Curve Confirmed for Production

6544 Views 65 Replies 43 Participants Last post by gearhed502, Mar 11, 2004

Rex Raider

Discussion Starter · Jan 9, 2004

GM says it is making progress on turning around the profits of two of its ongoing loss-makers, Saab and Saturn, through cost reductions and new models coming this year. GM product boss confirmed that the company will build the Saturn Curve, one of the Kappa platform cars at this week's Detroit Auto Show. The Pontiac Solstice and Curve will be built at Saturn's Wilmington, Del., plant. The Chevy Nomad Kappa concept is a tougher proposition, said Lutz. "Chevy has so much product coming already that dealers are starting to complain about where they will put it all," said Lutz. Lutz also said Saturn will soon get a " big brother" to the Saturn VUE in the form of a big crossover SUV, though he declined to peg a launch date. GM said its stronger performance in the second half of 2003, when its U.S. market share rose to 28.7 percent compared to 28 percent for all of 2003, will carry over into 2004. -Jim Burt

Link HERE

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MCGARRETT

· #41 · Jan 10, 2004

I dont think that the Vauxhall and the Curve are going to be the same car with different badges, 1st of all, if I am not mistaken the Lightning is a roadster with a mich different front end, the Curve is fixed roof coupe. Are you sure that the Curve has a backseat? If it does, they have to be small.

There are plenty of cars with 2 seats in the US market, some are in the same price range as the Solstice and Curve and some are more, though it would not be the 1st time that a less expensive competitor came into the market and stole sales from more expensive cars.

MR-2
Miata
350Z
Z4
SLK
Crossfire
S2000
Elise

I might have forgotten a few...these are only the ones under $40,000.

Also remember that the Curve will be sold at Saturn dealerships, so the "no haggle" process still applies, also the level of service at Saturn dealerships is higher.

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nsap

· #42 · Jan 10, 2004

Originally posted by MCGARRETT@Jan 10 2004, 03:04 PM

Also remember that the Curve will be sold at Saturn dealerships, so the "no haggle" process still applies, also the level of service at Saturn dealerships is higher.

Yeah, If you can find a Saturn dealership! :lol:

Butz

· #43 · Jan 12, 2004

The Curve is great lookin an so is the Solistice..

The Nomad looks quite weird..

MCGARRETT

· #44 · Jan 12, 2004

Yeah, If you can find a Saturn dealership!

I dont know, there are 3 within 15 miles of my house, 1 is less than 2 miles away.

ibechip

· #45 · Jan 12, 2004

Originally posted by Butz@Jan 12 2004, 10:08 PM
The Curve is great lookin an so is the Solistice..

The Nomad looks quite weird..

I think that the Nomad looks great as it is right now. It would definately be a very strong Mini competitor with a LOT more horsepower :woot2:

deslock

· #46 · Jan 13, 2004

I'm more excited about the Nomad, but the Curve is promising too... are there any cost or weight estimates yet?

chev454ls

· #47 · Jan 13, 2004

I'd assume it'd cost about the same as a Solstice. I'm wondering what type of power it'll come out with though. I would highly doubt that it would come out with more power than the Solstice to begin with since Pontiac is the performance division.

deslock

· #48 · Jan 13, 2004

After posting that question, I read that the Curve will start at $20k (sorry, no link). That's pretty reasonable. However, I'm not optimistic about the vehicle's weight considering that the Curve has a longer wheelbase than the Solstice, which has been reported as being as little as 2860 pounds and as much as 3210 pounds.

PeteSaturnSales

· #49 · Jan 14, 2004

Curve looks very hot. I might be SaturnSales if that comes to fruition. I really like the concept!

As far as Chevy dealers having too many cars? wtf? If we did away with cars entirely we'd only lose 15% of the business anyway- most of the sales are TRUCKS/SUVs except for fleet/rental sales.

By the way, Solstice would be very hard to pronounce with a lisp :lol:

Cool-C5

· #50 · Jan 14, 2004

Supposedly, saturn will undergo a facelift in its theme along the lines of Caddy's art and science theme. Hopefully, the curve will look a little better although it wasnt' too bad. I really liked the nomad.

MaxLegroom

· #51 · Jan 14, 2004

By the way, Solstice would be very hard to pronounce with a lisp

Oh, really, are you saying that people with a certain speech impediment will likely not buy a car whose name they can't pronounce? :lol:

gmwsag

· #52 · Jan 15, 2004

It would be much better to have a Saturn that can output more hp. That means that Saturn is finally becoming daring, unlike what they did in the 90s (sticking to the same practical old models.) Here is what I'd like to see in Saturn by 2006-7

Saturn Curve- Same as concept, except great interior $17K-$25K
Saturn Relay- GONE, poof, away
Saturn ION- Redesigned, looking better, much better $12K-$16K
Saturn VUE- Redesigned, looking better, much better $15K-$20K
Saturn L- Hopefully a new name. I hate the current one $17K-$24K
Saturn CROSS- Hatchback $9900-$12K :rudolph:

TaHoE

· #53 · Jan 15, 2004

Dont forget Saturn's newer crossover that will debut on Lambda architecture slated for '06 I believe (Lutz said recently that there would be a big brother to the VUE in the near future)

Hudson

· #54 · Jan 15, 2004

Can someone find me this quote "confirming" production of the Curve. I'm being told that GM is adamant that it will NOT go into production.

yoblues

· #55 · Jan 15, 2004

As far as I am concerned, if Saturn is to exsist at all it should be GM's cheap vehicle line, sold at Chevy dealers. Saturn should not have any vehicle that compeats in any fashion with Chevy or Pontiacs smaller cars. If I were the king Saturn would be gone and all that money would be spent on Chevy and Pontiac.

deslock

· #56 · Jan 15, 2004

Originally posted by Hudson@Jan 15 2004, 04:57 PM
Can someone find me this quote "confirming" production of the Curve. I'm being told that GM is adamant that it will NOT go into production.

I've read about it in many places, however, they all seem to cite the same source:
http://www.thecarconnection.com/index.asp?...8&sid=173&n=156

It'd be unfortunate if thecarconnection.com got it wrong. Who told you it's not going into production?

Hudson

· #57 · Jan 16, 2004

Thanks for the link. TCC doesn't do it for me for "confirmation." My sources are more trustworthy, but I'm sorry I can't disclose them.

Apparently Saturn will probably get a Kappa vehicle, but the Curve isn't it.

mrbig

· #58 · Jan 19, 2004

Well they shut me up. I guess I'll have to buy one now.

chicubs

· #59 · Jan 19, 2004

The Curve will NOT be produced!!!! and neither will the Nomad!!!

Curve Production 'Slim to None' Says GM
January 19, 2004

Global Auto Systems reports that GM has issued a statement contradicting reports that surfaced last week about production of Saturn's Curve concept. "They're wrong," said Tom Kowaleski, GM's vice president of communications. "There are no plans to put it into production. There will be additions to the Saturn line, but the Curve was done to show the flexibility in the [Kappa] platform."

A Saturn spokesman told Automotive News last week that the Curve did not represent the new styling direction for the brand, so this announcement was not totally unexpected. Saturn is still expected to get a small sports coupe or convertible based on the Kappa architecture. "We don't have any plans to put that specific vehicle, the way it looks, into the Saturn portfolio," Kowaleski said in the Global Auto Systms article. He also said that GM has no plans to build Chevrolet's Nomad concept, the another Kappa concept vehicle unveiled at the North American International Auto Show this year.

I got this from saturnfans.com.

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Hudson

· #60 · Jan 19, 2004

I guess I'm not all hot air.

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