05 Ion Redline
JEFFREY G. RUSSELL Car and Driver
From the October 2004 issue of Car and Driver.
In the nearly two years that have passed since Saturn brought us the compact Ion sedan and quad coupe, tweaks to improve sound deadening and revisions to the interior that eliminate the mismatched plastics and colors address some of the more glaring problems with the Ion. However, the driving experience remains untouched, and the Ion continues to discourage enthusiastic driving. The Ion is so resolutely utilitarian that Sen. Joe McCarthy, were he alive, would likely fear that Communists had infiltrated GM.
But there is hope. The new Red Line high-performance Saturns seemingly spell the end of the line for the Reds who were running down Saturn. An in-house performance division, like Ford's SVT or BMW's M, Red Line started with the Vue sport-ute and now is trying its hand with the Ion. The makeover so completely changes the Ion's character that you'll say " do svidan'ya" to its proletarian ways and hello to a car you'll actually want to drive.
As you would expect, transforming an Ion into a performance car takes extensive modifications, a task akin to changing the People's housing into somewhere you'd want to live. Starting with the engine, the all-aluminum Ecotec four-cylinder is reduced in displacement from 2.2 liters to 2.0 liters, and a Roots-type supercharger that forces 12.0 psi of boost into the engine is bolted on. Horsepower increases from 140 to 205, and torque jumps from 145 pound-feet to 200. The engine pulls hard at all rpm, dispatching the 0-to-60 run in 6.1 seconds, 2.3 seconds quicker than a regular Ion. The supercharged mill isn't your typical peaky tuner engine. It makes its power in a laid-back manner as evidenced by our rolling 5-to-60-mph test, which only adds 0.3 second to the all-out 0-to-60 run. Those numbers are slower than the Dodge SRT-4's, but this engine doesn't suffer from the on-and-off turbocharged nature of the Dodge. Despite tweaks to improve engine NVH, the supercharged Ecotec is still plagued with four-cylinder thrash, although it's fair to say the racket is distant and unobtrusive.
Putting the power to the front wheels is a mandatory five-speed manual transmission. Shifts are direct and require a light touch, and if that shift knob looks familiar, it's the same as the one in the Saab 9-3. Unfortunately, that knob is just about the nicest piece the driver will see. Despite slight alterations for 2004, the interior is shiny and flimsy and not a place that will engender envy in the eyes of passersby. A new larger and thicker steering wheel improves the mood somewhat, but the Red Line crew kept the gauge cluster over there in the center of the dash, where it challenges vision like an eye chart.
It is, though, the first Ion that begs to be driven quickly. Throw it into your favorite corner, and you'll find improved steering with more weight and feel than is present in the base car. It doesn't have the tactile feedback that's present in Ford's Focus, but the improvement is a step in the right direction. Chassis alterations that stiffen the strut-front and torsion-beam-rear suspensions keep the increased horsepower in check without sacrificing ride quality. The Red Line soaks up potholes and expansion joints with gusto, yet the setup isn't too soft for a few laps on a racetrack.
On GM's new test track in Milford, Michigan, the Red Line Ion showed its serious side. The handling is safe and predictable, with understeer holding your hand if things get scary. That understeer is difficult to defeat; lift abruptly in midcorner, and the car will tighten its line slightly, but the rear wheels never really get into the act. As a result, the Red Line chassis is easy to drive fast, but more experienced drivers will want more involvement. On the skidpad, the aggressive 215/45R-17 Dunlop SP Sport 9000 tires (on forged wheels) grip to the tune of 0.85 g. That's quite sticky, besting the standard quad coupe's 0.80 and equaling the celebrated Audi S4. All drivers will appreciate the firm and supportive Recaro seats, whose aggressive bolstering keeps you in place no matter the g-loading.
Starting at $20,950, which is about $3000 more than the top-of-the-line Ion quad coupe with optional ABS and leather seats (standard on the Red Line), the extra dough you'll spend over the non-Red Line version is money well spent. Our tester came with the optional rear spoiler ($375), which is best avoided. It manages to combine the vision-blocking element of the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution's spoiler with the annoying fluttering of the Subaru Impreza WRX STi's wing all in one package. An aerodynamic add-on is one area where you'd be better off going to the aftermarket for help. Ill-conceived spoiler aside, the tweaked version of the Ion is a car that tears down the wall that has separated enthusiasts from the Saturn brand for so long.
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Source: https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a15132188/saturn-ion-red-line-short-take-road-test/
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