New news to me… maybe not to you.
IL Exclusive: GM Bans Dealer Premiums on Saturn Sky Red Line
Date posted: 05-23-2006ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Saturn General Manager Jill Lajdziak said that orders are still being taken for the upcoming 2007 Saturn Sky Red Line and she promises Saturn dealers won’t gouge customers who want the hottest version of the new roadster.
“The dealers won’t charge a premium, because it doesn’t fit with the brand [image],” she explained in an interview with Inside Line. Saturn built its reputation on no-dicker stickers, along with strict attention to customer service.
Lajdziak would not specify what the base price of the Red Line will be, although GM insiders say it’s likely to come in around $3,000 above the price of a base Sky. Pricing on the Sky Red Line will be announced at the end of June, she said. The 2007 Sky starts at $23,690, including a $575 destination charge.
“The good news is that the turbo Sky is not sold out and we’re still taking orders on it,” she said. Lajdziak also confirmed that there would be no Sky Green Line or hybrid edition, at least “not this generation.” The current version of the Sky is too small to accommodate a hybrid battery pack.
Lajdziak confirmed that the Sky is sold out for calendar year '06 but dismissed reports that the Sky was also sold out for next year. “People are taking orders for calendar year '07,” she said.
The highly anticipated Sky Red Line gets a boost in performance from an Ecotec turbocharged 2.0-liter engine, GM’s first direct-injection offering in North America. It produces 260 horsepower at 5,300 rpm and 260 pound-feet of torque at 2,500 rpm, making it GM’s highest-specific-output engine at 2.1 hp per cubic inch of displacement, and the most powerful engine in the Ecotec family.
The Sky Red Line features dual exhausts, 18-inch polished aluminum alloy wheels and unique chrome trim.
What this means to you: It’s not too late to get your hands on a Sky Red Line, according to the boss.