GM Concepts - Detroit Auto Show - Concept Cars

About the only time anyone at Motor Trend slows to 40 mph is at the very end of a long tail-out slide around a racetrack. So, when the "opportunity" to motor along sedately in four of General Motors' hottest concept cars at just 40 mph came up, we almost passed.

Darlings of the Detroit auto show, the proffered concepts were the cute Saturn Sky convertible, the retro Chevrolet Bel Air convertible, the slinky Pontiac Solstice roadster, and the wonderfully quirky-looking Saab 9X. But along with the slow-mo drive and photo op was a chance to attend the seventh annual Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance. Located off the warm and sunny northeast coast of Florida, this is a top-drawer car show with a monster-bucks auction. (Indeed, we would later watch as one scaldingly red 1953 Ferrari 375 MM Spyder sold for $1,750,000 large.) But before we could get to the auction and show, we had to drive these million-dollar concepts on tiny asphalt roads inside shuttered Cecil Field naval air station located nearby.

Does it sound like we were not properly enthused about piloting these gorgeous dream machines? Well, that's because driving a show car is typically about as exciting as kissing your sister. We expected these to steer sloppy, sound terrible, brake poorly, and ride hard, just like every other concept we've ever driven. We were not disappointed. Even in 1940, you couldn't sell cars as dynamically or mechanically challenged as these artfully crafted beauties. Technicians tinkered with battery chargers, hoods were raised, engines stalled, and pieces fell off. And we hadn't even tooled out of our secret naval base staging area, yet.

Our first drive was in the frost blue, four-place Sky. This is a delightful gumdrop of a car with the new Saturn front-end and gives a strong indication of what the new Saturn Ion coupe and sedan will look like. Finally, Saturn's anonymous-looking vehicle portfolio will have strong body lines, and a face with a grille and signature headlight treatment. The Sky's exterior appearance is simple, even sincerely honest, with smooth arc shapes and crisp modern edges. A small rear-opening door on the driver's side eases entry into the tiny rear seats. Inside, one feels like a jewel cradled on the soft parchment-colored suede buckets. The front seats are plumpish and comfy. But the rears, although likewise suede swaddled, are too small for even children. The 40-mph governor is installed because of how fragile these machines are, but toddling at modest speed, with wind tousled hair felt natural in this friendly little barchetta.

Our favorite was the Bel Air. First, its chunky proportions and square, oval grille opening are reminiscent of a 1967 Camaro. We liked that. A black rocker cover hides the fact that this four-seater is built on top of the next-generation Chevy Colorado compact pickup platform. Amazingly, this concept rides pretty well and the front bench seat is firm, but comfortably plush and supportive. We also liked the classic Chevy styling inside with simple knobs that are shared by the radio and heater-ventilation-a/c system. The rear-seat has good legroom and small trays fold down out of the back of the front buckets. A renegade from one of the newpapers suggested that these might provide a convenient place to roll a cigarette. We wryly offered that they might also be just the place for a napkin-wrapped chicken salad sandwich to lie between bites. Rumors in Florida from high-level design sources were that there may be a coupe and wagon version of Bel Air lurking around.