec T56 six-speed manual transmission. That's more than enough power to leave the rear tires in shreds. Millen has tweaked the Solstice GXP since he first slid behind the wheel last April to increase steering angle and enhance tire smoke. At the end of the year, Millen finished the year 4th in the championship. This is all very impressive for a new car. Millen has been so encouraged that he's planning to expand his team to a second car in the near future.