I’ve always appreciated a good, fun sports car, and while my Chevy Cobalt SS is a blast, it’s always felt like it was missing that open-air, rear-wheel-drive experience. It’s a fantastic front-wheel-drive sedan, but sometimes you crave something different. Luckily, GM offered just the ticket – a rear-wheel-drive roadster powered by the same potent LNF engine found in my Cobalt SS. Enter the Saturn Sky, and more specifically, the Saturn Redline.
Yes, I recently purchased a 2008 Saturn Sky Red Line, equipped with a desirable five-speed manual transmission and boasting remarkably low mileage at just 45,000 miles. It’s surprising how often this car is overlooked. The Saturn Sky Red Line isn’t just good “for a GM car”; it’s a genuinely great sports car in its own right. Designed to compete with roadsters like the Mazda Miata and Chrysler Crossfire, the Sky, especially in its higher-performance Red Line trim, deserves significantly more recognition. Let me explain why this overlooked roadster is a true enthusiast’s delight.
Exceptional Ride and Handling Dynamics
Built on GM’s Kappa platform, which it shares with the Pontiac Solstice, Opel GT, and Daewoo G2X, the Saturn Sky Red Line boasts surprisingly refined steering. Despite being assembled from a collection of parts-bin components, the steering feel is remarkably communicative. You might expect truck-like steering in a car sharing transmission components with trucks, but the Sky Red Line delivers an impressive amount of road feedback directly to the driver’s hands, particularly when cornering. The steering rack is precise and responsive, requiring only 2.7 turns lock-to-lock. It’s genuinely impressive – rivaling, if not surpassing, the steering feel in my E46 M3.
The ride quality is also commendable. While perhaps a touch softer than an ND Mazda Miata for my personal preference, it’s by no means overly plush. It absorbs bumps well without feeling floaty, though upgrading to coilovers is a modification I’m considering to tighten things up further and enhance the sporty feel.
Even with its slightly softer suspension tuning, the Saturn Sky Red Line exhibits impressive cornering composure and rotates beautifully, thanks to its well-judged 95.1-inch wheelbase, which is slightly longer than the NC generation Mazda Miata. The car feels agile and responsive, with the engine positioned far back in the chassis, close to the firewall. This configuration results in a tight, well-balanced package with a remarkably rigid chassis, contributing to its confident handling.
Potent and Tunable Drivetrain
The standard Saturn Sky and Pontiac Solstice models came equipped with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine producing 177 horsepower. While adequate for a base model, the Red Line variant benefits significantly from the inclusion of the LNF engine. This is the same turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder found in the Chevrolet Cobalt SS and HHR SS, delivering a robust 260 horsepower and matching torque figure. The LNF is a fantastic engine – responsive, reliable, and known for its tuning potential. In the Saturn Redline, this engine powers the rear wheels, a configuration that brings more than just tire-smoking fun. Unlike front-wheel-drive applications that utilize plastic components, the rear-drive LNF in the Sky Red Line features a full-aluminum intercooler and charge pipes, along with a surprising addition – an engine cover, showcasing GM’s attention to detail in this application.
My plans include installing the same ZZP tune I used on my Cobalt SS for a quick and easy power increase. Further down the line, I’m considering more substantial modifications to reach around 350 wheel horsepower. With the LNF engine, this is achievable through upgrades like a larger turbocharger (at least a more capable K04), an upgraded intercooler, a performance downpipe, and potentially intake and exhaust enhancements. Even in its factory configuration, the Saturn Sky Red Line provides ample power for spirited driving. It might not be a supercar in terms of outright speed, but it offers more than enough performance for an engaging and enjoyable experience on the road.
The transmission is another highlight. It’s an Aisin AR5 five-speed manual, a robust unit also found in various GM trucks of the era, including the Chevy Colorado and Hummer H3. However, before dismissing it due to its truck origins, it’s worth noting its close relation to the Toyota R154 transmission found in the A70 Supra, known for its strength and durability. The AR5 in the Sky Red Line feels solid and mechanical, perhaps lacking some of the refinement of more modern manual transmissions, but it’s a positive aspect in terms of feel and engagement. Personally, I find it even more satisfying than the transmission in my E46 M3.
Paired with a standard limited-slip differential in the Saturn Redline, the drivetrain is a durable and capable package that performs exceptionally well. It always feels ready for more, never giving the impression of being stressed or fragile.
Striking and Timeless Aesthetics
Performance and handling are crucial, but a sports car must also look the part. Fortunately, the Saturn Sky Red Line excels in the styling department. Designed by Franz Van Holzhausen, now Tesla’s chief designer, the Sky showcases some of his finest work. Its angular and distinctive design has aged remarkably well, remaining visually appealing even today. From the speedster humps behind the seats to the large clamshell hood, the Saturn Sky Red Line is a genuinely attractive car. Surprisingly, many people today are unfamiliar with it, mistaking it for something far more exotic due to its low-production numbers and the defunct Saturn brand. It definitely attracts more attention than I initially anticipated.
The interior is also surprisingly well-executed. While it incorporates some parts from the Chevrolet Cobalt, they are nicely integrated with chrome and piano-black trim elements, elevating the overall ambiance. Having test-driven a Pontiac Solstice GXP, the interior of the Sky Red Line is a clear step above. The Solstice’s interior felt noticeably cheaper and less refined than even my Cobalt. In contrast, the Sky Red Line’s interior is genuinely pleasant, with even the switchgear feeling substantial and well-made, exceeding my initial expectations for a car in this price range.
Why is the Saturn Sky Red Line Underrated?
After experiencing firsthand just how impressive the Saturn Sky Red Line is, I’ve been pondering why it doesn’t enjoy wider recognition and popularity. It offers a compelling package: a reasonably priced and tuneable platform, double-wishbone suspension at all four corners, a slick five-speed manual transmission backed by a limited-slip differential, and striking good looks. The most likely explanation for its relative obscurity in automotive media and among enthusiasts is its association with pre-bailout GM and the outdated perception of those cars being unreliable and poorly engineered.
I am genuinely excited to spend more time driving the Saturn Sky Red Line and invest in some tasteful upgrades. With a modest power bump to around 300 horsepower and perhaps a slightly more aggressive stance, I believe this car will be truly exceptional. For now, I’m incredibly pleased with my purchase and eager to explore the full potential of this overlooked Saturn Redline roadster.
