2005 Pontiac G6 GT

Audi TT WHAT: The second generation sharpens exterior edges and adds a shield grille but otherwise remains faithful to the original design. Based on the new Golf platform. WHEN: Frankfurt show debut; on sale 2006. DON'T MESS WITH SUCCESS: But please make it sportier.

Mazda MX-5 Miata WHAT: The third generation of modern auto-dom's most famous ragtop is seen here as a disguised prototype testing at Germany's Nrburgring track. The overall shape and size of the new Miata appear to be very close to those of the current model, but one can see that this is an entirely new car by the shape of the doors and the side windows, which have a smaller triangular section adjoining the A-pillar. The disguised front end is also new, with a flatter hood and a higher cutline between the hood and the front bumper and grille. It also appears that the wheel arches will be more pronounced. WHEN: We expect to see the production car at this month's Geneva show and in dealerships this fall. THIRD TIME: And it looks as if it still will be quite a charmer. Stay tuned for more details.

Chevrolet Monte Carlo WHAT: Chevrolet's NASCAR nameplate now will seem more authentic with the introduction of an available V-8 to go with a freshened exterior and improved interior. WHEN: Fall 2005. MORE GRUNT, BUT: It's still ugly.

Ferrari F430 Convertible WHAT: The convertible F430 looks almost identical to the coupe. It sports the same 483-hp, 4.3-liter V-8 with either a six-speed manual or sequential-manual transmission. WHEN: Early 2006. SUPPLY, DEMAND: There's still a wait list for the 360 Spider.

Bentley Drophead Coup WHAT: Bentley will try to beat Rolls-Royce to market with a new ultraluxury convertible first seen at the L.A. auto show as the Arnage Drophead Coup concept. Based on the Arnage sedan, the canvas-topped four-seater is roomier than the Azure it replaces, and it boasts a glass rear window, pop-up roll bars, and a bigger trunk. Like the Arnage R, the droptop is powered by the classic 6.75-liter, twin-turbo V-8, which delivers 450 hp and 645 lb-ft of torque. The price should be just under $300,000. Too expensive? Stand by for the $175,000 Continental GT drophead. WHEN: 2006 for both.

WHAT ELSE: At this month's Geneva show, Bentley also will unveil the four-door Continental sedan, which will be badged the Flying Spur and feature a C-pillar treatment reminiscent of the namesake former flagship. Stretching the wheelbase by a foot creates plentiful rear leg-room for adults. Both four-seat and five-seat models will be offered. Slightly shorter than the Arnage, it has better front legroom and rear head- and knee room. Price and performance are about on par with the twin-turbo W-12 GT coupe. WHEN: Fall 2005 or early 2006. FLOSSIN': Bentley nails the big-bucks look.

Porsche Cayman WHAT: The fixed-head version of the new Boxster promises lighter weight and a stiffer structure than the already very stiff cabrio. Initially, the Cayman will be offered in S trim with a 295-hp 3.4-liter flat six. The same 240- and 276-hp flat-sixes used in the Boxster may come later. A stripped-down ClubSport will satisfy track junkies who want mid-engine handling and need the safety of a hard top. WHEN: Early 2006. A BABY CARRERA?: The Cayman would be faster on a racetrack than its big brother if it were as powerful, so Porsche is dumbing down the horsepower to protect the profitable 911.

Volvo C70 WHAT: The replacement for the C70 convertible will be based on the new S40/V50 platform, itself shared with Mazda and Ford. The C70 will be a full four-place convertible with a folding hard top in place of the outgoing car's soft top. The convertible will be offered with the 168-hp naturally aspirated and 218-hp turbocharged fives from the S/V range, with an all-wheel-drive option. Prices will start in the mid-$30,000s. WHEN: Early 2006. SUNNY SWEDE: Smaller and more fun.

BMW 3-Series Coupe/Convertible/M3 WHAT: Popular and profitable variants of BMW's most important car are  attired in all-new, de-Bangled sheetmetal. The coupe, convertible, and M3 will help the 3-series sedan, which arrives this summer, fend off challengers for the entry-luxury-segment crown. The coupe and convertible will be motivated by the same six-cylinder engines as the sedan, while the M3 will have a 400-hp V-8 under its hood. WHEN: Coupe, 2006; convertible, 2007; M3, 2007 HIGH HOPES: The 3-series should help placate the BMW faithful who have been whining about Chris Bangle's styling direction.

Pontiac G6 Convertible WHAT: The droptop G6 has a retractable roof that raises or lowers in less than thirty seconds. The two-piece, clamshell-style hard top, engineered with help from Karmann, stores beneath a hard tonneau cover. When dressed in GTP trim, the G6 convertible will be powered by a 3.9-liter, 240-hp V-6 mated to a four-speed manu-matic transmission (a six-speed manual will be offered only with fixed-top GTPs). GT examples get the same 3.5-liter, 200-hp V-6 as the four-door G6 GT. All G6 convertibles get eighteen-inch wheels and should command $3000 to $4000 over comparable fixed-roof coupes. WHEN: Early 2006. HIDDEN FROM VIEW: While both this version of the G6 and its coupe sibling look great, the cabrio's chunky rear quarter-panels mean shorter back-seat passengers may have difficulty seeing out or being seen. But this car brings an affordable hardtop convertible to the masses.

Mitsubishi Eclipse WHAT: The longer, wider, taller, and more powerful fourth-generation Eclipse is based heavily on last year's Detroit concept. This latest version is extremely important for beleaguered Mitsubishi, which hopes to recapture the younger buyers lost with the previous-generation car. GS models will be equipped with a 2.4-liter, 165-hp four and either a four-speed automatic or a five-speed manual transmission. GTs will get one extra ratio per gearbox and a 3.8-liter, 260-hp V-6. WHEN: Coupe, mid-2005; Spyder, 2006. WHERE'S THE BEEF?: The concept's voluptuous curves were sexy and dynamic, but the production version seems a bit boring by comparison. Let's hope the driving is not.

Saturn Sky Roadster WHAT: Saturn's version of the Pontiac Solstice, the Sky exhibits the new face of Saturn, which will add a mid-size sedan and a large crossover sport-utility to its lineup over the next two years. Aimed at the Mazda Miata in price with dimensions close to the pricier and slightly bigger Honda S2000, the sub-$25,000 Sky gets a 170-hp, 2.4-liter Ecotec four mated to manual or automatic five-speed transmissions and near 50/50 weight distribution. We also expect a Red Line version. WHEN: Early 2006. WHAT WAS SATURN'S BRAND IDENTITY AGAIN?: We're wondering what sister division Pontiac thinks of the supposed budget-brand Saturn becoming more performance-oriented.

Porsche 911 Turbo WHAT: Beyond the requisite boost in horsepower to an estimated 480, the next 911 Turbo, due in just over a year, features the long-awaited dual-clutch automatic transmission. With weight barely increased, the all-wheel-drive Turbo will blast from 0 to 60 mph in well under four seconds. Wider fenders house the widest tires ever fitted to a 911, and a multitude of air intakes accentuate the fast and furious proportions. WHEN: Mid-2006. MEGA 911s: The Turbo follows both the Carrera 4S and the 400-hp GT3, which again will be a lightweight, nonturbo track star.

Pontiacs are ubiquitous in the Motor City, but the rest of the country is less interested in the marque. During our first test-drive of the new G6, which replaces the Grand Am, a Pontiac engineer admitted that when he flies to California, he holds his breath after leaving the airport terminal until he sees a Pontiac. Sometimes he nearly passes out before conceding that there are no Grand Ams, Grand Prixs, or Bonne-villes swimming in the sea of Hondas, Toyotas, and BMWs. Pontiac is hoping to change that with the G6 and has even ditched its best-selling nameplate-Grand Am-to make the point that this is a truly different Pontiac.

The G6's sleek, unadorned styling is certainly a refreshing change from the Grand Am's ribbed plastic and bizarre spoilers. The car's long, 112-inch wheelbase, which is shared with its Epsilon platform mate, the Chevrolet Malibu Maxx, helps give the car a great road stance, with a flowing profile and short overhangs. The interior is less appealing. Although a huge improvement over the Grand Am's, it still suffers from subpar switchgear, imprecisely molded plastics, and discordant shapes and textures. Legroom is plentiful, but headroom is sacrificed for a low, sexy roofline.

This year, a 3.5-liter V-6 sending 200 horsepower and 220 pound-feet of torque through a four-speed automatic is the sole powertrain for both the base model and the GT. While smooth at idle, the pushrod V-6 coarsens as the revs rise. For 2006, a GTP model will debut with a 240-horsepower, 3.9-liter pushrod V-6 and an optional six-speed manual. A modern, DOHC, 2.4-liter, 170-horsepower Ecotec four-cylinder also arrives next year, along with coupe and convertible body styles.

Pontiac offered a Mazda 6, a Nissan Altima, and a Honda Accord for comparison, all of which had markedly better interiors and more refined powertrains. The Pontiac's numb, electrically assisted steering conspires with excess weight to dumb down the driving ex-perience. Lots of grip from stiff springs and big tires can't overcome excessive understeer and a lack of damping. The brakes are excellent, though.

Despite Pontiac's claims of "a value proposition," the G6 is priced in lockstep with the Mazda and the Honda, at $21,300 for the base model and $23,925 for the GT. Distinctive styling only goes so far, and other than generous rear legroom and an available panorama roof, the G6 has little to distinguish it. It's a significant step up from the Grand Am, but the G6 is still off the pace in a segment full of great cars. GM has shown it can make cars that you really might see driving through the passenger-pickup lanes at LAX-witness the Chevrolet Corvette and the Cadillac CTS-but we wouldn't hold our breath waiting for a G6.