Merging yesteryear's roadsters with modernityThe latest edition to the quirky Saturn automotive family is a true open-air roadster capable of stealing the heart of a sports-car purist on looks
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| (Photo: Rob Rothwell) |
alone. Saturn has taken Pontiac's ever-so-cool Solstice to the next level of design utopia. That a purely domestic roadster can look so good is counter-intuitive to all we have grown to understand of our wheeled universe; nonetheless its plebian nameplate doesn't diminish its sports car persona. In addition to sharpening body creases and adding a dose of aggressiveness to the exterior lines of the Solstice, Saturn took the vehicle's interior a little further upscale as well. The result is a product that is visually more exciting than the Pontiac Solstice. Perhaps it's the pulse-quickening lines of the Sky messing with my psyche but I sense it drives a darn sight better than the early production Solstice I hammered through the paces spring of this year. However, with a starting MSRP of $31,665, the basic Canuck-issued Sky will draw an additional $5,000CA or so from one's wallet over the leanest Solstice.
The Sky is powered by a 2.4 litre, DOHC inline-4 cylinder, variable-valve-timing-equipped engine, capable of rolling-out 177
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| (Photo: Rob Rothwell) |
horsepower and 166 foot-pounds of torque. The output is sufficient to provide a pleasing, top-down jaunt through the country but not an exhilarating blast down the turnpike. Despite its mediocre straight-line performance, the Sky rewards the senses with a "snarly" exhaust note that suggests there is more cooking beneath the hood than not. If "exhilaration" through acceleration really is the goal, look no further than the Sky Red Line- a high performance version of the roofless sled. It's endowed with 260 horsepower and a matching, 260 pound-feet of torque. Regardless of which Sky is chosen, power will meet the rear wheels after flowing through a 5-speed manual gearbox, or an optional 5-speed automatic transmission. I was grateful to espy the manual stick upon sliding into my tester's office chair.
Like roadsters of yore, the seating position in the Sky low down and to the rear. This imparts a sense of driving the car from a position just ahead
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| (Photo: Rob Rothwell) |
of the rear axle, which is amplified by looking down the Sky's long, sculpted hood. It's a sensation somewhat unique to 2-seat roadsters- and one that I find inspiring on twisty roads. In addition to bestowing a snug, well-supported driving position, the Sky's cockpit is more upscale than the digs found in the Solstice. The Sky uses chrome and piano-black trim to add elegance to an otherwise business-like, driving environment. Contrasting nicely with the black leather upholstery in my test unit was the white stitching used in the seats. These perches held firm through corners while providing decent comfort over the long haul. For taller drivers, or at least those with long stumps, legroom may be on the pinched side. Headroom, while a non-issue when the roof is retracted, is ample for this class of vehicle. Now the real space crunch: cargo capacity.
