When General Motors dropped Saturn from its brand's portfolio in 2010, the lineup it left behind was one of the coolest in the U.S. market. Of course, mundane models like the Outlook, Vue, and Aura didn't do much to perk our ears.
However, there was the Saturn Astra, based on the best-selling eponymous Opel model, that brought European engineering (that wasn't a Volkswagen) to the compact segment. There was also the Sky roadster, a striking two-seater based on the existing Pontiac Solstice. It was very unlike Saturn, which started life as a value brand that built its reputation on making compact cars made mostly of plastic.
Despite its brand's origins and its peculiar history, there are many reasons why we love this unique sports car.
10 The Saturn Sky Looks Phenomenal
We can start with the most obvious thing we love about it, and that would be its looks. The Saturn Sky's sculpted body and high belt line made it look like something far more expensive than it was. And it's no wonder, its designer, Franz von Holzhausen, went on to design Tesla's entire current lineup.
Despite its striking appearance, its design was simple and clean, which is a far cry from the austere looks of the Solstice on which it was based.
9 The Saturn Sky Came In Some Cool Colors
In a world of black, white, silver, and gray cars, the Saturn Sky managed to pop out. Much of this is thanks to its fun color offerings.
Some choices included Sunburst Yellow, Forest Green, and a fun Bluestone pearlescent that changed shades when sunlight would hit it. If you opted for a tan interior, a coordinating tan roof would add some contrast to the exterior.
8 The Saturn Sky Is Fun To Drive
You would think this is a given. However, past two-seater roadsters like the BMW Z8 have proven otherwise. Luckily, the Sky managed to hold onto its driving prowess.
Car and Driver praised its driving dynamics, calling it "worthy of tight roads with fast-changing cambers and pitching pavement," turning "with commitment."
7 The Saturn Sky Was The Only Saturn Convertible
Even though they started out selling strictly compact sedans, wagons, and coupes, their repertoire soon expanded into larger cars and sport utilities.
It wasn't even their first performance car, with the Ion and Vue Red Line beating the Sky to the punch. Nevertheless, the Sky would be Saturn's first—and last—convertible.
6 The Saturn Sky: The Redline Version
Speaking of the Ion and Vue Red Line, Saturn produced a Redline version of the Sky as well.
It made 260 horsepower, which is a tremendous amount for a car its size. This resulted in a jolt to 60 of just over five seconds. And yet, all this still set buyers back less than 30 grand.
5 In Its Time, The Saturn Sky Was Something Different
The two-seater roadster category had long been saturated with the usual suspects. Cars like the Mazda MX-5 Miata and Honda S2000 had, at that point, been around for some time.
As mentioned previously, the Sky was a car very much unlike the badge it was marketed under. So for Saturn to throw their hat in the ring, albeit briefly, was fun to see.
4 The Saturn Sky Was A World Car
Around the world, it seems cars are held under extra scrutiny, so much so that American cars rarely make an appearance internationally. Yet, the Sky was good enough to prove itself worthy.
In Europe, it was marketed as the Opel GT (pictured), though it did help that Saturn's entire lineup already replicated Opel's design language at the time. Fascinatingly enough, it was also sold in South Korea as the Daewoo G2X.
3 The Saturn Sky Is Easy To Maintain
Base examples of the Sky came with the same 2.4-liter Ecotec engine as other GM models, like the Chevrolet Malibu, which were purchased by the masses.
This resulted in relatively high parts availability and a familiar powertrain to work with, despite how rare the Sky is now. That said, it's an easy car to take care of.
2 The Saturn Sky Has A Thriving Community
One of the best parts of being a gearhead in general is the community that comes with the car you buy. As with most other rare cars, the Sky, too, has its own loyal owner base.
It has a still-active owner's forum, as well as many Facebook groups filled with dedicated owners and fans of the car.
1 Today, The Saturn Sky Has Become Quite Affordable
Being part of a discontinued nameplate, as well as a recession-era GM product, you would think the Saturn Sky—more specifically, its market value—took a significant hit. But the truth is you can find examples of the Sky at a variety of price points.
You can find some that are pristinely kept for as much as $28,000. That's the price of a brand-new Toyota Camry, or around what was a brand-new Sky Red Line. Granted, these will only have been driven a few thousand miles and are practically new. However, some higher-mileage examples can easily go for less than 10 grand.
Sources: GM, Hagerty