General Motors may sell Opels as Saturn in US
Rebadged Astras will come to U.S. at end of 2007.
Harald Hamprecht - Rick Kranz - Automotive News / May 8, 2006
General Motors plans to import rebadged Opel Astra compacts to replace the Ion at the bottom of Saturn's lineup.
The imports, starting at the end of next year, will sticker at about $16,000 - approximately $3,500 above that of the 2006 Saturn Ion 2 sedan, Ion's base model. Ion production is scheduled to end in December.
GM declined to comment. But sources within GM and its Opel subsidiary confirmed an outline of the plan.
Last year GM sold 100,891 Ions. That car follows the S series, which sold 200,000-plus units from 1993 through 1999, peaking at 286,003 in 1994.
The annual sales target for the Astra model will be considerably lower, ranging from 20,000 to 40,000 units.
Saturn's version of the Astra probably will be assembled in Antwerp, Belgium. The name Astra may be used on the Saturn model.
Importing Astras would fit GM's strategy of repositioning Saturn as a Europeanized brand. At the New York auto show last month, GM Vice Chairman Robert Lutz said nearly all Saturn vehicles will be based on vehicles from Adam Opel AG, GM's German subsidiary.
The current Astra went on sale in Europe in 2004. The European press has praised the car, and it was western Europe's second-best seller last year with 453,000 units, just behind the Volkswagen Golf.
Jim Sanfilippo, executive vice president of the consulting firm AMCI in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., says Saturn should have no trouble selling the car if it is well equipped. "People like to buy cars from Saturn dealers," said Sanfilippo, "and that is still a franchise in General Motors' portfolio that can attract import buyers."
Since 1958, GM occasionally has sold cars from Opel in the United States. In recent years it imported the Cadillac Catera and built the Opel-based Saturn L series in Wilmington, Del. Neither sold well.
GM builds the Ion in Spring Hill, Tenn. It has not disclosed plans for a new vehicle to replace the Ion there.
Huh... That'd be cool.
-John
Good news, but I'll wait to see how badly they water the cars down before I get excited.
"i promise we won't get drunk, and go out in boat in the dark, stand up in the boat and fire the gun into the air unless we have life jackets on."
Told ya. lol
Also...
Quote:
Last year GM sold 100,891 Ions. That car follows the S series, which sold 200,000-plus units from 1993 through 1999, peaking at 286,003 in 1994.
That quote is wrong. It peaked in 1995 with over 300,000 S-series sold.
>>>For Sale? Clicky!<<<
-----The orginal Mr.Goodwrench on the JBO since 11/99-----
they might not water it down all that much, considering the 3K increase in the price tag....
if they bring it directly over i say watch out civic, corolla, and cobalt because im thinking class leader.
Yesss They are briniging it over........ I don't care what you say Dave !!!
so why is the ION going away? i seen them all over the place, can't have that bad of sales marks.
GO PATS!!!
so that's what happen when a mazda 3 and a scion get jiggy with it...
-Chris
that car is hot i was hoping it was gonna come out as an Cobalt SS hatchback but owell
ill be super pissed if they dont make the car avaliable in that color blue
the other blues GM has been doing suck ass
IamRascal wrote:so that's what happen when a mazda 3 and a scion get jiggy with it...
well considering the astra , has been around alot longer
the answer to your statement would be a NO !!!!!!!
its what happens when a astra gets jiggy with a hooker , you get a mazda and scion
This is the 2nd step in moving the Saturn lineup up-scale. The Sky was the first step. The Astra will likely have a much tighter fit and finish, and likely run with a much higher price tag.
Can anyone confirm that the Sky is held to a much higher fit and finish standard? I have been over both in great detail and the Saturn just seems tighter in panel fit, and the quality of the panels and fabrics of the Sky seem to be a more 'lustrious' material.
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KevJam wrote: Can anyone confirm that the Sky is held to a much higher fit and finish standard? I have been over both in great detail and the Saturn just seems tighter in panel fit, and the quality of the panels and fabrics of the Sky seem to be a more 'lustrious' material.
Lets just say interior materials in the Sky are (much needed) improved over the Solstice, but not yet in MX-5 standards.
Outside, yes, the fit and finish is well executed. With Sky being a little better.
The Redneck wrote:The Redneck wrote:so why is the ION going away? i seen them all over the place, can't have that bad of sales marks.
x2
Sales are slacking is one.
2005: 100,891
2004: 104,044
-3.0%
Big difference to what Saturn did with S-series in 1995 with over 300,000 sold.
And the fact that GM wants to abandon the polimer panels, hence Ion will be the last car to do so followed by Vue for the people movers.
The plan right now is to swamp the dealers with Ions untill the Astra arrives. Remember that the Springhill, TN plant will be closing this year.
>>>For Sale? Clicky!<<<
-----The orginal Mr.Goodwrench on the JBO since 11/99-----
