Owner's Review: Sky Red Line Surpasses My Expectations

[SkyDriver]

Sky Red Line Surpasses My Expectations

My wife and I went to see the roll out of the new 2006 Saturn Sky at their
road show stop at Saturn of Bowie in November 2005. Sensual energy defines
the sculpted lines of this two-seat roadster convertible. We saw a $250,000
hand-built Sky that had to be started using a jumper cable. The trunk
remained shut and filled with Styrofoam since the details on the soft top
roof had not yet been worked out. I placed a deposit with a targeted delivery
date for Spring 2006.

After the rumor was confirmed, I said that I would rather wait a little
longer for the high performance variant to roll out. I picked my Saturn Sky
Red Line on September 11, 2006, a full 10 months after we saw that hand-built Sky at the roadshow. I was the first to take delivery of a Red Line at Saturn of Bowie. Black exterior, black and tan leather interior, tan soft top, all options minus the spolier. The color selection was my wife’s doing, and I am thankful for her direction. OnStar and XM radio come with the car as does a 6-CD changer.

The Red Line is a very different animal from the original 177 horespowered
rollout version. I know because I test drove both the 5-speed and automatic
versions of the original Sky, and was quite pleased with each transmission
set up. I am ecstatic with rear wheel drive. The Red Line's pick up,
performance, speed, and handling are superb due to a 260 horsepower engine
and an upgraded suspension system for serious get up and go driving making
this a true high performance vehicle. In normal drive mode, this car is a
tamed animal. In competitive mode, the car's vigor is unleashed.

The Sky Red Line, in all fairness, is not in the same league with the Mazda
Miata. Think Porsche Boxster, Mercedes Benz SLK, BMW Z4, Audi TT, and Nissan 350Z and you are closer when it comes to performance. The difference, though, is $10,000 to $20,000 in cost making the Red Line a great value. If you want trunk space, get a Boxster. If you want a powered top, get a Benz or the Audi. If you want more specs, go to Edmunds.com. It's all there.

The Sky was designed to evoke awe and has the wow design factor. I foresee this car becoming the next best selling roadster given the responses I have experienced in just one week. The day after I took delivery, I took a cell call in front of Roy Rogers. A young boy came almost running out of the front door with his mother restraing him. “M-o-m! Look at that c-o-o-l car!” I
turned to see the boy. His eyes were wide open. Just like mine when I first
saw the car at the road show. Kids in the community where we live shout out
and run alongside in awe as I drive up the street. One older woman rolled
down her window and said, "That car's a chick magnet!" She's right. The prior
weekend a woman at an event I attended was mesmerized by the car's scultped lines and exposed brakes seen through the polished mags. Men and women make detours when walking to ask questions about the car regardless if I am at a Starbucks, a gas station, in Annapolis near the city dock, or at a grocery store. Last weekend, a guy in a convertible Benz would not take his eye off of my car while we were at a light. No wonder. When asked why not buy a resale convertible Benz for the same price, I replied that I did not want
something that looked passe. Moreover, I owned a Benz, and was relieved to
get rid of it and the over priced maintainance costs. Anyway, I was not
expecting any of the attention the Sky draws.

But, this car is really about top down driving with great performance in good
weather and this quite satisfied driver's elation. With the top down or up,
this car is realy designed for fun road trips. It is nice to be ahead on the
curve.

[Hyperion]

I certainly know I'd like to have one. What are your plans for it? Keep it stock, trick it out? What color did you get?

[Mase]

Concrats!! That RL must be crazy fast.
The other day I saw just the regular Sky at night driving on the highway and it look sooo good. I think the only problem with the car is the shitty interior, otherwise it'd be my next car.

[Sp00ner]

Very nice! I'm going to test drive one any day here...

[KSC]

It'd deff a beauty, that's for sure. Glad you're loving it.

I'd love to see some dyno numbers on this. We did determine that this engine was NOT overated, correct? So the 260-15%=221hp. Not that much faster than the IRL, but I'm assuming it's much lighter?

Edit: NEVERMIND, I forgot about the dyno in the other thread

[sheek360]

im gonna test one on thursday

[KSC]

If I can get my ass inside it, I'm gonna test one myself, just for S&G's!

[Big Knight]

Originally Posted by KSC

I'm assuming it's much lighter?

It' actually heavier than the IRL! I'm not sure why, but it is. I checked the specs because I could not believe it.

[Barry]

Originally Posted by SkyDriver

Sky Red Line Surpasses My Expectations

My wife and I went to see the roll out of the new 2006 Saturn Sky at their
road show stop at Saturn of Bowie in November 2005. Sensual energy defines
the sculpted lines of this two-seat roadster convertible. We saw a $250,000
hand-built Sky that had to be started using a jumper cable. The trunk
remained shut and filled with Styrofoam since the details on the soft top
roof had not yet been worked out. I placed a deposit with a targeted delivery
date for Spring 2006.

After the rumor was confirmed, I said that I would rather wait a little
longer for the high performance variant to roll out. I picked my Saturn Sky
Red Line on September 11, 2006, a full 10 months after we saw that hand-built Sky at the roadshow. I was the first to take delivery of a Red Line at Saturn of Bowie. Black exterior, black and tan leather interior, tan soft top, all options minus the spolier. The color selection was my wife’s doing, and I am thankful for her direction. OnStar and XM radio come with the car as does a 6-CD changer.

The Red Line is a very different animal from the original 177 horespowered
rollout version. I know because I test drove both the 5-speed and automatic
versions of the original Sky, and was quite pleased with each transmission
set up. I am ecstatic with rear wheel drive. The Red Line's pick up,
performance, speed, and handling are superb due to a 260 horsepower engine
and an upgraded suspension system for serious get up and go driving making
this a true high performance vehicle. In normal drive mode, this car is a
tamed animal. In competitive mode, the car's vigor is unleashed.

The Sky Red Line, in all fairness, is not in the same league with the Mazda
Miata. Think Porsche Boxster, Mercedes Benz SLK, BMW Z4, Audi TT, and Nissan 350Z and you are closer when it comes to performance. The difference, though, is $10,000 to $20,000 in cost making the Red Line a great value. If you want trunk space, get a Boxster. If you want a powered top, get a Benz or the Audi. If you want more specs, go to Edmunds.com. It's all there.

The Sky was designed to evoke awe and has the wow design factor. I foresee this car becoming the next best selling roadster given the responses I have experienced in just one week. The day after I took delivery, I took a cell call in front of Roy Rogers. A young boy came almost running out of the front door with his mother restraing him. “M-o-m! Look at that c-o-o-l car!” I
turned to see the boy. His eyes were wide open. Just like mine when I first
saw the car at the road show. Kids in the community where we live shout out
and run alongside in awe as I drive up the street. One older woman rolled
down her window and said, "That car's a chick magnet!" She's right. The prior
weekend a woman at an event I attended was mesmerized by the car's scultped lines and exposed brakes seen through the polished mags. Men and women make detours when walking to ask questions about the car regardless if I am at a Starbucks, a gas station, in Annapolis near the city dock, or at a grocery store. Last weekend, a guy in a convertible Benz would not take his eye off of my car while we were at a light. No wonder. When asked why not buy a resale convertible Benz for the same price, I replied that I did not want
something that looked passe. Moreover, I owned a Benz, and was relieved to
get rid of it and the over priced maintainance costs. Anyway, I was not
expecting any of the attention the Sky draws.

But, this car is really about top down driving with great performance in good
weather and this quite satisfied driver's elation. With the top down or up,
this car is realy designed for fun road trips. It is nice to be ahead on the
curve.

Ditto....what he said!