Saturn, the General Motors brand launched in 1990 as an import-fighting “different kind of car company,” aims to differentiate itself once again with four new vehicles that will debut this week at the New York motor show, according to The Associated Press (AP).
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At a press preview on Wednesday, GM plans to introduce a trio of production-ready vehicles as well as a crossover concept, the report said. The company hopes sophisticated features will set the vehicles apart, from projector-beam headlights that wrap around the vehicles to matching leather on the seats, shift knobs, steering wheel and door panels of the 2007 Saturn Aura sedan.
AP noted that the mid-size Aura, which goes on sale this summer, has won praise for its bold styling. The vehicle shares a platform – and many design cues – with GM’s Opel Vectra which is sold in Europe and many other markets under a variety of brand names.
European Vectras major on in-line petrol and diesel fours but AP said the Aura will come with a standard 3.5 litre V6 engine and a more powerful 3.6 liter V6 with a performance-oriented, six-speed automatic transmission. And a hybrid version also will be released later this year.
According to the report, GM said the 2007 Saturn Outlook crossover offers three rows of seating for up to eight adults but drives like a sedan, and shares many of the Aura’s design elements and its premium feel. It also has a sliding second-row seat to make it easier to reach the third row. The Outlook will go on sale later this year.
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By GlobalDataThe Associated Press said Saturn is also giving its Sky roadster a boost of power with the Sky Red Line, which goes on sale this autumn. The Red Line has a 260-horsepower, two-litre Ecotec engine, GM’s first direct-injection offering in North America. The standard Sky has a 177-horsepower engine.
Saturn will also show the PreVue concept, a three-door crossover with a dramatically sloped roof and the muscular stance of a sport utility vehicle. The PreVue, first shown as the Opel Antara GTC concept at last year’s Frankfurt Auto Show, continues the close collaboration between Saturn and Opel. GM reportedly said the PreVue gives a glimpse of its plans to update the Saturn Vue crossover.
The Associated Press noted that Saturn has fallen on hard times since its debut because its ho-hum designs couldn’t draw in buyers despite consistent praise for their no-haggle pricing. Saturn’s sales were down 2% in the first quarter of this year and GM is determined to change that, in part because it desperately needs to turn around lagging US sales, the report added.
“Saturn’s new products demonstrate that GM is committed to raising the bar on product execution as part of our North American turnaround plan,” Mark LaNeve, GM’s vice president of sales, service and marketing, said in a statement cited by the news agency.
Erich Merkle, director of auto industry forecasting with Grand Rapids-based consulting company IRN, told AP it’s not too late to revitalise Saturn.
“Saturn is really starting from scratch,” he reportedly said. “It’s almost as though it’s a new car company because there’s nothing there.”
AP said Merkle credits GM vice chairman and product guru Bob Lutz for giving Saturn the attention it needed. Merkle said Lutz wanted to make Saturn the stylish Opel of North America and take advantage of the brand’s large and loyal dealer network. GM has spent an estimated $3bn to revitalise Saturn’s lineup, the report added.
According to The Associated Press, Merkle said Saturn may finally have the right mix of products to take on Japanese imports and make the brand what GM always hoped it would be.
“They’re not going to be Chevrolet, which is all things to all people, but they can be a very good niche brand for GM,” Merkle reportedly said.
