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This car, according to Pontiac, is the living expression of what all future Pontiacs will look like and act like, a redefinition of Pontiac's longstanding "Excitement" theme. All of the previous earmarks of a Grand Am are gone, along with the name.

Gone are the massive side cladding panels and standoff rear spoiler associated with the Pontiac Grand Am . Instead, there is a single spear running down the sides of the Pontiac G6 with a delicate integrated spoiler lip on the trailing edge of the decklid. That's on the GT models. The Base version has almost no decoration at all. It's a bit soulless in style when compared to the previous high-energy, hot-looking Grand Am, even out-dulling the Honda Accord.

The Pontiac designers were handed a much longer wheelbase, at 112.3 inches some five inches longer than the old Grand Am's, and they have made the most of it in terms of interior roominess. A 6-foot, 4-inch passenger can sit behind a 6-foot, 4-inch driver with plenty of room in models with no sunroof or the conventional sunroof. Those with tall friends or family may want to consider the new Panoramic sunroof is powered by a motor that takes up a big chunk of headroom at the trailing edge of the headliner.

The all-new 2005 Pontiac G6 is built in Michigan on GM's international Epsilon platform, from parts and ideas that used on the Saab 9-3, Opel Vectra, Chevrolet Malibu sedan and Malibu Maxx wagonette, all introduced over the past two years.

GM's Epsilon architecture is behind the long-wheelbase G6's ride and handling finesse, with a structural stiffness that helps the G6 achieve a 27.3 Hz bending frequency, a big number that ranks with most luxury cars. Pontiac says the car is designed with three major "torque rings" that add stiffness and strength without taking up too much space or adding weight. In addition to the torque rings, the Pontiac G6 structure also uses high-strength steel for about 60 percent of underbody components and central tunnel. Rather than just a single layer of sheet steel, the tunnel has an extra piece of steel welded between it and the floor pan. The stiff body uses fully isolated front and rear subframes to carry the heavy stuff, and the front one is hydroformed for strength and light weight.

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The Pontiac G6 interior is altogether new and different from the somewhat excitable, frenetic soft-plastic, fat-knob theme of past Grand Ams. It is much darker, more modern, more European, done in four major sections including a stark, ungrained plastic center stack that holds two vents, the sound system, heater controls, and a 12-volt power outlet. Instruments and controls are presented in white on black (red at night). Every single knob and escutcheon has a chrome ring around it. Very tasty, and nicely presented, with small, conservative graphics on the faces and labels.

The center stack has a red-LED readout and control panel that allows every owner to use the sound system's features, and to customize the locking, lighting, and other functions, with a trip computer and driver information system that's easy, intuitive, and fun to use. The new sporty front bucket seats are made for body comfort and body retention in high-speed maneuvers, and they are very comfortable and thickly padded.

This Pontiac G6 is a now a grown-up. New optional features available on the G6 that were never available on the Grand Am include a neat remote starting system for those cold winter mornings, power adjustable pedals, OnStar, XM Satellite Radio, and the newest item on the shelf, a Panoramic roof.

Developed by GM and Webasto, this top comes open in four stacking segments, front to rear, and has about twice as much open area as the conventional sunroof, which is still offered. It's remarkable how easily it works, and keeps conversation possible even at very high road speeds.