Body style: Coupé (two-door)
Segment: Coupe
Production years: 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005
Built to compete against the light-coupe import market, the Sunfire arrived in 1995 as a replacement for the Pontiac Sunbird. In 2002 it went through a major facelift.
The budget sport-coupe market in the U.S. was dominated by the Honda Civic coupe and Toyota Celica. Their high-revving engines, but with low torque, increased their market share. The GM launched the Sunfire as a countermeasure for them, with bigger engines.
The 2002 model-year featured a completely new front end design. The wider, sleek-looking, headlights, and the specific Pontiac grille were the most important visible upgrades over the 1995 model. A more aggressive bumper with three air-intakes and the fog-lights on the outer side, made the car look like it went through a custom-car shop. The Sunfire was available as a sedan, coupe, and convertible. The coupe was the sportiest looking one and it featured raised beltline on the quarter panels. A small wing was installed at the base of the rear windscreen. Three-spoke specific light-alloy wheels were installed.
Inside, a four-spoke steering wheel was installed. The instrument cluster was rounded on a bulge in the front of the driver and featured four analog dials. On the center stack, there was a low-spec stereo and the controls for the air-conditioning unit. The front bucket-seats were built to offer good stability during high-speed cornering, even though the car was not as fast as it looked.
From 2003 to 2005, when the car was retired, the Sunfire was offered with only one engine: a 2.2-liter that offered 140 hp, which was less than what the import-cars offered.
ENGINE SPECS - 2.2L 4AT FWD (140 HP) | |
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Cylinders: | L4 |
Displacement: | 2189 cm3 |
Power: | 104 KW @ 5600 RPM 141 HP @ 5600 RPM 139 BHP @ 5600 RPM |
Torque: | 150 lb-ft @ 4000 RPM 203 Nm @ 4000 RPM |
Fuel System: | Multipoint Injection |
Fuel: | Gasoline |
Fuel capacity: | 15.3 gallons (57.9 L) |
PERFORMANCE SPECS | |
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Top Speed: | 118 mph (190 km/h) |
TRANSMISSION SPECS | |
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Drive Type: | Front Wheel Drive |
Gearbox: | 5-Speed manual |
BRAKES SPECS | |
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Front: | Ventilated Discs |
Rear: | Drums |
TIRES SPECS | |
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Tire Size: | 195/65R15 |
DIMENSIONS | |
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Length: | 182 in (4623 mm) |
Width: | 68.4 in (1737 mm) |
Height: | 53 in (1346 mm) |
Front/rear Track: | 57.6/56.4 in (1,463/1,433 mm) |
Wheelbase: | 104.1 in (2644 mm) |
Cargo Volume: | 12.4 cuFT (351 L) |
WEIGHT SPECS | |
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Unladen Weight: | 2771 lbs (1257 kg) |
FUEL ECONOMY (NEDC) | |
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City: | 24 mpg US (9.8 L/100Km) |
Highway: | 33 mpg US (7.1 L/100Km) |
Combined: | 28 mpg US (8.4 L/100Km) |