"It would be completely out of character to have a menacing scowl to this concept. The upswept brand character cues remind me of a person's smile, creating a friendly demeanor. A continuous line around the body adds a sense of wholeness and contemporary feel," said Smith.
An example of the "intuitive" nature of Sky's design is its innovative multi-piece liftoff roof is a made of a translucent material that mutes the sunlight inside the vehicle. The collapsible roof stows in the rear of the vehicle.
"This is a simple design," Smith said. "We put a lot of thought into how things work so you don't have to. From the first time you look at it, you should know how it works. That's what we mean by intuitive design."
This concept vehicle features a supercharged 2.2-liter, four-cylinder engine, mated to a five-speed manual transmission, that generates 180 horsepower.
The headlights and taillights are powered by LED technology to give the Sky a distinctive lighting signature. The LED lamps are configured in cubes, and are smaller, lighter and require less voltage than conventional lamps.
"The headlights and fog lights glow like cubes of Artic blue light for a striking appearance. The light is soft and not harsh on the eyes of other drivers," Smith said. "And the tighter packaging contributes to the shorter overhangs."
Even the Saturn badges on the Sky's grille and front doors glow red once the car is running. "We call it the 'living badge,'" Smith added.