Autoblog

Over in Europe, midsize cars like the Opel Vectra, Renault Laguna and Ford Mondeo have long been offered in multiple body configurations including four-door sedans, station wagons and, of course, five-door hatchbacks. Unlike Americans, who for some reason are averse to a fifth body opening unless the vehicle rides 4 to 6 inches higher than it should, Europeans have always appreciated the extra utility. The Opel Vectra is being replaced this summer by the redesigned and renamed Insignia, but so far we've only seen photos (either spy pics or official GM shots) of the four-door sedan that will likely land here later next year as the next Saturn Aura. A sharp-eyed photographer, however, has captured what may be the first shots of the new hatchback Insignia. The five-door version doesn't look radically different from the sedan, the main variance being the shorter rear deck that's attached to the rear glass. Will the hatchback arrive as an Aura at Saturn dealers? Highly improbable, but then so was the Astra, so anything is possible. We more likely might just get a wagon version that we haven't yet seen.

[Source: Winding Road]

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Opel Insignia.

After a few leaks and an assortment of GM-sponsored "spy shots," the Opel Insignia is here. Take note. Aimed to compete in Europe with the Ford Mondeo, Honda Accord, Mazda6 and Citroen C5, the Insignia is set to replace the aging Vectra and could come Stateside sporting a Saturn badge.

The sleeker, sexier Insignia takes a few cues from the GTC concept that helped to inspire the new sedan, with a taut fascia, muscular stance and deeply drawn side blades that extend from the front fenders to run parallel with the side sills. The old V-bar has been nixed in favor of a wider grille, complimented by a pair of intake ducts and the new Vauxhall logo. "Smart" headlights feature daytime running lamps standard and there will be an option for LED lighting on higher-spec models. The rear is sufficiently swoopy, with a tapered tail and smooth haunches, while the rear badge plays double duty as adornment and trunk release button.

The Insignia is 21 cm longer and five cm wider than the Vectra it replaces, and legroom shouldn't be an issue since the Insignia gets an additional 35 mm tacked onto its wheelbase. Three models will be available, including the standard saloon (above), a hatchback and a wagon.

Power is provided by a choice of three diesels or four gasoline-powered engines, with the former producing anywhere between 110 hp to 160 hp, and the latter putting out 115 hp from the standard four-cylinder or 260 hp from the range-topping V6. Power is channeled to either the front or all four wheels through a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic. A VXR model is likely to be revealed sometime next year.

The Opel Insignia will be available for a meet and greet at the London Motor Show this July and will hit showrooms in the UK this October.

Make the jump for Opel's press release.

GM is working hard to ensure that its newest automotive division, Saturn, is considered cool, hip and edgy. In this day and age, that means the interwebs, specifically a blog and social networking site. According to a post by Saturn General Manager Jill Lajdziak on GM's FastLane blog, www.ImSaturn.com will feature news about Saturn along with photos and videos you haven't seen anywhere else. Like other social networking sites, you can join in on the fun by starting or joining groups where people with like-interests gather together and talk. The first 400 members get a free t-shirt, but if you want one you'd better hurry 'cause there are already 300-plus members.

What uber-hip marketing strategy would be complete without internet speak? Saturn's got that covered too. I M Saturn and U R 2!

[Source: I M Saturn]

There are over six million GM credit card holders that can use 3% of their card usage towards the purchase or lease of a new GM car, but until yesterday that offer didn't apply to Saturn. The GM card program has been ongoing since 1992, which is right after Saturn came into existence, but since the "different kind of car company" went on its path at the beginning, it wasn't included in the debt-inducing give-aways. Since Saturn has been towing the company line the last few years, we'd say the press release after the jump should have been issued a while back.

If you don't have a GM credit card, this little tidbit probably means little to you, but if you have been racking up points in hopes of buying a GM product, it doesn't hurt to finally include Saturn in your list of choices.

[Source: GM]

Click any of the images for a gallery of the Opel Insignia.

The folks at AutoWeek.nl decided to take the wind out of Opel's sails by posting images of the new Insignia before it released official information later this week. We've seen the basic shape and several details of the Insignia when Opel sent out "official" spy shots of their new D-segment player (think Mondeo, Passat), but these newest pictures tell the whole tale, sans artful camouflage.

Due to hit dealers in Europe this October, the Insignia will replace the Vectra and come equipped with a handful of diesel- and gasoline-powered engines, ranging in displacement from 1.6- to 2.8-liters. Both 1.6-liter and a 2.0-liter turbocharged engines will be equipped in the entry level models, with a 250 hp, 2.8-liter V6 powering the range-topper. Diesel mills packing 1.9-liters of displacement and outputting 120 to 150 hp will also be offered, and there's also talk of a 180 hp, 1.9-liter turbo and a 2.9-liter V6 diesel.

The Insignia is relevant to those of us in the States since it will likely replace the Saturn Aura in the next few years. The styling is a slight step above Saturn's current sedan, with an attractive front clip and a rather dynamic swage line that begins aft of the front fender and runs parallel with the rocker panels.

The Opel Insignia will be publicly debuted at the London Motor Show this July and we should see a Saturn variant making its way to the U.S. sometime around the turn of the decade.

Click above for high-res gallery of the 2008 Saturn Astra

Enthusiasts here in the States have long wondered why they couldn't buy Ford and GM small cars from Europe, and at least part of the answer has been that Americans don't want to pay big bucks for premium small cars. Spiking gasoline prices have quelled that argument, and fuel economy is now towards the top of shoppers' lists when looking for a new car or truck.

While Ford is still more than a year away from bringing over the Euro Focus and Fiesta, GM has made the cross-Atlantic jump by importing the Opel Astra to our shores. The Astra is a hot-selling hatch in Europe with high-end amenities and very good fuel economy, and the model is shipping to the U.S. differentiated from its Euro twin by some Saturn logos and little else. We were itching to get our hands on an Astra to see if it were as good as advertised, and our tester came equipped with everything Saturn could throw at the vehicle. Hit the jump to see how the 2009 Saturn Astra fared in the Autoblog Garage.


All photos Copyright ©2008 Chris Shunk / Weblogs, Inc.

Click above for high-res live shots of the 2009 Pontiac Solstice Coupe

Sporting a specific output of 130 horsepower-per-liter, the turbocharged, direct-injected Ecotec four-cylinder from GM that's featured in the Pontiac Solstice GXP, Saturn Sky Redline and SS versions of the Chevy HHR and Cobalt, is already one heck of an accomplishment. But wait... there's more -- power that is. According to Motor Trend, shortly after the Solstice Coupe goes on sale next year, the blown-Ecotec could make 300 horsepower or more, putting it in close competition with performance stalwarts such as Nissan's Z. What's more, the same engine should also be available in the convertible versions of both the Solstice GXP and Saturn Sky Redline as well, paired only with a five-speed manual tranny in all applications.

This is just a rumor at this point, but MT seems pretty confident in its validity, citing higher intercooled boost along with a new fuel rail as the tech behind the power increase. The rumor does not mention if the higher-output mill will appear in other applications, though we remember something about the Camaro possibly getting a turbo-four mill as an option, and a tuner-friendly option offering 300 galloping horsies in stock form would make for a very interesting option in the pony car.

[Source: Motor Trend via eGMCarTech]

Back in the 90s, many automakers tried to cut dealerships out of the business equation by selling cars online, but OEMs found out that selling vehicles wasn't as easy as it looked. Since then, automakers have stuck to supporting its dealers on the web, and Saturn plans to take online shopping to the next level. Ten Saturn dealers are participating in a pilot that will give customers the ability to spend less time inside the dealership by using the Internet to apply for credit, schedule a test drive, settle on a price, and more.

The move makes sense for Saturn since it prides itself on its customer-friendly nature, and doing more without leaving the house or office leads to shorter dealer visits and faster transactions. One function of any sale that will difficult to do online is the valuation of the trade-in, but dealers will be able to give a ball-park figure based on make, model, mileage, and the description of the customer. If the pilot goes well, we're guessing other GM makes and the competition will start putting more of the car-buying process online. We're wondering why it took this long to get to this point in the first place.

It's been a while since we've heard about the upcoming Opel Insignia due out later this year, but we've got a vested interest in its development as it's likely to come to the U.S. sporting a Saturn Aura badge. We were initially teased with a darkened shot of the new Euro-sedan's tail lamp back in November, but today, another shot has surfaced that gives us a brief peek of the flagship's new fascia.

The Insignia is set to replace the Vectra (Saturn Aura in the States) and will grow in every dimension to include a sedan, wagon and five-door hatch. Built atop the new FWD Epsilon II platform, the new model will feature a number of four- and six-cylinder engines, with the possibility of a hybrid drivetrain pulled from the Malibu and fitted to the new Aura when it makes its way to the U.S. sometime in 2010.

[Source: Motor Authority]

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has received around 40 complaints from owners of the Pontiac Solstice GXP and Saturn Sky Redline regarding the vehicle's braking performance. According to the owners, too much pedal effort is required to slow the vehicle down when the engine is cold. This may correlate with a TSB issued by General Motors back in December that advised dealers to recalibrate the braking control computer on both models. The system uses the stability control module's pump to increase hydraulic pressure when engine vacuum is low.

The investigation is in its preliminary stages, so no recall is in effect yet. However, NHTSA has one case of a crash involving one of the two models that could be attributed to the problem.

[Source: Automotive News – Sub. Req.]