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General Motors has to replace the battery packs in every Chevrolet Malibu, Saturn Aura and Saturn Vue hybrid sold since 2007, some 25,800 U.S. vehicles. The problem? It doesn't have enough packs to fix what's broken. UPDATE below. More »
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We've already seen the 2010 Opel Astra and its Volkswagen-y nose and a touch of Mazda3 hiney, but this is the first look at the Vauxhall re-badge and a first glimpse at what looks like a handsome Insignia-like interior. More »
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Jalopnik super friend Al Navarro was on hand to witness the Lotus Evora debut at LOG 29 and provide some background into the new svelte 2+2's name. More »
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Well, hell's bells. Look what happens when you let an image slip out of the bag. Thanks to EVO and Autoblog.it, you're looking at the upcoming 2010 Opel Insignia OPC in all its naked glory. More »
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The newly-revealed 2010 Toyota Camry's fuel economy officially increased to 33 MPG, matching the previous high-mileage champs, the Chevy Malibu, Saturn Aura and Pontiac G6. Well, that was a fun race, wasn't it? [Kicking Tires] More »
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There may be no better indicator that many carmakers have been unable to adjust to the sudden increase in gas prices and the resulting shift in consumer demand than hybrid sales. Although there was an obvious run to more fuel-efficient cars — witness the Civic besting the Ford F-150 in overall sales for the first time ever — hybrid sales overall were down 11% from April to May, down 24.3% month-to-month from 2007 and even the market-leading Toyota Prius experienced a 31% drop in sales for the month. How did that happen? There are a few factors at work here, which we've helpfully outlined below the jump. More »
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In the midst of a $4/gallon-inspired run on every ride that gets more than 12 MPG, we were more than a little surprised to hear that the 2008 Saturn Aura Green Line has racked up a measly 69 sales through the end of April. Wot's the deal? Turns out that leaky batteries, courtesy of supplier Cobasys, have sent the Saturn hybrids into the realm of vaporware at the same time GM's marketers are touting the company's green credentials to any buyer who will listen. The same issue has plagued the Saturn Vue Green Line, which saw sales numbers fall to 326 through April, vs. 2,683 in the first four months of 2007. Cobasys claims to have solved the problem and is now shipping defect-free battery packs. Knowing GM's luck with timing the market, a betting man might expect fuel prices to drop back below a buck a gallon at about the same time as production ramps back up. More »
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The General's German brand saw the sign it needed to replace the aged Vectra, so they opened up their eyes — and came up with this — the new 2009 Opel Insignia. It's a new name, a new car and yes, a new badge for the brand preciously misspelled from the name of a gem and it's being revealed in July at the London Motor Show. We're guessing Opel decided to drop this load of shots and details early due to, you know, all the leakage everywhere — both manufactured, silly and otherwise. This new Vectra-replacing four-door will hit the market with a pickup truck-like selection of engine options and powertrains. Buyers of the new Insignia will be able to choose from seven different engines — four gasoline engines ranging from a four-banger 115 HP unit to a V6 with an output of 260 horses and three new direct-injection diesels displacing 2.0 liters and with outputs spanning from 110 to 160 HP. And when you're done choosing your boring engines, you'll have a choice between either front-wheel or all-wheel drive. What else would we expect from a four-door that's 7.9 inches longer than the current Vectra and is built on the General's new globe-spanning Epsilon II platform. Of course we'd expect a variety of available options — this sculpted boat's going to need to play the role of like, every car in GM's multi-brand lineup. And that's why we should care about this new Euro sedan — because everything else with an Opel badge gets sent state-wide as a Saturn, so we're under the impression we'll be seeing this as the 2011 Saturn Aura. But the platform prostitution doesn't end there — the bones underneath will hold the skin and meat of the 2011 Pontiac G6 and the 2012 Chevy Malibu. Rumor is we'll also see it as the 2010 Buick LaCrosse and the 2010 Saab 9-3. Yes, that means the 2010 LaCrosse would actually get an AWD platform — hmm, maybe there's some life in that old brand. Yeah, right. Full press release after the jump.
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It's a shame the folks at Opel went through all that trouble to tape up the 2009 Opel Insignia, just to have the cover blown a few days later by the crew at AutoWeek.nl. Here it is, your future Opel Insignia in all its watermarked glory. Why should you care? This curvy sedan is likely to be the new Saturn Aura sometime down the line. The Insignia is scheduled for a big public unveiling at the London Motor Show in July with full details coming in a few days. More »
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In what seems to be a burgeoning trend, Opel joins the ranks of automakers that are releasing their own versions of professionally shot spy photos to whet the appetites of the motoring press. In this case we have the 2009 Open Insignia (and possibly the future Saturn Aura), which is based on GM's Epsilon-2 global platform. It's been taped up fairly well and, just for laughs, they guide us through the process of taping up a test mule. You clever buggers! More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=378772&view=rss&microfeed=true Spy Photos: Next-gen Opel Vectra gives us a preview of the 2010 Saturn Aura. [Autoblog] More »
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We already told you the pagan god of the General planned to drop a Camry and an Accord into a Chevy dealer showroom, but the gameplan appears to be to be more ballsy than we thought. Seriously, Saturn's got balls, and well — we like balls. Starting today, it won't be a Chevy dealership, but rather a Saturn dealership (I think they like it better when we call it a "store" — but whatevs, like we care) where you'll find the #1 and #2 selling mid-size sedans. They'll be there so that you can drive a 2007 Aura sedan, and then drop behind the wheel of "popularly-equipped versions" of the HoMoCo Accord and ToMoCo Camry. They'll also have an advertising campaign rolling along behind it. We remain unconvinced as to whether this will blunt the Asian mid-size assault, but bully for Saturn for trying something innovative like The Fusion Challenge The Malibu Challenge Summer Saturnalia or whatever they're calling it. Full press release after the jump. – Ray Wert More »
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The General's likely got its party bus on call and decked out with Cristal, tequila shooters and the phone numbers of local talent (and their "representatives") on speed dial. The company made quick work of the 2007 North American Car and Truck of the Year awards, this morning, accepting awards for the Saturn Aura and Chevrolet Silverado. Among the cabal of journos who voted, the Aura edged out the Honda Fit and Toyota Camry, while the Silverado opened a carafe of bootstomp on the Mazda CX-7 and Ford Edge. The results were kept in "a mayonnaise jar on the front porch of Funk and Wagnalls until noon today, at which time Ed McMahon took a long pull on a bottle of Jim Beam and exclaimed, Hiho! More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=226700&view=rss&microfeed=true Parkour's a distinctly french form of exercise — madly running from one point to another, flying across rooftops, jumping over and into dumpsters, splashing through mud puddles — all just to prove you can. Come to think of it, that type of blind get 'er done je ne sais pas is what makes GM the General, ain't it? Must explain why they've used it to sell the unveiling of Saturn Opel's new hotness yesterday — the Opel Antara CUV. Yes, it's hot, and yes, that'll be a Saturn before you know it, like the Aura and Sky before it. But you know what, we're ok with that as long as it looks like this. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=204342&view=rss&microfeed=true We've been asking that question since the New York Auto Show, when we got our first look at the Opelization of the Saturn brand. Take, for example, the PreVue (hint, hint) concept based on the Opel Antara, Sky Redline based on the Opel GT and new Aura sedan based on the Opel/Vauxhall Vectra. It would appear Saturn's San Francisco treat of an agency, Goodby, Silverstein and Partners, heard some other folks asking the same question. Whoever they heard, the commercial's the latest part of Saturn's "Like always. Like never before." advertising campaign — a blitz, er, one commerical seeking to reimagine the brand as something that doesn't evoke a vegan burrito. Making and selling the vehicles noted above is one way to start that process. More »
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Well Ogre, it seems like every auto journalist sittin' here in the media holding pen is askin' that question. The conversation seems to go something like this: More »
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It seems like Saturn's got more new vehicle unveiling action than Broadway's got musicals. We've already seen the Sky Redline, the Outlook and maybe even the Prevue concept (still pending b.s. review on that one). Now, we're treated to some sexy sedan action with the 2007 Saturn Aura. The Aura, like the rest of the new Saturn family, is at its heart nothin' but Opel. In this case, the Astra Vectra sedan. But oh, how we would love to taste that on a fast break on the FDR. I mean come on, it's totally adorable. It even has a little horn. More »
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Saturn's planning a kind of brand awakening for the New York show — an Opelification, if you will — with production versions of the Aura and Outlook crossover and a Red Line edition Sky roadster. The Sky is the equivalent performance edition to the Pontiac Solstice GXP, powered by the same turbocharged, 260-hp, 2.0-liter direct-injection engine. The Aura is its new, small sport sedan, similar to the Opel Vectra and the Outlook is the first among a spate of new GM crossovers. The company will also roll out a new design concept and show off the Aero-X it unveiled in Geneva. More »
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The 2007 Saturn Aura wil receive the first fruit of GM's transmission development pact with Ford, the Hydra-Matic (retro!) 6T70 six-speed automatic. The system — which we had heard has three planetary gearsets and five clutches — can be used in front- and rear-wheel-drive vehicles at maximum revs of 7000rpm and max horsepower of 315 and torque of 280lbs/ft., making it ideal for the midsized Aura. Company officials say the co-development sped time to market and cut development costs nearly in half. GM recently announced a plan to produce three million six-speed automatics annually by 2010. Of course, by 2007, the seven speeds will start to trickle out, and GM will be at sixes and sevens once more. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=122605&view=rss&microfeed=true Oh, Saturn how you tease we lubberly schoolboys in our size-nine Pro Keds, flaunting the name of your new midsized crossover SUV in our faces, yet revealing only a fuzzy closeup on its badge. Your callow laughter is a white-hot ember on our souls. OK, maybe not white-hot, maybe more like "soupy." Either way, GM announced its new 2007 model will be called the Outlook, which the company says "features dynamic design and a refined, sophisticated interior. As if such skirted language is enough to get us to hand over our juice box. More »
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