Beauty inspires lust. That’s why Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are hot Google search terms, that’s why honeymooners adore hot and humid Hawaii, and that’s what is going to sell the 2006 Pontiac Solstice. (Now, to get Jolie or Pitt in the Solstice’s passenger seat for a lap around Maui…)

Look at this car. There’s nary a fault on it, except for the fact that the plastic lower front air dam makes it appear that something is hanging very low from the engine bay when viewed from the front. Otherwise, the 2006 Pontiac Solstice is perfection, right down to the amber side marker light deftly integrated with the front wheel well and fascia. It is simply gorgeous, one of the most beautiful automobiles ever created.

If that praise is a little over the top, raise the roof and the Solstice looks less appealing, like Angelina or Brad in track pants and a trucker cap. With the oddly-shaped top clamped into place, it looks unsealed where it clips into the trunk lid, giving the car an unfinished appearance. And the side glass features a trapezoidal shape because the roof rises high at the rear of the passenger compartment, offering plenty of head clearance for taller drivers but also giving the Solstice an ungainly look.

The Pontiac Solstice’s cheaply outfitted interior also brings you right back down to earth. Select an Ebony cloth or leather cabin, and dour best describes the passenger compartment. Though chrome detailing helps to liven things up a bit, the black and dark gray decor needs more contrast to lighten the mood – something like light gray seat and door panel inserts. If you can, choose the Steel and Sand interior combo, which is a bit busy in appearance but ultimately looks more upscale and helps tone down the plethora of low-grade plastic parts.

Thanks to a tall cowling and low-mounted seats, the driver-centric dash is somewhat imposing but looks good from a distance. The Solstice’s chrome-encrusted gauge binnacle reminds of the Ford Mustang, and includes a tachometer, speedometer, fuel gauge, and warning lights. In sunlight, all that chrome sparkles – a little too brightly. Proper Germanic door grips decorate both front doors, and the passenger gets an extra one to grip on the center console. The Solstice’s steering wheel is an excellent design but is a tad too large for such a small and sporting car, a complaint we’ve also voiced about the Corvette. Because the control panel is designed with circular themes, the squared-off “passenger airbag” warning indicator looks like an afterthought, tacked on at the top of the swept arc that defines the upper reaches of the cockpit.