With the 260-horsepower turbo underhood, acceleration more closely matches the SKY's relentlessly lithe lines: Specifically, zero to 60 mph in a claimed 5.5 seconds. By unleashing both the regular SKY and the Red Line edition, Saturn has entered one of the few uncrowded market niches: The affordable, true sports car.
Ever since the brand's introduction in 1990, the easy-to-purchase Saturns have been known mainly as sensible cars for small families and modest budgets. That's all changed dramatically with the debut of the SKY roadster and, especially, its recently-introduced turbocharged Red Line offshoot. Only in small details does it differ mechanically from the Pontiac Solstice, and the rear-wheel-drive two-passenger 2009 Saturn SKY particularly in Red Line guise sends Saturn and its potential customers into a new and unexpected automotive realm.