That’s exactly what’s happening to General Motors’ long-neglected marque. Saturn, known for plastic body panels and what-you-see-is-what-you-pay-for marketing strategy is increasingly becoming more popular to customers. General Motors’ genius of pairing the brand with Opel apparently paid off. Just check out the new offerings of the brand at their official site and you’ll know why Saturn is one of the fastest growing brands in the country.
First, there’s the Aura - the reigning North American Car of the Year. I know you’ve heard of that title being credited to the Aura a lot these days. It is only appropriate; after all, the new Aura beat the Camry and the Accord to the title. The Aura is the replacement for the L-Series. Compare the L-Series to the Aura and you’ll see how far Saturn has come with the aid of Opel.
The Aura’s European styling makes one think of those flashy cars from BMW and Mercedes-Benz but with the price tag considerably lower. Add extra bucks for body kits and you’ll have the best looking midsize sedan on the road. The looks of a car depends on who’s looking at it, right? But for me, the Aura looks better than the Camry or the Accord.
And then, there’s the Sky. The convertible which is based on the Pontiac Solstice, legit head turner is ushering in a new era for the automaker. With previous models looking as bland as the Ion, it is certainly a breath of fresh air for Saturn to come up with a convertible this good looking.
Compare the Sky to European convertibles by looking at its exterior and you’d certainly feel that Saturn's Sky is not a pushover in its segment. Then, check the price tags. Imagine having a roadster with stunning good looks of a European model at a bargain and you have the Sky.
And what a Vue! The new Vue simply rocks. Its rounded off edges gives it a bold look. Comparison again. Looking at the old and the new Vue, I asked myself why General Motors did not pair up Saturn with Opel years ago. As car critics say, the new Vue is miles away from the old Vue. The refinement and the changes made may have even warrant a change in the name of the model. But since the Vue is their bestselling model, a change like that can seriously hurt their sales.
The question now is - why is Ford not doing the same thing as General Motors did with Saturn? With Jaguar, Volvo, and Aston Martin on their portfolio (they still have a share in Aston Martin), they can surely come up with American-priced cars looking way cooler than rebadged Opels.