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Saturn (automobile)
Encyclopedia
Saturn Corporation was an automobile manufacturer and brand
, established on January 7, 1985 as a subsidiary of General Motors
in response to the success of Japanese automobile imports in the United States. The company marketed itself as a "different kind of car company," and operated somewhat independently from its parent company for a time, with its own assembly plant in Spring Hill, Tennessee
, unique models, and a separate retailer network.
Following the withdrawal of a bid by Penske Automotive
to acquire Saturn in September 2009, General Motors
discontinued the Saturn brand and ended its outstanding franchises on October 31, 2010. All new production was halted on October 1, 2009.
drove the very first Saturn off the assembly line in Spring Hill, Tennessee
. The brand was marketed as a "different kind of car company," and Saturn operated outside the GM conglomerate, with its own assembly plant in Spring Hill, unique models and a separate retailer network.
Results at Saturn were mixed. According to The Wall Street Journal
, the project was too ambitious, as "everything at Saturn is new: the car, the plant, the workforce, the dealer network and the manufacturing process. Not even Toyota, everyone's candidate for the world's best automaker, tackles more than two new items on any single project." While Saturn cars proved very popular with buyers, actual sales never met the optimistic projected targets, in part because of a recession in 1990. It also proved cannibalistic as 41% of Saturn buyers already owned a GM car. Its separation from the rest of its GM parent, plus the fact that it drained $5 billion from other car projects, stirred resentment within GM ranks. Also, Saturn opened at considerably higher cost than the Japanese transplants (factories that Japanese automakers established in the United States).
Nonetheless, the brand was immediately known for its 'no haggle' prices. The first Saturn model, the S-Series
, was significantly successful. A year later, Saturn hit the Canadian market. 499,999 Saturns later, 'Carla' entered the market in 1993. In May 1995, 'Jasper', Saturn's Millionth car is produced. In 1996, the short-lived GM EV1 hit Saturn Showrooms, later becoming the subject of the 2006 documentary film Who Killed the Electric Car?
. Almost all EV1s were reclaimed and destroyed by GM by 2005. In 1997, Saturn entered the Japanese market. In January 1999, Saturn rolled out its two millionth car. Later that year, Saturn began production of its all new L-Series
.
was introduced for the 2002 model year
as the Vue
, based on a globally used GM design. For 2003, Saturn introduced the Ion
as a replacement to the S-Series. For 2005, Saturn began selling the Relay
, a minivan
and the first Saturn based on similar models from other GM brands. That same year, the L-Series was discontinued. The Sky
roadster
was introduced in 2006 as a 2007 model. Also for 2007, the Aura
midsize
sedan made its way to dealerships, alongside the Outlook
, a larger CUV than the Vue, and was the last year the Ion was produced. The Ion was replaced by the European-built Astra in 2008. During the 2008 North American International Auto Show
(NAIAS), Saturn revealed its Flextreme concept vehicle, which was a rebadged Opel Flextreme
.
In 2004, GM and the United Auto Workers dissolved their unique labor contract for the Spring Hill manufacturing plant, allowing Saturn operations to be integrated with the rest of GM.
, Cadillac
, Buick
, GMC), with the sale, consolidation, or closure of Saturn and the remaining brands (Pontiac
, Hummer
, and Saab
). General Motors Chairman and former CEO Rick Wagoner
announced during a news conference on February 17, 2009 that Saturn will remain in operation through the end of the planned lifecycle for all Saturn products (2010–11).
In February 2009, GM declared its intent to part with this brand by closing or selling the division, either to investors or to dealers, as part of restructuring plans dependent upon the receipt of a second round of government loans ("bailout" funding). It is the third such action for GM in the 21st century, following those of Oldsmobile
, which ceased production in 2004, and Pontiac, which ended production of the 2010 model year by the end of 2009.
General Motors announced in June 2009 that it was selling the brand to Penske Automotive Group
. The arrangement was similar to the deal under which Penske distributes Daimler AG's Smart Car
in the United States. Penske was not planning to buy the factories and would eventually have to contract other car companies to build cars sold as Saturns. GM would have built the Aura, Vue, and Outlook for Penske for two years. To replace GM as the brand's manufacturer, Penske was in discussions with several global automakers, including Renault Samsung Motors
of Korea.
By the end of 2009, GM closed all of its 46 Saturn dealerships in Canada, even for Saturn dealerships also selling Saab vehicles. GM and Penske decided that they could no longer make a business case to distribute Saturn vehicles in Canada after the sale of the brand. Saturn's customer service, parts, and warranty operations will move to other GM dealerships in Canada.
-Nissan
alliance, reacting mainly to objections from the latter.
Subsequently, GM stated they will shut down the division and dealers would have to close by October 2010. Since that date Saturn vehicles have been serviced at other GM dealerships.
Meanwhile, the Outlook was the last Saturn to be produced, although it is unknown when production ended. Although all Saturn production ended October 2009, only the Outlook resumed from hiatus by February 2010 for production.
In February 2010, as a means of customer retention, GM announced it was offering existing Saturn owners up to US$2,000 in incentives on purchasing a new Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick or GMC vehicle until March 31. Customers were required to have owned their Saturns for at least six months and were not required to trade them in to be eligible for the incentives.
Saturn Authorized Service Providers have been introduced since the closing of the Saturn brand. Most Saturn Authorized Service Providers are at Cadillac and Chevrolet dealers. Saturn Authorized Service Providers are responsible for all aspects of service, including warranty service, on Saturn vehicles.
and a dedicated engine, the 1.9 L Saturn I4 engine
, and a dedicated plant in Spring Hill, Tennessee
. All of the original Saturns
featured dent-resistant plastic body panels which were also touted as allowing the company to change the look of the vehicles readily. However, in practice, the company did not often take advantage of this capability.
Saturn S-Series cars were produced from 1991–2002. There were 3 Generations of S-Series Cars. First Generation S-Series cars were produced from 1991–1994. For the 1995 Model year, Saturn implemented a "First Generation" exterior, and "Second Generation" interior. The exterior of the 1995 model year looked the same as the first generation cars, but exhibited larger gauge faces on the instrument cluster, and a redesigned middle console. First Generation engines were rated at 85 hp for the Single Overhead Cam Engines, while the Dual Overhead Cam Engines were rated at 124 hp for the entire run of S-Series cars (1991–2002). In 1996, the Second Generation S-Series Sedan was introduced and remained virtually unchanged for the rest of the vehicle's production run. In 1997, the Second Generation of the Sport Coupe model was introduced with a more "scooped" headlight front. The 1999 Coupe models received a suicide door
behind the driver side door. The S-Series was produced in three variations: Coupe (SC), Sedan (SL), and Wagon (SW). The Wagon was introduced for the 1993 Model year and was produced until 2001.
The first real change came with the 2000 Saturn L-Series
mid-size car
. It shared the GM2900 platform
with the Opel Vectra
, along with its engine, and was built at a GM factory in Wilmington, Delaware
. In 2003, the Saturn Ion
replaced the S-Series compact.
The market did not respond well to these models. Ion production lines were halted for two weeks in 2003 to allow dealer inventory to reduce. The L-Series was canceled after production of the 2005 models, and the Ion was canceled after 2007.
As of 2009, all Saturn models used common GM platforms and engines. The plastic body panels, which were previously touted as a company trademark, had been discontinued.
The 2009 Saturn models were the Sky
roadster, the Aura
sedan, the Astra hatchback, the Vue
small crossover SUV
and the Outlook
full-size
crossover SUV
built off the GM Lambda platform
.
Some of the final Saturns were virtually identical to certain European Opel
/Vauxhall
models. For example, the 2008 Saturn Vue was a rebadged Opel Antara
, while the Opel GT
was based on the Saturn Sky. The Opel Astra was imported from Antwerp, Belgium as the Saturn Astra. On the other hand, the Saturn Aura, while based on the same platform as the Opel Vectra
, is a unique model for the North American market similar to the Pontiac G6
.
The company offered two sub-lines of vehicles: "Red Line" Saturns are performance-oriented, while "Green Line" cars are more environmentally friendly hybrids. The Vue and Ion Red Line models, launched in 2004, have been joined by Vue and Aura Green Lines for the 2007 model year and a Sky Red Line the same model year. Saturn's Green Line vehicles utilize mild hybrid
technology.
Brand
The American Marketing Association defines a brand as a "Name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller's good or service as distinct from those of other sellers."...
, established on January 7, 1985 as a subsidiary of General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
in response to the success of Japanese automobile imports in the United States. The company marketed itself as a "different kind of car company," and operated somewhat independently from its parent company for a time, with its own assembly plant in Spring Hill, Tennessee
Spring Hill, Tennessee
Spring Hill is a city in Maury and Williamson counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee, located approximately south of Nashville. The population was 7,715 at the 2000 census...
, unique models, and a separate retailer network.
Following the withdrawal of a bid by Penske Automotive
Penske Automotive Group
Penske Automotive Group , headquartered in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, is the world's second largest automotive dealership group.PAG operates 327 retail automotive franchises, representing 42 different brands, and 26 collision repair centers. PAG is a member of the Fortune 500 and Russell 2000, and...
to acquire Saturn in September 2009, General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
discontinued the Saturn brand and ended its outstanding franchises on October 31, 2010. All new production was halted on October 1, 2009.
1982–90: formation
Alex C. Mair began discussions of a revolutionary new, small-car project codenamed "Saturn" in June, 1982. In November, 1983, the Saturn idea was publicized by General Motors' Chairman Roger B. Smith and GM's President F. James McDonald. Twelve months later, the first Saturn demonstration vehicle was revealed. On January 7, 1985, the Saturn Corporation was officially founded.1990–2000: "A new kind of car company"
In July 1990, GM Chairman Roger Smith and UAW President Owen BieberOwen Bieber
Owen Frederick Bieber is an American labor union activist. He was president of the United Auto Workers from 1983 to 1995.-Early life and career:...
drove the very first Saturn off the assembly line in Spring Hill, Tennessee
Spring Hill, Tennessee
Spring Hill is a city in Maury and Williamson counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee, located approximately south of Nashville. The population was 7,715 at the 2000 census...
. The brand was marketed as a "different kind of car company," and Saturn operated outside the GM conglomerate, with its own assembly plant in Spring Hill, unique models and a separate retailer network.
Results at Saturn were mixed. According to The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal is an American English-language international daily newspaper. It is published in New York City by Dow Jones & Company, a division of News Corporation, along with the Asian and European editions of the Journal....
, the project was too ambitious, as "everything at Saturn is new: the car, the plant, the workforce, the dealer network and the manufacturing process. Not even Toyota, everyone's candidate for the world's best automaker, tackles more than two new items on any single project." While Saturn cars proved very popular with buyers, actual sales never met the optimistic projected targets, in part because of a recession in 1990. It also proved cannibalistic as 41% of Saturn buyers already owned a GM car. Its separation from the rest of its GM parent, plus the fact that it drained $5 billion from other car projects, stirred resentment within GM ranks. Also, Saturn opened at considerably higher cost than the Japanese transplants (factories that Japanese automakers established in the United States).
Nonetheless, the brand was immediately known for its 'no haggle' prices. The first Saturn model, the S-Series
Saturn S-series
The S-Series was part of a family of compact cars from the Saturn automobile company. This was the first series of Saturn vehicles. The automobile platform, the Z-body, was developed entirely in-house at Saturn and shared very little with the rest of the General Motors model line...
, was significantly successful. A year later, Saturn hit the Canadian market. 499,999 Saturns later, 'Carla' entered the market in 1993. In May 1995, 'Jasper', Saturn's Millionth car is produced. In 1996, the short-lived GM EV1 hit Saturn Showrooms, later becoming the subject of the 2006 documentary film Who Killed the Electric Car?
Who Killed the Electric Car?
Who Killed the Electric Car? is a 2006 documentary film that explores the creation, limited commercialization, and subsequent destruction of the battery electric vehicle in the United States, specifically the General Motors EV1 of the mid 1990s...
. Almost all EV1s were reclaimed and destroyed by GM by 2005. In 1997, Saturn entered the Japanese market. In January 1999, Saturn rolled out its two millionth car. Later that year, Saturn began production of its all new L-Series
Saturn L-series
The Saturn L-Series was a line of automobiles sold by General Motors' Saturn marque.The L-Series mid-size sedans and station wagons were introduced in 2000. They were based on the Opel Vectra B and manufactured at a GM plant in Wilmington, Delaware...
.
2000–08: model expansion
Saturn's first compact crossover SUVSport utility vehicle
A sport utility vehicle is a generic marketing term for a vehicle similar to a station wagon, but built on a light-truck chassis. It is usually equipped with four-wheel drive for on- or off-road ability, and with some pretension or ability to be used as an off-road vehicle. Not all four-wheel...
was introduced for the 2002 model year
Model year
The model year of a product is a number used worldwide, but with a high level of prominence in North America, to describe approximately when a product was produced, and indicates the coinciding base specification of that product....
as the Vue
Saturn VUE
The Saturn Vue is a compact crossover SUV that was sold by General Motors' Saturn marque, and at one time was Saturn's best-selling model. It was the first vehicle to use the GM Theta platform when it was introduced in 2002. A second generation model was launched in 2007 for the 2008 model as a...
, based on a globally used GM design. For 2003, Saturn introduced the Ion
Saturn ION
The Saturn Ion was a compact car sold by the Saturn marque of American automaker General Motors between the 2003 and 2007 model years. It used the GM Delta platform. The Ion replaced the Saturn S-Series in 2003,...
as a replacement to the S-Series. For 2005, Saturn began selling the Relay
Saturn Relay
The Saturn Relay was the first and only minivan from the Saturn brand of American automaker General Motors. It was introduced for the 2005 model year, and was built alongside its sisters, the Buick Terraza, the Chevrolet Uplander, and the Pontiac Montana SV6 in Doraville, Georgia...
, a minivan
Minivan
Minivan is a type of van designed for personal use. Minivans are typically either two-box or one box designs for maximum interior volume – and are taller than a sedan, hatchback, or a station wagon....
and the first Saturn based on similar models from other GM brands. That same year, the L-Series was discontinued. The Sky
Saturn Sky
The Saturn Sky was the only roadster from the Saturn marque of American automaker General Motors, and was initially released in the first quarter of 2006 as a 2007 model. It uses the Kappa automobile platform shared with the Pontiac Solstice and Opel GT...
roadster
Roadster
A roadster is a two-seat open car with emphasis on sporty handling and without a fixed roof or side weather protection. Strictly speaking a roadster with wind-up windows is a convertible but as true roadsters are no longer made the distinction is now irrelevant...
was introduced in 2006 as a 2007 model. Also for 2007, the Aura
Saturn Aura
The Saturn Aura is a mid-size car produced under the Saturn brand of American automaker General Motors. It debuted as a concept car at the North American International Auto Show in January 2005. The production model of the Aura was shown at the 2006 New York Auto Show in April, with production...
midsize
Mid-size car
A mid-size car is the North American/Australian standard for an automobile with a size equal to or greater than that of a compact...
sedan made its way to dealerships, alongside the Outlook
Saturn Outlook
The Saturn Outlook is a crossover SUV that debuted at the New York International Auto Show, and is based on the new GM Lambda platform, which it shares with the Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Acadia...
, a larger CUV than the Vue, and was the last year the Ion was produced. The Ion was replaced by the European-built Astra in 2008. During the 2008 North American International Auto Show
North American International Auto Show
The North American International Auto Show is an annual auto show held in Detroit, Michigan at Cobo Center, usually in January. It is among the largest auto shows in North America.-History:...
(NAIAS), Saturn revealed its Flextreme concept vehicle, which was a rebadged Opel Flextreme
Opel Flextreme
The Opel Flextreme is a diesel plug-in hybrid concept car created by Opel.It is based on the same GM E-Flex series hybrid platform used in the Chevy Volt, but using a diesel rather than gasoline engine. It can travel on its lithium-ion battery before a small diesel engine starts charging the battery...
.
In 2004, GM and the United Auto Workers dissolved their unique labor contract for the Spring Hill manufacturing plant, allowing Saturn operations to be integrated with the rest of GM.
2008–09: attempt to sell brand, market changes
In US Congressional hearings on December 2, 2008, General Motors announced its intentions to focus on four core brands (ChevroletChevrolet
Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
, Cadillac
Cadillac
Cadillac is an American luxury vehicle marque owned by General Motors . Cadillac vehicles are sold in over 50 countries and territories, but mostly in North America. Cadillac is currently the second oldest American automobile manufacturer behind fellow GM marque Buick and is among the oldest...
, Buick
Buick
Buick is a premium brand of General Motors . Buick models are sold in the United States, Canada, Mexico, China, Taiwan, and Israel, with China being its largest market. Buick holds the distinction as the oldest active American make...
, GMC), with the sale, consolidation, or closure of Saturn and the remaining brands (Pontiac
Pontiac
Pontiac was an automobile brand that was established in 1926 as a companion make for General Motors' Oakland. Quickly overtaking its parent in popularity, it supplanted the Oakland brand entirely by 1933 and, for most of its life, became a companion make for Chevrolet. Pontiac was sold in the...
, Hummer
Hummer
Hummer was a brand of trucks and SUVs, first marketed in 1992 when AM General began selling a civilian version of the M998 Humvee. In 1998, General Motors purchased the brand name and marketed three vehicles: the original Hummer H1, based on the Humvee; and the H2 and H3 models that were...
, and Saab
Saab Automobile
Saab Automobile AB, better known as Saab , is a Swedish car manufacturer owned by Dutch automobile manufacturer Swedish Automobile NV, formerly Spyker Cars NV. It is the exclusive automobile Royal Warrant holder as appointed by the King of Sweden...
). General Motors Chairman and former CEO Rick Wagoner
Rick Wagoner
George Richard "Rick" Wagoner, Jr. is an American businessman and former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of General Motors. Wagoner resigned as Chairman and CEO at General Motors on March 29, 2009, at the request of the White House...
announced during a news conference on February 17, 2009 that Saturn will remain in operation through the end of the planned lifecycle for all Saturn products (2010–11).
In February 2009, GM declared its intent to part with this brand by closing or selling the division, either to investors or to dealers, as part of restructuring plans dependent upon the receipt of a second round of government loans ("bailout" funding). It is the third such action for GM in the 21st century, following those of Oldsmobile
Oldsmobile
Oldsmobile was a brand of American automobile produced for most of its existence by General Motors. It was founded by Ransom E. Olds in 1897. In its 107-year history, it produced 35.2 million cars, including at least 14 million built at its Lansing, Michigan factory...
, which ceased production in 2004, and Pontiac, which ended production of the 2010 model year by the end of 2009.
General Motors announced in June 2009 that it was selling the brand to Penske Automotive Group
Penske Automotive Group
Penske Automotive Group , headquartered in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, is the world's second largest automotive dealership group.PAG operates 327 retail automotive franchises, representing 42 different brands, and 26 collision repair centers. PAG is a member of the Fortune 500 and Russell 2000, and...
. The arrangement was similar to the deal under which Penske distributes Daimler AG's Smart Car
Smart car
Smart car may refer to:*Intelligent car, a car with artificial intelligence*Smart , the automobile brand...
in the United States. Penske was not planning to buy the factories and would eventually have to contract other car companies to build cars sold as Saturns. GM would have built the Aura, Vue, and Outlook for Penske for two years. To replace GM as the brand's manufacturer, Penske was in discussions with several global automakers, including Renault Samsung Motors
Renault Samsung Motors
Renault Samsung Motors is a South Korean automobile manufacturer. It was first established as Samsung Motors in 1994 and started selling cars in 1998, just before South Korea was hit by the Asian financial crisis...
of Korea.
By the end of 2009, GM closed all of its 46 Saturn dealerships in Canada, even for Saturn dealerships also selling Saab vehicles. GM and Penske decided that they could no longer make a business case to distribute Saturn vehicles in Canada after the sale of the brand. Saturn's customer service, parts, and warranty operations will move to other GM dealerships in Canada.
2009: sale falls through
On September 30, 2009, Penske terminated its discussions with GM to acquire its Saturn subsidiary. The tentative agreement was for GM to continue to produce the Saturn line until 2011; after that time, an undisclosed third company would assume production responsibilities. Penske's decision to back out of the sale came after an undisclosed company's board rejected plans to take over production of the Saturn line. The undisclosed "company" was later reported to be the RenaultRenault
Renault S.A. is a French automaker producing cars, vans, and in the past, autorail vehicles, trucks, tractors, vans and also buses/coaches. Its alliance with Nissan makes it the world's third largest automaker...
-Nissan
Nissan Motors
, usually shortened to Nissan , is a multinational automaker headquartered in Japan. It was a core member of the Nissan Group, but has become more independent after its restructuring under Carlos Ghosn ....
alliance, reacting mainly to objections from the latter.
Subsequently, GM stated they will shut down the division and dealers would have to close by October 2010. Since that date Saturn vehicles have been serviced at other GM dealerships.
Meanwhile, the Outlook was the last Saturn to be produced, although it is unknown when production ended. Although all Saturn production ended October 2009, only the Outlook resumed from hiatus by February 2010 for production.
In February 2010, as a means of customer retention, GM announced it was offering existing Saturn owners up to US$2,000 in incentives on purchasing a new Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick or GMC vehicle until March 31. Customers were required to have owned their Saturns for at least six months and were not required to trade them in to be eligible for the incentives.
Saturn Authorized Service Providers have been introduced since the closing of the Saturn brand. Most Saturn Authorized Service Providers are at Cadillac and Chevrolet dealers. Saturn Authorized Service Providers are responsible for all aspects of service, including warranty service, on Saturn vehicles.
Earlier models
Originally, the company's products used a dedicated platform called the Z-bodyGM Z platform
The Z platform or Z-body automobile platform designation was used on two different types of vehicles made by General Motors. The first was the second-generation Chevrolet Corvair from 1965 to 1969, which was a rear-wheel-drive and rear-engine compact car that replaced the previous Y-Body Corvair...
and a dedicated engine, the 1.9 L Saturn I4 engine
Saturn I4 engine
The powerplant used in Saturn S-series automobiles was a straight-4 aluminum piston engine produced by Saturn, a subsidiary of General Motors. The engine was only used in the Saturn S-series line of vehicles from 1991 through 2002...
, and a dedicated plant in Spring Hill, Tennessee
Spring Hill, Tennessee
Spring Hill is a city in Maury and Williamson counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee, located approximately south of Nashville. The population was 7,715 at the 2000 census...
. All of the original Saturns
Saturn S-series
The S-Series was part of a family of compact cars from the Saturn automobile company. This was the first series of Saturn vehicles. The automobile platform, the Z-body, was developed entirely in-house at Saturn and shared very little with the rest of the General Motors model line...
featured dent-resistant plastic body panels which were also touted as allowing the company to change the look of the vehicles readily. However, in practice, the company did not often take advantage of this capability.
Saturn S-Series cars were produced from 1991–2002. There were 3 Generations of S-Series Cars. First Generation S-Series cars were produced from 1991–1994. For the 1995 Model year, Saturn implemented a "First Generation" exterior, and "Second Generation" interior. The exterior of the 1995 model year looked the same as the first generation cars, but exhibited larger gauge faces on the instrument cluster, and a redesigned middle console. First Generation engines were rated at 85 hp for the Single Overhead Cam Engines, while the Dual Overhead Cam Engines were rated at 124 hp for the entire run of S-Series cars (1991–2002). In 1996, the Second Generation S-Series Sedan was introduced and remained virtually unchanged for the rest of the vehicle's production run. In 1997, the Second Generation of the Sport Coupe model was introduced with a more "scooped" headlight front. The 1999 Coupe models received a suicide door
Suicide door
A suicide door is a car door hinged on the trailing edge, the edge closer to the rear of the vehicle. Such doors are rarely used on vehicles in modern times because of their disadvantages....
behind the driver side door. The S-Series was produced in three variations: Coupe (SC), Sedan (SL), and Wagon (SW). The Wagon was introduced for the 1993 Model year and was produced until 2001.
The first real change came with the 2000 Saturn L-Series
Saturn L-series
The Saturn L-Series was a line of automobiles sold by General Motors' Saturn marque.The L-Series mid-size sedans and station wagons were introduced in 2000. They were based on the Opel Vectra B and manufactured at a GM plant in Wilmington, Delaware...
mid-size car
Mid-size car
A mid-size car is the North American/Australian standard for an automobile with a size equal to or greater than that of a compact...
. It shared the GM2900 platform
GM2900 platform
General Motors introduced the mid-size front-wheel drive GM2900 platform in 1988 with the introductions of the Opel Vectra A and the Vauxhall Cavalier Mk.3 for the 1989 model year...
with the Opel Vectra
Opel Vectra
The Opel Vectra is a large family car that was engineered and produced by Opel. In the United Kingdom, the car was sold under the Vauxhall marque as the Vauxhall Cavalier and later as the Vauxhall Vectra, from 1995 onwards...
, along with its engine, and was built at a GM factory in Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley...
. In 2003, the Saturn Ion
Saturn ION
The Saturn Ion was a compact car sold by the Saturn marque of American automaker General Motors between the 2003 and 2007 model years. It used the GM Delta platform. The Ion replaced the Saturn S-Series in 2003,...
replaced the S-Series compact.
The market did not respond well to these models. Ion production lines were halted for two weeks in 2003 to allow dealer inventory to reduce. The L-Series was canceled after production of the 2005 models, and the Ion was canceled after 2007.
Final model line
The 2009 Saturn models were the Sky
Saturn Sky
The Saturn Sky was the only roadster from the Saturn marque of American automaker General Motors, and was initially released in the first quarter of 2006 as a 2007 model. It uses the Kappa automobile platform shared with the Pontiac Solstice and Opel GT...
roadster, the Aura
Saturn Aura
The Saturn Aura is a mid-size car produced under the Saturn brand of American automaker General Motors. It debuted as a concept car at the North American International Auto Show in January 2005. The production model of the Aura was shown at the 2006 New York Auto Show in April, with production...
sedan, the Astra hatchback, the Vue
Saturn VUE
The Saturn Vue is a compact crossover SUV that was sold by General Motors' Saturn marque, and at one time was Saturn's best-selling model. It was the first vehicle to use the GM Theta platform when it was introduced in 2002. A second generation model was launched in 2007 for the 2008 model as a...
small crossover SUV
Crossover SUV
A crossover SUV is a vehicle built on a car platform and combining, in highly variable degrees, features of a sport utility vehicle with features from a passenger vehicle, especially those of a station wagon or hatchback.Using the unibody construction typical of passenger vehicles, the crossover...
and the Outlook
Saturn Outlook
The Saturn Outlook is a crossover SUV that debuted at the New York International Auto Show, and is based on the new GM Lambda platform, which it shares with the Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Acadia...
full-size
Full-size car
A full-size car is a marketing term used in North America for an automobile larger than a mid-size car. In the United States, the EPA uses "large car" to denote full-size cars....
crossover SUV
Crossover SUV
A crossover SUV is a vehicle built on a car platform and combining, in highly variable degrees, features of a sport utility vehicle with features from a passenger vehicle, especially those of a station wagon or hatchback.Using the unibody construction typical of passenger vehicles, the crossover...
built off the GM Lambda platform
GM Lambda platform
Lambda is General Motors' full-size crossover SUV automobile platform. It is largely derived from the GM Epsilon platform, which underlies the Chevrolet Malibu sedan and similar models....
.
Some of the final Saturns were virtually identical to certain European Opel
Opel
Adam Opel AG, generally shortened to Opel, is a German automobile company founded by Adam Opel in 1862. Opel has been building automobiles since 1899, and became an Aktiengesellschaft in 1929...
/Vauxhall
Vauxhall Motors
Vauxhall Motors is a British automotive company owned by General Motors and headquartered in Luton. It was founded in 1857 as a pump and marine engine manufacturer, began manufacturing cars in 1903 and was acquired by GM in 1925. It has been the second-largest selling car brand in the UK for...
models. For example, the 2008 Saturn Vue was a rebadged Opel Antara
Opel Antara
The Opel Antara is a compact crossover SUV, which was a co-development between Opel, the German subsidiary of General Motors , and GM Daewoo, the South Korean equivalent. The Antara, based on the GM Theta platform, shares its underpinnings and powertrains with the Chevrolet Captiva. However, it has...
, while the Opel GT
Opel GT
The Opel GT is a two-seat sports car first presented as a styling exercise in 1965 at the Paris and Frankfurt motor shows, and introduced as a production model late in 1968 by Opel, a German subsidiary of General Motors...
was based on the Saturn Sky. The Opel Astra was imported from Antwerp, Belgium as the Saturn Astra. On the other hand, the Saturn Aura, while based on the same platform as the Opel Vectra
Opel Vectra
The Opel Vectra is a large family car that was engineered and produced by Opel. In the United Kingdom, the car was sold under the Vauxhall marque as the Vauxhall Cavalier and later as the Vauxhall Vectra, from 1995 onwards...
, is a unique model for the North American market similar to the Pontiac G6
Pontiac G6
The Pontiac G6 was a mid-size car produced under the Pontiac brand of American automaker General Motors.It was introduced in the fall of 2004 to replace the Grand Am. The car was built on the GM Epsilon platform which it shared with the Chevrolet Malibu and Saab 9-3 along with other General Motors...
.
The company offered two sub-lines of vehicles: "Red Line" Saturns are performance-oriented, while "Green Line" cars are more environmentally friendly hybrids. The Vue and Ion Red Line models, launched in 2004, have been joined by Vue and Aura Green Lines for the 2007 model year and a Sky Red Line the same model year. Saturn's Green Line vehicles utilize mild hybrid
Mild Hybrid
Mild hybrids are essentially conventional fossil-fuel vehicles equipped with a large electric machine allowing the engine to be turned off whenever the car is coasting, braking, or stopped, yet restart quickly...
technology.
Model lineup
| Model | Class | Production |
|---|---|---|
| Saturn S-Series Saturn S-series The S-Series was part of a family of compact cars from the Saturn automobile company. This was the first series of Saturn vehicles. The automobile platform, the Z-body, was developed entirely in-house at Saturn and shared very little with the rest of the General Motors model line... |
compact Compact car A compact car , or small family car , is a classification of cars which are larger than a supermini but smaller than or equal to a mid-size car... sedan and coupe Coupé A coupé or coupe is a closed car body style , the precise definition of which varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, and over time... |
1991–2002 |
| station wagon Station wagon A station wagon is a body style variant of a sedan/saloon with its roof extended rearward over a shared passenger/cargo volume with access at the back via a third or fifth door , instead of a trunk lid... |
1993–2001 | |
| Saturn L-Series Saturn L-series The Saturn L-Series was a line of automobiles sold by General Motors' Saturn marque.The L-Series mid-size sedans and station wagons were introduced in 2000. They were based on the Opel Vectra B and manufactured at a GM plant in Wilmington, Delaware... |
mid-size Mid-size car A mid-size car is the North American/Australian standard for an automobile with a size equal to or greater than that of a compact... sedan and station wagon |
2000–2005 |
| Saturn Vue Saturn VUE The Saturn Vue is a compact crossover SUV that was sold by General Motors' Saturn marque, and at one time was Saturn's best-selling model. It was the first vehicle to use the GM Theta platform when it was introduced in 2002. A second generation model was launched in 2007 for the 2008 model as a... |
compact crossover | 2002–2009 |
| Saturn Ion Saturn ION The Saturn Ion was a compact car sold by the Saturn marque of American automaker General Motors between the 2003 and 2007 model years. It used the GM Delta platform. The Ion replaced the Saturn S-Series in 2003,... |
compact sedan and quad coupe Quad coupé A quad coupé is a car body style featuring bi-parting side doors – located either on one or both sides of the vehicle.The bi-parting doors typically feature a longer front door and a short rear door, without a pillar in between. The configuration offers the utility of a 4-doors, though the... |
2003–2007 |
| Saturn Relay Saturn Relay The Saturn Relay was the first and only minivan from the Saturn brand of American automaker General Motors. It was introduced for the 2005 model year, and was built alongside its sisters, the Buick Terraza, the Chevrolet Uplander, and the Pontiac Montana SV6 in Doraville, Georgia... |
minivan Minivan Minivan is a type of van designed for personal use. Minivans are typically either two-box or one box designs for maximum interior volume – and are taller than a sedan, hatchback, or a station wagon.... |
2005–2007 |
| Saturn Sky Saturn Sky The Saturn Sky was the only roadster from the Saturn marque of American automaker General Motors, and was initially released in the first quarter of 2006 as a 2007 model. It uses the Kappa automobile platform shared with the Pontiac Solstice and Opel GT... |
roadster Roadster A roadster is a two-seat open car with emphasis on sporty handling and without a fixed roof or side weather protection. Strictly speaking a roadster with wind-up windows is a convertible but as true roadsters are no longer made the distinction is now irrelevant... |
2007–2009 |
| EV1 | Electric | 2000-2001 |
| Saturn Outlook Saturn Outlook The Saturn Outlook is a crossover SUV that debuted at the New York International Auto Show, and is based on the new GM Lambda platform, which it shares with the Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Acadia... |
full-size crossover | 2007–2010 |
| Saturn Aura Saturn Aura The Saturn Aura is a mid-size car produced under the Saturn brand of American automaker General Motors. It debuted as a concept car at the North American International Auto Show in January 2005. The production model of the Aura was shown at the 2006 New York Auto Show in April, with production... |
mid-size Mid-size car A mid-size car is the North American/Australian standard for an automobile with a size equal to or greater than that of a compact... sedan |
2007–2009 |
| Saturn Astra Opel Astra The Opel Astra is a small family car engineered and manufactured by the German automaker Opel since 1991.It is branded as Vauxhall Astra in the United Kingdom, the Buick Excelle XT in China and the Chevrolet Astra/Vectra in Latin America... |
compact 3– and 5-door hatchback Hatchback A Hatchback is a car body style incorporating a shared passenger and cargo volume, with rearmost accessibility via a rear third or fifth door, typically a top-hinged liftgate—and features such as fold-down rear seats to enable flexibility within the shared passenger/cargo volume. As a two-box... |
2008–2009 |
Concepts
- Saturn Prototype (1984)
- Saturn Prototype (1988)
- Saturn CV1 (2000)
- Saturn CurveSaturn CurveThe Saturn Curve was a roadster concept by Saturn that was shown at the 2005 North American International Auto Show along with the concept of Saturn Sky....
(2005) - Saturn SkySaturn SkyThe Saturn Sky was the only roadster from the Saturn marque of American automaker General Motors, and was initially released in the first quarter of 2006 as a 2007 model. It uses the Kappa automobile platform shared with the Pontiac Solstice and Opel GT...
(2005) - Saturn Flextreme (2008)
Awards
- 1991
- Saturn receives two "Silver Anvil" awards for community and internal relations.
- Saturn receives Popular Mechanics "Design and Engineering" award for "manufacturing processes that result in exceptionally high quality for an all-new vehicle."
- Saturn receives "Driver's Choice awards for best small car" from MotorWeek.
- 1992
- Saturn receives "Driver's Choice awards for best small car" from MotorWeek.
- Saturn is in the "Top Ten Domestic Buys" according to Motor Trend magazine.
- Saturn receives the "EVE" award for Saturn's attempt to employ women and minorities.
- 1993
- Saturn receives the Best American Car Value Under 13,000; Lowest Total Cost To Own—American Car; Best Overall Value—Compact Class under 16,500; from Intellichoice.
- Saturn receives Technology of the Year from Automobile Magazine.
- 1995
- Saturn receives Best American Car Value under 13,000; Best Compact Under 17,000; Best Subcompact over 12,500; from Intellichoice.
- 1996
- Saturn receives Best American Car Value under 20,000; Best Compact Value under 17,000 (import or domestic); by Intellichoice.
- Saturn receives the award for Best Small Wagon (import or domestic).
- Saturn receives the award for Best Subcompact value under 12,000 (import or domestic).
- Saturn receives the award for Best Subcompact value over 12,500 (import or domestic).
- 1997
- Saturn receives Best Car Value Under 20,000; Best Compact Value under 15,000; Best Subcompact Value under 14,000; Best Small Wagon Value; from Intellichoice.
- Saturn is the Leader in "Brands under 20,000".
- 1999
- Saturn receives awards for Best Compact Value under 20,000; Best Small Wagon Value.
- Saturn S-Series gets a Double 5-Star rating in Driver & Passenger in front-collision tests.
- 2000
- Saturn is voted MotorWeek's "Best Family Sedan".
- Saturn receives "Best Overall Value of the Year" for SL and SL1 from Intellichoice.
- Saturn in Spring Hill receives "Most Valuable Pollution Prevention."
- 2007
- Saturn's 2007 Aura claims North American Car of the Year.
- 2008
- Saturn's Outlook receives Parents Magazine/Edmunds.com "Best Family Car 2008", "Best Crossover Utility" by MotorWeek Drivers, "Best New Family Vehicle" from kbb.com.
Advertising slogans
- 1985
- "What Kind of Car Is That? It's A Saturn!"
- 1989–1994:
- "A Different Kind of Car Company" (US)
- "We've reinvented the automobile." (Canada)
- 1994–2002: "A Different Kind of Company, A Different Kind of Car."
- 2002–2004: "It's Different in a Saturn"
- 2004–2006: "People First"
- 2006–2007: "Like Always. Like Never Before."
- 2007–2010:
- Formerly "Rethink American.", later "Rethink.", then "We're Still Here." (US)
- "Like Always. Like Never Before.", later "Rethink." (Canada)
- "Passion for the Road." (Spanish-speaking US slogan)
Plants
- Ramos ArizpeRamos ArizpeRamos Arizpe is a city and seat of the surrounding municipality of the same name in the Mexican state of Coahuila. Ramos Arizpe is located 11 km from the state capital of Saltillo. It is part of the Saltillo metropolitan area. The city reported a population of 48,228 in the 2005 census; the...
, CoahuilaCoahuilaCoahuila, formally Coahuila de Zaragoza , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Coahuila de Zaragoza is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico...
, Mexico (General MotorsGeneral MotorsGeneral Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
) – Vue (2007–2009) - Spring Hill, TennesseeSpring Hill, TennesseeSpring Hill is a city in Maury and Williamson counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee, located approximately south of Nashville. The population was 7,715 at the 2000 census...
, (Spring Hill ManufacturingSpring Hill ManufacturingSpring Hill Manufacturing is a General Motors factory in Spring Hill, Tennessee. It opened in 1990 as the site for Saturn manufacturing and continued through March 2004 as the sole manufacturing plant overseen by the Saturn subsidiary...
) – S-Series (1990–2002), Vue (2002–2007), Ion (2002–2007) - Doraville, GeorgiaDoraville, GeorgiaDoraville is a city in DeKalb County, Georgia, United States, northeast of Atlanta. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 8,330.-History:Doraville was incorporated by an act of the Georgia General Assembly, approved December 15, 1871...
, (Doraville AssemblyDoraville AssemblyDoraville Assembly was a General Motors automobile factory in Doraville, Georgia, just northeast of Atlanta. The plant opened in 1947, and closed on 26 September 2008 as part of the company's cost-cutting measures...
) — Relay (2005–2007) - Fairfax District (Kansas City, Kansas) (General MotorsGeneral MotorsGeneral Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
) – Aura - Antwerp. Belgium (General Motors Europe) – Astra
- Lansing Delta Township AssemblyLansing Delta Township AssemblyLansing Delta Township Assembly is a General Motors automobile assembly factory in Delta Township, Michigan on land that is shared by both the nearby city of Lansing, and the township. It manufactures Chevrolet, Buick, and GMC vehicles....
, Delta Charter Township, MichiganDelta Charter Township, MichiganDelta Charter Township, officially known as the Charter Township of Delta and commonly known as simply Delta Township, is a charter township of Eaton County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 32,408. Delta Township is currently the fourth largest...
(General MotorsGeneral MotorsGeneral Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
) – Outlook - Wilmington, DelawareWilmington, DelawareWilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley...
(plant closed) – Sky, L series, Pontiac SolsticePontiac SolsticeThe Pontiac Solstice is a small sports car from the Pontiac division of General Motors. Introduced at the 2004 North American International Auto Show, the Solstice roadster began production in Wilmington, Delaware, starting in mid-2005 for the 2006 model year. The exterior styling of the...