Saturn Sky Customized by Bulgarian Design House Vilner

The closest you'll get to the Saturn Sky in Europe is its sister GM model, the Opel Speedster GT, yet Bulgarian design house Vilner managed to get its hand on an example of the American roadster model.

The Sky was brought in by a customer who wanted to change the looks of his two-seater sports model.

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GM Slashes Prices of Remaining Pontiacs and Saturns by up to 46%

If you ever wanted to buy a Pontiac or a Saturn and you don't mind that both brands will soon pass into the books of history, now's the time as General Motors is offering dealers huge incentives to move a few thousand leftover vehicles from the two discontinued marques, the Wall Street Journal reported today.

According to the paper, the Detroit automaker sent a letter to dealers on December 23 stating that it would pay them around $7,000 for every new Pontiac or Saturn on their lot that is moved to their rental-vehicle or service-vehicle fleets.

With this move, the leftover vehicles will be classified as used (even though they're new, the dealers will technically be the vehicles' first owner) thus allowing dealers to sell them at a huge discount which is said to be as much as 46% off the sticker price.

The daily newspaper said that the offer will expire on January 4 which is the last day of the December car-sales month with GM booking the sales to dealers as fleet deliveries.

Saturn's leftover portfolio includes the Vue compact crossover, Sky Roadster, Aura Sedan, Astra compact hatch and Outlook crossover, while Pontiac's range comprises of the Solstice Roadster and Coupe, G6 Sedan, Coupe and Convertible, and the G8 sports sedan.

However, you'll have to check with your local dealer to see which models are available. And if you do, don't hesitate to leave us a comment here telling us what kind of an offer they made you.

Via: WSJ (Sub. Required)

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Video: Electric-Powered Saturn Sky Roadster

An Ohio-based company called Advanced Mechanical Products or AMP for short is developing an all-electric version of Saturn’s Sky roadster equipped with twin brushless DC motors (one for each back wheel) that are powered by lithium phosphate batteries. According to AMP, the Sky EV should be able to go from 0 to 60mph (96 km/h) in about 5.7 seconds and on a top speed of 90 mph (145 km/h).

The company has already started accepting pre-orders for the first 300 vehicles but before you head over to AMP, learn that the conversion costs $25,000, and that of course, does not include the price of the Sky. See the video of the prototype model running up and down a street after the jump. -Continued

Via: Autoblogreen , Link: AMP

2007 Saturn Sky Red Line

The 2007 Sky Red Line, available in the fall, builds on the Sky roadster’s performance characteristics, offering more power with the same inviting, driver-focused interior.

Sky Red Line features the Ecotec 2.0-liter Turbo engine, GM’s first direct injection offering in North America. It produces 260 horsepower (194 kw) and 260 lb.-ft. of torque (353 Nm), making it GM’s highest specific output engine ever at 2.1 horsepower per cubic inch of displacement (130 hp / 97 kw per liter) and the most powerful engine in the Ecotec family.

The Ecotec 2.0-liter Turbo was developed with the global resources of GM Powertrain in the United States and Europe, drawing on expertise from the naturally aspirated Ecotec 2.2-liter direct injection engine used in some European applications and the 2.0-liter turbocharged engines already in production.

Technorati Tags: autos, auto+news, images, pictures, press+release, New+York+International+Auto+Show ,Saturn+Sky+Red+Line

Opel GT Press Release

Press Release: World premiere for two-seat roadster in Geneva, market launch in spring of 2007. 260 hp from two liters: the most powerful production engine in the ECOTEC family

The new Opel GT is fun to drive thanks to its front engine and rear-wheel drive, which together ensure a balanced weight distribution, the long wheelbase (2415 mm) and its 260-hp 2.0-liter ECOTEC turbo engine with gasoline direct injection. This accelerates the new GT from zero to 100 km/h in less than six seconds, and enables a maximum speed of over 230 km/h.

Another fun factor is the fabric roof, which folds down to provide open-air enjoyment denied to the owners of the first GT. The roof disappears completely beneath a cover, further underlining the GT’s sporty silhouette with short overhangs and widely spaced 18-inch wheels.

The development of the new Opel GT is an excellent example of transcontinental collaboration within GM. The design was inspired by the VX Lightning concept car, which was conceived by the GM Advanced Design Studio in Birmingham, England in May 2003 for the 100^th anniversary of the Vauxhall brand. The new GT will be built in Wilmington/Delaware, in the USA, where its sister models, the Pontiac Solstice and the Saturn Sky, are also produced.

Athletic, with short body overhangs: the eye-catching design

A glance at the new Opel GT makes clear that there’s pure sport under the skin; sharp, taut lines and flowing surfaces combine to give it true dynamic presence. The front view is dominated by the pronounced curve of the fenders and the bold chrome strip with lightning-flash logo. The long, front-hinged engine hood carries the familiar Opel crease.

Another signal of sportiness is sounded off by the GT’s proportions (length/width/height: 4091/1813/1274 mm) with short overhangs and 18-inch wheels that are pushed to the corners of the body. When opened, the soft top is completely concealed under a cover, thus emphasizing the GT’s roadster character. Other attractive styling details are the projection-type low beam and halogen reflector-type high beam headlamps.

The ergonomic cockpit features chrome-ringed dials for speed, rpm and fuel. Technical grains, piano black and chrome finishes combine with optionally available leather seats to emphasize high value and precision. Jewel-style controls for lights and ventilation are further evidence of the GT designers’ careful attention to detail.

Lively response and sports-car performance: the direct-injection turbo engine

The heart of the new Opel GT is the most powerful production engine in the ECOTEC family. The turbocharged unit was jointly developed by GM Powertrain engineers in the USA and Europe and is related to the ECOTEC 2.2-liter direct fuel injection engine available in the Vectra and Signum. From a displacement of two-liters, it develops a power output of 191 kW/ 260 hp and a maximum torque of 350 Nm, available from 2500 rpm.

Direct injection technology helps the ECOTEC engine produce more power while maintaining the lower fuel consumption level of a small displacement engine with conventional fuel injection.

The 2.0-liter turbocharged ECOTEC engine features variable valve timing, a dual-scroll turbocharger and a charge-air intercooler. This type of turbocharger, similar to the one already introduced in the Vectra and Signum V6, improves engine response, which also benefits from variable camshaft phasing. The result is ample torque even at low engine speeds.

Highlights of the new ECOTEC 2.0-liter turbo engine include:

• Forged steel crankshaft
• Forged steel connecting rods
• Cast aluminum oil-galley pistons
• Jet-spray piston cooling
• Two counter-rotating balance shafts
• Dual-scroll turbocharger
• 9.2:1 compression ratio
• Aluminum cylinder head with sodium-cooled exhaust valves
• High-pressure engine-driven fuel pump
• Variable pressure fuel rail

Basic technical data: New Opel GT

Body
Length/ width/ height	4091/ 1813 / 1274 mm
Wheelbase	2415 mm
Unloaded weight	1320 kg
Engine/ powertrain
Engine/installed position	2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder/at front, longitudinal
Displacement	1998 cm3
Bore/ stroke	86/86 mm
Compression ratio	9.2:1
Valve gear	Double overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder
Max. power output	191 kW/ 260 hp at 5300 rpm
Max. torque	350 Nm at 2500 - 5300 rpm
Acceleration 0 – 100 km/h	Under 6 seconds
Top speed	Over 230 km/h
Fuel supply	Direct fuel injection, with variable high-pressure distributor rail and electronic throttle operation
Driveline	Rear-wheel drive
Gearbox	5-speed manual-shift

Technorati Tags: Opel, GT, press+release, autos, auto+news, Geneva+Show

Opel GT Roadster 2007

BASED on the American, Saturn Sky, Opel’s proposition in the popular compact roadster category revives the famous GT name of the 60’s. In Europe, the GT will be offered with a 2.0 Turbo Ecotec engine that produces 260 hp, enabling the car to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in less than 6,0 sec while the top speed exceeds 230 km/h. In the near future the range will be enriched with more engines from Opel so as to compete with its main rival, the Mazda MX5 aka Miata. According to Opel, the GT will be available in spring 2007.

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE
A great name doesn’t have to be long. Indeed, for many automobile fans, the Opel GT is the cult sports car of the 1970s. Now the legendary name is making a comeback in the form of a stunning two-seat roadster that could also make automobile history. Opel will present the all-new GT to the international public for the first time at the Geneva Motor Show (March 2 to 12, 2006). With exciting, sharply-cut lines, rear-wheel drive, and a potent four-cylinder turbo engine with gasoline direct injection, the new sports car echoes the successful concept of the original GT, which was built between 1968 and 1973.
“The GT is a powerful addition to our range of attractive niche products, and thereby further enhances the appeal of the Opel brand”, says Carl-Peter Forster, President of GM Europe. “The Tigra, the Astra TwinTop, and the new GT mean that we will have three very different models, all of which deliver top-down driving excitement. Moreover, the GT is a perfect example of how GM uses and applies its worldwide resources for the good of the individual brands.”
The new Opel GT is fun to drive thanks to its front engine and rear-wheel drive, which together ensure a balanced weight distribution, and its 260-hp 2.0-liter ECOTEC turbo engine with gasoline direct injection. This accelerates the new GT from zero to 100 km/h in less than six seconds, and enables a maximum speed of over 230 km/h.
Another fun factor is the fabric roof, which folds down to provide open-air enjoyment denied to the owners of the first GT. The roof disappears completely beneath a cover, further underlining the GT’s sporty silhouette with short overhangs and widely spaced 18-inch wheels.
The development of the new Opel GT is an excellent example of transcontinental collaboration within GM. The design was inspired by the VX Lightning concept car, which was conceived by the GM Advanced Design Studio in Birmingham, England in May 2003 for the 100^th anniversary of the Vauxhall brand. The new GT will be built in Wilmington/Delaware, in the USA, where its sister models, the Pontiac Solstice and the Saturn Sky, are also produced. The Opel GT is scheduled to hit the markets in spring 2007.
The original Opel GT owed much to the USA – in several respects. Its breathtaking lines were inspired by a new American design style, the so-called “coke bottle shape”, which also defined the Corvette Stingray. Furthermore, two thirds of all Opel GT cars built have been exported to the United States.

Technorati Tags: Opel, GT, Roadster, 2007, Geneva

Opel GT

After a long period of wait, Opel is returning to it’s heritage resurrecting the famous GT at the Geneva Motor Show in March. The original model, produced between 1968 to 1973 sold over 100.000 units

That, of course, is what the official press release say’s as the new GT model is in fact, another version of the Pontiac Solstice, Saturn Sky models. Opel’s version will draw much closer to the Sky as this model was designed in collaboration with both the German and American teams. The new GT remains faithful to its predecessor having a front engine-rear wheel platform. What is not known up till now, is which engines the Opel GT will get. Inisde info leads us to believe that the GT will get a 1.8 (140 hp) and two or more, 2.0 Turbo engines (175, 200 & 240 hp).