2008 Saturn Astra and Pontiac G8 Microsites from GM

GM launches two new micro-sites for two new upcoming vehicles BIG and SMALL. The new Saturn Astra is due out January 2, 2008 as a small car with a sporty attitude. View the Saturn Astra Microsite Here!

 

The sporty attitude does not stop there, also due out as a 2008 model the new Pontiac G8, yes, that is an “8” after the “G”, has a new micro-site to visit also HERE.

Saturn Side-by-Side-by-Side commercial

Saturn advertising that it invites shoppers to test drive the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord at its dealerships against the new Aura sedan.

Malcolm’s 2 cent: Saturn better have there ducks in a row as a lot of people seem to believe the quality of the Saturn does not even come close to that of the Toyota Camry or Honda Accord.  We shall see what happens.

Toyota Camry’s at GM Showrooms

As posted just recently on alike automotive sites, GM plans on having a new Toyota Camry and Honda Accord placed along side of the new Saturn Aura and Chevy Malibu in hopes to persuade buyers to purchase the “lower” priced vehicle. In GM’s tactics with this new clever move they plan on having a Toyota Camry maxed out with the maxed price tag will in the 30 grand range for the Toyota Camry. While the Saturn Aura tops out around 28 grand there ultimate hopes will be roping buyers to choose the lesser priced vehicle. While this just might work for some customers, what about those loyal to the new big 3 contender, Toyota. What about the customers who will still pay that extra couple grand for that legendary quality standard Toyota has used to place them in the rankings of the big 3 in

America? Then, what about the people that say so kindly to the sales man “The Toyota Camry is the Motor Trend Car of the year” while the sales man fights back with a “The Saturn Aura is the North American Car Of The Year”. Then you have this little salesman fight going on in the middle of the Saturn dealership. Okay, so some of you think this is far fetched, but is it really?

I really do not think this is such a wise thing when customer start to do a little homework on the Camry vs. the Aura vs. the Malibu… they might accidentally configure a new Camry on Toyota.com with a reasonable price (well under 30 grand) without all of the dealer options GM chose for there display model along side of the Saturn Aura and/or Chevy Malibu in the local showroom. To get a Toyota Camry to cost over the 30 grand mark you will have to start adding “other” options such as dealer installed items which also can be had with the purchase of a new Aura or the upcoming

Malibu. They don’t tell you this when you try to buy. I must sound pretty biased by now, but I am just bring the facts to the plate to make the general buying public aware and alert. Hey, it could easily work in the other direction with

Toyota having and new “North American Car Of The Year” vehicle sitting in the showroom of a

Toyota dealer right next to the “Motor Trend Car Of  The Year” vehicle of their own.

Just my food for thought for today. My advise, do your research and you will be back to read my follow-up to witnessing this instance at one of my local Saturn or Chevrolet Dealers soon when GM implements this new strategy.

 

LOOK! It’s a bird, a plane, a Kia, a Hyundia, No, it’s the new 2008 Saturn Vue

I thought I would share the newest 2008 Saturn Vue Images with everyone. If you have not seen the vehicle online or in any other automotive publication, then here it is.

Some asked me if this was a new Kia or Hyundia SUV and I just simply shook my head at them and politely explained it was a new GM design with some of the shared underpinnings of other GM platforms. Saturn’s are starting to evolve somewhat. Saturn’s big push a few years ago was the simple slogan “A different kind of car company” well Sir Saturn the 3^rd, I have to beg to differ on this one Sir! Lately they really resemble GM’s other cash cow’s of the industry not to mention the new Saturn Aura and Saturn Outlook… resembling there 1^st cousin’s Pontiac G6 and GMC Acadia respectfully. While I am not knocking what GM is doing, they have really uped the aenty a little here the pass couple years, although still too late to compete directly among the new Giants, (cough cough Toyota).

So the new Saturn Vue has to grow on me and I will have to etch in my brain that it is not a Korean SUV. Maybe we will all have to see it in person before I talk about it again. Until then, Enjoy the photos.

2007 Saturn Aura Green Line

With the new Saturn Aura being this years North American Car of the Year… what better way to celebrate and at the same time bring in some more car sales by releasing the new Saturn Aura Green Line – Saturn’s newest hybrid vehicle. You cannot ask for better timing with this release. Look at your local gas station’s price board. It is outrageous! People are already taking a liking to the new Saturn Aura and not to mention all of the interesting commercials being generated in front of our new gaseous plasma screens in our living rooms.

The new Saturn Aura Green line gets an EPA-estimated 28/35 mpg (city/highway). Roughly the same rating as the Honda Accord Hybrid but less than the Toyota Camry Hybrid’s 40/38 mpg. The new Saturn Aura Green Line gets what the techs at GM call a mild hybrid system that supplements the car’s four-cylinder gasoline engine with additional power from an electric motor/generator when accelerating. This means the car never moves on electric battery power alone. The total HP output is rated at 164 and is said to be plenty as it is a system that works seamlessly.

If you are in the market for a car like this, or you just want to avoid some of the backlash of the extremely high gas prices then this is the car for you. If you are looking for “improvements” outside the realm of saving money or gas, than the Saturn Aura leaves you a little behind in that aspect as they did not change or should I say “improve” much about the few grips about the Saturn Aura. Prices start at a low $22,695 which is pretty good considering this is still a variant of the current year North American Car of the Year.

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