Saturn Revamp Continues with Astra

[wt2ga]

The Detroit News ... By Sharon Terlep ...Feb. 4, 2007


LAS VEGAS - Saturn's smallest new vehicle debuts this week at the Chicago Auto Show, where General Motors Corp. will showcase efforts to reinvent the brand it started nearly 17 years ago.

GM is so eager to start selling the Saturn Astra in North America that the automaker will initially ship the cars into the U.S. from Belgium , where the virtually identical Opel Astra is already being built.

The automaker today released details on the vehicle, which is set to hit showrooms late this year.

"The Astra rounds out our portfolio with a smart-driving, well-equipped small car that shares the European designs evident in all our new vehicles," said Jill Lajdziak, Saturn general manager.

The once-feisty Saturn brand is making a comeback after nearly a decade of losing money and customers and getting virtually no new products.

The Astra is part of GM's strategy to share engineering and design resources between the Saturn and Opel brands - an approach designed to save money as well as create vehicles popular in both Europe and North America .

"This is a dramatic renaissance for Saturn and the Astra really does fit with where they're headed as a brand,"said Joseph Phillippi of AutoTrends Consulting in Short Hills, N.J.

The Astra will be available as a three-door or five-door hatchback

Electronic stability control system with traction control is standard on all three-door Astras and available on five-door models. A 1.8 liter, four-cylinder engine will deliver 140 horsepower.

Safety features include six standard air bags, active head restraints and collapsible pedals that help protect occupants in a front-end collision.

Optional features include a large, two-panel sunroof available on five-door only, heated cloth or leather seats and seven-speaker sound system

The Opel Astra, not available in the United States , is a strong seller around the world, with sales of about 400,000 units annually.

Other examples of Opel-Saturn sharing include the Saturn Sky roadster and its sister vehicle, the upcoming Opel GT, and the Opel Antara and 2008 Saturn Vue sport utility vehicle.

The Astra, which will replace the Ion, will be the fifth new product out of Saturn recent years. Once it comes out, no Saturn will have been in the market more than 20 months.

The revamping of Saturn began with the Sky roadster in March 2006 and continued with the Aura sedan, Outlook crossover and a redesigned Vue sport utility vehicle. Saturn also will debut hybrid and performance versions on the Vue in Chicago .

Saturn was the only one of GM's eight brands to post an increase in sales last year. Saturn sales were up 6 percent from 2005, to 226,375 from 213,657.

Saturn needed a complete overhaul to survive, Phillippi said, and is well-positioned to compete even in the crowded compact and mid-size car segments.

"The products they had before were not very good, they were just different," he said. "They're no longer these inexpensive, kind of quirky cars with the plastic panels."

GM's North American Chief Troy Clarke said GM picked Chicago for the Astra's debut in part because the vehicle is expected to be popular among Midwesterners.

[wt2ga]

Saturn Astra

[MRSSKY]

Nice car, it would of been perfect for my daughter!

[C20LET_50]

If it works with that Opel Astra the next try could be the Opel Corsa, just a little bit smaller:

Length 157.4 (Astra 168.9)
Wheelbase 98.9 (Astra 102.9)



But difficult to earn some $$ because of the high value of the €.

[SkyMan 08]

I can hardly believe it but Saturn is Importing these cars... Why couldn't they have made it in Spring Hill where the Ion was made? More American jobs down the tubes and from Saturn no less... I guess it was a deal with Opel for them importing the Sky and selling it as the Opel GT.

I guess that is what they mean by their new slogan "Rethink American" Saturns are NOT from the United States of America any more Except for the Sky and Outlook , and how long will that last?

It is a nice looking car..and from what I have read about it, it is a real competitive car in that market (more so than the Ion was). .....but it really surprised and dissapointed me that they were not going to build it here.
PS the Vue is built in Mexico, and the Aura is in Canada...

[Rick Tinley Park]

Opal IS GM - it is an American company now. It's part of being global. But in stead of building Japanese cars in the USA and have the profits head back to Japan, we have American cars being built in Europe and the profits coming home. Also GM has built a new plant that builds the Saturn Outlook, GMC Acadia and the Buick version not only in the US but in MI.

[SKYRCKT]

It should do well in the compact car market. it seems to fit that mold, based on the photo.

[jayman]

Originally Posted by wt2ga

Saturn Astra

wt...where didja' go?...ah, the good old days

[SKY VUE 1]

Originally Posted by SkyMan 08

I can hardly believe it but Saturn is Importing these cars... Why couldn't they have made it in Spring Hill where the Ion was made?

I remember hearing somewhere that Saturn was importing the Astra (from Belgium, I think) for the first year just to get the car into the marketplace so Saturn wasn't without a small car for a year....then, sometime next year, production is supposed to start in the States.

Production obviously won't be at Spring Hill but maybe it can be located elsewhere within our borders to keep some jobs here.

[SkyMan 08]

Originally Posted by SKY VUE 1

I remember hearing somewhere that Saturn was importing the Astra (from Belgium, I think) for the first year just to get the car into the marketplace so Saturn wasn't without a small car for a year....then, sometime next year, production is supposed to start in the States.

Production obviously won't be at Spring Hill but maybe it can be located elsewhere within our borders to keep some jobs here.

Saturns general manager Jill L, said it will be built and imported overseas and I quote "for the forseeable future"... if that isn't a open ended statement there never has been... still that does not appease all the workers at the Spring Hill plant that were told just a few years ago that their jobs were "Secure' because they were going to build MORE car lines there instead of cutting back...

Rick Tinley Park
Opal IS GM - it is an American company now. It's part of being global. But in stead of building Japanese cars in the USA and have the profits head back to Japan, we have American cars being built in Europe and the profits coming home. Also GM has built a new plant that builds the Saturn Outlook, GMC Acadia and the Buick version not only in the US but in MI.

Yes GM owns Opel as they have since the 60's, but that still don't help the workers here in Tennessee ( but who cares about a bunch of redneck hicks from Tennessee) that lost their jobs building the Vue and the Ion and most of the parts suppliers that actually built panels interiors and things for them, along with the plastic manufacturers ( I work for one )that lost big sales because Saturn now does not use the polymer panels...now does it? It's the trickle down theory in reverse, when one production line leaves the country it just does not effect just those workers, it effects anyone that supplies parts, and services to that facility....

Then back to my other Post, I was just trying to say how dissapointed I am in Saturn for not building 3 of it's 5 cars that are supposed to make people "Rethink American" in the United States.. It's Hypocritical, that is all.

[CountryGirl]

They may have to rethink that anyway, depending on how the exchange rate goes. There's a big problem building in a euro economy and selling in dollars. I work for a European company, and that's become a huge hit on profitability.

We keep hoping they'll bring more manufacturing here to the states, but that's another story...

[SkyMan 08]

Originally Posted by shenvalley

They may have to rethink that anyway, depending on how the exchange rate goes. There's a big problem building in a euro economy and selling in dollars. I work for a European company, and that's become a huge hit on profitability.

We keep hoping they'll bring more manufacturing here to the states, but that's another story...

Like I said I am dissapointed that they did this, and then to advertize
Rethink American" just got to me, It's like NASCAR closing down or taking races away from many of the old tracks that they had and then putting on commercials about how high they regard tradition... that did not set well with me also...

[tyler07]

Are you behind Toyota then?

I seen a ad for them yesterday during football saying...

Buy American Built,
Buy Toyota!

Do you consider them an American Car cause it's built in America? the same way the GM Astra is an european car cause it's built oversees?

I still see Toyota as foreign and GM as American... but to each their own.

[SkyMan 08]

I just sent this E-mail to Saturn Corp. Maybe this will help you understand what i am trying to say..

I am a little concerned about your Advertizing of "Rethink American" . With the Aura Built in Canada, The Vue In Mexico, And now the Astra going to be Imported from Europe, Saturn is no longer an American Car company. It Saddens me to think of what has become of Saturn. I have been a Fan and Saturn supporter since Saturn was first announced. I have owned 4 Saturns and have a new Sky ordered. But It may be my last.
Saturn used to Advertize "A different Kind of car Company" now to me thay have become "Just another car company".

Please Bring the Astra to Spring Hill, and consider bringing other lines back also...

Most people do not associate Saturn with an Imported car. and It will shock many when they find out that the Astra is Imported.
Saturn spent many years Touting their Plant In Spring Hill and how most of all the parts were manufactured on site... I wonder if they will ever advertize themselves as a "Global Company"

[Chicago Skyline]

According to this article, the reason for the new more attractive design is the influence of women.

http://tribads.com/gm/showroom.htm

excepted: "Women have a good
eye for detail. They
intuitively pick up on
quality such as fit-and-
finish and materials."
- Vicki Vlachakis, designer of the SKY interior

Designing Women
This stylish new lineup reflects the touch of Saturn's female force - from its dynamic general manager, Jill Ladjziak, and director of Product and Brand Development, Lisa Hutchinson, to its leading designers, including Vicki Vlachakis, Liz Wetzel, Therese Tant, Crystal Windham and Esther Martinez.

[CountryGirl]

Originally Posted by Chicago Skyline

According to this article, the reason for the new more attractive design is the influence of women.

http://tribads.com/gm/showroom.htm

excepted: "Women have a good
eye for detail. They
intuitively pick up on
quality such as fit-and-
finish and materials."
- Vicki Vlachakis, designer of the SKY interior

Designing Women
This stylish new lineup reflects the touch of Saturn's female force - from its dynamic general manager, Jill Ladjziak, and director of Product and Brand Development, Lisa Hutchinson, to its leading designers, including Vicki Vlachakis, Liz Wetzel, Therese Tant, Crystal Windham and Esther Martinez.

Did anybody tell Vicki that most of the complaints are about the Sky interior?

[greenhornet]

Originally Posted by C20LET_50

If it works with that Opel Astra the next try could be the Opel Corsa, just a little bit smaller:

Length 157.4 (Astra 168.9)
Wheelbase 98.9 (Astra 102.9)

Attachment 10881

But difficult to earn some $$ because of the high value of the €.

The Corsa is already scheduled for North American markets as the entry level Saturn. There is a good possibility that the Corsa line will include a diesel hybrid with sensatioinal fuel economy.

Sadly, the Corsa wil not arrive here until the next generation model is available.

[greenhornet]

Originally Posted by Chicago Skyline

According to this article, the reason for the new more attractive design is the influence of women.

http://tribads.com/gm/showroom.htm

excepted: "Women have a good
eye for detail. They
intuitively pick up on
quality such as fit-and-
finish and materials."
- Vicki Vlachakis, designer of the SKY interior

Designing Women
This stylish new lineup reflects the touch of Saturn's female force - from its dynamic general manager, Jill Ladjziak, and director of Product and Brand Development, Lisa Hutchinson, to its leading designers, including Vicki Vlachakis, Liz Wetzel, Therese Tant, Crystal Windham and Esther Martinez.

May we assume PMS is not a factor?

[SkyMan 08]

OOPS!
I am one that will admit when he is wrong... The Aura is not built in Canada, It is built in Kansas City.. My Bad......
but I was right about the Astra and the Vue...