Holy $#!+ They Heard Me: Meet The 2008 Saturn Astra
02-04-2007, 04:39 AM
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Holy $#!+ They Heard Me: Meet The 2008 Saturn Astra http://www.autoblog.com/2007/02/04/c...-saturn-astra/
Gee I've only been saying it for the past 5 or 6 years now. Just as I've always wondered why the hell Holden's weren't brought stateside as Chevys or Pontiacs, when GM decided to can Oldsmobile because no one was interested in the marques "import fighter" lineup I said to myself "why the f**k don't they just sell their Opel/Vauxhall line stateside?" Rather than attempt to build an "import fighter" to do battle with the Japanese and the Europeans why not import your own European lineup duh? Well now that GM is pushing Saturn into the segment Olds once occupied they've FINALLY pulled their heads out of their asses. Ok so the Aura was slightly watered down for the US market during its transformation from the Opel/Vauxhall Vectra to a Saturn (longer wheelbase, no turbo motor, no stick shift, no sport package option etc...) but they seem to be on track with the rest of their lineup. The next Saturn Vue is essentially a rebadged Antara and I'm a fan of the General's upcoming Lambda crossovers of which Saturn's will be badged the Outlook.
But THIS is the one I've been waiting for and it's allllmost here. If you've ever needed a practical car but thought that a Civic was too cliched, a Corolla was too boring, a Sentra was too whack looking or a Focus was too much of a piece of **** (everyone else gets the sharp looking and freshly underpinned C1 based Focus while we get a car that dates back to what, 1998?) than this is the car for you. On top of that we'll be getting the sharp looking 3 and 5 door hatch variants. w00t. The only thing that's missing is the 240hp 2.0L turbo variant dubbed the Astra OPC/VXR across the pond. There's almost no doubt in my mind that Saturn will do an Astra Redline with either that motor or the 260hp direct injection 2.0L turbo from the Solstice GXP/Sky Redline. A sharp looking pocket rocket is just what Saturn dealers need to attract new buyers.
More Images Here: http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2008-saturn-astra/
2008 Saturn Astra 5 Door:
2008 Saturn Astra 3 Door:
Opel Astra OPC:
Gee I've only been saying it for the past 5 or 6 years now. Just as I've always wondered why the hell Holden's weren't brought stateside as Chevys or Pontiacs, when GM decided to can Oldsmobile because no one was interested in the marques "import fighter" lineup I said to myself "why the f**k don't they just sell their Opel/Vauxhall line stateside?" Rather than attempt to build an "import fighter" to do battle with the Japanese and the Europeans why not import your own European lineup duh? Well now that GM is pushing Saturn into the segment Olds once occupied they've FINALLY pulled their heads out of their asses. Ok so the Aura was slightly watered down for the US market during its transformation from the Opel/Vauxhall Vectra to a Saturn (longer wheelbase, no turbo motor, no stick shift, no sport package option etc...) but they seem to be on track with the rest of their lineup. The next Saturn Vue is essentially a rebadged Antara and I'm a fan of the General's upcoming Lambda crossovers of which Saturn's will be badged the Outlook.
But THIS is the one I've been waiting for and it's allllmost here. If you've ever needed a practical car but thought that a Civic was too cliched, a Corolla was too boring, a Sentra was too whack looking or a Focus was too much of a piece of **** (everyone else gets the sharp looking and freshly underpinned C1 based Focus while we get a car that dates back to what, 1998?) than this is the car for you. On top of that we'll be getting the sharp looking 3 and 5 door hatch variants. w00t. The only thing that's missing is the 240hp 2.0L turbo variant dubbed the Astra OPC/VXR across the pond. There's almost no doubt in my mind that Saturn will do an Astra Redline with either that motor or the 260hp direct injection 2.0L turbo from the Solstice GXP/Sky Redline. A sharp looking pocket rocket is just what Saturn dealers need to attract new buyers.
More Images Here: http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2008-saturn-astra/
2008 Saturn Astra 5 Door:
2008 Saturn Astra 3 Door:
Opel Astra OPC:
02-05-2007, 03:11 AM
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Originally Posted by BAD *** TA WS6
Gay.
Mazdas already got their 3 out, and it's a great car. That Saturn looks just like it..
Mazdas already got their 3 out, and it's a great car. That Saturn looks just like it..
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02-05-2007, 05:10 AM
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I dont care for it but it looks better than a focus and hopefully it will help GM gain back some of the market share from the Import companies. I look at it this way; the more crappy econo cars they sell, the longer they will be around to produce performance based cars well all know and love.
02-05-2007, 01:01 PM
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Beats what they have out now (for small cars at least) looks good for what it is. GM shoulda just combined Oldsmobile and Saturn divisions, a lot of the cars had similar looks in the 90's. Saturn for the smaller cars/SUV's and Olds for the bigger models.
02-05-2007, 03:05 PM
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dig the opel front end, not so much the saturn.
do like the 3 door though.. i need an econobox.
then again that wrcc rally concept thing looks sorta like the 3 door..?
seems to be a step in the right direction, hopefully first of many.
do like the 3 door though.. i need an econobox.
then again that wrcc rally concept thing looks sorta like the 3 door..?
seems to be a step in the right direction, hopefully first of many.
