Filed under: Spy Photos, Sedans/Saloons, Geneva Motor Show, Euro, GM, Saturn, Vauxhall
Next gen. Vauxhall Vectra to get AWD, twin-turbo V6
Here's what the Saturn Aura Red Line should be, courtesy of Vauxhall. The Vectra is being replaced by an Epsilon 2-based car called the Insignia. The Epsilon 2 will also serve as the basis for the second-generation Saturn Aura. That platform sharing will no doubt be good in workaday trim, but Vauxhall's turning up the wick for the Insignia VXR, and we're crossing our fingers that Saturn is hanging out in the gym with its cousin. The VXR will gain visual horsepower and there will be real output from the powertrain to back up the appearance. A twin-turbocharged 2.8-liter V6 laying down 300 horsepower through the all wheel drive system that debuted with the GTC concept car in Geneva. The suspension will be able to cope with the power by using a revised version of the Vectra VXR's adaptive dampers, and the AWD system carries at least one limited slip differential. A 0-60 time in the mid 5-second range sure sounds good, as does the 165 mph top speed. Just as exciting to us diesel-starved US consumers is the 2.9 liter V6 turbodiesel variant of the Insignia. The diesel packs a not-insignificant 247 horsepower, and both cars get a six-speed manual transmission standard. What will we do if both versions make it Stateside? We'd have a hard time choosing, but it would be amusing to see what Saturn calls the diesel. The Aura Grey Line? Brown Line? The Insignia VXR is about a year and a half away, with lesser models arriving sooner. Cost will be £25,000 -- which we hope doesn't translate into a $50,000 range-topper Epsilon 2.
[Source: Auto Express]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Aetius 12:36PM (11/24/2007)
Do we have to have huge Audi-style grills on every car now?
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Jruhi4 12:38PM (11/24/2007)
As far as the diesel name: with the Germans (especially Mercedes) using the Bluetec name for its new-gen clean diesels, Saturn would surely use the Blue Line name for its diesels.
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BGJ 1:32PM (11/24/2007)
The new Lacrosse on this platform will turn heads before the Aura debuts. Buick is serious about taking on Lexus.
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RicardoHead 1:32PM (11/24/2007)
Diesel = Saturn Aura Grease Line.
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Dave 2:13PM (11/24/2007)
"A twin-turbocharged 2.8-liter V6 laying down 300 horsepower"
Sounds like a lot of hardware, weight, and expense to equal the 300 hp of GM's DI 3.6
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mk 10:38PM (11/24/2007)
My Legacy does this with a 2.5 turbocharged 4, and even with AWD, it only weighs a bit over 3400lbs. Not the heaviest car on the market, and it is still gold safety rated. Weight is not absolutely necessary. A 6-cylinder will weigh a tad bit more, but also probably run a bit smoother for it.
CTS's engine vs this TT2.8the area under the torque curve may not be the same, even if the peak horsepower number is, and turbo engines are much easier to get more power out of, by making sure there is enough ignition advance, and enough high-octane fuel, and turning up the boost pressure. Not nearly as easy with an NA engine like the Caddy.
It will be interesting to see how this product is played in the US, or if.
MikeW 9:51PM (11/25/2007)
No. The new higher output spec turbo 2.8 V6 in the 9-3 makes 276hp@5500, and 295ft-lbs@2000-4500 (or abouts), and supposedly 90% at 1500rpm.
The 3.6DI makes good top end power, especially in the 5000-7000 range, right were the turbo has checked out.
http://media.gm.com/us/powertrain/en/product_services/2008/HPT%20Library/HFV6/2008_36L_VVT_DI_LLT_CTS.pdf
Vince Burlapp 2:27PM (11/24/2007)
This should be our next Aura, at least a year after the European debut.
But I don't think we'll get the twin turbo...
Then the platform will be used for the next Malibu.
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Joel 3:24PM (11/24/2007)
See this annoys me; This car sounds amazing as is, and so does the Saab Turbo-X. But the Saab should have equal or more power, seeing as they're basically the same engine (TT 2.8 V6). GM is hindering Saab's success - Keep the small displacement power plants, but actually give them power! There's not reason why a 2.0 turbo in the new Cobalt can get 260hp, whereas the 2.0 turbo in the new 9-3 gets 210, or even worse, the 2.8 turbo V6 only gets 255hp.
Wasting more gas for less power. If GM is gonna charge so much money for beautiful Saabs, at least give them some power! Don't kill this beautiful brand!
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Dave 4:49PM (11/24/2007)
Saab -
The Oldsmobile of Europe.
RIP
TBlueMax 11:16PM (11/24/2007)
Actually, the 2008 Saab Turbo X features Saab's new XWD with "a 2.8L turbocharged V6 producing 280 hp and 296 ft-lbs. of torque." http://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/11/frankfurt-2007-2008-saab-turbo-x-arrives-dressed-in-black/
It should be easy enough to dial the hp of the 2.8L turbo-V6 up another 20+ to match or exceed the next gen Insignia/Aura for a future drivetrain update for Saab (if Saab wants to leapfrog the 300hp mark). Of course, Saab has never been one to compete directly in the hp wars, choosing instead to focus on the total driving experience. Volvo is in the same boat, especially since canceling the S60R.
Quattrofan 6:03PM (11/24/2007)
yeah... coming from someone who probably doesn't even own a passport.
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Dave 6:20PM (11/24/2007)
Oldsmobile once had its own engines, its own history, its own identity.
Little by little, it became nothing more than badge engineering.
Now they are building Cadillacs in Trollhättan.
Saab -
The Oldsmobile of Europe.
RIP
TuuSaR 6:53PM (11/24/2007)
Saab will most likely save its power update for Epsilon 2.
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psarhjinian 8:16PM (11/24/2007)
This car will end up in North America...
...as the next Saab 9-3. The Saturn will probably be on a stretched, decontented version of the Epsilon fundamentals, much as the current Aura, G6 and Malibu are bigger, more dimwtted versions of the current Vectra and 9-3.
For good or ill, European midsizers are too small for North American tastes. This is why we didn't get the Contour/Mondeo after it's first (failure) run, the L-Series was dumbed down, the Accord diverged and the Mazda6 is going to grow a size for North America in it's next iteration.
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BGJ 8:30AM (11/26/2007)
The next-gen Saab 9-3 will be on the short wheelbase version. I think the Insignia, new Lacrosse, new Aura, new Malibu are all on the long wheelbase, but I'm not 100% here. Maybe the Insignia is the short wheelbase? The rear door does seem shorter than current Aura & Malibu but the wheelbase doesn't seem to be shorter.