Saturn Aura

62vetteefp

Actually the new Eps 2 LaCrosse will be a mid size car with a good sized interior. Almost the soze of the old Regal/Century.

Pontiacs largest car will just be slightly larger.

Not sure that Buick could survive just on large cars. Not much market. They need to be a premium marque, not just a large car marque.

vanman1

Buick could use a smaller car to keep a Buick guy from looking at other brands outside GM. I think a small Buick would be good, they could get rid of the badge engineered van and SUV instead if they want to keep the models down.

62vetteefp

Both the van and Rendy are gone soon. Buick will only have:

LaCrosse-midsize FWD, soon to be Eps 2
Lucerne-large FWD, perhaps a RWD 2010
Enclave-large CUV

And a couple Supers that I think will be at SEMA.

Issue with Enclave is that GMC will also have a CUV in the dealership. I forsee the Enclave going away some day and hopefully replaced with an upscale 2 or 4 seater roadster($35K).

1487

I dont believe the Malibu is on Ep2. The first car to get this architecture will be the 9-3 or the next Opel Vectra. AWD will be offered on EP2 models. I dont think you will see and Ep2 model in the US until the Lacrosse is replaced in 2009. The Malibu will basically be the same as the Aura with a different exterior and a four cylinder base model. Do not expect a new Aura until 2010 at the earliest.

The Altima does indeed look almost unchanged and I wouldn't be surprised if it goes unoticed by many buyers. This is the same problem Ford had (in addition to gas prices) with the 2006 Explorer. To me the Altima and Maxima are so similar that I have to wonder why anyone would pay for the Maxima. The 2007 Altima isnt a bad looking car, but it's not a new look like the Aura.

savetheland

Buick should also offer big fullsize convertible (like Chrysler 300)

62vetteefp

Yes! Unfrotunately there are no full size convertibles within the GM family and it would be awful expensive. But a Zeta convertible Buick could also spawn an Impala convertible!

isartam

Car reviewers seem to be pretty much in agreement about the Aura, and they drive quite a few cars.
Consider here and here and here and here, just to name a few. Are they all on the GM payroll?

Hmmm. Maybe Saturn has done something right.

exalteddragon1

What they need to do, is to have the 6 speed auto available with the base 224hp engine, in order to push fuel economy to the 30mpg point.

is was rated at 20/29 with the 224hp v6 i think.

The only change would be the transmission change. Hey, it may even increase city mpg too. It would also give GM a boost in there ads, they can say they have even more cars that get 30mpg or better.

It would be good news for the buyer, too.

isartam

I suspect that (a) they might be "capacity constrained"--only enough for the Aura and some other new applications with that engine (Aura is the first to use that transmission), or (b) giving the best things to people who pay the most, or (c) all of the above.

1487

I would expect the Aura base model to get a 6 speed or and AFM engine in the future, but as of right now they just dont have the capacity. I'm sure mpg will increase by 1-2mpg with a new tranny.

The Altima V6 as 270hp according to the review in this month's Automobile magazine. They didnt seem blown away by the car at all. They said the interior was much better, but it was best if you didnt look too closely or you might find out the quality isnt all that. The CVT didnt seem to be considered a plus or a detriment to the car at all. I will say that the car looks too much like the Maxima and I think that is a mistake. Nothing in the review suggested the Altima will leave the Aura in the dust as some have suggested.

exalteddragon1

isit just me, or does the smaller altima have more power than the larger maxima? I guess Nissan is having a hangover from the marketshare party they had in the last few years.

Also, why are mostpeoplethinking that Saturn is the direct challenger to Nissan? I think the Aurais more the size of the Maxima anywhay, but...

The funny thing is, that Pontiac seems to be more in line with fighting nissan. The G6 also has the 252hp DOHC, and more closely resembles the altima in size.

dieselone

Actually, the Altima is marginally larger than both the G6 and Aura in every measurable way except ('06 model) wheel base. I'll be curious where the weight of the '07 Altima will be, because the '06 model is several hundred pounds lighter than the G6 and Aura. The Maxima is marginally bigger than the Altima.

I do like the fact you can get a manual trans. with a v6 in the Altima. As for the exterior/interior looks, thats subjective.

I have been seeing more and more Auras on the road.

savetheland

Isn't Maxima in the same spot in Nissan line-up as Avalon in Toyota's?

Aura evidently narrower car than Altima, Fusion or Camry. I agree most people would not notice it sitting in the car. It looks like more upscale than Altima though. I would compare it to upper trims of Milan, Camry and Accord.

62vetteefp

Avalon is larger than a Camry and more expensive.

I do not think Maxima is that big. Also Maxima is more of a performance sedan while Avalon is more of a family sedan as I feel the Camry is also. Of course I would say the Altima is more of a performance sedan (youth oriented) than the Camry.

1487

i got a chance to test drive an XE yesterday. I wanted to drive the XR but the salesman couldnt get access to one. The car was very quiet and rode very well. The base 6 speaker system sounded very good as well. I am loving the new GM radio too. I was disappointed by the hard plastic on the center armrest and in the door panels. I dont even think the G6 has those materials in those locations. There were also so issues with various parts lining up as they should inside the car, although nothing drastic. I dont know if that would be enough to stop me from getting the car but I did notice those problems. I also noticed for the first time that the car doesnt have a hand operated parking brake.

v_d

I dont believe the Malibu is on Ep2. The first car to get this architecture will be the 9-3 or the next Opel Vectra. AWD will be offered on EP2 models. I dont think you will see and Ep2 model in the US until the Lacrosse is replaced in 2009. The Malibu will basically be the same as the Aura with a different exterior and a four cylinder base model. Do not expect a new Aura until 2010 at the earliest.

i recently read in a car magazine that the Aura is based on the Epsilon 2 Platform and not the E1 that all other GM's are. If that is actually true, the Aura is the first GM on E2 in the US.

62vetteefp

No, Aura is on Eps 1.

I think now that the Malibu is on the Epsilon 1. I think they stretched it as big as they could to get it up to Camry/Accord size.

First Eps 2 should be around in spring '09

1487

When are they going to test the Aura? This is getting ridiculous. They are posting reviews of the new Mini Cooper S and have yet to test the Aura which has been on sale for two months now. Do they think no one is intested in reading about this model?

No Epsilon 2 cars have been sold yet. The Opel Vectra and 9-3 will get the platform first. Expect a new Aura/G6 on that platform in 2010.

isartam

Try this: http://www.carbuzzard.com/?whatchanged=year&cartype=&col__make=44&col__model=661- &col__year=2647

62vetteefp

They are probably waiting for others to review it and see what they say. Trying to figure out how to make it sound bad even though it seems to be getting all positive reviews. :shades:

vanman1

Edmund's staff love foreign cars so they probably dread having to test a Saturn. :shades:

1487

excellent point, perhaps they need this much time to come up with justification for rating it as an average car. I'm sure they are going to nitpick every piece of hard plastic they can find, no matter how obscure. Edmunds is one of the best at basing a car's value on the hardness of it's plastic panels. I just get tired of them rushing to get first drives of imports that wont be out for months and then taking their sweet time on domestic products. They had a first drive of the Altima back in the springtime!

isartam

I'll bet that Edmunds reviews cars as soon as they are available to them, knowing how media like a scoop.

62vetteefp

Auras have been out a little while. Most likely they just have not gotten around to it. Of course all they have to do is ask GM and they will supply one to them for testing.

chrisl0

Maybe they are afraid they will have to give it a good review and upset their foreign masters...

savetheland

Who owns edmunds.com? It wouldn't surprise me if Edmunds.com belongs to some French or Swiss conglomerate like most other American companies. Or may be Toyota owns it J

sidv

Amen. Edmunds reviewers either don't even attempt to hide their biases or are just amateur about it. Almost as bad as the clowns at Car and Driver.

venus537

When media outlets praise foreign vehicles they're just bias clowns and when they praise the Saturn Aura they're unbias truth tellers. I got it.

I think Edmunds is going to give the Saturn a good review. I guess they're not going to be amateurish and bias in this instance. But wait, you can throw those charges at them if they don't have the Aura near the top in the next mid-size sedan comparison test.

chrisl0

I wouldn't be shocked, they are probably trying to protect the interest of their country and the companies of their countries. If they gave an American car good reviews it might take business from their countrymen.

savetheland

From http://www2.autologic.co.uk/corporate/history.shtml

"Originally part of the French-based Chargeurs Industrial group, Walon UK Limited executed a successful management buyout in 1996 under the leadership of Managing Director John Merry.

Following the acquisition of Walon Benelux, AutoLogic was created to gain commercial advantages from the creation of a single identity across national boundaries and diverse automotive service elements...In 2000 AutoLogic announced a US $ 10 million investment in Edmunds Holdings, owner of Edmunds.com the market leading information web site in North America."