WSJ: Opel Zafira May Come To U.S.

Perian · Oct 27, 2005

Source: Wall Street Journal - 10/27/05 - Page D6

Here's an interesting quote from an article entitled "Auto Makers Push Smaller Models":

The Mazda5 falls in a class of "multipurpose" or "multiactivity" vehicles popular in Europe and Asia. These look like compact minivans and have shorter hoods and higher roofs than wagons to boost cargo and passenger space.

General Motors says it is not ruling out bringing to the U.S from Europe its vehicle in the same class, the Opel Zafira, says Paul Ballew, GM's chief of industry analysis.

I remember a discussion years ago about what to give Saturn as its second vehicle. The decision came down to two vehicles - the L Series Sedan/Wagon and the Opel Zafira. GM decided to hedge their bets and go with the sedan/wagon combination over the minivan like Zafira. The reason being that the wagon would cover for those who would have gone with the Zafira.

Thus was born the Saturn L series, which turned out to be a financial disaster.

I wonder how America would have received a Saturn Zafira...

paul8488 · Oct 27, 2005

The only way I like this idea is if GM really limits the amount of vehicle-sharing as the new crossovers come out. I can't keep up with all the plans... I'm confused about the upcoming Saturn crossovers, and what's happening at Pontiac and GMC. While many options are nice, too much overlap isn't. I assume if the Zafira comes over the S3X won't.

Okay, can anyone outline it a bit? What do we know?

The Equinox, Torrent, and Vue are theta. Will they all be around next generation?
What platform is the Outlook on? Lambda?
What lambdas are planned?
Isn't Saturn getting another large crossover (other than Vue and Outlook)?
Will GMC or Pontiac get a lambda? If not, what?
Will the Rendezvous return next-gen?

Yikes! Too crazy! Someone straighten me out!

Perian · Oct 28, 2005

paul8488 said:
The only way I like this idea is if GM really limits the amount of vehicle-sharing as the new crossovers come out. I can't keep up with all the plans... I'm confused about the upcoming Saturn crossovers, and what's happening at Pontiac and GMC. While many options are nice, too much overlap isn't. I assume if the Zafira comes over the S3X won't.

Okay, can anyone outline it a bit? What do we know?

Yikes! Too crazy! Someone straighten me out!

Okay, take a deep breath and relax. Life is to short to worry about crossovers.

Let GM Media do it for you:

DETROIT - General Motors will double its number of entries in the rapidly growing crossover vehicle segment to 14 during the next four years, Bob Lutz, vice chairman of product development, said today.

Crossovers, which combine the best features of cars and sport utility vehicles, have become increasingly popular with owners of all types of cars and trucks as fuel prices have increased. GM estimates that crossovers will account for more than 2.5 million sales in the United States this year, and could grow to 3.5 million units by 2010.

"GM is in the midst of an aggressive rollout of new cars, and we are starting the introduction of a whole new lineup of more refined, more fuel-efficient full-size trucks," Lutz said. "But we also see great opportunity in strengthening and expanding our family of crossover vehicles."

GM today offers seven crossover vehicles in the United States and Canada: The Chevy Equinox and HHR, Pontiac Torrent and Vibe, Buick Rendezvous, Cadillac SRX and Saturn VUE. GM led the industry in crossover sales in the United States last month, and is contending for industry crossover sales leadership for 2005.

Growth in the crossover market in the United States and Canada opens up opportunities for other GM brands as well. At the premium end of the market, GM is developing crossovers that will compete in the emerging compact luxury segment.

As crossovers become increasingly popular in Asia and Europe, GM also will use its global vehicle development capability to develop a new family of small crossovers that will compete in most of the world's major markets.

These will be in addition to compact crossovers already under development for Chevrolet and Opel, which have been shown publicly in concept versions as the Opel Antara GTC and Chevrolet S3X.

"GM's strength has always been the breadth of its portfolio," Lutz said. "We expect our growing family of crossovers will help us remain a leader as this market continues to expand."

mgescuro · Oct 28, 2005

HMmm..... I guess it won't be soooo bad.
But then... why the heck would you have Outlook then??/

gmhashope · Oct 28, 2005

This would be like a second minivan. The Outlook is more SUVish in it's profile.

gmhashope · Oct 28, 2005

paul8488 said:
The Equinox, Torrent, and Vue are theta. Will they all be around next generation?
What platform is the Outlook on? Lambda?
What lambdas are planned?
Isn't Saturn getting another large crossover (other than Vue and Outlook)?
Will GMC or Pontiac get a lambda? If not, what?
Will the Rendezvous return next-gen?

Yikes! Too crazy! Someone straighten me out!

In '08 the current Theta platform from what I know dissapears. The current extended Theta platform (VUE) becomes the normal Theta and a new extended version will come out. In '08 the Torrent, Nox, and VUE will still be around. The VUE will be around for a while since it is getting redesigned in 2008, but the other two after '08 who knows.

The Outlook is on the Lambda platfrom and will be avliable next fall.

Saturn has been rumored to get a truck possibly spawned off the Lambda platform a while back but beside that I have heard nothing about a larger SUV.

GMC and Buick will receive Lambda crossovers about a half year to year after the Outlook and around '08 Chevy, GMC, and Saturn will receive new Lambda based minivans. I am pretty sure the Rendzevous will be replaced by Buick's Lambda crossover. Pontiac will not receive any crossover or minivan at all.

jamautogroup · Oct 28, 2005

i see 07 Pontiac Vibe in this car and maybe a sport wagon for saturn but what GM should do if they do build this as the next Vibe they should make a limited amount of Vibes for this coming yr and bring in the Zafira to the US for Pontiac and maybe Saturn..they cant just build a platform for just one car its not profitable they gotta at least get 3 divisions in to come close to making a profit in this case GM would not only save money by building their own cars aka Vibe in this situation than giving it to Toyota aka our annoying ************ car company thats right on our tail and is bout to take over the reign from GM as #1 automaker on our own soil so what they gotta do is stop paying Toyota to build our Vibes...I say get rid of the 06 Toyota Vibes asap and bring in the Opel Zafira..this would go against the Mazda 6 5 dr,Toyota Matrix,Ford Focus,upcoming Honda Civic hatchback,VW Golf,and so on..all they gotta do is put some sweet pontiac enthusiasm into it and you got the next Vibe!!

Ming · Oct 28, 2005

The Zafira makes much more sense for Saturn than the Relay CSV clone, which I hope dies an early death.

oudidntkn0w · Oct 28, 2005

would kill honda odessey sales, BRING IT OVER!!

dav305z · Oct 28, 2005

Why not give it some guts and replace the Vibe with it?

Ming · Oct 28, 2005

oudidntkn0w said:
would kill honda odessey sales, BRING IT OVER!!

And don't leave out the Navigation option, GM!

asim · Oct 28, 2005

Bring Opels now!

gmhashope · Oct 28, 2005

I like Opel's convertible but Saturn already has the Sky. I can't wait for the Evok that looks like the Astra.

01cavalier · Oct 28, 2005

I dont think it would really fit replacing the Vibe. Maybe a Cobalt wagon with AWD option would do better there. This would definitely fit as a Saturn.

rsbaker · Oct 28, 2005

asim said:
Bring Opels now!

I couldn't agree more. I see the Zafira as a Chevrolet here in the US more than any other division. It really fits in well with all of the new fuel efficient models that have just been introduced... i.e. Cobalt, Aveo, and HHR. Now that Astro is gone, Chevrolet has room for a small Van beneath Uplander and Express.

-----------------------------------------
1964 Buick Skylark Convertible
1977 Chevrolet Nova Concours
1978 Chevrolet Impala Landau Coupe
1991 Chevrolet Caprice Classic
1994 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Convertible
1995 Pontiac Transport SE
1997 Oldsmobile Silhouette
2002 Saturn L300

paul3230 · Oct 28, 2005

Ming said:
The Zafira makes much more sense for Saturn than the Relay CSV clone, which I hope dies an early death.

Exactly..they should have slapped a chevy/Saturn badge on it and brought it over. Of course making it the US factories

MrMax · Oct 28, 2005

Does anyone know who made the final decision to go with the L Series?

jbartley · Oct 28, 2005

this would make a pretty relay!

DirtyMoney · Oct 28, 2005

pontiac vibe

SonicAerio · Oct 28, 2005

Ming said:
The Zafira makes much more sense for Saturn than the Relay CSV clone, which I hope dies an early death.

I agree...maybe the Saturn CSV was a stop gap and the Zafira would be the smaller Mazda 5/Matrix/HHR Competitor while the Outlook would go up against the Oddessy, Sienna, etc....

Hopfully this makes it to the states as I can see this MPV class growing with time and higher gas prices....

kenman923 · Oct 28, 2005

Very interesting. An answer to the Mazda 5. Now we will see if they can actually sell

osv_alero · Oct 28, 2005

Ming said:
The Zafira makes much more sense for Saturn than the Relay CSV clone, which I hope dies an early death.

I couldn't agree more. It would make the perfect "minivan" for Saturn, especially if they brought over the diesel model for their Green Line.

saturnsteve · Oct 28, 2005

paul8488 said:
The only way I like this idea is if GM really limits the amount of vehicle-sharing as the new crossovers come out. I can't keep up with all the plans... I'm confused about the upcoming Saturn crossovers, and what's happening at Pontiac and GMC. While many options are nice, too much overlap isn't. I assume if the Zafira comes over the S3X won't.

Okay, can anyone outline it a bit? What do we know?

The Equinox, Torrent, and Vue are theta. Will they all be around next generation?
What platform is the Outlook on? Lambda?
What lambdas are planned?
Isn't Saturn getting another large crossover (other than Vue and Outlook)?
Will GMC or Pontiac get a lambda? If not, what?
Will the Rendezvous return next-gen?

Yikes! Too crazy! Someone straighten me out!

The Outlook is on the Lambda. And no, there is not another large SUV/Crossover planned for Saturn. There is talk of a smaller SUV that will compete against the Sportage/Tuscon, the S3X platform. This would be a perfect crossover for Saturn. Let's all cross our fingers that they let us have this!

saturnsteve · Oct 28, 2005

Kill the RELAY NOW!! No one likes it and we don't sell very many of them! This would be a much better fit for Saturn.

MBHockey13 · Oct 28, 2005

You put the Saturn grill at that Zafira and you could park it next to the Sky and the Aura and think they were all designed by the same person. That is a MUCH better choice than that Relay. I say "Do it!"

Ultra Magnus · Oct 28, 2005

IF they are going to bring it they should do it soon. Stop debating and just do it.

WSJ: Opel Zafira May Come To U.S.

Top Contributors this Month

Recommended Communities