MrFatbooty

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At a GM function Autoblog attended Wednesday night, Mark LaNeve, in his remarks to the assembled media, mentioned the Astra by name when responding to a question about Saturn. That was the first time we'd heard anyone from GM refer to the forthcoming Ion replacement by its Opel moniker in a Saturn context, and given LaNeve's stature, we took notice. We caught up with him later on and asked if "Saturn Astra" was indeed the official name, and he responded that it was being "heavily considered."

Well, he certainly wasn't kidding, as Thursday brought the official announcement that the new hatch will retain the Astra branding. When you consider that the name was kept for both the Holden and Vauxhall versions, this isn't really a big surprise. With the Ion being the the stylistic horror show that it was (this writer maintains that the Dodge Caliber looks like a Lamborghini Miura by comparison), saddling its replacement with the old name would have been the marketing equivalent of draping an albatross around its neck right out of the gate.

So -- crisis averted, and the US gets its first look at the Saturn Astra at the Chicago Auto Show, where both 3- and 5-door versions will be on hand. In Europe, Astra is also available as a wagon, a notchback sedan, a C+C, and an extraordinarily spiffy glass-roofed Panoramic model.

We asked LaNeve if GM would consider the introduction of additional bodystyles to supplement the hatch. His response was yes, over time. "Over time" is intentionally vague, of course. GM is obviously going to wait and see what kind of marketplace traction it gets with Astra before it commits resources to expanding the model's North American lineup. Still, color us enthused. Astra is, after all, a fully-developed product and well-known commodity in other markets. If it's a success, it shouldn't be that difficult to introduce existing variants here. We'll gleefully speculate on which ones at a later date. Right now, we're content to know that both hatchbacks are headed our way for the model's launch. We thought we'd wind up with the sedan, which would have been such the "old GM" thing to do.

We don't miss the old GM. Nor will we miss one of its poster children, the Saturn Ion, to whom we say, "Good riddance." Close that door behind you, okay?



PRESS RELEASE:
Saturn Astra To Join Lineup In Late 2007
New small car to complete turnover of vehicle lineup in less than two years

DETROIT - Saturn confirmed today that it will add the Astra compact car to its lineup late in 2007, marking an important stage in its product revitalization plan. When the 2008 Astra joins the Sky, Aura, Outlook and all-new Vue, no Saturn will have been in the market more than 20 months, giving the brand one of the freshest product lineups in the industry.

"The Astra is a great fit for Saturn, with its European style and driving dynamics," said Jill Lajdziak, Saturn general manager. "It also signals our efforts to get new vehicles to market quickly and reinvent the entire Saturn product lineup with unprecedented speed."

The Saturn Astra will be nearly identical to the 2007.5 Opel Astra, unveiled this week at the Bologna Motor Show in Italy. It will be sold in the United States and Canada in three-door and five-door configurations.

The Astra is part of the larger collaboration between Saturn and Opel. By sharing resources from throughout GM's global network of design and engineering centers, the two brands can develop strong, broad product lineups that will attract buyers to the brands both in North America and Europe. Early examples of this collaboration include the Saturn Sky and upcoming Opel GT, as well as the Opel Antara and 2008 Saturn Vue.

"The Astra enables Saturn to occupy a unique position in the marketplace and to strategically broaden its appeal with consumers who usually have import brands on their shopping lists," said Lajdziak. "Saturn's partnership with Opel is a natural way to expand our lineup with relevant products that will attract new buyers into our showrooms."

More information will be available when Saturn unveils the 2008 Astra at the Chicago Auto Show in February 2007.

From Autoblog: http://www.autoblog.com/2006/12/08/m...nfirmed-by-gm/

fastball

I have to say I'm impressed with GM. They're turning Saturn completely around. Next they need to focus on Pontiac, Chevy, and then Buick. Or just get rid of Buick.

I like to see GM broadening it's global resources. Instead of just using drivetrains and dashboards from their global partners, they are actually using and developing entire vehicles from all over the world for use in the USA. That is very smart thinking for GM, and in the end it's going to provide for much more competitive product here in the States.

I like what I'm seeing.

fathom22

I like the new Enclave.

lexusis350

Buicks lately have been looking better. Also Buicks are becoming attractive to younger people and they seem pretty popular.

MrFatbooty

They're moving in the right direction however all is not well with GM just yet. In the current Automobile Magazine, there's a design review of the new Saturn Aura. I think it pretty well sums up what's wrong with GM overall. I've snipped some pieces out to make for quicker reading.

A single car that illustrates both what's wrong and what's right with General Motors? You'd be hard-pressed to come up with a better example than Saturn's new Aura, an OK--but not outstanding--car based on the equally OK Opel Vectra.
...
I saw an Aura prototype at Pebble Beach in 2004. Overall, it was much like the cars that went on sale in August, but it had a sumptuous and beautifully detailed interior that looked (and probably was) expensive. But GM cannot seem to help itself; no matter how hard designers try, the financial guys will not let buyers have really nice cabin furnishings. Bean counters love to cut costs from the part of the car that buyers see most: the interior. It doesn't seem to have penetrated GM's corporate consciousness that people will willingly and cheerfully pay for nice appointments. The cars I saw at the dealership had barely-soft-touch panels that looked hard and cheap, despite fitting reasonably well. And instead of the reach browns of the prototype, they were desolately, miserably gray.
...
The most GM-typical aspect of the whole process of denaturing and decontenting the Aura lies in the fact that the production car's press materials emphasize the cabin with effusive statements about design and quality, which was perfectly true for the prototypes. But in reality, the Aura is just another cheap-materials, imprecise-fit approximation of a great interior design.
...
GM's car development system is broken, Bob Lutz's overhyped but genuine car-guy presence notwithstanding. Two years ago, the Aura was highly promising, but the cars on sale today are disappointing. Keith Crain from Automotive News summed it up nicely last spring: "The reality is that engineers and designers create great cars. Everyone else in the process simply waters down the product." Amen.

fastball

That article does make a good point. GM's interiors, while much better looking than ever, still lack the same soft, high quality material feel that you find in the usual suspects (Toyota, Honda, VW/Audi, etc.).

I was hoping that would come about a bit more quickly than it has.

lexusis350

Is that pic the official pic, or a photoshop of the Opel with a Saturn logo?

MrFatbooty

Good question. It may very well be an official photoshop of the Opel with the Saturn logo.

MtViewGuy88

Well, the next Saturn Vue during by middle 2007 calendar year is essentially the Opel Antara that just went on sale in Europe. I'm hoping that GM gets new emission control technologies for their 2.0-liter I-4 turbodiesel engine and put it in the Vue by 2009.

The next vehicle for Saturn will be a new B-segment model that will essentially be the US version of the Opel Corsa, as GM recently confirmed.

fjm1

More Euro versions ftw!

Way to go GM, I like your thinking.