Motor Authority - blog Category: Aura

Earlier this year we reported that General Motors could possibly delay the launch of the next-generation Saturn Aura, or possibly drop the model altogether, but according to GM vice chairman Bob Lutz the new car is on track albeit with some major changes. Lutz confirmed at the time that the Opel Insignia will form the framework for a new Aura but he emphasized that the Saturn would have a completely different exterior and interior appearance. Now reports reveal that despite the availability of both a hatchback and wagon variant in Europe, the U.S. and Saturn will only see the sedan version.

The latest report indicates that the... Earlier this year we reported that General Motors could possibly delay the launch of the next-generation Saturn Aura, or possibly drop the model altogether, but according to GM vice chairman Bob Lutz the new car is on track albeit with some major changes. Lutz confirmed at the time that the Opel Insignia will form the framework for a new Aura but he emphasized that the Saturn would have a completely different exterior and interior appearance. Now reports reveal that despite the availability of both a hatchback and wagon variant in Europe, the U.S. and Saturn will only see the sedan version. The latest report indicates that the ungainly-looking hatch and the elegant wagon will be held back from U.S. sale, though it doesn't give any official justification for the decision, reports The Detroit Free Press. Most likely is the U.S. buyer's consistent preference for sedans over hatches, and an uncomfortability with the idea of the wagon. Both tendencies are weakening as the inherent practicality of such vehicles becomes more obvious and more drivers seek to replace fuel-thirsty SUVs with more economical alternatives. Nevertheless, Saturn's decision seems to indicate that there simply isn't a market for the non-sedan body styles in the U.S. Speaking with AutoWeek on the sides of the London Motor Show in July, Lutz explained that both cars will share the same suspension and engine packages. “We’ve researched the Insignia around the world, including the U.S., as an internationally spectacular new design, but the Saturn version will be its own car,” he said. When asked about the development of a rumored coupe version of the Insignia, previewed by Opel’s own GTC concept car, Lutz shot down the possibility stating that there was no reason to introduce a two-door version of a four-door car with the same sheetmetal. While the Opel Insignia will go on sale later this year, the Saturn Aura will likely be put on hold until 2010 - possibly due to fuel economy issues and cannibalization of sales from the similarly-sized Chevrolet Malibu.2009 Opel (Vauxhall) Insignia wagon2009 Opel (Vauxhall) Insignia hatchback2009 Opel Insignia Sedan Read More

The replacement for the Saturn Aura has already been revealed in the form of the European Opel (Vauxhall) Insignia sedan, which goes on sale later this year. The car was expected to reach North America in the second half of next year as a 2010 model but according to several sources at GM its arrival has been put on hold and no mention of a later release date or reason has been given.

The new Epsilon II based saloon was meant to go into production next year at GM’s Fairfax plant in Kansas, which has already received much of the tooling for the new car. According to GM InsideNews, which confirmed the news with several sources at GM, the... The replacement for the Saturn Aura has already been revealed in the form of the European Opel (Vauxhall) Insignia sedan, which goes on sale later this year. The car was expected to reach North America in the second half of next year as a 2010 model but according to several sources at GM its arrival has been put on hold and no mention of a later release date or reason has been given. The new Epsilon II based saloon was meant to go into production next year at GM’s Fairfax plant in Kansas, which has already received much of the tooling for the new car. According to GM InsideNews, which confirmed the news with several sources at GM, the most likely reason has to do with the car’s fuel economy. There’s also the possibility that the new Aura could steal sales from the top selling Chevrolet Malibu sedan as well as the next Buick LaCrosse, which is due around the same time and is also based on the Epsilon II platform. The current Saturn Aura has experience lackluster sales since its launch back in 2006 but GM is yet to announce official plans for its successor. Several variants of the Insignia are expected to be in the pipeline, including a hatchback version, which was recently spied, as well as wagon and coupe models. 2009 Opel Insignia interior reveal 2009 Opel InsigniaGM Insignia official interior reveal2009 Opel Insignia Read More

Opel gave us a preview of the styling direction for the new Vectra sedan when it unveiled the GTC Concept car back at March’s Geneva Motor Show. There’s a lot of significance riding on this model because this is the car that will be sold in the US as the next-gen Saturn Aura and it may even make it to other markets where GM cars are sold such as Australasia and South America.

The new model features a wider and taller body than the current generation Vectra/Aura and will be built on GM’s new Epsilon II platform. This means the car will retain its FWD configuration and will be available in sedan, five-door hatch, and wagon... Opel gave us a preview of the styling direction for the new Vectra sedan when it unveiled the GTC Concept car back at March’s Geneva Motor Show. There’s a lot of significance riding on this model because this is the car that will be sold in the US as the next-gen Saturn Aura and it may even make it to other markets where GM cars are sold such as Australasia and South America. The new model features a wider and taller body than the current generation Vectra/Aura and will be built on GM’s new Epsilon II platform. This means the car will retain its FWD configuration and will be available in sedan, five-door hatch, and wagon bodystyles. The larger body will position it better against its main rivals in the US such as the Toyota Camry and new Honda Accord, both of which have grown considerably in size recently. Powering the new car will be a range of four-cylinder and V6 engines including both petrol and turbodiesel units. The US-spec Aura may also be available with a new V8 engine as well as a new hybrid option similar to that used in the new Chevrolet Malibu. Europe should see the new Vectra debut early in 2009 but Saturn fans won’t get to see the car until 2011 at the earliest. The US models will also likely get some minor styling revisions to suit North American tastes. You can view actual spy shots of the car by clicking here. Images after the jump. Read More