Saturn Astra To Come SoonBy Ryan ThomasIn an effort to revitalize the Saturn brand, General Motors looked in the direction of the continent of Europe. With the help of its Opel brand, General Motors has so far successfully reinvented Saturn. The Outlo…
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
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
Filed under: Chicago Auto Show, SUVs, Crossovers/CUVs, Saturn
click above image to view live shots of the 2008 Saturn Red Line
Admittedly, hot-rodded cute-utes mystify many of us, but the kids seem to love ‘em, and the Red Line version of Saturn’s 2008 Vue should satisfy those looking for a combination of practicality and power.
We’re sure that some Saturn fans were not happy with the inclusion of Honda power in the previous Vue RL, and they can take comfort in the fact that the “foreign” drivetrain has been replaced with the General’s own High Feature DOHC V6 and six-speed automatic. Front wheel drive is standard, while those looking to route those 250 ponies via additional paths can opt for AWD.
The front fascia receives special Red Line attention, and out back, two large rectangular exhaust tips remind followers that they’re not behind a garden-variety Vue. Inside, the RL gets an exclusive Ebony color scheme, along with suede inserts on the seating surfaces to keep butts properly planted when exploring the limits of the lowered suspension and fat wheel/tire package.
Mike from ABG made the comment that this is a bit like a poor man’s BMW X3, and we’d have to agree with that statement.
Check out the gallery for additional shots of the Vue Red Line followed by the official press release after the jump.
Gallery: 2008 Saturn VUE Red Line
Continue reading Chicago Auto Show: The 2008 Saturn Vue Red Line shows its face
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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
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.
Gallery: 2008 Saturn Astra
Continue reading Chicago Auto Show: Live unveiling of the 2008 Saturn Astra
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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
Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, MPG, GM, Saturn, Detroit Auto Show, USA
In his CES keynote, part of which you can watch above, General Motor’s CEO Rick Wagoner hints that an announcement with the release date for GM’s first plug-in hybrid is coming “very soon.” GM told us the release date for Saturn Vue plug-in might be in the end of 2008 or “2009-ish” range. From what Rick says in his keynote, I get the feeling we might get news of a firm release date at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show. Here is exactly what he said (watch 5:30 into the video above):
We’ve already announced our intention to build a “plug-in” version of our Saturn VUE hybrid. Our team is hard at work to get this technology to market as soon as we can. Expect an announcement on the VUE plug-in hybrid very soon.
I guess we will find out next week when the 2008 Detroit Auto Show begins. If there is news of a release date in Detroit, the best I am hoping for is an October 2008 release and maybe a few details about possible MPG ratings for the vehicle. If anyone can buy and drive off with the Saturn Vue PHEV from the Detroit Show floor, that would be okay too, I guess.
[Source: YouTube]
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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.