Saturn's version of Opel Astra to hit next year; Ion gets stay of execution
Saturn's new small car, a version of the well-regarded Opel Astra, should be hitting the shores of North American sometime a bit beyond the middle of 2007. This will replace the not-so-well-regarded Ion, which is now scheduled to be produced through March of 2007 - three months longer than originally announced.
The name for Saturn's new compact has not yet been decided, but it may carry over the Ion name, or it may simply use the Astra nameplate. Either way, customers can expect to get the full-on European experience, as the vehicle is expected to arrive from Europe largely unmolested by the same sort of American twiddling that has doomed similar efforts in the past.
In 2008, production is expected to move to a stateside facility - most likely GM's Lordstown plant, where the Cobalt and G5 are produced. This may provide an opportunity for some of the Astra's DNA to improve the existing Delta platform compacts, and we'd be quite pleased if a few of those supercharged Ecotecs were to find their way under the Astra's hood as part of Saturn's Red Line high-performance lineup.
[Source: Detroit Free Press; Nashville Business Journal]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Speed42 3:12PM (8/14/2006)
Alright, I'll probably regret saying this, but this could be the car that gets me back into a GM dealership. God, I can't believe I said that. I feel sick.
But if the linked review of the Astra is to be believed, and GM doesn't screw it up in the trip across the pond, the Ion/Astra should be a fuel-efficient, cargo-hauling, semi-luxurious (ie not typical Saturn), kid-carrier.
My fingers are crossed.
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Scott 3:22PM (8/14/2006)
Any chance that we'll get the TwinTop? Or better yet, the VXR?
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Ryan 3:22PM (8/14/2006)
"1. Alright, I'll probably regret saying this, but this could be the car that gets me back into a GM dealership. God, I can't believe I said that. I feel sick."
-Well Geez, if all it took was some trashy Euro hatchback, GM should have done this a long time ago!!!
-I'm just kidding, it does look nice, but so far I have heard Europe does not even like this car, then the USA must love it :-)
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Dr. Woo 3:28PM (8/14/2006)
Let's get some of our European or Australian members to respond in here.
The Astra is typical GM over there. Cheap, low-quality, and relatively numb.
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Speed42 3:33PM (8/14/2006)
You're right, Ryan, GM should have done his a long time ago. Seriously.
GM should hope, though, that Honda and Toyota don't decide to start bringing their Accord and Camry wagons over at the same time.
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Peter 3:35PM (8/14/2006)
Get the cool panoramic windshield and I am in.
http://www.gear6.net/2006/06/vauxhall_astra.html
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Richard Warren 3:41PM (8/14/2006)
Click the delete button on Saturn, (they've not shown any real profit since inception) Offer each dealer an Opel shingle, bring Opel over unchanged, get on with life.
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Dirk Dundenburg 3:42PM (8/14/2006)
That glass roof is amazing, but I would be absolutely terrified of stones kicked up off the road! The replacement cost must be very expensive.
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fizzandpop 3:53PM (8/14/2006)
They brought the 16V Astra over here in the 80s. They bolted on a cat (euro models didn't have one), slapped on some cladding, gave it god awful lights and called it a Pontiac. Millions of European vacationers were stunned by how much these changes completely ruined what was probably a top three euro hot hatch at the time. Fingers crossed.
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Owen 3:59PM (8/14/2006)
Speed42,
Exactly how I feel as well. Although I would also like to see the Corsa, after seeing the Astra in person so many times in Europe, the 3 or 5 door could just be what it takes to get me back in a US dealership to make a serious purchase (My curiosity over the Solstice and Sky were the only vehicles that previously pulled me into a domestic dealership). There would be one deal breaker however; a lack of manual trans since I won't drive anything but manual. We shall see.
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Alex Nunez 4:06PM (8/14/2006)
Richard, why kill Saturn in favor of Opel? Saturn, profitable or not, is a well-established brand now. Launching the Opel brand in the US would be a mammoth undertaking. Vauxhall didn't chang. No need for Saturn to do so, either.
Also, the people I know who buy Saturns appear to be pretty loyal customers (i.e, they have more than one, and replace them with new Saturns). Why alienate them?
If the new products are as good as advertised -- and count me among the optimists in this regard -- then THEY are what will bring profitability, not the presence of an Opel lightning bolt on the grille.
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Yaroukh 4:06PM (8/14/2006)
Speed45: Astra is rather Focus-sized, significantly smaller than Accord or Camry
... which again makes me questioning Ford's decision not to bring Focus2 in USA (yes, I've heard "we couldn't make a profit on it", but GM can, can't they?)
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Ben 4:10PM (8/14/2006)
GM hould just bring Opel here.
As far as Saturn goes, the brand is dead already.
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Yaroukh 4:10PM (8/14/2006)
fizzandpop: in 80s? are you sure it was Astra? I believe euro Opel Astra was not being produced that early
Speed42: sorry for that "45"
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Ryan 4:16PM (8/14/2006)
"As far as Saturn goes, the brand is dead already.
Posted at 4:10PM on Aug 14th 2006 by Ben 0 stars"
-Have you heard of the Saturn Sky? And the Aura? C'mon now, don't be an American giver upper.
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Dr. Woo 4:16PM (8/14/2006)
I think he's talking about the Corsa, brought over as the Pontiac LeMans, forever tarnishing a classic name, as American car companies are wont to do.
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John 4:19PM (8/14/2006)
The Pontiac LeMans, sold in the US in the 80s was derived from the Vauxhall Astra/Opel Kadett, before GM started using the same model names for Vauxhall and Opel.
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Nick 4:19PM (8/14/2006)
That was a Pontiac Lemans, which, in effect, was the first Daewoo sold in the USA. It was based off of the Opel Kadett, not the Astra. Daewoo was building it and exporting it to the USA.
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Dr. Woo 4:24PM (8/14/2006)
Kadett, yes, that was it. I was mistaken.
But that doesn't change the fact that the LeMans (referred to by at least one friend of mine as the "Lemon") was one of the most awful little cars ever produced.
A German friend of mine said that his old Opel Kadett was the worst car he's ever encountered...and this is a man who lives and breathes automobiles.
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Sleuter 4:29PM (8/14/2006)
OK GM, you are finally getting it, this along with the Aura and the other new products will be a bonaza for Saturn and GM. They need to call it the Saturn Astra and get it here as quick as possible. I really like this car, and the whole Saturn line-up(not the Ion), to me it is one of the best in the entire industry.
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