Filed under: Coupes, Economy, Sedans/Saloons, Green, Saturn
GM planning Astra hybrid
GM has a huge hit in the current generation Opel Astra, and the General is well into the development of a replacement for the compact hatch too keep the good times a-rollin. The next-generation Astra will likely be made in multiple locations for markets like the US and it will be one of 13 global products to ride on an updated Delta platform. If the Opel E-Flex concept ever hits production, it may not be alone. A GM engineer told Automobilwoche that the next Opel Astra will also employ hybrid technology, which would give the small car Prius-like mileage. Saab may also be getting a small hybrid from the same platform, with the US market a near definite.
The US is just getting the Saturn version of the Astra this fall, and we in the States will get the newer version of the Opel's little hit, too. The success of the Euro Astra makes its Saturn twin the best small car effort GM has made in years, and North America's largest automaker will likely pull out all the stops to make sure the hatchback hits its target. Since the newest Saturn hasn't even launched yet, it's premature for GM to announce hybrids on the next-generation architecture. We're hoping battery power is part of the general's North American plans, but since the US is much more receptive to hybrids than Europe, the green powerplant makes too much sense not to duplicate here in the States.
[Source: Automotive News (sub. req'd)]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Avinash machado 10:44AM (10/03/2007)
So what happens to the Cobalt?
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SPG 11:44AM (10/03/2007)
It will become a nice looking car with an attractive interior and price for it's category that won't make sense to buy if you don't care if you have a trunk or a hatch.
Trunk = more security
Hatch = more utility.
I'll take the Astra.
Hooper 11:25PM (10/03/2007)
However, if a sedan has folding rear seats that don't lock, it's not all that more secure than a hatchback.
phoenexius 10:44AM (10/03/2007)
no surprise here
GM likely needs to have all electric goodies (A/C compressor, brake pump, steering, etc.) on all Delta cars to bring the cost down (and make it possible to hit $30 large on E-Flex vehicles).
Add start/stop and ta da - hybrid.
Integrate an electric assist to the drivetrain and ta da - still a hybrid.
Sounds like this could lead to all Delta plants being capable of producing E-Flex as well.
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Billy 10:45AM (10/03/2007)
This car is already expensive. It may start at "$15,995", but with auto and A/C it's like $18,300. This would be a pretty pricey car, provided they didn't use that joke of a "hybrid" they put in the Aura.
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FrankTheCrank 11:25AM (10/03/2007)
Hold on...I can't stop laughing....hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.
GM doesn't care about hybrids. This is all for show.
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Shipey 12:59PM (10/03/2007)
So you're saying because they don't care about hybrids, the logical way to prove it was to build gobs and gobs of them?
Makes sense to me.
SPG 11:47AM (10/03/2007)
If there were all of these intresting Hybrids available a few years ago would anybody of bought the first Prius? Or the current one?
Yes, the people that buy them for the wrong reasons would of.
I'd take an Astra Hybrid or a Diesel sport model and do so very happily.
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iQuack 11:59AM (10/03/2007)
Just returned from a tour of Croatia and Opel Astras are very popular there. The new ones look good and I think will be successful in the U.S.
As for a Hybrid, I think a diesel makes more sense if GM can build one certified for all 50 states and doesn't need urea or whatever piss has to be wee-weed into the engine to make it clean-burning. Hybrids are more about greenies feeling good than overall economy when all things are considered.
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Mike M. 12:31PM (10/03/2007)
Astra Twin-Top please:
http://www.vauxhall.co.uk/vx/carsandvans/brandcarhub.do?method=loadBrandHubCarPage&vehicleType=C&scope=S&brandName=astratwintop
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Bill 12:36PM (10/03/2007)
I think E85 is a crock, but if GM made an Astra hybrid that ran on E-85, it would be PR goldmine. Even an E-85 "Green Line" non-hybrid would score mucho brownie points politically, and with midwesterners.
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the marais 12:37PM (10/03/2007)
I wonder if Europeans on their blogs constantly complain that GM should bring over to Europe the Cobalt, G6, Vibe, Malibu, Grand Prix, Ion, Gasoline-powered pickup-trucks, and Lambda-based crossovers.
Oh wait a minute -- they don't have to because they have some of the best GM designs already.
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nagmashot 1:43PM (10/03/2007)
correct...
The only thing europens wanna see ..
Corvette Viper for the price they are offered in the USA..not +$20-30,000 because they ship them over the atlantic...
For sure I would like to see the Mustang avaible in Europe for the same price as offered in the USA... unfortunatily you only get them private importeted which turns them in extrem expansive exotics.. no one in the USA would pay $40-50k for a Mustang...thats what we have to pay here till they hit europen soil.. and you guys blame the high price of europen cars in the USA ..
glort 2:50PM (10/03/2007)
well, if anyone has seen the MSRP of the 3 door Astra, with automatic( and if you add anything else...it gets worse).... 20,000 dollars?!?!
AT THIS PRICE, IT SHOULD ALREADY BE A HYBRID!
The Aura is what, under 23K, hybrid(or whatever they call 35MPG ) Prius , on sale, can be had these days for 22-23K...and Civic..hybrid, is about 22-23K, give or take.
Yeah, this Aura coming out is nice, but for 20K+ MSRP...to get what I want.....as-is....no.
If the hybrid ends up being 24-25K, good luck.
They need to build the next gen( or ship knock down kits to Mexico, or something) somehwere to lower MSRP by 2K, at least.
Honda (well, even on autoblog) there was a story going around in Sept about a 17K(to start) Fit-sized(or slightly larger) hybrid( is this confirmed, or not?).....
and of course, we know of the Jetta Diesel that will start at saem price as the Astra with automatic....but the differences are:
1) 236 torque at 1,500 rpm, on up, vas 136 at 4,400 for Astra( wanna race? lol).
2)...if you're looking for MPG, the Jetta diesel 09 model should be it, without a hybrid( 40's city, 50's hwy).
Check out motorweek and a few others....
hardly hear the new diesels running, no smell.... and plenty of power.
GM had better figure out how to be competitive in MSRP, fast.
have a good week
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Toledo Guy 2:51PM (10/03/2007)
Nagmashot -
The reason American cars are more expensive in Europe has to do with taxes. You are correct, we wouldn't pay $40k for a Mustang here. But we also don't have VAT taxes, carbon taxes, and displacement taxes that are common in Europe. Take the European taxes out of an American car sold in Europe, and you'll find that the prices are actually very similar.
That being said, the Astra is too expensive for the US market. The hybrid will be as well, but will sell to the "feel good greenie" crowd.
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Hooper 11:29PM (10/03/2007)
"The US is just getting the Saturn version of the Astra this fall..."
Nuh-uh. It goes on sale Jan. 2, 2008, i.e., next winter.
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