GMI Exclusive: Saturn May Go To BPG, Why Aura ≠ Insignia
No more Opel Insignia-clone for North America!
www.gminsidenews.com
July 22, 2008
GMI recently broke the news that the GMX-354 program, the next-generation Saturn Aura program, had been placed on hold. The news caused such an uproar that Saturn General Manager Jill Lajdziak publicly commented on the rumor GMI reported. In fact, she confirmed that the next-generation Aura sedan has been pushed back to "...a more conventional lifecycle of five to six years." We at GMI are hearing a couple reasons for their "business decision." The first being that they feel the current Aura has some more life left in it and sales are still up, so they are content at the moment. The next being that Saturn may go to the Buick-Pontiac-GMC channel division.
According to GMI sources, GM strongly feels that Saturn needs more dealerships and more marketing before the brand will be able to fully reach its potential sales. In order to boost dealership count and marketing dollars, GM is looking to move Saturn into the same showroom that the Buick-Pontiac-GMC dealerships are utilizing. This is causing some stir-ups in product programs because the next-generation Saturn Aura is very close in design to the upcoming Buick LaCrosse replacement. GM is concerned that would cause overlap in the supposed Buick-Pontiac-GMC-Saturn channel (saying it happens).
The new LaCrosse is a go and is, at the moment, scheduled for launch in mid-2009 as a 2010 model. As for the next-generation Aura, well we have yet to hear an exact time frame. As Lutz confirmed earlier this afternoon in an article, when the new Aura does arrive it will NOT be the Insignia clone that everyone assumed it would be. GM is planning on doing a revised exterior and a completely different interior design for the Saturn variant of the car. This is to differentate the car from the LaCrosse replacement and we assume to keep the car fresh.
To recap: GM is CONSIDERING moving Saturn into the BPG channel. From what we gather the final call has not been made, but program changes appear to be operating as if the move will happen (probably to be on the safe side). This is one of a few reasons that the Epsilon II (Opel Insignia clone) Aura has been pushed back and will now likely wear a different design. We are also hearing that the Oshawa, Ontario, Canada plant may start building Epsilon II product, namely the next Aura.
Please stay with GMInsidenews for the latest. The Epsilon II saga is far from being over. We hope to have more news soon regarding another Epsilon II car!