DFP: Saturn Astra Assembly At Lordstown?

[Perian]

Link: http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a...608130560/1014

BY MARK PHELAN - FREE PRESS COLUMNIST

Saturn plans to start selling a version of the Opel Astra.

The best small car General Motors has ever sold in North America should begin rolling out of Saturn dealerships in just over a year.

That's when Saturn plans to start selling a version of the Opel Astra, a compact model developed, styled and built in Europe, where it regularly kicks the tail of the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla in comparison tests.

An all-new version of the Astra should hit the road in Europe around the middle of 2007. Shipments to America will follow later that year, and U.S. assembly of the car should begin in 2008, probably at GM's Lordstown, Ohio, assembly plant.

The Astra is a wonderful little car -- stylish, comfortable and sporty. All GM has to do is not screw it up on the way across the Atlantic.

GM's last two attempts to adapt European models to American tastes failed.

The Saturn L-series was a modified version of Opel's successful Vectra midsize car. The modifications were the problem. The car got heavier, wider and blander and never met sales expectations. GM pulled the plug on the project early.

The Cadillac Catera sport sedan was a reworked Opel Omega. The Catera was not a bad car, but Cadillac wanted it to compete with hotshots like the BMW 3-series, cars that were faster and more sophisticated.

The plan for the Astra -- Saturn is still mulling names for the U.S. model, including Ion and Astra -- aims to learn from those mistakes. The U.S. version will look like the Opel, and it will compete with other compacts, just as it does in Europe.

It will replace Saturn's current Ion model, and it springs from the brand's collaboration with Opel, which has an 80-year heritage of building little cars that do well in the toughest segment of the European market.

Those European roots are the reason the Astra could be GM's best American small car ever. European automakers -- and Opel is a true European automaker, not just GM East -- expect more from their small cars than American companies.

They don't think small is synonymous with less.

Their small cars must be practical enough to serve as a family's only vehicle. They must have high-speed stability and safety for triple-digit speeds on the autobahn and responsive handling for twisting mountain roads. They must be fuel-efficient, because the $3-a-gallon gasoline we're suffering would be a 50% price cut in most of Europe.

Combining Saturn and Opel product planning opens new doors for both brands. The Astra will be first through the door, but don't be surprised if other vehicles and technologies flow back and forth across the Atlantic, to the benefit of both brands.

[Perian]

Originally Posted by Perian

An all-new version of the Astra should hit the road in Europe around the middle of 2007. Shipments to America will follow later that year, and U.S. assembly of the car should begin in 2008, probably at GM's Lordstown, Ohio, assembly plant.

This is the first time I have seen the words "Astra" and "Lordstown" together. While it's really no surprise, my bet was that Astra production would source from the new plant now under construction in Mexico.

Looking on the bright side however, THIS MEANS THE 2008 COBALT, G5 AND PURSUIT WILL BE MUCH, MUCH IMPROVED VEHICLES thanks to a little help from GM Europe!

Ladies and Gentlemen: We may be on the verge of an American made small car that can finally compete in the marketplace!!

[Perian]

Originally Posted by Perian

[b]An all-new version of the Astra should hit the road in Europe around the middle of 2007. Shipments to America will follow later that year.

A recent thread here told of a production extension for the Ion at Spring Hill giving credit to the price of gasoline and the fuel efficiency of the vehicle.

According to this article, it looks like Ion production was extended due to the very late arrival of the Astra.

It looks like we are 18 months away from receipt...

[coaster.n3rd]

Originally Posted by Perian

Ladies and Gentlemen: We may be on the verge of an American made small car that can finally compete in the marketplace!!

What about the Cobalt? I remember it outselling the Civic in June.

[DuSpinnst]

This along with what we have been hearing about the Focus are good news for US cars. Makes you wonder why the Caliber is such a piece.

[dindak]

Saturn has done an excellent job with the Aura so far as I can tell, I think things are turning big time for Saturn and the Astra will not get screwed up.

[b4z]

My wife and I spent 5 days in England with a VAUXHALL Astra.
It was a 5 door 5 speed with a 1.6L Ecotec and only 104 hp.
0-60 was 12.5 secs.
Other than the pitiful acceleration this is what impressed me:

1)No bodyroll, it cornered almost completetly flat.
2)Solid structure and quiet, at 90 mph you did not feel like you were
in a subcompact or compact car.
3)Firm but decent ride quality.
4) Razor quick steering, maybe too responsive for Americans.
Not very forgiving to an American who had been awake for 24 hrs
and had never driven on the left side of the road.
5) Great brakes, again breathe on them and you were stopped.
6)Roomy interior with nice materials.
7)Close gear shifter spacing, but a significant fall off on the 1-2 shift.
2nd gear should be shorter, especially with the no torque 1.6L.

This is a really nice car it should be brought over here. I think the only car that
is competition for it is the Ford Focus.

Here is our Astra at Aldwark Manor about 15 miles north of York.
You gotta admit it is one sharp looking vehicle and looks a lot more expensive than it is.

[ponchoman49]

It can't get here soon enough!

[kenman923]

I can't wait to see it. If you ask me, they should change the name due to the image that the Ion has.

[01cavalier]

It would be about time they sell these in the States. I remember seeing Opels being tested around the GM proving grounds when I used to live in Arizona and they were great looking cars back then.

[W.A.F.U.]

North America has a history of shunning european feeling vehicles. The Catera and L-series were mentioned but the Contour falls into that catagory as well.

I guess time will tell.

[pkd87]

Very good news. Can't wait to sit in one at an Autoshow.

[rob2299usa]

They should definitely call it the Saturn Astra... it goes well with Aura.

[tgagneguam]

Originally Posted by Perian

...Ladies and Gentlemen: We may be on the verge of an American made small car that can finally compete in the marketplace!!

Wouldn't that be great to say it (and mean it)? I hope my high hopes for Astra-like small cars in the USA aren't dashed to pieces.

Originally Posted by coaster.n3rd

What about the Cobalt? I remember it outselling the Civic in June.

Not by much, and I'm not so sure what a one-month sales victory means any way. The new Civic is comfortably ahead of the Cobalt YTD:

June 2006:
Cobalt: 26,929 (-1.9)
Civic: 26,312 (3.9)

YTD 2006 (through July)
Cobalt: 143,913 (10.3)
Civic: 193,663 (15.3)

It might be a fair bet to assume that a larger percentage of the Civic's sales are retail than are the Cobalt's.

I do believe an Atra-like vehicle would correct the above problems, though.

[powervette]

Originally Posted by Perian

The best small car General Motors has ever sold in North America should begin rolling out of Saturn dealerships in just over a year.

it should sound :

'the best small car that has ever sold in NA...'