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 Insignia
Reader Comments
Fri Jun 27 2008 9:31 AM
chris says
great. ford will update the taurus, AND the fusion.. and slaughter the domestic market. BRILLIANT. good idea GM.
Fri Jun 27 2008 3:44 PM
James says
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.
When has cannibalization EVER stopped GM? It's what the company specializes in. Need proof? Two words: Chevy Traverse.
Tue Jul 1 2008 7:42 PM
Dcars says
GM has plenty of cars in the mid an large car segment, with the malibu, Impala, lacrosse, lucerne, G6 and G8. Saturn has not impressed anyone with sales of the Aura and Astra.
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