Astra Gives Saturn European Style

The Saturn brand has always been known for not-so-exciting cars but with excellent customer relations.  With the what-you-see-is-what-you-pay marketing strategy, Saturn has captured the imagination of consumers who are tired of those seemingly unending paperwork.  Bu today, the brand is attracting consumers into its showrooms for another reason - their revitalized lineup with European flair.

The Saturn division was put up by General Motors to combat the surging Asian carmakers - specifically Japanese ones like Toyota, Honda and Nissan. Initially though, the Saturn brand was no threat to those Japanese car companies. But when General Motors decided to partner Saturn with its European subsidiary Opel, the Saturn brand’s lineup immediately became a force to reckon with in the auto market.

With the expertise of German auto manufacturer Opel in developing exciting vehicles as well as General Motors’ resources, Saturn was given a new lineup worthy of a second or even third look.  It is interesting though that in fighting import brands, General Motors looked for help from a foreign carmaker.

One of the most notable results of the collaboration between Opel and Saturn is the Aura model which was named earlier this year as the North American Car of the Year.  The Aura beat the established nameplates of the Toyota Camry and the Honda Accord for the distinction.  Another vehicle that will be infusing more European style to Saturn's lineup is the Saturn Astra which is scheduled to be released in the United States auto market this fall.

The Saturn Astra is actually a rebadged version of the Opel Astra which is marketed in continental Europe. In Britain, the Astra is marketed under the Vauxhall brand. This apparent European heritage of the Saturn Astra is expected to attract more consumers.

The Astra will be replacing the Ion in Saturn's lineup. This is, of course, a welcome change since the Ion has been described as an unexciting and uninspired vehicle by most critics in the auto industry. The clear lines on the exterior of the Saturn Astra judging from its appearance at the Chicago Auto Show will make it a strong contender in its class in terms of exterior styling.

It will be available as a three-door or a five-door hatchback when it hits showrooms across the country.  With reliable parts such as Saturn struts engineered to be reliable, the Saturn Astra hatchback is expected to be a favorite among car buyers.  According to General Motors, the Astra will be equipped with a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine with an output of 140 hp.   As for transmissions, General Motors announced that the engine can either be paired with a four-speed automatic or a five-speed manual transmission.

Unlike the Saturn Ion, the Astra will not be offered as a sedan.  Because of this, General Motors has lower sales target for the Astra compared to the Ion.  According to the Detroit auto manufacturer, they are expecting to sell between 30,000 and 40,000 units of the Astra every year. That figure is less than half of 100,000 annual sales achieved by the Ion.