Hey Jonnie (and everyone else here) last we talked was about the article in May Sport Compact Car Mag about the ION Redline Road Test. Had a chance to read the article yet?
Tonight I re-read it and gained some insight. SCC is a hardcore lot, if it aint F&F material, they dis on it. Althought they made comparisons to an unnamed obviously base model ION 1, they also gave very good remarks about the Redline.
One thing that struck me that the SCC writers don't get IMHO, is that the Redline is still a Saturn, it's not a Honduh. It is based on the QC, which means a sports car with lower insurance rates b/c it has 4 doors, which is a very good thing, as well as inheriting sports car features including a supercharger and yet still be a very safe car.
Also, the rev limiter bugged them because they couldn't push the motor to almost throwing a rod point. Too bad, but maybe they missed the point of the rev limiter which makes the Redline ION bombproof, or better yet, F&F wannabe proof and still a fun to drive and reliable car too.