Saturn Sky Red Line

[ExcelChampion]

Picked one up last week. Now, let me say, before all of the "its a chick car" comments, let me just say 260 psychotic ponies, 260 lbs of pure adrenaline pulling torque, and 0 to 60 in 5.2 seconds. Its a 2.0 turbo. If you break the HP down by liters, that's 130 horses per liter.

Oh yeah, and for the women (those that don't care about the above stuff), its Red with black leather interior...and its a CONVERTIBLE.

Really, I'm not bragging here, I'm just excited about it cuz it is a LOT of fun!

Looks just like this:

http://stadium.weblogsinc.com/autoblog/hirezpics/PebbleConcepts - 6.jpg

 

[starl]

There you go again, reminding us how old you are! mid-life crisis, huh >

 

[ExcelChampion]

Uhhh...plew. There you go, bursting my bubble.

Well, November will be my 35th...is that mid-life? Hmm, I guess a mid life crisis is better than the alternative...making up for...ahem...shortcomings.

 

[starl]

35? is that all? I thought you were like 50 or something.
bah. you're still young.

 

[ExcelChampion]

50? Well, some say I am an 'old soul'...oh wait, I think it was ***hole...kinda sounds the same though.

 

[NateO]

Hi Todd,

Picked one up last week. Now, let me say, before all of the "its a chick car" comments, let me just say 260 psychotic ponies, 260 lbs of pure adrenaline pulling torque, and 0 to 60 in 5.2 seconds. Its a 2.0 turbo. If you break the HP down by liters, that's 130 horses per liter.

Not bad at all, that's a lot pony-power/torque for such a light-weight application.

0 to 60 in 5.2 seconds, eh? Is it real wheel drive? How's the traction on launch?

When I search for Skyline, everything I'm finding is pulling up Nissan, not Saturn...

F/I (turbo) will boost the output per litre. My naturally aspriated 6.1 litre Hemi cranks out 420 4WD bhp and 420 lb-ft of torque, dropping about ~360 to all four tires? If I apply F/I to it one of these days, 420 bhp jumps to over 500 bhp. Supposedly the drivetrain was designed to handle 600 bhp...

We'll see, I might get the next generation 6.4 litre Hemi which ships with a naturally aspriated 500+ bhp.

Carefull with these things off the light, they go 0-60 mph in 4.5 seconds, bone stock. Trying to run with a JGC SRT8, from a dig, has been confirmed as the leading cause for both weak stream and erectile dysfunction amongts grown male competitors.

Here's a video of what this looks like:

http://www.wkjeeps.com/srt8_tv_ad.htm

I had a BMW 540 try me from a light one evening, I ran away from him like he was in reverse.

In any event, congratulations on the new ride, sounds like you're stoked and that's what matters.

 

[Smitty]

Sweet ride Todd!

I'll bet it's getting a bit chilly there in Michigan to be running top down about now...Sure you don't want to bring her out here to sunny Northern California? We'll keep her warm running up and down the coast for you.

Since we're talking rides, here's my newest addition to the stable: 2004 Triumph Daytona 955i - SE

Never been registered and only 812 miles on her!

Might just have you in the hp category though: 147.00 HP (107.3 kW)) @ 10700 RPM. It's the perfect commuter ride for up here.

Smitty

 

[ExcelChampion]

0 to 60 in 5.2 seconds, eh? Is it real wheel drive? How's the traction on launch?

Yep, rear wheel. Traction off the line is awsome. Just a chirp off the line. Takes off like a sling shot once the turbo spools. It has four traction control settings:

1. full traction and Elec. Stabiltity Control
2. competitve mode (loosens up the traction control and full ESC)
3. traction control off and full ESC
4. All off

When I search for Skyline, everything I'm finding is pulling up Nissan, not Saturn...

That's because it is a Sky Red Line, not a Skyline.

F/I (turbo) will boost the output per litre. My naturally aspriated 6.1 litre Hemi cranks out 420 4WD bhp and 420 lb-ft of torque, dropping about ~360 to all four tires? If I apply F/I to it one of these days, 420 bhp jumps to over 500 bhp. Supposedly the drivetrain was designed to handle 600 bhp...

Sheesh!

There's a 10 year warranty on all Saturn's (drivetrain only). But, I don't know if I can wait that long before I start making mods.

There's a chip for the Sky that push that 260 hp to a wee more than 300. Then, with a change of exhaust and intercooler, should get it up a few more.

Nice bike, Smitty. Some day I want a hog with some big ol' ape hangers. But I need to convince my girlfriend that its not a death trap (even though it probably is.)

 

[NateO]

When I search for Skyline, everything I'm finding is pulling up Nissan, not Saturn...

That's because it is a Sky Red Line, not a Skyline.

D'oh!

Ah, okay, I found a write-up:

http://www.caranddriver.com/shortroadtests/11891/2007-saturn-sky-red-line.html

14 seconds in the 1/4 mile, eh? That's pretty good! Looks to me as though you'd take a stock Trailblazer SS from a dig through the 1/4 mile:

http://www.roadandtrack.com/article.asp?section_id=3&article_id=4065&page_number=5

And that Trailblazer SS ships with 6.0 litre Corvette LS2 (and one lazy 4-speed tranny). Those easily modified though.

There's a chip for the Sky that push that 260 hp to a wee more than 300.

That doesn't sound like a trivial jump w/ just a chip to me. I'd be all over that like a cheap suit.

Is there a good aftermarket for these vehicles? GM vehicles tend to be mod friendly, GM gives out the codes for tuning them, etc...

 

[ExcelChampion]

13.9 sec 1/4 mile with a manual trans...the Automatic is actually faster...(manual 0 to 60 is 5.5, automatic is 5.2)...but I can't remember the exact number but it shaves a point or two off the time for 1/4 mi.

A chip would void the warranty...and its a 10 year drivetrain warranty. I'd be nuts to void that out. Especially with this car. I mean, let's face it, its a convertible roadster. Its meant for touring. Its meant for pleasure rides. It just so happens to have enough juice to jump a few other cars off the line. If I wanted a car built for speed then I'd buy a Vette.

Don't get me wrong, if the warranty was safe, I'd beef it up in a heart beat. I could, probably, be abale to get the car to run in the 12s in the quarter...throw on new exhaust, intercooler, chip, bigger turbo, lighter rims, etc...

Or, I could do a Mallett conversion for $30000+. But how dumb is that? By the time someone buys the car and puts in a Vette motor, what you spent could have been spent on buying a Vette...and no hassles...???

http://www.mallettcars.com/sky-conversion.htm

Sheesh, 400 HP on a Sky? I'd be worried the thing would get airborn...

Edit: Wow, there is a conversion package for $70,000! 540hp rw. Sheesh, might as well just buy a Ferrari or something. I'd like to meet the guy who thinks its a wise financial decision to spend $70K to convert his $30K car.