The Sacramento Bee's view

The new Saturn Sky roadster reinforces my personal theory of successful sports car building: Give folks a sexy-looking car at a reasonable price and they’ll reach for their checkbooks at the approximate speed of a nuclear reaction.

It’s so simple. Why haven’t more automakers figured it out?

If a sporty car looks gorgeous when parked or rolling, you don’t have to cram in heated/cooled seats, a NASA-engineered navigation system and a microwave oven in order for people to lust after it.

And you certainly don’t have to charge an arm and a leg…Cross-reference the last resurrection of the Ford Thunderbird, now departed.

My reaction upon walking up to the tested 2007 Sky for the first time matched the initial visual experience of friends and family. In a nutshell: Holy cow, this car looks great!

And if you think it looks good, check out the reasonable starting price — $23,115. That enhanced the visual beauty of the Sky, at least in my eyes.

OK, the tested Sky was dolled up with about $3,000 in options. That included a premium Monsoon audio system, XM Satellite Radio, steering wheel-mounted audio controls and leather seat inserts. Frankly, I could have skipped all these extras and would have enjoyed the Sky just as much.

Why?

There’s just something about rolling down a city street and realizing that seemingly every head on the sidewalk is swiveling around to get a better look at your ride. The Sky drew more attention than a Corvette; that’s because the Sky is new to the eye, and most everyone has seen the latest Corvette to the point of being jaded.

The Sky has a bolder-than-bold front end that seems to spread out as you approach it. By the time you’re on top of the car, it feels like you’re seeing the road-gobbling grille through the fish-eye lens of a camera.

Even though the two-seater is a mere 161 inches long, the hoodline looks as long and wide as the opening of a sauna.

From the back, the Sky looks like it has race car bloodlines, complete with raised bodywork peaking behind the heads of driver and passenger. Big 18-inch tires and 18-inch, painted aluminum wheels complete the sporty look.

Is it fun to drive? Oh, boy, you bet.

The 2.4-liter in-line 4 engine with 177 horsepower at a maximum torque rating of 166 foot-pounds has more than enough to whip this sub-3,000-pound car around with authority.

Accelerations from a standing start are not dragsterlike, but they are aggressive enough to get your heart pumping. Sky corners like a champ; U-turns can be snapped quickly in tight quarters. It darts through city traffic effortlessly.

On freeways, the Sky rolled with athletic ease. A quick blip on the accelerator was all that was needed to make extra room for a safe lane change. On steep hills, though, there was a bit of struggling near the top.

The Sky’s biggest drawback on the interstates is that it sits very low. If you’re intimidated by dicing among those 18-wheelers at 60 miles per hour or more, you’re not going to like the Sky ride. The intimidation factor is increased with the soft top, which lets in plenty of traffic noise.

About that cloth top: It has to be raised and lowered by hand; there’s no power mechanism. Ideally, it’s easier to raise/lower with two people on hand.

Also, the rear of the soft top snaps into two holes on the bodywork behind the seats. I couldn’t help but wonder how those will hold up after, say, two years of repeated snapping and unsnapping.

The interior of the Sky looks nearly as lovely as the exterior. It’s old-school sporty, with huge gauges behind the steering wheel. Brushed-metal touches are nicely done.

It might start at only $23,115, but the Sky is not stripped down. Air conditioning, power locks/windows/mirrors, cruise control and a driver’s information center are all standard.

Tall people, be forewarned. I’m 6 feet, 4 inches tall, and when I climbed — make that lowered myself — into the Sky, I immediately jacked the driver’s seat all the way back, and mentally exclaimed, “Is that as far as it goes?”

Suffice it to say, I barely fit into the driver’s seat. I was comfortable enough on my relatively short trips, but I’m guessing I would start squirming on rides of an hour or more. Folks who are 6 feet and shorter should have no problem.

Ditto on the Sky. It fits into a Saturn lineup desperately in need of eye-catching products.

Saturn Sky at a glance
Make/model: 2007 Saturn Sky
Vehicle type: Two-passenger, two-door, rear-drive convertible
Base price: $23,115 (as tested, $26,700)
Engine: 2.4-liter in-line 4 with 177 horsepower at 6,600 revolutions per minute and 166 foot-pounds of torque at 4,800 rpm
EPA fuel economy: 22 miles per gallon city; 26 mpg highway (premium unleaded recommended)
Transmission: Five-speed automatic with overdrive
Steering: Power-assisted rack and pinion
Brakes: Power-assisted, four-wheel discs (ventilated on front), with anti-lock
Suspension: Independent, short/long arm-type, with stabilizer bars, on front and rear
Fuel tank: 13.6 gallons
Passenger volume: 50 cubic feet
Cargo volume: 5.4 cubic feet
Curb weight: 2,963 pounds
Height: 50.1 inches
Length: 161.1 inches
Wheelbase: 95.1 inches
Width: 71.4 inches
Track: 60.7 inches on front; 61.4 inches on rear
Tires: P245/45R18 all-season radials
Final assembly point: Wilmington, Del.