From the show-car circuit to the showroom floor, literally
Mazda's MX-5 has been living large for the last 17 years. When introduced way back in 1989 as a '90 model, it was an instant hit and has been pretty much unrivaled ever since. Someone had to do something about it, but I don't think anyone was expecting that someone to be General Motors.
Both the Pontiac Solstice and Saturn SKY concepts were unveiled in 2002, but the Saturn was horrendously ugly. A stunning new SKY concept appeared at the 2005 Detroit Auto Show, which is the spitting image of the production roadster. Finally, a GM concept car hits the streets without being severely watered down.
The SKY is, first and foremost, a question of style. Its striking sheetmetal draws stares wherever you go. The SKY is drop-down sexy, and in my opinion, I find the Saturn better-looking than its Pontiac counterpart. The SKY is the spark plug of Saturn's renaissance, and should attract a lot of people into their showrooms, where they will find other products of interest, such as the VUE Green Line, the new AURA and the ION Red Line.
The Red Line version of the SKY comes equipped with a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine that produces 260 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. Stab the gas pedal, and the whirs and hisses while the exhaust system lets out a few backfires. Very nice. The Red Line easily sends its rear wheels spinning, until the traction control system steps in, although a little too abruptly, in my opinion. Unfortunately, the car is too noisy on the highway, top up or down.
While I was initially disappointed to see that my test car was equipped with an automatic transmission, the 5-speed unit proved worthy of sending power to pavement. Downshifts are quick and effective, and it's nice to see more than 4 gears in a GM automatic. There is also an 'I' position on the shift gate, which is sort of a sport mode that does its bestÂ
to keep the engine in full boil. It's handy when you're blasting down sinuous back roads, but not really useful on the highway.
Ironically, fuel economy ratings are actually better in the turbo SKY than the normally-aspirated model: 9.5 L/100 km combined city highway versus 9.7. When equipped with the 5-speed manual, the difference is even greater: 9.1 L/100 km combined rating, versus 10.0 for the base SKY. My fuel consumption average was higher than that, at 11.8 L/100 km, which is still pretty decent.
The handling of the car is pretty sweet. Although it's not as flingable as an MX-5 (the SKY is heavier), it's still a lot of fun, now that you can swing out the rear end with all that low-rpm torque. The car answers nicely and bites into corners with ease. The steering has a noticeable dead center, but it avoids making the car twitchy at high straight-line speeds. Not surprisingly, the ride is pretty stiff.
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| 2007 Saturn SKY Red Line (Photo: Philippe Champoux, Auto123.com) |
Both the Pontiac Solstice and Saturn SKY concepts were unveiled in 2002, but the Saturn was horrendously ugly. A stunning new SKY concept appeared at the 2005 Detroit Auto Show, which is the spitting image of the production roadster. Finally, a GM concept car hits the streets without being severely watered down.
The SKY is, first and foremost, a question of style. Its striking sheetmetal draws stares wherever you go. The SKY is drop-down sexy, and in my opinion, I find the Saturn better-looking than its Pontiac counterpart. The SKY is the spark plug of Saturn's renaissance, and should attract a lot of people into their showrooms, where they will find other products of interest, such as the VUE Green Line, the new AURA and the ION Red Line.
 |
| 2007 Saturn SKY Red Line (Photo: Philippe Champoux, Auto123.com) |
While I was initially disappointed to see that my test car was equipped with an automatic transmission, the 5-speed unit proved worthy of sending power to pavement. Downshifts are quick and effective, and it's nice to see more than 4 gears in a GM automatic. There is also an 'I' position on the shift gate, which is sort of a sport mode that does its bestÂ
 |
| 2007 Saturn SKY Red Line (Photo: Philippe Champoux, Auto123.com) |
Ironically, fuel economy ratings are actually better in the turbo SKY than the normally-aspirated model: 9.5 L/100 km combined city highway versus 9.7. When equipped with the 5-speed manual, the difference is even greater: 9.1 L/100 km combined rating, versus 10.0 for the base SKY. My fuel consumption average was higher than that, at 11.8 L/100 km, which is still pretty decent.
The handling of the car is pretty sweet. Although it's not as flingable as an MX-5 (the SKY is heavier), it's still a lot of fun, now that you can swing out the rear end with all that low-rpm torque. The car answers nicely and bites into corners with ease. The steering has a noticeable dead center, but it avoids making the car twitchy at high straight-line speeds. Not surprisingly, the ride is pretty stiff.