Saturn & Opel To Merge Completely by 2014

General Motors Corp. has begun a 7-year strategy of consolidating its Saturn and Opel brands to provide a slew of European-styled vehicles for consumers on both sides of the ocean.

By 2014, all vehicles for Saturn and Opel will be interchangeable, says Carl-Peter Forster, president-General Motors Europe.

“From now on, whenever we develop a vehicle, we have to make sure we can export it to the U.S., and vice versa,” Forster says in an interview at the auto show here. “The idea is to be very flexible,” he says, with each new model capable of meeting global regulations.

It means the Opel Astra and the replacement for the Saturn Ion is the same vehicle, as is the Opel Antara and next Saturn Vue cross/utility vehicles.

The Astra as the Saturn Ion replacement “is absolutely the right vehicle,” says Bryan Nesbitt, who oversees design for Opel and Saturn brands from Europe.
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neutral - 10/6/2006 12:41:29 PM

+2 Boost

Smart move GM, smart move.

tecnopolis - 10/6/2006 1:34:55 PM

+1 Boost

This is very good news for GM.
Now about GM-Daewoo....

OBSERVER1984 - 10/6/2006 1:40:32 PM

+1 Boost

Saving money again!

This saving of money will kill GM slowly but surely!
They will loose both:
one side european customers who prefer more and more french italian and japanese cars and on the other side they can't win customers in America because if americans begin to buy small cars than Toyota, Honda, Mitsubishi, Nissan will offer: Aygo, Yaris, Porte, Jazz, Colt, Micra and so many others small models that we've got now here in Europe and that models have better sales than Opel and will have better sales than Saturn in USA.

DarkOneForce - 10/6/2006 1:49:30 PM

+1 Boost

Don't know about this.

- bigger than 3 litre V6 and V8s don't sell in europe, and the USA doesn't want 1.5 to 2.5 litre turbo diesels.
- american cars are too big for europeans, and european cars are usually to small for americans.

Autoegr525 - 10/6/2006 3:23:21 PM

+1 Boost

That's pretty much what they're doing, except minus the cost of killing off one brand and building up another. As for Saab, what is a Saab anymore? The next 9-5 needs to do for Saab what the CTS did for Cadillac, except be much, much better than the CTS.

S4cabriofox - 10/6/2006 10:46:40 PM

+1 Boost

Good idea. Saab is desparately in need of new products.

The 9-3, being the strongest car they have, is adequate for the class. But they need something more. A new 9-5 is imminent, and if they want to survive, they need an XC90-esque SUV that's not the crap-filled 9-7X.

njshift - 10/6/2006 2:23:46 PM

+2 Boost

I'm glad some of you don't work for GM. Perhaps you should fully read the article before replying with nonsense.

bigslick83 - 10/6/2006 5:23:03 PM

+1 Boost

^^ amen ^^

Sauceboy01 - 10/6/2006 3:38:30 PM

+1 Boost

this is great news!

atomicbri - 10/6/2006 7:29:49 PM

+1 Boost

I think this is a good plan for GM. Saturn has been so so for years while Opel has been selling well in Europe with a decent small product for a few years now. I can see this way of developing the brands together a smart move.

S4cabriofox - 10/6/2006 10:48:36 PM

+1 Boost

Saturn has been below "so-so". Their cars have always been mediocre in every respect, except dent-resistant panels.

The SKY seems to change that, and the new Aura looks promising. I am concerned about the contrived styling of the new Outlook crossover, however. It may sell, but they have to publicize it a LOT to get people talking.

JCF110 - 10/6/2006 11:47:47 PM

+1 Boost

y not just bring opel to north america all together? scrap saturn!

njshift - 10/7/2006 8:46:34 AM

+1 Boost

GM is not going to axe one of it's newest established labels only to replace it with one that most Americans know little about.

2JZSoarer - 10/8/2006 3:33:07 PM

+1 Boost

I say kill Saturn,and bring Opel to the U.S!!

MercBasher - 10/9/2006 2:03:49 PM

+1 Boost

Why does it take seven years?

Than's plenty of time for management to change its mind again!

1970toyotamarc - 10/9/2006 4:02:13 PM

+1 Boost

So basically GM spent billions creating Saturn, and has finally given up on it. I had a Saturn, ad I gave up on it too (after a year and a half) so I totally get it. Fortunately mine only cost me about ten grand. Guess I'm smarter than GM.