Posted on 04 May 2014 by
@ BOLD RIDE
As good as Saturn products were, the company always seemed to play second fiddle at GM. That’s probably why you never saw this – the 2004 Saturn Curve Concept – cruising around at your local hangouts, among other reasons.
Saturn showed up to the 2004 North American International Auto Show with the Curve Concept, riding the contrails of Pontiac’s successful Solstice Concept in 2002. But where the Solstice made it into production for 2006, the Curve wouldn’t be so lucky.
The Curve had quite a few good things going for it though. Exterior styling was cleanly executed, and as far as concepts go – it was conversation starting.
Saturn’s engine choice was a bit forward thinking as well: a supercharged 2.2L Ecotec four-cylinder that produced more than 200-horsepower and 200 lb-ft of torque.
Pair that with the floating roof panel, chrome-gated five-speed manual, plus variable valve timing and you’ve got a strong performer.
But as good as those things were, it didn’t come without flaws. The conversation that the styling evoked wasn’t a unanimously positive one. The interior design was penned brilliantly but equipped with some seemingly banal GM parts. And inevitably, the Pontiac Solstice already offered a comparable, complete package.
Thankfully, Saturn nabbed those blueprints and created the 2007 Sky, even though its ride was short-lived.
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