The Monsoon system also boasts controls for speed-compensated volume, which can be set at one of three levels or turned off. The stereo features a number of preset EQ arrangements including: pop, rock, talk, and country. The Monsoon audio system provides drivers with a decent number of options for tweaking audio to their specific tastes: as well as controls for manually adjusting the bass, mid, and treble outputs. Two tweeters located in the A-pillars serve to give some clarity and refinement to an otherwise muddy-albeit immersive-acoustic output. The muffled soundtrack is compounded by the placement of a subwoofer behind the passenger's seat (which is usually pushed into its most rearward position). Audio output is impeded somewhat by the lack of space in the cabin as the legs of the driver and front passenger muffle the sound coming from the in-door speakers. The Monsoon stereo is tuned to be audible above the din of wind and road noise that assails the cabin with the top down (and to some extent, with the top up as well), rather than for acoustic refinement. The Sky's upgraded Monsoon audio system plays MP3s giving detailed track and artist information. An i button on the left of the head unit enables drivers to cycle through artist, track, and folder information for ID3 tags on MP3 discs, while hard buttons along the bottom of the monochrome display are an intuitive way of tabbing between folders (for MP3 discs) and genres (for XM Satellite channels). For drivers who want more music options, a six-disc in-dash changer is available for an extra $300.ĭespite its relatively basic appearance, we like the usability of the Monsoon stereo. An auxiliary input jack is standard on all Skys, while XM Satellite Radio is an available option ($199 for an initial three months of service). Our test car came with the Monsoon premium audio package (a $590 option), which includes an MP3 disc-compatible head unit hooked up to a seven-speaker system with a separate subwoofer. Another design gripe we have is the Sky's poor rearward visibility: with the top up, rear sightlines are seriously impeded, and we found the car an excellent test mule for a VR3 VRBC300W back-up camera we had sitting around in the office. And with the top in the trunk, the Red Line's cargo space is significantly less than that of other cars in the segment. Similar to most other roadsters, cabin space is minimal in the Sky Red Line. Our tester came with optional red-leather seat inserts and door panels ($595), as well as lacquered black plastic accents on the parking brake, shifter, and HVAC controls. The interior of the Saturn Sky is cramped and kitschy, in a curiously stylish kind of way. In place of the 177 horsepower naturally aspirated, four-cylinder block of the Solstice (and regular Sky), the Red Line is driven by a 2.0-liter direct-injection in-line four boosted by a turbo charger to give it a whirlwind output of 260 horsepower. Being the performance-tuned version of the marque, the Red Line also features some unique styling cues, including chrome-trimmed dual exhaust outlets, 18-inch chrome-clad wheels, and a couple of brake-cooling vents in the lower front fascia.Ĭritically, with the Red Line, this beauty is more than skin deep. However, in contrast to the Solstice's curvy body styling, the Sky boasts aggressively arched fenders and a menacing mesh-trimmed front profile, giving it a Batmobile brawn (particularly noticeable on our Onyx Black test car). The Sky Red Line features the same basic structural design as the Solstice, with which it shares the Kappa platform and most of its mechanical DNA. With the 2007 Saturn Sky Red Line, GM retained our favorite styling accents, while giving us (nearly) everything we wanted under the hood.
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