The Saturn SC2
Also known as the GM sports coupe, Saturn SC2 is one of the first models produced in this line in the early and mid 90s. The introduction of the S Series by General Motors worked a smart plan to lower the impact of the Japanese cars on the American market. After Saturn SC2 became a market hit, Japan and Taiwan actually started selling these vehicles on their internal markets, which only proves that the reputation GM got for the Saturn S Series was not void of content. In the years following the release, no improvements have been made to Saturn SC2, upgrades appeared as late as 1999.
A suicide door was added on the lateral back of the Saturn SC2 model on the driver’s part. For the coupe design, this additional feature was a big change as it was a welcome change in the manufacturing of sports cars. This kind of door had only been used in the manufacturing of extended cab pickup trucks before. Saturn SC2 was produced with little modifications afterwards until 2003 when General Motors replaced the S Series and launched their new sports car, Saturn Ion. The production of this latter model also ceased in 2007 as well when GM tried a different market approach.
In its category, Saturn SC2 represented the most fuel-efficient vehicle with a manual transmission. At the time when it was launched, the engine of Saturn SC2 required one gallon of fuel for forty miles according to the highway tests performed for the car. This initial engine was rated at only 124 horsepower, but in 1995 improvements were made to the first SC model: thus, the producer incorporated a lid reflector in the trunk and further added a lower front bumper; yet the cabin decorations were not neglected either. Exterior design changes appeared with a second generation of SC2, which got more daring curve lines.
According to reviews Saturn SC2 brought little difference from SC1, the latter only got black outside mirrors while the SC2 variant remained with colored ones. Saturn SC2 came with standard fog lamps, anti-break lock was optional and it also had some kind of traction control. Then, as for the manual transmission, there were no changes between Saturn SC2 and SC1, and the same similarity remained in the dashboard look, in the wheelbase structure and in the dayltime lights. Improvements were tributary to the Saturn sedan and station wagon designs.
