A perfect halo car, the 2007 Saturn Sky is an affordable roadster upon which the brand’s identity can be pinned, an exciting sports car that will lure consumers to Saturn showrooms, where they will buy the new Aura sedan, the Honda-powered Vue SUV, the sporty Ion Red Line Coupe, and the family-friendly Relay minivan. It is Saturn’s savior, sharing its bits and pieces with the highly anticipated Pontiac Solstice.

Saturn’s Sky roadster rides on the same platform as the Solstice, and is powered by the same engine, preliminarily rated for 170 horsepower in the Saturn. This means that the Sky rides on a four-wheel-independent short- and long-arm suspension system, attached to the new Kappa rear-wheel-drive architecture from General Motors. It’s got a close-ratio five-speed manual transmission, 18-inch wheels and tires, and four-wheel-disc brakes with ABS. However, this also means that the Sky suffers the same weight penalty as the Solstice, when compared to its chief rival, the 2006 Mazda MX-5.

Differences between the Solstice and the Sky lie primarily in design and equipment. Where the Pontiac is voluptuous and sparsely equipped, the Saturn is angular and expected to include more standard features, giving it more upscale positioning and a higher expected base price approaching the mid-$20s. Like the Solstice, the Sky’s top folds under a hard rear clamshell cover, creating a clean appearance during open-air motoring. The Sky will also benefit from engineering scrutiny designed to make it a true driver’s car, such as optimum positioning of the pedals and shifter for enthusiastic driving by people who know what they’re doing.

Arriving after the first of the year, the Sky will be available with a 225-watt Monsoon audio system, XM satellite radio, and OnStar telematics – among other options. And don’t be surprised to see a supercharged Red Line edition of the Sky for the summer of 2006, pushing at least 205 horsepower to the pavement.