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Detroit 2008: Saturn Vue Two-Mode, with and without a plug
Click the Plug-in Hybrid Vue for a high-res gallery

Saturn publicly showed two versions of the new Two-Mode hybrid Vue cross-over today using different battery technologies. One is the standard model that will go on sale toward the end of the this year with a nickel metal hydride battery pack. The second uses a lithium ion pack and has the ability to be plugged in for 4-5 hours giving it a ten mile electric range. Let me here correct an error I made in my original post on the regular two-mode Vue. Contrary to what I had heard earlier, the fuel economy improvement is actually 50 percent in combined driving rather in the city cycle. According to GM Powertrain VP Tom Stephens, GM is actually hoping to get even more improvement before production launch later this year. The company also wants to get the PHEV Vue to market by late next year, making it the first commercially available plug-in hybrid.

(Via AutoblogGreen.)

2009 Saturn Vue Hybrid Goes All the Way

Though GM is offering hybrids across an ever wider range of its fleet, executives will privately tell you that inside sales forecasts are extremely modest--as in 10 percent or less for any particular model.

Yet the General persists. The 2009 Saturn Vue, already offered with a mild hybrid option, will get a second--full hybrid--version. It features a 3.6-liter direct-injection V6 with a front-drive transmission and two electric motors. The vehicle will run in electric-only mode at low speeds and reverse. It uses fuel-shut-off technology during deceleration and regernative braking. GM officials say that it will get 50 percent better fuel economy than its nonhybrid sibling.

(Via Autopia.)

Saturn announced the addition of the all-new 2008 Astra to its lineup, bringing a decidedly European flavor to the North American compact car market. It is packed with a wide range of standard equipment and safety features, and delivers sporty performance with very good fuel economy.

The Saturn Astra will be offered in three-door and five-door models, each underpinned by a taught, European-bred suspension that delivers a sharp, responsive driving experience. Power comes from a 1.8L Ecotec four-cylinder engine that is both energetic and economical, delivering 140 horsepower (104 kW) and up to 34 mpg** on the highway.

"In Europe , the Astra's combination of style, performance, safety technology and fuel efficiency have made it a hit with owners and auto critics alike," said Jill Lajdziak, Saturn general manager. "Now, Saturn is bringing the newly restyled Astra to North America and marrying it with our celebrated customer experience."

The Astra will go on sale in the fourth quarter of this year. It is the fifth product in a complete revamp of Saturn's product lineup. In fact, when the Astra hits showrooms, the "oldest" vehicle in Saturn's portfolio will be the Sky roadster, which debuted in March 2006. Other new models include the all-new Aura sedan, the redesigned Vue compact crossover - including the Vue Green Line hybrid - and the Outlook crossover.

"It's not a stretch to say Saturn is all-new," said Lajdziak. "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."

Product highlights

Saturn offers two trim levels (XE and XR) for five-door models, and a single trim (XR) in the three-door configuration, which was created with more enthusiastic drivers in mind.

The standard powertrain combination in all models is the 1.8L Ecotec DOHC four-cylinder engine, which is paired with a five-speed manual transmission. The Ecotec engine is enhanced with variable valve timing to optimize power output and fuel efficiency. A four-speed automatic transmission is optional on all models.

The Astra offers technologies to provide an agile, yet comfortable, driving experience. StabiliTrak electronic stability control system with traction control is standard on all three-door Astras, and available on five-door models. This system works in concert with the standard four-wheel, antilock disc brakes to help the driver maintain control during adverse road conditions or during sudden emergency driving situations.

An electro-hydraulic, rack-and-pinion steering system is standard on all models. It provides the solid, linear feel of a hydraulic power steering system, but improves fuel efficiency by operating the power steering pump only when necessary. The system has two available configurations: the standard 15:1 ratio on five-door models and a 14:1 Sport ratio (standard on the three-door; optional on five-doors).

Five-door Astras come with standard 16-inch wheels, but can be upgraded to 17-inch aluminum wheels. Three-door models come standard with 17-inch aluminum wheels, which can be upgraded to 18-inch aluminum wheels and performance tires.

Design details

The Astra has a clean, contemporary design that is infused with Saturn's signature styling cues, including a bold, bright grille bar with prominent Saturn logo. Both the three-door and five-door models are distinguished from their European relatives with unique front and rear fascias that conform to North American bumper standards.

Rear-end styling also features a bright trim bar, with large, wraparound taillamps and clear lenses. The center high-mounted stop lamp uses LED technology for fast and crisp illumination.

Proportions on both body styles suggest an enthusiastic driving experience, with the wheels pushed to the corners and subtle fender flares wrapped tightly around the tires for a tailored stance.

Interior design and features

Bold design, refinement and precise execution are the hallmarks of the Saturn Astra's interior, which envelops passengers in a contemporary environment that maximizes space and comfort. Details include a continuation of the exterior's center hood crease on to the center of the instrument panel, as well as a V-shaped center stack motif that also complements the design language of the exterior.

All models convey the Astra's sporting character through firm, well-supported seats and a thick, three-spoke steering wheel with rake and telescopic adjustments. Ahead of the steering wheel is a rounded cockpit binnacle that houses a large, three-dimensional gauge cluster - including large speedometer and tachometer dials. The sporty Astra three-door receives specific seats with more aggressive bolsters and lumbar support.

Additional interior highlights include:

• Illuminated glove box with damped door actuation

• A large, two-panel sunroof: the largest in its class (available on five-door only)

• Available heated seats in cloth or leather surfaces

• Auxiliary 12-volt power outlet

• Easy-to-remove rear cargo cover

• Power door locks (with central locking feature) and power windows with express down feature

• Standard six-speaker AM/FM/CD radio and available seven-speaker sound system; multi-disc and MP3-capable radios available

• Steering-wheel mounted audio controls (on XR models)

Astra's bold proportions, including a long, 103-inch (2,614 mm) wheelbase and 80-inch (2,033 mm) width, provide exceptional roominess and generous storage capacity. The 60/40-split folding rear seat also folds flat with the touch of a single, high-mounted lever. When the rear seat is folded, the five-door Astra offers 44.8 cubic feet (1,270 L) of storage space.

Occupant protection features

The 2008 Saturn Astra features a comprehensive list of safety systems to help protect occupants in the event of a crash. Highlights include:

• Rigid body structure with safety cage

• Six standard air bags, including dual-stage frontal air bags; roof rail head curtain air bags and thorax/pelvic air bags (front-seat passengers)

• Active head restraints

• Collapsible pedals

• Front safety belt pretensioners and load limiters

• OnStar with one year of Safe & Sound service

Body structure: The unitized body structure is designed with a safety cage around the passenger compartment, and features optimized front and rear crush zones that absorb energy and help maintain the structural integrity of the passenger compartment. High-strength steel is used strategically throughout the body structure.

Air bags: All Astra models feature dual-stage frontal air bags, seat-mounted thorax/pelvic air bags to help protect front occupants and head curtain air bags for front- and rear-seat occupants. Also standard is an automatic passenger sensing system for the front passenger seat; it suppresses the activation of the passenger-side frontal air bag if it detects a child or smaller-stature person in that seating position.

Active head restraints and collapsible pedals: Standard active head restraints instantly move forward if a rear-end crash is detected, reducing the risk of neck injuries. Similarly, the collapsible foot pedals move during a crash to reduce the risk of leg or ankle injuries.

Safety belt pretensioners and load limiters: When a crash is detected, the safety belt pretensioners immediately reduce the slack in the front safety belts, helping limit the movement of passengers. The load limiters permit a small amount of movement in the front safety belts, thereby reducing peak chest loads in a more severe crash.

OnStar: Astra comes with the latest-generation OnStar system, including available Turn-by-Turn Navigation. The system also includes advanced automatic crash notification (AACN). With AACN, an OnStar advisor is immediately contacted by the vehicle when a crash occurs; the advisor can determine the appropriate emergency help required and assist in sending it to the scene of the crash. Astra buyers will receive one year of Safe & Sound Service provided by Saturn.

Details of the General Motors / United Auto Workers agreement have been released, including inside information about the future production schedule at the American auto maker. As part of the contract agreement, UAW sought assurances that GM would guarantee that certain products would continue to be built in American factories, as opposed to Canadian, Mexican, or overseas plants.

Included in a document released to the media by UAW were GM's plans to continue building current and future products at 16 of 18 U.S. assembly plants. Also included is apparently confidential information about GM product cycles. These plans include:

• The Corvette and the Cadillac XLR will continue through 2011, with new models to begin production in 2012 at the Bowling Green, Kentucky plant.
• After a couple of years of waiting, the new Camaro is expected to begin production in 2011 at Lansing, Michigan.
• Pontiac's Solstice and the Saturn Sky roadsters will continue assebly through 2012 in Wilmington, Delaware, but they have no announced replacement at this time. The car is rumored to begin production that year in Bowling Green, Kentucky, opening the door for a possible redesign of the two-seaters. Sadly, this could mean the end of the Wilmington plant.
• The Chevrolet Volt, a highly-anticipated electric car, will begin production in 2010 at a plant near Detroit. The MPV7 will also go into production here starting in 2009.
• The Pontiac G6 will continue being made in Orion, Michigan, until 2013. Orion is not yet assigned a new vehicle to manufacture.
• Cadillac models CTS, STS, and SRX will all continue to be built for two years, with a new CTS wagon and CTS coupe starting up in 2009. Two more cadillac styles are expected to be manufactured beginning in 2011. This will all take place in Lansing, Michigan.
• Current models of the Hummer H3 and H3T will end in 2011, with updated models heading into production that year in Shreveport, Louisiana.
• Also in Shreveport, the Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon will only exist up through 2011.
• Cadillac's DTS and the Buick Lucerne will stay in production through 2010 near Detroit, in Hamtramck.
• Buick Lucerne and Cadillac DTS continue in Hamtramck until 2010.
• The Lansing/Delta Michigan plant will also see several GMC, Saturn, and Buick products continue assebly through 2011, with replacements coming in 2012.
• A brand new, globally distributed subcompact is to be produced in Lordstown, Ohio, where the Chevy Cobalt and Pontiac G5 small cars are already built. Those cars will be phases out in 2009. Two new cars will also be manufactured here starting in 2011.
• GM will be closing a plant in Doraville, Georgia. Workers there have already been notified.

The one assembly plant not mentioned in the deal builds midsize SUVs. The Moraine, Ohio, location is not mentioned because a separate union covers workers there.

``The whole thing looks fantastic,'' said Dave Green, UAW local president in Lordstown, Ohio, where new subcompacts will be built. However, the nearly 1,000 employees in Doraville, Georgia, might not feel the same. They have since discovered their plant will be shuttered.

Despite what others are reporting, this deal is certainly not final. With 16,000 employees becoming eligible for buyouts for carrying out non-essential duties, and new hires in noncore functions expected to get half the starting salary of an assembly line worker, there is the possibility that union employees will not ratify the agreement.

GM's 74,000 UAW members are to vote on the contract, with voting expected to be complete by October 10.

All new dash

The fourth generation Opel Vectra displayed its first signs of life as the Opel GTC Concept at the 2007 Geneva Motor Show, and we have been trailling its progress to production status throughout the year. Our spy photograpghers were in Sweden for the winter testing, in Death Valley for hot weather testing and, of course, in Germany. We even have caught the much anticipated car on video!

The interior has been kept under wraps by the Opel engineers, untill now that is. Earlier today we managed to snap a few pictures of the all new interior. In comparison to the current Vectra, the dashboard seems all new and manages to give the cockpit a sportier look in the process.

The Opel Vectra 4 (or Vauxhall Vectra in the UK and Saturn Aura in the USA) will feature all new exterior styling and will be pitted against the new Ford Mondeo and VW Passat. The engine range is expected to be expanded with a 2.7 liter V6 Turbodiesel (200 hp) and 2.8 liter V6, also new will be the option for all-wheel-drive.

When the Opel Vectra will take its first bow at a motor show is not exactly clear, but rumours are that the London Motor Show in July may get that honour, it would then debut as the Vauxhall Vectra. We have some doubts about that here in the WCF newsroom, our money is on a Geneva world premiere in March 2008.

Pushed to the stratosphere

Working in conjunction with GM Design, Gravana Tuning – a highly regarded supplier of aftermarket accessories – has pushed the Saturn Sky to the stratosphere with a highly customized concept. The Gravana Tuning Turbo Saturn Sky delivers even more of what roadster buyers want: all-around performance and “stop-dead-in-your-tracks” design.

By adding a Hahn Racecraft 16G intercooled stage 3 turbocharger to the Sky’s 2.4L Ecotec engine, the Gravana Tuning concept returns 348 horsepower and 341 lb.-ft. of torque. Road-hugging handling is enhanced by an adjustable coil-over-shock suspension system that can lower the vehicle by as much as 3 inches – without changing the spring rate. Body roll is virtually non-existent with the addition of 25 mm front and 28 mm rear stabilizer bars. Massive 14-inch drilled and slotted front brake rotors, with four-piston calipers, provide additional stopping power, while a number of functional design elements serve to deliver more cool air into the engine and to extract heat from it.

Outside, the Gravana Tuning Turbo Saturn Sky complements the sleek, crisp and modern lines of the production vehicle, further enhancing its bold, cutting-edge design. Unique front and rear fascias, bodyside panels and rear center exit exhaust – not to mention the OZ Superleggera III 19-inch wheels and Goodyear Eagle F1 tires – give this special Sky a longer, lower, and sleek presence on the road.

Inside, the Gravana Tuning Turbo Saturn Sky features a carbon fiber console and dash inserts. The seat and door panels are finished in Katzkin leather and suede. Seven Boston Acoustics premium speakers and a Visteon eight-channel DSP 360-watt amplifier provide optimal aural enjoyment and complete the interior upgrade.

Vehicle highlights

Powertrain

• 2.4L Ecotec ported/tuned engine
• Hahn Racecraft 16G intercooled stage 3 turbo
• 348 horsepower
• 341 lb.-ft. of torque
• Gravana Custom 3-inch downpipe and center exit exhaust
• Spec stage 3 clutch kit
• Spec billet aluminum flywheel

Suspension

• Gravana damping and height-adjustable coil-over-shock suspension
• Gravana front and rear stabilizer bars

Wheels/Tires

• OZ Superleggera III wheels: 19- x 8.5-in front / 19- x 9.5-in rear
• Goodyear Eagle F1 tires: 245/40R19 (front); 285/35R19 (rear)
• Fit and installation by Tire Rack

Brakes

• Gravana-Wilwood big brake kit
• Gravana stainless steel brake lines

Exterior

• Gravana/GM Design body kit
• Gravana/GM Design rear center exit exhaust tips
• Gravana carbon fiber functional hood vent inserts
• Gravana carbon fiber rear deck lid
• VDI vertical door kit

Interior

• Gravana carbon fiber console and dash components
• Katzkin leather and suede seat covers and door panels

Audio

• Seven Boston Acoustics premium speakers with tweeters and subwoofers
• Eight-channel Visteon DSP 360-watt amplifier
• Installation performed by J&G Customs

The Saturn Astra is one of the most-anticipated small cars from GM in years, and Saturn's Astra Tuner concept on display this week at the 2007 SEMA show is hopefully a sign that the automaker is planning some serious performance upgrades for its European compact.

The other updates are cosmetic, with several interior and exterior enhancements, trick rims and a lowered ride height. We're not so sure about the color combo, especially those Recaros, yikes... Here's hoping an Astra Red Line -- powered by GM's 260-horsepower, turbocharged Ecotec four and a tuned-up suspension -- will be on tap at next year's show at the latest. Official details from GM below.

Saturn Astra Tuner concept highlights:

* Astra XR three-door
* 1.8L Ecotec DOHC four-cylinder with approximately 160 horsepower, via exhaust header, cold-air intake and modified throttle body
* Five-speed manual transmission
* Lowered ride height
* New front and rear fascia extensions
* New grille surround finish
* Tinted headlamps, taillamps and windows
* Rear center-outlet exhaust
* Production side moldings deleted
* High-performance Recaro seats
* Unique interior trim
* Unique sill plates and parking brake handle

GM Accessories (production and concept)
* OPC 19-inch wheels (concept)
* OPC rockers (concept)
* OPC rear spoiler
* GMA pedals (part number 93183691)
* Blaupunkt sound system