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Saturn
Saturn, originating as a line of economy cars from General Motors, today offers a variety of dynamic vehicles which vary from a raucous roadster sports car called Sky to a full-size crossover utility vehicle (CUV) named Outlook. New to the line in 2008 is the Astra, a sporty three-door and five-door compact hatchback, and a redesigned Vue, Saturn's mid-size CUV.
A premium sports sedan from Saturn, called Aura, constructed on GM's mid-size Epsilon architecture which also underpins the Opel Vectra in Europe, arrived in 2007 and continues in 2008 with two trims, two different V6 engines and a carload of safety equipment including curtain-style side air bags. Aura XE draws from a 3.5-liter V6 with VVT (variable valve timing) for 224 hp using a Hydra-Matic four-speed automatic transmission. Aura XR gets GM's dual-cam 3.6-liter VVT V6 with a six-speed automatic. Aura's tastefully trimmed passenger compartment provides seats for five and lots of amenities.
Astra is a new compact-class hatchback that pops up in Saturn's 2008 line and it appears in two configurations -- a five-door version which functions like a sedan and a sporty three-door that's like a cool coupe. Astra's standard powertrain is GM's economical 1.8-liter Ecotec dual-cam four-in-line engine which makes 140 hp in concert with a standard five-speed manual or optional electronically controlled four-speed automatic transaxle. There are two trim designations for the five-door Astra (XE and XR) and one trim (XR) for the three-door Astra. Six air bags including curtain-style side air bags go into every issue.
Saturn's Sky two-seat roadster convertible is gorgeous, with rippled skin stretched like flexed muscles over a long and broad structure which features a prominent prow, mid-ship cockpit and roly-poly rump. A convertible top tucks into the rear compartment and leaves only smooth lines on the deck. Sky's 2.4-liter Ecotec in-line-four engine delivers 173 hp. Mechanical assets include a rear-wheel-drive (RWD) chassis and independent suspension designs front and rear using lightweight aluminum for upper and lower control arms. GM's StabiliTrak skid controls and a limited-slip differential apply as standard equipment in 2008, plus XM satellite radio service.
A performance version of the Sky roadster is called Red Line, with capital letters. It packs a punched-up powerplant, performance-tuned suspension and special aerodynamic accents applied to the body. Engine for the Red Line is a twin-cam 2.0-liter Ecotec four-in-line with direct-injection turbo-charging and air-to-air inter-cooling. This plant has the highest specific output ever for GM at 130 hp per liter. It soars to 260 hp. The Red Line also stocks electronic stability control (ESC), a dual exhaust system with polished aluminum outlets, 18-inch polished aluminum alloy wheels and brake cooling vents cut into front fascia.
The eight-passenger Outlook CUV from Saturn, based on GM's Lambda platform, drives and handles like a car but functions like a large SUV. In the big cabin there are three rows of seats plus cargo room at the rear. Access to the back row is easier due to a Smart Slide second-row seat. Powertrain is GM's twin-cam 3.6-liter VVT V6 rated at 270 hp for the base Outlook or 275 hp for uplevel XR model with dual exhausts. A fuel-saving Hydra-Matic 6T75 six-speed automatic transmission applies, and Outlook offers front-wheel-drive (FWD) or new Active-On-Demand all-wheel-drive (AWD) traction.
Saturn's Vue is a mid-size CUV for 2008 and sports new exterior styling that's sculpted and clean with large jeweled headlamps up front and sweeping lines over the roof. The 2008 Vue comes in XE and XR trim, plus a performance-oriented Red Line and the Green Line hybrid electric vehicle (HEV). Vue XE FWD and Vue Green Line stock a 2.2-liter Ecotec four-cylinder engine worth 169 hp, Vue XE AWD uses a 3.5-liter V6 with 222 hp, but Vue XR and Red Line score GM's 3.6-liter V6 with VVT for 257 hp. A traction control system (TCS) and StabiliTrak go into all.
