Auto & Car Blog

Filed under: Concept Cars, Frankfurt Auto Show, New York Auto Show, Crossovers/CUVs, GM

General Motors’ Opel division disclosed Wednesday that its new Antara crossover will start at nearly $34,000 when it launches in the German market later this year after a debut at the Paris auto show in September.

Unlike the three-door GTC concept shown above, the production version (first glimpse at right) will debut in a five-door/five-seat configuration.

The starting price buys you the basic 2.4-liter model, but most buyers will probably opt for the 2-liter turbodiesel. The 3.2-liter V6 version would probably be the top seller in the U.S. market if GM’s Saturn division decides to add the crossover to its lineup. All engines are transversely mounted, and electronically-controlled AWD is standard. Manual and automatic transmissions are offered for the four-cylinder models - the V6 is available only with the automatic.

The Antara concept received its second unveiling in January at the New York International Auto Show, where  Saturn displayed a rebadged version as its PreVue concept. We’re betting that a Saturn version of the Antara will reach the U.S. in the 2007-2008 timeframe.

[Source: GM]

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Filed under: New York Auto Show, Sedans/Saloons, GM, Saturn

As we speculated in our coverage of this year’s New York Auto Show, Autoweek confirmed Monday that General Motors will fire up the Badge Engineering Works to import the Opel Astra compact to replace the soon-to-be-discontinued Saturn Ion.

The imported Astra will fill the upcoming void in Saturn’s lineup left by the cancellation of the “Evoke,” a proposed entry-level Saturn based on the Chevrolet Cobalt.

Although Ion production will cease at the Spring Hill, Tennessee plant in December, the Astra will not arrive in U.S. Saturn showrooms before late 2007. General Motors has not said whether the entry-level Saturn would retain the Astra name.

Interestingly, Reuters reported today that GM Europe is considering scaling back production of the Astra ahead of the anticipated slowdown in sales as the car moves into the middle of its product life cycle. The Astra is produced at plants in Belgium, the U.K., and Germany. Opening up a new export market for the car could be a move to keep the European production facilities running at capacity for a while longer.

The Astra will start at about $16,000 in the U.S. The Opel Astra sits in the number two slot in the European sales charts, right behind the top-selling Volkswagen Golf. It will be interesting to see how well it does in the U.S. market.

[Sources: Autoweek, Reuters]

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time

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Filed under: Concept Cars, Frankfurt Auto Show, New York Auto Show, Crossovers/CUVs, GM

General Motors’ Opel division disclosed Wednesday that its new Antara crossover will start at nearly $34,000 when it launches in the German market later this year after a debut at the Paris auto show in September.

Unlike the three-door GTC concept shown above, the production version (first glimpse at right) will debut in a five-door/five-seat configuration.

The starting price buys you the basic 2.4-liter model, but most buyers will probably opt for the 2-liter turbodiesel. The 3.2-liter V6 version would probably be the top seller in the U.S. market if GM’s Saturn division decides to add the crossover to its lineup. All engines are transversely mounted, and electronically-controlled AWD is standard. Manual and automatic transmissions are offered for the four-cylinder models - the V6 is available only with the automatic.

The Antara concept received its second unveiling in January at the New York International Auto Show, where  Saturn displayed a rebadged version as its PreVue concept. We’re betting that a Saturn version of the Antara will reach the U.S. in the 2007-2008 timeframe.

[Source: GM]

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time

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Filed under: New York Auto Show, Sedans/Saloons, GM, Saturn

As we speculated in our coverage of this year’s New York Auto Show, Autoweek confirmed Monday that General Motors will fire up the Badge Engineering Works to import the Opel Astra compact to replace the soon-to-be-discontinued Saturn Ion.

The imported Astra will fill the upcoming void in Saturn’s lineup left by the cancellation of the “Evoke,” a proposed entry-level Saturn based on the Chevrolet Cobalt.

Although Ion production will cease at the Spring Hill, Tennessee plant in December, the Astra will not arrive in U.S. Saturn showrooms before late 2007. General Motors has not said whether the entry-level Saturn would retain the Astra name.

Interestingly, Reuters reported today that GM Europe is considering scaling back production of the Astra ahead of the anticipated slowdown in sales as the car moves into the middle of its product life cycle. The Astra is produced at plants in Belgium, the U.K., and Germany. Opening up a new export market for the car could be a move to keep the European production facilities running at capacity for a while longer.

The Astra will start at about $16,000 in the U.S. The Opel Astra sits in the number two slot in the European sales charts, right behind the top-selling Volkswagen Golf. It will be interesting to see how well it does in the U.S. market.

[Sources: Autoweek, Reuters]

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time

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Filed under: Chicago Auto Show, Economy, Hatchbacks, Saturn

Click above image to view a high-resolution gallery of the new Saturn Astra

Saturn just rolled out the new Astra to the crowd at the Chicago Auto Show, with the automaker claiming that the compact will help fulfill the brand’s promise to bring “appropriate and affordable technology”, “great design”, and “quality without compromise” to customers.

The Astra survives its overseas excursion largely unchanged, with the most major differences being a set of cupholders and tires that allow it to meet GM’s standards for foul weather performance (a result of Americans’ lack of awareness or complete apathy when it comes to the use of proper snow tires). Yet another variation on the Ecotec architecture, displacing 1.8L and producing 140 hp, drives the front wheels. The sporty intentions of the three-door model are made evident by the quicker ratio rack in its electrohydraulic steering system, larger wheels with more aggressive performance rubber, and standard stability control.

The long wheelbase and wide stance lend a roomy feel to both the three- and five-door model, and rear storage appears to be rather generous. Need we say the rest of the interior is far better than the vehicle it replaces? We are getting a bit tired of silver paint and oversized trip computer displays, but otherwise, there is little to offend inside the Astra (and kudos to GM for installing a decent set of bolstered seats in the three-door).

We’ve included plenty of live shots and official press pics of the 2008 Saturn Astra here. You can find the complete press release from Saturn after the jump, and we’ve also produced a nice video of the introduction with live-action views of the new Astra.

Continue reading Chicago Auto Show: Live unveiling of the 2008 Saturn Astra

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Filed under: Car Buying, Economy, Euro, Hatchbacks, GM, Saturn

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

Car buyers here in the States are clamoring for fuel efficient transportation, but so far the Saturn Astra hasn’t been on the top of buyers lists. The Astra is a smash hit in Europe and we liked it during its short stay in the Autoblog Garage, but it may just be too expensive compared to the competition with a starting price of $16,495. General Motors isn’t keeping the price high to make a profit on the small volume import, either. GM vice chairman and quote master Bob Lutz told Automotive News that the Belgian-made Astra isn’t profitable in the U.S. at all anymore due to the weak value of the Dollar vs. the Euro. The Astra has gone up in price by $500 since its introduction to reflect the broadening gap between the two currencies, and the price hike was implemented only to lessen the hit from the currency exchange. The Astra is not just a financial burden for the General - it isn’t exactly a sales success, either. GM has sold only 7,914 so far this year, which is far below the projected pace of 25,000 annual units. Part of the problem is that few people actually know the Astra exists, and those who do may not want to pay the relatively high price of entry. If you’ve driven or own an Astra, let us know what you think of it in the comments.

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req’d]

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