Motor Authority - blog Category: Sky

General Motors’ announcement back in April that the Pontiac brand would be phased out by the end of the year and Saturn sold off, many of the automaker’s top models were immediately given a death sentence. Some of the cars that will be missed the most include hot items like the Saturn Sky, Pontiac G8 and of course, the Solstice Coupe and Roadster.

One of the first of many reports to come, Delaware’s The News Journal reports that production at GM’s 62-year old Boxwood Road assembly plant ceased on Tuesday. The facility will close or idle 14 plants in the next three years, and claim tens of thousands of jobs.

... General Motors’ announcement back in April that the Pontiac brand would be phased out by the end of the year and Saturn sold off, many of the automaker’s top models were immediately given a death sentence. Some of the cars that will be missed the most include hot items like the Saturn Sky, Pontiac G8 and of course, the Solstice Coupe and Roadster. One of the first of many reports to come, Delaware’s The News Journal reports that production at GM’s 62-year old Boxwood Road assembly plant ceased on Tuesday. The facility will close or idle 14 plants in the next three years, and claim tens of thousands of jobs. Workers at the Boxwood Road built the Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky models. Sadly, the workers only found out the plant would be closed at the start of June, when GM filed for bankruptcy. “It was so quick, you know?” plant veteran James Graves told reporters. “That’s what hurt everybody.” GM spokesman John Raut confirmed that the last model, a silver Solstice, rolled off the line Tuesday morning. The Pontiac Solstice (and its Saturn Sky sibling) caused quite a stir when it was launched in 2005, even winning the North American Car of the Year award back at the Detroit Auto Show in 2006. One of the car’s flaws was its expensive Kappa platform, which meant GM made very little money from each model sold. There were plans to launch a second-generation version on a cheaper ‘Kappa II’ platform but with the demise of Pontiac and Saturn those plans have been shelved.2009 Pontiac Solstice Coupe Read More

Though bankruptcy is looking more and more like the way General Motors will go, the company is fighting to preserve its most adored models - one way or another. In the case of the Camaro, the car will live on within GM as a 'core model' says CEO Fritz Henderson. The Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky roadster duos may yet see more action, though in a different way.

The Camaro is an iconic nameplate for Chevrolet and the car itself is a 'core model' in addition to its halo vehicle status - or at least that's what Fritz Henderson thinks. “I think the Camaro is a wonderful halo vehicle for Chevrolet, but it can also be a core model,”... Though bankruptcy is looking more and more like the way General Motors will go, the company is fighting to preserve its most adored models - one way or another. In the case of the Camaro, the car will live on within GM as a 'core model' says CEO Fritz Henderson. The Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky roadster duos may yet see more action, though in a different way. The Camaro is an iconic nameplate for Chevrolet and the car itself is a 'core model' in addition to its halo vehicle status - or at least that's what Fritz Henderson thinks. “I think the Camaro is a wonderful halo vehicle for Chevrolet, but it can also be a core model,” Henderson said. When most people think of 'core' model, they thinking of the Camry for Toyota, the Accord for Honda and the Maxima for Nissan - bread and butter sales vehicles. The Camaro does not fit that mold. But maybe it could, with the right price and packaging in a V6 option. Still, with its coupe body style and highly polarizing looks, it's not likely to fill the mass-market role of a true core model. But Camaro fans will be glad to hear the label applied to their baby, since it means the company is serious about keeping it alive. Two other cars GM is seriously fighting for are the Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky. While Pontiac is already on life support - with the plug to be pulled soon - and Saturn is being shopped to potential buyers, AutoWeek is reporting that GM has said it would be willing to sell the Sky/Solstice plant and rights as a package to a buyer interested in just the two sports cars. That offers a potentially very attractive buy for a niche manufacturer or a company looking to add some sport to its lineup without acquiring all the bloat or confusion of the full Saturn or Pontiac brands. “If someone were to approach with a proposal that made good sense for our people, we’d be open to it,” said Henderson.2009 Pontiac Solstice Coupe Read More

The 2.0L turbo engine internally known as the LNF has been one of GM's unsung heroes over the past several years. Lying at the heart of the Pontiac Solstice GXP, Saturn Sky Redline and HHR SS, the engine generates a very respectable 260hp and 260lb-ft of torque in factory trim.

But GM's performance parts division decided that just wasn't enough, and through a combination of remapped engine calibration and upgraded MAP sensors, the LNF now puts out 290hp and 340lb-ft of torque in manual-transmission variants of the Sky Redline and Solstice GXP. Automatic versions are limited to 325lb-ft, and the HHR SS tops out at 315lb-ft.

A penalty of... The 2.0L turbo engine internally known as the LNF has been one of GM's unsung heroes over the past several years. Lying at the heart of the Pontiac Solstice GXP, Saturn Sky Redline and HHR SS, the engine generates a very respectable 260hp and 260lb-ft of torque in factory trim. But GM's performance parts division decided that just wasn't enough, and through a combination of remapped engine calibration and upgraded MAP sensors, the LNF now puts out 290hp and 340lb-ft of torque in manual-transmission variants of the Sky Redline and Solstice GXP. Automatic versions are limited to 325lb-ft, and the HHR SS tops out at 315lb-ft. A penalty of upgrading to the higher output from the 2.0L mill is the requirement to use premium fuel. However, the good news is that the kit is 50-state emissions legal and the kit won't void your warranty. The most enticing aspect of the $650 kit for some, however, is the enabling of the ECU's 'learning' feature, which enables the computer to adapt to and benefit from basic bolt-on mods such as intakes and exhausts. That opens up a whole new world of tuning potential for the LNF cars, as well as packing a huge performance punch for a relatively small price tag. The final benefit of the kit is a slightly raised rev-limit - now 6,500rpm, up 200rpm from stock. Those with a keen memory will recall the GM Performance Parts enhanced Pontiac Solstice GXP Coupe (pictured) shown off back in November at the SEMA auto show. That car boasted the same Stage 2 upgrade kit, plus some other mods to show what is possible. To revisit that car, read our original coverage here.2009 Solstice Coupe Read More

General Motors' Kappa platform has been widely praised for its performance characteristics (if also found somewhat lacking in ergonomics), so its choice as the basis of a custom V8-swap is in many ways unsurprising. It is, however, sure to be inspiring with a 400hp Corvette engine under the hood of the 3,100lb (1,400kg) roadster.

Breckland's Beira V8, as the car is called, was revealed earlier this year, but now serial sales of the heavily modified sports car are beginning to get underway. A few changes to the car's design have been made in the interim, reports Sweden's Auto Motor & Sport, including an updated front fascia, with widened and... General Motors' Kappa platform has been widely praised for its performance characteristics (if also found somewhat lacking in ergonomics), so its choice as the basis of a custom V8-swap is in many ways unsurprising. It is, however, sure to be inspiring with a 400hp Corvette engine under the hood of the 3,100lb (1,400kg) roadster. Breckland's Beira V8, as the car is called, was revealed earlier this year, but now serial sales of the heavily modified sports car are beginning to get underway. A few changes to the car's design have been made in the interim, reports Sweden's Auto Motor & Sport, including an updated front fascia, with widened and more aggressive air scoops to feed cooling and power to the 6.0L LS2 engine under its hood. With its excellent power-to-weight ratio, the car's builders promise a 0-62mph (100km/h) sprint time of under 5 seconds and a top speed of 155mph (250km/h) - electronically limited, of course. One of the more unique elements of the Beira's design is that it's engineered to run on both liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and petrol, offering flexibility in the face of volatile fuel costs as well as a range of up to 700mi (1,125km). To handle the power and increase load placed on the car, the suspension has been re-engineered with upgraded springs, dampers and bushings, plus stiffer anti-roll bars at each end. Sales of the redesigned car are expected to start this month, and the first left-hand drive models for export outside the UK will also begin production. The price of the car at its unveiling at the London Motor Show in June was targeted for £55,000, which equates to about $82,500 at today's exchange rates. For more about the Breckland Beira V8, read our original coverage here.Kappa-based Breckland Beira V8 roadsterBreckland Beira V8 Kappa platform roadster facelift Read More

Rather than go through all the associated development costs of building an electric car from the ground up, Cincinnati-based Advanced Mechanical Products (AMP) has decided to replace GM's four-cylinder petrol engine in its Saturn Sky roadster with its own electric motor. This effectively turns the Saturn Sky roadster into an all-electric vehicle you can charge up at home.

Running on lithium phosphate batteries, the electric motor pushes the car to 60mph in 5.7 seconds but the trade-off is a lower top speed of 90mph. The car’s acceleration is significantly faster than the petrol Saturn Sky thanks to the electric motor's ability to... Rather than go through all the associated development costs of building an electric car from the ground up, Cincinnati-based Advanced Mechanical Products (AMP) has decided to replace GM's four-cylinder petrol engine in its Saturn Sky roadster with its own electric motor. This effectively turns the Saturn Sky roadster into an all-electric vehicle you can charge up at home. Running on lithium phosphate batteries, the electric motor pushes the car to 60mph in 5.7 seconds but the trade-off is a lower top speed of 90mph. The car’s acceleration is significantly faster than the petrol Saturn Sky thanks to the electric motor's ability to utilize maximum torque instantaneously but by the same token top speed is hampered in order to maximize driving range. According to AMP, the car can be charged to give a range of 150 miles - significantly more than GM's upcoming Volt which has been set a target of only 40 miles of electric-only driving. Production of the electric Saturn Sky will be limited to just 300 units and will set you back around $50,000 - about double the price of the base petrol model. AMP now plans to carry out its engine-replacement approach in several other Saturn models, including sedan and SUV models. Read More

Gravana Tuning has collaborated with GM Design to create a turbocharged Saturn Sky concept for SEMA. Gravana is a highly regarded supplier of aftermarket accessories, and the company has added several high-end accessories to push the Sky’s 2.4L Ecotec engine beyond 300hp. The addition of a Hahn Racecraft 16G intercooled stage 3 turbo, custom 3-inch downpipe and center exit exhaust allows for a total output of 348hp and 341lb-ft. of torque.

To round out the package, Gravana has enhanced the handling of the Sky with an adjustable coil-over-shock suspension system that can lower the vehicle by as much as 3in. Further, body roll has been... Gravana Tuning has collaborated with GM Design to create a turbocharged Saturn Sky concept for SEMA. Gravana is a highly regarded supplier of aftermarket accessories, and the company has added several high-end accessories to push the Sky’s 2.4L Ecotec engine beyond 300hp. The addition of a Hahn Racecraft 16G intercooled stage 3 turbo, custom 3-inch downpipe and center exit exhaust allows for a total output of 348hp and 341lb-ft. of torque. To round out the package, Gravana has enhanced the handling of the Sky with an adjustable coil-over-shock suspension system that can lower the vehicle by as much as 3in. Further, body roll has been minimized with the addition of 25 mm front and 28 mm rear stabilizer bars. Massive 14-inch drilled and slotted front brake rotors, with four-piston calipers, provide additional stopping power, Exterior modifications include new front and rear bumpers and 19in OZ Superleggera III racing alloys riding on Goodyear Eagle F1 tires. The inside hasn’t been forgotten, thanks to the addition of Katzkin leather and suede trim plus a Boston Acoustics and Visteon entertainment package. Read More