Official: Opel Astra will come to the US as a Saturn for MY08.

Viggen · December 8th, 2006, 1:42 AM

http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com//media/il/news/2006/1207/08.saturn.astra.500.jpg

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...cleId=118765#2

After months of speculation, GM confirmed that the Astra will be imported as the Saturn Astra starting in late '07.

Good riddance, ION!

KaJuN · December 8th, 2006, 1:48 AM

Nice! I really like all the new stuff that Saturn is doing. In my opinion, they're soon going to have the best looking cars in the US.

Prost264 · December 8th, 2006, 2:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KaJuN

Nice! I really like all the new stuff that Saturn is doing. In my opinion, they're soon going to have the best looking cars in the US.

+1

Saturns are slowly becoming, dare I say it, cool. (well, compared to what they were)

Momentum57 · December 8th, 2006, 2:41 AM

i will agree better than what they have been producing (ION) but far from great.

BlaRo · December 8th, 2006, 5:34 AM

Thought I'd never say this, but: thank God for GM badge engineering!

I hope we get the VXR/HPC hot hatch, whatever it's called, while we're at it. Sell it as a Red Line and I'll have to do some major convincing for my mom, who's going to be trading in the venerable Sentra soon. She might not spring for the Red Line, but I'll see what I can do...8)

epp_b · December 8th, 2006, 7:02 AM

This isn't news. Saturn became GM's American Vauxhall division since the Aura *cough* Vectra *cough*

Quote:

I hope we get the VXR/HPC hot hatch, whatever it's called, while we're at it. Sell it as a Red Line and I'll have to do some major convincing for my mom, who's going to be trading in the venerable Sentra soon. She might not spring for the Red Line, but I'll see what I can do...

Just don't mistake that steering wheel for a device that actually has a say in the direction of the car images/smilies/lol.gif

Cobol74 · December 8th, 2006, 7:05 AM

A little harsh, for day to day motoring the Vectra and Astra are both decent cars. Problems start at the extreme end of their performance and model ranges where a better steering rack and suspension set up should have been considered.

un-dee · December 8th, 2006, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prost264

+1

Saturns are slowly becoming, dare I say it, cool. (well, compared to what they were)

Which is a bit funny with all their cars being Opels, they're among the uncoolest cars here :p

BlaRo · December 8th, 2006, 1:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by un-dee

Which is a bit funny with all their cars being Opels, they're among the uncoolest cars here :p

Really puts in perspective the domestic cars we have here if we consider this cool, doesn't it? images/smilies/lol.gif

Viper007Bond · December 8th, 2006, 1:40 PM

mautzel · December 8th, 2006, 1:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Viper007Bond

Seems like the US will get more and more American cars - I'm still most excited about how the Smart will sell when it comes to the US in 2007.

Cobol74 · December 8th, 2006, 1:53 PM

One thing, can they not equip a factory in US/NA somewhere with the same assembly line configuration as in Belgium (I think that's where this stuff is made) so it is just the design and production engineering lifted from OPEL but the manufacture and parts sourcing is in NA? Honda do it with their CIVIC plant in Swindon which is a copy of a Japanese plant I think.

Viper007Bond · December 8th, 2006, 1:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mautzel

Seems like the US will get more and more American cars

Well I sure hope so! images/smilies/lol.gif

klutch · December 8th, 2006, 3:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KaJuN

Nice! I really like all the new stuff that Saturn is doing. In my opinion, they're soon going to have the best looking cars in the US.

'Cause they're all coming from....Yurrrope.

un-dee · December 8th, 2006, 4:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlaRo

Really puts in perspective the domestic cars we have here if we consider this cool, doesn't it? images/smilies/lol.gif

Well not quite, for instance I don't get why so many people think the Mustang is uncool, or a charger, etc. These are all cars that would be considered pretty cool here. Cheap, V8, muscular, bring it on.

NAIDANAC A · December 8th, 2006, 8:04 PM

WOOT me likey.

Viggen · December 8th, 2006, 8:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by un-dee

Which is a bit funny with all their cars being Opels, they're among the uncoolest cars here :p

Then you should've seen the crap Saturn has been selling in the last few years...

http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2004/07/15/203990.1-lg.jpg

http://www.autointell.net/nao_companies/general_motors/saturn/saturn-ion/saturn-ion-interior-300-200.jpg

http://images.consumerguide.com/autoreview/400x266/2000-05-Saturn-L-Series-00130021990001.JPG

http://www.autowire.net/originalpics/2002saturnVUE.jpg

Anything is a huge improvement over those turd buckets.

Viggen · December 8th, 2006, 8:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cobol74

One thing, can they not equip a factory in US/NA somewhere with the same assembly line configuration as in Belgium (I think that's where this stuff is made) so it is just the design and production engineering lifted from OPEL but the manufacture and parts sourcing is in NA? Honda do it with their CIVIC plant in Swindon which is a copy of a Japanese plant I think.

It would've take much longer and more expensive to tool-up a factory to build the cars, and they (dealers) badly need it here in a very short amount of time. Just slap Saturn badges on the Opels and call it a day and save some money.

Cobol74 · December 8th, 2006, 9:25 PM

^ Thought that the exchange rate (USD - EUR) is a bit dodgy at the moment? I suppose it depends upon the expected life of the model, it is quite new here (ASTRA) and in my opinion will have at least 5 years left in it, with a facelift along the line somewhere so they could start to import see how it goes then tool up if it flies? See the other thread where Ford are looking at the Focus and possibly Mondeo for US/NA so the competition in the smaller (compact?) car market should get more intense still. I hope that these are a success any way - all are good cars for Mr and Mrs Joe Public plus have the ST and VXR versions for the petrol heads.

NAIDANAC A · December 8th, 2006, 10:52 PM

I thought the redline ion was at least decent.

December 8th, 2006, 1:42 AM	#1
Viggen Joined: Mar 17th, 2004 Last Online: August 21st, 2007 Location: Seattle, Washington USA Posts: 355 Car: Saab 900 and VW GTI MkV (saving, only $24K to go!) Rep Power: 0	Official: Opel Astra will come to the US as a Saturn for MY08. http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...cleId=118765#2 After months of speculation, GM confirmed that the Astra will be imported as the Saturn Astra starting in late '07. Good riddance, ION! __________________ Jeremy's an antique, the Hamster just squeaks, James is such a geek, and I really want to know who the Stig is... - McFly Last edited by Viggen; December 8th, 2006 at 1:46 AM.

December 8th, 2006, 2:41 AM	#4
Momentum57 worships the 2010 Prius like a god Joined: Aug 26th, 2005 Last Online: 5:46 PM Location: Manlius Outside of Syracuse Age: 25 Posts: 1,405 Car: Jaguar X-Type 3.0 Rep Power: 29	i will agree better than what they have been producing (ION) but far from great. __________________

December 8th, 2006, 5:34 AM	#5
BlaRo Lady GaGa's #1 Fan Joined: Aug 18th, 2005 Last Online: 9:45 PM Location: Assachusetts Age: 21 Posts: 11,256 Car: 1997 Yamaha Seca II, 1976 Honda CB550F Rep Power: 371	Thought I'd never say this, but: thank God for GM badge engineering! I hope we get the VXR/HPC hot hatch, whatever it's called, while we're at it. Sell it as a Red Line and I'll have to do some major convincing for my mom, who's going to be trading in the venerable Sentra soon. She might not spring for the Red Line, but I'll see what I can do...8) __________________ "It is impossible to describe this kind of performance to the uninitiated. Telling a traffic officer or a safety crusader like Ralph Nader that 100 mph can be safe is like reading the Constitution to a Maoist; it is a strange and hostile concept." -Brock Yates. The body was accidentally unearthed from a shallow grave by construction workers. Because of Parkinson's.

December 8th, 2006, 7:05 AM	#7
Cobol74 Joined: Mar 21st, 2006 Last Online: 10:50 AM Location: Southampton Posts: 8,592 Car: Vauxhall Zafira 1.9 TDI Slush box. Rep Power: 126	A little harsh, for day to day motoring the Vectra and Astra are both decent cars. Problems start at the extreme end of their performance and model ranges where a better steering rack and suspension set up should have been considered. __________________ Lotus 7 Registration Mark = KAR120C : Engine Number = 461034 TZ Ross Brawn genius or what?

December 8th, 2006, 1:40 PM	#10
Viper007Bond Lazy Head Dude Joined: Sep 21st, 2003 Last Online: 10:47 AM Location: Portland, Oregon Age: 25 Posts: 22,270 Car: Dodge Viper (I wish!) Rep Power: 296	__________________ There is no replacement for displacement. - Wolfgang Bernhard, Chief Operating Officer, Chrysler Group talking about the Dodge Viper SRT-10 ... I ask Herb Helbig, vehicle synthesis manager for SRT and a member of the original Team Viper development group since day one, if they'd ever thought of adding traction control. "It comes with two," he says, pointing at my feet. "Learn to use them." Got it. - Motor Trend on the 2006 Dodge Viper Coupe, November 2005

December 8th, 2006, 1:48 AM	#2
KaJuN Disco Inferno Joined: Jul 31st, 2006 Last Online: 10:16 PM Location: American in Okinawa Age: 23 Posts: 5,068 Car: Suzuki Swift, Honda Benly CL50 Rep Power: 176	Nice! I really like all the new stuff that Saturn is doing. In my opinion, they're soon going to have the best looking cars in the US. __________________ ...and Michigan still sucks. D-Fence: Kajun is just outside caressing his Discovery....touching it gently, you know......it is such a dirty bitch.....but he seems to love dirty girls in high heels who are taller then him and have "quite a few pounds" on their hips ^^ This post was accidentally unearthed from a shallow grave by construction workers. My Flickr

December 8th, 2006, 1:53 PM	#12
Cobol74 Joined: Mar 21st, 2006 Last Online: 10:50 AM Location: Southampton Posts: 8,592 Car: Vauxhall Zafira 1.9 TDI Slush box. Rep Power: 126	One thing, can they not equip a factory in US/NA somewhere with the same assembly line configuration as in Belgium (I think that's where this stuff is made) so it is just the design and production engineering lifted from OPEL but the manufacture and parts sourcing is in NA? Honda do it with their CIVIC plant in Swindon which is a copy of a Japanese plant I think. __________________ Lotus 7 Registration Mark = KAR120C : Engine Number = 461034 TZ Ross Brawn genius or what?

December 8th, 2006, 8:04 PM	#16
NAIDANAC A Joined: May 30th, 2006 Last Online: 10:51 PM Location: Ontario, Canada Age: 19 Posts: 3,676 Car: 300E Rep Power: 70	WOOT me likey. __________________

December 8th, 2006, 9:25 PM	#19
Cobol74 Joined: Mar 21st, 2006 Last Online: 10:50 AM Location: Southampton Posts: 8,592 Car: Vauxhall Zafira 1.9 TDI Slush box. Rep Power: 126	^ Thought that the exchange rate (USD - EUR) is a bit dodgy at the moment? I suppose it depends upon the expected life of the model, it is quite new here (ASTRA) and in my opinion will have at least 5 years left in it, with a facelift along the line somewhere so they could start to import see how it goes then tool up if it flies? See the other thread where Ford are looking at the Focus and possibly Mondeo for US/NA so the competition in the smaller (compact?) car market should get more intense still. I hope that these are a success any way - all are good cars for Mr and Mrs Joe Public plus have the ST and VXR versions for the petrol heads. __________________ Lotus 7 Registration Mark = KAR120C : Engine Number = 461034 TZ Ross Brawn genius or what?

December 8th, 2006, 10:52 PM	#20
NAIDANAC A Joined: May 30th, 2006 Last Online: 10:51 PM Location: Ontario, Canada Age: 19 Posts: 3,676 Car: 300E Rep Power: 70	I thought the redline ion was at least decent. __________________

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