Rumored - Saturn Sky Death Imminent

General Motors launched a set of sexy roadsters a few years back under the Saturn and Pontiac banners. The Saturn Sky and Pontiac Solstice along with the Opel GT and Daewoo G2X were developed to bring excitement to each brand, two-seat rear wheel drive sports models with a flair for styling.

Alas, the fortunes of the Saturn Sky and its siblings appears to be coming to a quick end. GM Inside News, an independent voice that analyzes the big automaker, is hinting that the Sky will be no more, exiting the scene in the very near future.

Let's take a look at the reasons why the Sky will likely be no more:

Too Expensive To Build - The Sky's Kappa II platform is too expensive to build. In fact, if reports are correct, the automaker is losing at least $10,000 on each vehicle sold. Never a significant seller, the Sky is an attractive and fun model, but trails the Mazda MX-5 Miata in most rankings.

GM Is Bleeding Cash - General Motors is bleeding through cash this year, at a rate much higher than they thought possible at the beginning of the year. With gas prices topping $4 per gallon, the automaker is scrambling to switch over to a fuel efficient fleet, trimming low performing and expensive inventory in the process.

High Gas Prices Have Changed Everything - In times past when GM could absorb the losses on the Sky, Solstice, GT, and G2X, lower gas prices kept demand for its profitable SUVs and big pickup trucks high. These bigger vehicles are the most profitable for GM and could offset the loss from selling the little roadsters. No more. With sales plummeting, GM has few golden models to rely upon to bolster its line up of loss leading, image roadsters.

Though the Sky isn't a pig on fuel, cash strapped consumers who can still afford a new car are going with much more fuel efficient and practical models. In heady economic times a roadster would sell, but these times are anything but that.

It is unfortunate to hear that the Sky, Solstice, GT, and G2X will be cut, but given the fortunes of General Motors, it seems to be a wise decision from a business point of view.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Matthew_Keegan

2009 Saturn Sky Redline Roadster Sport Car

2009 Saturn Sky Redline Roadster Sport Car

First introduced as a high-performance version of the Sky roadster in 2007, the Red Line turns out decent performance from an Ecotec turbocharged 2.0-liter engine that produces 260 horsepower at 5300 rpm and 260 lb.-ft. of torque at 2500 rpm. These figures give this engine the notable distinction of having the best horsepower-to-displacement ratio of any GM engine and the most powerful motor in the Ecotec family. Gasoline direct injection technology helps the engine produce more power while maintaining the lower fuel consumption of a small displacement port-injected engine. With direct injection, fuel is delivered directly to the combustion chamber to create a more complete burn of the air/fuel mixture. Less fuel is required to produce the equivalent horsepower. EPA figures for the Redline are a decent 21 and 30 for highway driving. Despite those numbers, the Redline gets to 60 mph in 5.5 seconds.

2009 Saturn Sky Redline Roadster Sport Car

To compensate for the addition of more power, the car’s chassis has been tuned for better handling and its braking system has been upgraded for quicker stopping. Other technical highlights include a torque-sensing, limited-slip differential and StabiliTrak electronic stability control. Like all Saturn Skys, the Red Line model boasts a near 50:50 weight distribution, independent front and rear suspension, an extremely stiff body, and coil-over Bilstein monotube shocks.

Other modifications include a slightly stiffer suspension, a unique front fascia with a different foglight/grille treatment, as well as blackened headlamp surrounds and a rear bumper that has two fat rectangular exhaust tips, a single reverse lamp and a cute little "turbo" badge on its cheek. Inside, the Red Line gets leather wrapping for that still-too-big steering wheel, unique embroidery, metallic sill plates, stainless steel pedal covers and unique gauges with a digital boost gauge in the Driver Information Center.

2009 Saturn Sky Redline Roadster Sport Car

The Red Line also features several unique interior and exterior differences compared to the base Sky roadster including dual exhaust with chrome polished outlets, 18-inch polished aluminum wheels, and a redesigned front apron with large vents and black headlamp bezels.

The base price of the Saturn Sky Redline is $30,475, which doesn’t exactly sound cheap. It is afterall still a Saturn. But all things being equal, you have to wonder if the car simply had a different badge on the hood if 30 grand would seem quite reasonable.

2009 Saturn Sky Redline Roadster Sport Car