• HOME
• 
• AUTO LISTINGS
• 
• FINANCE
• 
• NEWS
• 
• DIRECTORY
• 
• REVIEWS
• 
• FORUM
• 
• BLOG
• 

2007 Saturn Sky Red Line Road Test

The Edge of Reason

Some cars are pretty hard to justify. Two seats, virtually no trunk space, a top that doesnt seem to seal properly and more horsepower than most people would know what to do with - even if they found it in a large family sedan or small SUV. God, I love it. It flies in the face of reason, and pulls like a black hole at the lust center of the human brain. Im no endocrinologist, but Im pretty sure I had a hormonal reaction to this car, although things never got completely out of hand and my brief dalliance with the Sky Red Line will be forever etched onto my hypothalamus while its tight curves and sinuous body will forever recall our late summer sojourn along country backroads. I can only imagine the meteor shower that would have ensued had we been able to steal away on a warm summer night rather than a week of cold, rainy fall weather during which I had the chance to revisit our torrid driving experiences.

Ah... memories of the summer, and a 260 hp turbod roadster. (Photo: Jonathan Yarkony, American Auto Press)

But I will not suffer regrets, because in the short span of time that I drove the Sky Red Line, I let the experience fill me and cars spirit suffuse me and, for good measure, let its engine overpower me. The Saturn Sky brings together all the elements of a classic roadster: gorgeous, unforgivable looks, an intimate, yet turbulent atmosphere and responsive character that communicates both reckless abandon and patient forgiveness as the moment required. A perfect dance partner for The Drive, though decidedly hard to live with on many lazy, ordinary days.

Traditional roadster lines, but the size is much more compact. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

Add a dash of Red Line hot rod and you get a car that is both wilder, more fulfilling, and at the same time, easier to get along with, though not in cargo capacity that just plain sucks no matter which version you get.

I guess its time to translate all of that, although you should understand that the trunk can accommodate nothing larger than small handbags packed to be malleable. Yes, if ever a car needed custom luggage, youre looking at it. Then again, thats what youll find yourself doing most of the time, once you finally cram in all your loose items or cleverly packed bags, because the Sky is gorgeous whether its the souped up Red Line or base entry-level

Chromed vents on the hood, and surround on the windshield give the Red Line identity away from the front. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

model. A quick snapshot leaves the impression of wheels at the corners, long hood, racy fender vents, twin speedster humps on a high decklid that simply drops off into a vertical Vette-like back end. The lights and detailing are almost anti-Vette in their straight, slashing angularity, with jeweled lenses and chrome trim looking borrowed from Japanese animation, complemented by high-polish alloy wheels, chrome door handles and a matte aluminum windscreen frame that streaks like a comet against dark paint jobs but seemed lost on the silver-bodied tester I drove.

Settling into the low, body-hugging Red Line branded seats was its own event, especially if the top is

Red Line seats (and steering wheel) are available in very bright red leather that contrasts with black bolstering. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

up, and adjustments of the seat are limited to fore and aft and seatback angle, and the steering wheel only tilts, so Im guessing its best to be of average height to fit appropriately in this car. If you can find an ideal position, its a visually pleasing environment youll find yourself in, but do yourself a favor and dont get to close to the dash plastics or challenge the cupholders. Speaking of cupholders, passengers need to watch their knees or their cupholder will keep popping out and jabbing at them, just one more nuisance on the list. A solution from one of my passengers was to start poking it until it broke... problem solved, I guess. Of course, having a passenger at all is a bit of a nuisance because then you dont have room for your bag except under

Three pedals are better than two, especially in the case of the Sky Red Line. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

their feet - this really does seem like a car for flying solo if you travel heavy, or if your partner is baggage enough, I suppose that will do as well.

You may think that sounds like a lot of niggling issues to start off the review, but at this point I would ask you to look at the car again. Now that weve cleared your mind with its sheer beauty, youll forget all about that and go back to thinking, "Man, Id look good in that!" Generally, men and women had the same adoring response, with people begging me for the keys and one co-worker confessing that, "It looks like an orgasm on wheels." Well, that was easy. Okay, maybe if you had to live with it and not just look at it you would gain a slightly different perspective. Then again, when you look this good, a lot of faults can be forgiven.

One thing that definitely was not

If you think it looks good here, you shouldve seen it in action... (Photo: Jonathan Yarkony, American Auto Press)

at fault was power, although with the automatic transmission I didnt feel like I was getting immediate throttle response. It doesnt take long to get into the revs, however, and even from low revs you get the full snort of the engines crank (over 200 lb-ft of torque from 2,000 all the way through to 6,000 rpm according to an independent dyno test - dyno figures are power at the wheels, so they are always lower than manufacturer and SAE figures 260 lb-ft by the way - but 200 is plenty of power for a car this size), though that has just as much to do with the engines dual scroll turbo, providing boost at almost any speed, and continuous cam adjustments getting the most power out of the little Ecotec wonder at any revs.

In the case of the five-speed manual, which is the only way you can control the gearbox since there is no real manual mode in the auto, shift action is smooth and the clutch is snappy, and if

Packed with technology, could the SIDI engine be GMs most advanced? (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

I wasnt experiencing brain cramps that morning I might have reported its ability to harness all that power immediately and engagingly. By the time I adjusted to the clutchs take-up, it was time to swap into a different car in the ride and drive.

The later example that I drove had the automatic, so I still feel somewhat deprived. Mind you, the automatic is very good, with smooth, well-calculated shifts, but the lack of a manual mode seems shortsighted in a car this sporting; maybe the current auto-five is due for an upgrade to GMs new six-speed automatic; something similar to the unit first introduced in Saturns Aura with odd but effective paddle shifters.

Page:  1  2

AUTOMOBILE REVIEWS BY MAKE

Acura  Audi   Bentley   BMW   Buick   Cadillac   Chevrolet   Chrysler   Daewoo   Dodge   Eagle   Ferrari   Ford   Geo   GMC   Honda   Hummer   Hyundai   Infiniti   Isuzu   Jaguar   Jeep   Kia   Lamborghini   Lexus   Lincoln   Lotus   Maserati   Mazda   Mercedes-Benz   Mercury   MINI   Mitsubishi   Nissan   Oldsmobile   Plymouth   Pontiac   Porsche   Saab   Saturn   Scion   Subaru   Suzuki   Toyota   Volkswagen   Volvo