The Morning Call and Mcall.com's view

Call this one a Neon eater.

When Chrysler released its Neon, it set new standards for personality, performance and price among small cars. Not to be outdone, Pontiac has put its fierce spin on GM’s revised J-car platform to come up with one brutal little coupe for the young and young at heart.

Neon, say “hi” to the Sunfire.

Start on the outside. You won’t mistake this one for its wimpy predecessor, the Sunbird. This sheet metal bulges in all the right places, striking a loud, aggressive Hans and Franz-like stance. You can tell the GT coupe from its more humble siblings by the black painted roof and dual exhausts. The look is terrific — current, bold and very Pontiac.

Open the door and you’re treated to an interior that is far better than any J-car to date. The instruments and controls are clearly marked and easy to use. Even though there’s a lot of plastic switchgear, the feel is pretty good. The exception: the gritchy feel of the hand brake (although it is ideally located).

The front bucket seats are comfortable for short-term driving, although tall drivers might wish for more seat travel. The back seat is for the brave or limber.

Controls for the optional power windows are located in the center console, along with the cup holders. Hope you’re thirsty. The glovebox will hold a twelve-pack of your favorite beverage.

Start the car and you’ll remember why Pontiac is GM’s excitement division. The new-for-’96 2.4-litre Twin Cam Four throbs with power, 150 horses and 155 pound-feet of torque. Unlike most 16-valve overhead cam fours, this one has good power at all speeds. And boy, does it go.

It also lets you know it. The engine, which gives a muted growl at moderate speeds, becomes vocal when pressed hard. When paired with the GT’s meaty P205/55 16-inch performance tires, there can be more than enough noise — but in this class, that’s not always considered a bad thing.

That power is filtered through a five-speed manual, three-speed automatic or optional electronically controlled four-speed automatic. The test car had the four-speed, which pulled itself through its gears effortlessly and with little fuss. Shifts could barely be felt. When you pop for this transmission, you also get the Enhanced Traction System, which detects when a wheel is losing traction and reduces power to that wheel. It prevented this car from spinning its tires on hard launches.

The GT has a specially tuned suspension, as well as a thicker front anti-roll bar. The ride is quite firm, becoming harsh over severely broken pavement. There’s some body lean going into corners, but not enough to scare you. For those of you who like to live on the edge, you can even wag the tale over bumpy pavement. Some fun and a big improvement over the old J-cars. The steering is commendably quick.

Braking is about the same. Anti-lock front discs and rear drums are standard. Wit h this much power, four-wheel discs would be appreciated.

Safety is always a concern, and in that regard the Sunfire is equally aggressive. In addition to anti-lock brakes, traction control and dual airbags, daytime running lamps are standard. They run at a reduced voltage all the time, come on automatically when you start the car and release the parking brake, and also remember to turn themselves off. This feature is standard on many GM models this year.

Just because this is a small coupe, it doesn’t mean GM overlooked the little things. There is a remote release for the trunk, as well as available keyless entry. The overhead lamp comes on when you park the car. There’s a small overhead bin for your radar detector. The rear seat folds down to enlarge the trunk. But check out the trunk opening — it is a bit small.

And finally, GM joins the rest of the automotive world: One key opens all locks.

This is a big improvement over the car it replaces, on that gives the economy buyer a car that runs with the best of them. The added refinement brings this vehicle up to a lot of cars in this class without smothering its raucous American character.

Neon drivers, beware of Sunfires bearing black roofs.

1996 Pontiac Sunfire GT Coupe Standard: 2.4 liter 16-valve four-cylinder engine, five-speed manual transmission, P205/55R16 performance tires, GT tuned suspension, four-wheel anti-lock brakes, dual airbags, aluminum wheels, intermittent wipers, AM/FM Stereo. Options: Four-speed automatic transmission, rear defogger, cruise control, convenience package, power mirrors, power windows, power door locks, keyless entry, sport interior package and AM/FM cassette player with equalizer. Base price: $13,214 Price with options: $3,121 Destination charge: $495 Total: $16,860 EPA rating: 22 mpg city/32 mpg highway