2007 Saturn Sky Redline

The Saturn brand is proving to be a bright spot in the otherwise cloudy and turbulent world of General Motors. Their overhaul is going well with innovative models like the Aura sedan and Outlook crossover. But it’s the Saturn Sky roadster that most denotes a new Saturn, and now it comes in an even racier version, the Sky Redline.

While time in just about any convertible will further brighten a sunny day, the 2007 Saturn Sky Redline gives off heat that’s not solar.  The Redline adds a dose of special speed gear to boost both power and handling over the standard Sky roadster.

The Redline is built on the now familiar deep tunnel Kappa platform with integral hydroformed frame rails.  But, it includes sportier suspension tuning that’s virtually identical to the Pontiac Solstice GXP. That means adding stiffer springs and thicker stabilizer bars to the independent short/long arm assemblies both front and rear.

The wheels are still 18-inch alloys, but on the Redline there are unique, polished, 5-spokes. Chrome is an option.

But a little extra bling is not what puts the red in Redline. That’s under the angular hood. In place of the standard Sky’s 2.4-liter 0-4 is a far more potent 2.0-liter direct injection twin-scroll turbo-4. GM’s first North American direct injection engine delivers 260 horsepower, a gain of 83, with 260 pound-feet of torque on tap. 

Gearbox choices are our test car’s 5-speed manual (or an optional 5-speed automatic driving the rear wheels), which despite damp conditions still pushed our Redline to 60 in 6.1 seconds, a full second quicker than the non-turbo Sky and the Mazda MX-5. Top end feels even stronger than the Solstice GXP we tested earlier, with a quarter-mile that moves along in 14.6 seconds, ending at 98 miles-per-hour.

The Redline’s taller final drive ratio, limited slip rear differential, and traction control pretty much eliminate speed robbing slip.

The twin-scroll turbo reduces lag to a minimum, even as wide transmission gearing does result in some notable drop in power during shifts. You’ve got to fully utilize the nice short throws.

On our handling course, the Sky Redline feels tight and well-balanced. It turns in quickly, delivering plenty of feedback through both steering and chassis.

The feel is slightly softer than that of a Mazda MX-5, but still very sporty and entertaining, and a big improvement over the standard Sky. StabiliTrak is standard and thankfully, pretty unobtrusive.

The Redline displays high levels of braking power as well. The four-wheel discs with anti-lock delivered average stops of only 124 feet from 60 miles-per-hour.  The nose dives a bit when you slam it hard, but the firm pedal has plenty of feel.

Redline engineers did a great job of balancing track prowess with the day-to-day commuter hustle. While the ride is tight, it’s not harsh. There is however, top up, more tire and suspension noise than we would like.

Government fuel mileage ratings are 22 city/31 highway. We were disappointed to average only 22 miles-per-gallon on premium gas. The Saturn Sky Redline does earn a very good government energy impact score of 13.7 barrels of oil per year.

The Sky also delivers a lot of impact with its very Euro-styling, which around our shop is preferred to the boy-racer Solstice. Besides wheels, Redline adds additional chrome trim around the front brake cooling ducts and twin polished aluminum exhaust tips.

Like all Skys, the Redline’s manual top has a small glass rear window, and that means minimal rear visibility. It stows easily beneath a solid tonneau cover with twin-headrest fairings.

Top down, the very well-equipped cockpit shows off a little extra flash, thanks to special stitching on the seats and floor mats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel with satellite audio controls, a Redline gauge package with digital boost gauge, polished sill plates, and stainless steel pedal covers.

All for a base price of $29,025. Now that’s about $1,500 more than a comparable Mazda MX-5, and almost two-grand more than the Pontiac Solstice GXP.

So clearly, there is nothing about the Saturn Sky Redline that gives it a performance edge over the Pontiac Solstice GXP. Both deserve the moniker “sports car.” Thus, buyer preference comes down to style.

And on that score, we think the 2007 Saturn Sky Redline is the hot ticket. It’s a head-turning performer that can live in the real world, and a real bright spot no matter what kind of day you’re having.