General Motors Europe’s C-segment Astra is heading to the US as a 2008 Saturn with launch scheduled for late next year, the automaker’s US division confirmed last night.
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“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,” Saturn said.
The Astra will replace the oddly styled US-designed and built Ion which has been a sales flop across the Atlantic.
Some US pundits see the 2008 German-built Astra line as a stop-gap while Saturn works with GME’s Opel division on the Astra’s 2010 redesign with a view to building the replacement in the US with additional tailoring for the North American market.
“The Astra is a great fit for Saturn, with its European style and driving dynamics,” said Saturn general manager Jill Lajdziak. “It also signals our efforts to get new vehicles to market quickly and reinvent the entire Saturn product lineup with unprecedented speed.”
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By GlobalDataThe 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 centres, the two brands can develop strong, broad product lineups that will attract buyers to the brands both in North America and Europe, Saturn said.
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.”
