Saturn Sky

The Saturn Sky is a convertible sports car that was produced by Saturn, and was initially released in the first quarter of 2006 as a 2007 model. It uses the ''Kappa'' automobile platform shared with the Pontiac Solstice. The Sky concept was shown at the 2005 North American International Auto Show, with the production version following at the 2006 show. It was built at GM's Wilmington Assembly plant in Wilmington, Delaware, alongside the Solstice. The Sky featured 18-inch wheels and a Ecotec ''LE5'' inline-four engine with direct injection and variable valve timing that produced , a new 2.0-litre turbocharged direct injected inline-four engine also featuring VVT that made and . An optional dealer-installed MAP sensor and ECM flash upgrade kit was also available for the Red Line model from 2008 onwards. Both five-speed manual and automatic transmissions were available.

The styling for the Sky, penned by Franz von Holzhausen, was based on the Opel Speedster's design. It was available in some European markets as the Opel GT. A rebadged version named the Daewoo G2X was unveiled as a concept vehicle for the South Korean market in 2006, then released for sale in September 2007. The price of the G2X was nearly double the price of the Sky and Solstice as sold in the United States, likely due to tariffs and cost of shipping from the Wilmington plant.

The Wilmington Assembly plant closed in July 2009, ending production as both the Pontiac and Saturn nameplates were retired.

Concept

Early in the Saturn brand's history, talk of a convertible 2-door had arisen. As early as 1992, some foundations of ideas had been laid out, but it would not be until 2002 that a genuine convertible concept would be made, at least in any public and official capacity. The actual Sky would draw far more inspiration from the Saturn Curve concept of 2004 and the Pontiac Solstice concept of 2002.

The Saturn Sky would, upon release, differ greatly from the initial concept. The 2002 auto show Sky featured four doors-- two suicide doors behind the front two, following in Saturn tradition. It was to feature a rear light bar, a 2+2 seating arrangement, and a significantly more bulbous exterior, one very far removed from the rather sharp and small-profiled Sky that actually released. Evidently, the Sky of reality was based far more on the 2002 Pontiac Solstice concept, keeping the "Sky" moniker in name only.

The Opel Speedster was also a big influence on the Sky, as many of the body lines and styling cues were used to forge the groundwork for the Sky's overall design.

Sky Red Line

A Red Line model of the Sky was introduced on April 11, 2006 at the New York Auto Show. It uses the same turbocharged Ecotec engine as the Pontiac Solstice, as well as the same standard 5-speed Aisin manual transmission. An automatic transmission is optional.

The Red Line had a standard torque-sensing limited-slip differential, standard StabiliTrak stability control, and an enhanced sport suspension over the standard Sky (available as a dealer-add on for regular models). Other exterior enhancements included dual tip exhausts, 18-inch wheels, and a specific front fascia modeled for the Red Line. On the inside, the Red Line had a special leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls, special embroidery on the seats and floor mats, metallic door sill covers and stainless steel pedals, special tachometer and gauges, and a digital boost gauge in the Driver Information Center. The Red Line model started shipping in the third quarter of 2006, with a retail price starting at $29,795.

Specifications

2007 Saturn Sky (Base model) specifications:
*0–: 6.9 seconds
*0–: 21.9 seconds
*1/4 mile: 15.2 seconds @
*Top speed: drag limited
*-0 mph braking:
* skidpad: 0.86 g
*EPA fuel economy: city/ highway

2007 Saturn Sky Red Line specifications:
*0–: 5.2 seconds
*0–: 14.7 seconds
*1/4 mile: 14.0 seconds @
*Top speed: drag limited
*-0 mph braking:
* skidpad: 0.87 g
*EPA fuel economy: city/ highway

Differences from the Solstice

Interior

Whereas the Solstice's interior created a cluster of functions in a rightwards motion stemming from the steering wheel, the Sky's interior favored a more thinly-spread, traditional layout of buttons placed all across the vehicle. The Sky featured one fewer hand-hold than the Solstice, instead placing the vehicle's electrical socket nearby the lost appendage. The vehicles had differing shifters, gauges, air vents, power window/mirror/lock control placements, and different placements of the passenger airbag notifier in addition to the dissimilar button placements.

The Sky was marketed as being more luxurious than the Solstice, offering power windows, traction control, cruise control, keyless entry, leather steering wheel wrap, fog lights, StabiliTrak, and a limited-slip differential as standard equipment — all optional on the Solstice.

Exterior

Both Solstice and Sky shared their platform, engine and transmission, as well as numerous other parts from other General Motors models.

The Saturn Sky exhibited slightly different badge positioning and nomenclature to the Solstice, opting for no front quarter panel badging (which was atypical for the brand at the time of the vehicle's release, though more common in later vehicles), a badge mounted to the front fascia, rear badges reading "SKY" and "TURBO" with no mention of the brand's name, only the Red Line badge preceding "SKY" on the left and the Saturn badge in the center beneath the third brake light.

The optional spoilers for both were mounted and shaped unlike one another, with the Sky's being taller and more pronounced, giving a more stereotypically muscular appearance to the Sky's back end, whereas the Solstice received a more evolved, simplified appearance in the rear. The Sky had an alternate rear fascia to the Solstice, showing a lower singular reverse light and smoother texture. The side brake lights had chrome outlines and the third brake light was colored white instead of red. Exhaust tips were also different, as the Sky's were square instead of circular.

While both the Sky and Solstice were offered as drop-top convertibles, the Solstice was offered with an available targa top, which was not used for the production run of the Sky.

Limited editions

2008

For the 2008 model year, GM offered the Carbon Flash Special Edition Saturn Sky. Unlike the two Limited Edition models launched later in 2009, its production was slightly higher at 550 units. The Carbon Flash Special Edition featured a unique metallic Carbon Flash paint color, removable silver racing stripe standard, and Monsoon premium audio standard. The largest differentiator, however, is Carbon Flash Edition's silver inserts in the interior seating and steering wheel that provide a black-on-silver appearance.

2009

For the 2009 model year, GM launched two limited-edition Saturn Sky roadsters jointly; Ruby Red Special Edition and Hydro Blue Limited Edition. Both are VIN-coded and some blue books track it as a limited-edition vehicle. All limited editions featured Monsoon premium stereos.

The Ruby Red Edition featured the Ruby Red color and a unique, removable carbon racing stripe that was exclusive to the 500 Sky units produced in this trim.

The Hydro Blue Edition featured a Hydro Blue color, as well as matching blue-colored stitching in the seats and gear shifter. Also, the word Sky stitched into the seats is changed to matching-blue color as well. All Hydro Blue Edition Saturn Sky units were sold with the removable silver racing stripe.

GM had planned to make 500 Hydro Blue units to match the 500 Ruby Red Special Edition Sky build count. However, Hydro Blue units were being built as GM was declaring bankruptcy, resulting in the immediate termination of the Kappa platform. As such, only 89 Hydro Blue Edition Saturn Sky roadsters were built.

The Hydro Blue paint color (and seat/shifter blue stitching) was offered on the Pontiac Solstice. However, it is not VIN coded as a unique/limited edition, racing stripes were not standard, and seats do not have blue-colored lettering. Hydro Blue is the rarest color in all three vehicles; Sky Roadster, Solstice Roadster, and Solstice Coupe.

2010 production

In April and May 2009 the Wilmington, Delaware, plant built thirty 2010 model year VIN-coded cars on the Kappa platform. Of those, 8 were Saturn Skys. The other remaining included 12 Pontiac Solstice Coupes, eight Pontiac Solstice roadsters, and two Opel GTs. They were then used as GM company vehicles to be evaluated and also as special event display vehicles. These vehicles were built to the 2010 model year specs with 2010 model year changes and had legal 2010 VIN numbers. All 8 2010 SKYs were purchased by the same dealer in Minnesota and subsequently sold as used vehicles. Among changes to the SKY for the 2010 model year was the addition of remote start on automatic-equipped cars, option package changes and additions, and three new colors. Those colors were Kinetic Blue, Opus Green, and Dark Labyrinth Metallic.

2010 SKYs produced

* SKY, Black Lt. Cashmere Leather Tan LE5 Auto Chrome Air
* SKY Red Line, Kinetic Blue Black Leather Black LNF Auto Polished Air
* SKY Red Line, Black Red Leather Black LNF Auto Polished Air
* SKY Red Line, Dk Labyrinth Met Black Leather Black LNF Auto Chrome Air
* SKY, Black Lt. Cashmere Leather Tan LE5 Manual Chrome
* SKY Red Line, Black Black Leather Black LNF Auto Chrome Air
* SKY Red Line, Dk Labyrinth Met Black Leather Black LNF Manual Chrome Air
* SKY, Dk Labyrinth Met Black Leather Black LE5 Auto Chrome

Daewoo G2X

Daewoo had already shown a version of the Opel Speedster called the Daewoo Speedster, but this remained a one-off. In 2006, they showed a show car called the Daewoo G2X; simply a rebadge of the Saturn Sky. In September 2007 it was available for Purchase in the South Korean market. Some sources would erroneously claim the G2X featured a V4 engine configuration, which is untrue, as the G2X came with the same ''LNF'' engine as the Pontiac Solstice GXP, Saturn Sky Red Line, and Opel GT. It remained on sale until early 2009 and 179 examples were delivered in total. Similarly to the Opel GT, the South Korean G2X was only offered with the turbocharged ''LNF'' engine from the Sky Red Line, combined with the five-speed automatic transmission.

Production by model year

Yearly American sales

See also

* Pontiac Solstice
* Vauxhall VX220 and Opel Speedster – European-market predecessors, both based on the Lotus Elise and built by Lotus Cars

Notes

References

External links

Official Saturn Sky websiteOfficial Daewoo G2X website

{{GM Daewoo timeline

Sky
Roadsters
Hardtop convertibles
Rear-wheel-drive vehicles
Cars introduced in 2006
Cars discontinued in 2009
Motor vehicles manufactured in the United States