When the roof is stowed it occupies the vast majority of the Sky's shallow trunk, leaving very little useable space. Want to take golf clubs- forget
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| (Photo: Rob Rothwell) |
about it; want to take a suitcase- forget about it. Unless travelling solo and placing said items on the passenger seat they'll be left curbside when driving top-down. Also, the Sky's cabin is fairly bereft of stowage compartments and sundry receptacles so go light on the knickknacks and travel guides. I would also suggest departing the vehicle for java breaks; two completely useless cup holders emerge from the rear panel between the seatbacks and one reasonably functional unit pops out from the passenger's side of the gearshift shrouding. Unfortunately, none of the apparatuses work particularly well for both driver and passenger. Besides, what goes better with a top-down cruise than patronizing a sidewalk café for a little espresso and fresh cream?
Of course getting to the barista with wind in the hair and the sun or stars glinting above is what open-air motoring in a roadster is all about- and in
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| (Photo: Rob Rothwell) |
the Sky it's also about outstanding handling. In designing and engineering the Solstice and Sky, GM developed a very rigid core structure resulting in a solid foundation onto which a sophisticated, fully independent suspension arrangement could be fitted. This resulting suspension setup is calibrated to provide sharp, precise, predictable handling which it does. Further cementing the Sky to the road surface is a set of Goodyear Eagle 245/45R18 tires, giving the Sky go-cart-like agility and prowess. Pushing the Sky hard in the corners induces a predictable, composed response, which is channeled back to the driver with tremendous clarity, making this little tiger a blast to toss about.
Ride quality does suffer slightly to produce the intended handling results, with the rear suspension feeling particularly firm when bumps are
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| (Photo: Rob Rothwell) |
encountered- yet again the true nature of a roadster comes shining through. A roadster is also supposed to stop quickly and assuredly; the Sky certainly meets this benchmark in a big way. Feeling as though the sticky Eagles rolling at each corner have suddenly welded themselves to the pavement, the Sky sheds velocity with whiplash-inducing force while never compromising control. On the negative side of the "control" equation though- only the Red Line Sky is equipped with traction control and electronic stability programs to aid in keeping its nose pointed forward and out of trouble. These important safety nets arrive as standard equipment on the performance-oriented Red Line Sky but are not available on the common Sky. I must mention though, it would either take a very slippery road or a spate of extremely aggressive driving to fracture the grip the Eagles maintain on the asphalt.
Although devoid of nanny electronics - which some purists will no doubt applaud - the Sky is a nicely equipped ride. In fact all the modern
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| (Photo: Rob Rothwell) |
conveniences and creature comforts we have come to expect these days, and then some, are in place. That differs dramatically from the MGs and TRs of the 60s and 70s when everything operated on human power and an 8-track tape deck was cutting-edge audio. A few options will enable a purchaser to personalize their Sky with the likes of a premium sound system, leather upholstery and steering-wheel-mounted controls. Particularly annoying about the audio unit in my tester was the complete inability to read its orange-lit screen when the sun shone directly on it. Didn't somebody from GM drive the Sky in the sun with the roof down during test periods?
