That Saturn Concept
Saturn PreVue concept
On Tuesday, Tom Wilkinson told you a little bit about the Saturn concept vehicle and promised more details after its reveal. So check out the Saturn PreVue concept on gm.com.
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WOW Better looking and more stylish than
anything else.
I like the interior of this concept. I hope it survives intact.
I hope Saturn turns around. Up the quality. BAN the hard, black, plastic. Cover the dash with imitation leather instead (for low-level cars).
Cadillacs must have REAL leather ALL OVER the dashboard; but that is another story for another day.
I am also glad the Outlook is going away. Never produce another hideous thing like that again.
Kepp the lineup simple and advertise wll. Then improve, improve. Pour more money into the interiors too.
Active Noise Cancellation (Like Acura) anyone?
As I said a while back when you showed the Antara concept that the PreVue is based on here on Fastlane . You should definately bring it to the States, however, make sure you also bring the turbo-diesel engine with it.
Greg
I would seriously consider replacing my ‘02 VUE with this new concept. If you produce it, I hope it comes with a 6 speed automatic mated for all engine options and has stability control and HID/Xeon headlamps at least as an option at all trim levels. A direct injection 2.4L Ecotec would make for a nice engine.
The Saturn PreVue concept is a much better looking vehicle than the Buick Enclave.
The Buick Enclave concept lost its appeal once it got watered down.
Please try to keep the Saturn PreVue as close to the original concept as possible. Don’t mess with a knock ‘em dead design.
Perhaps you could re-do the Buick Enclave to match. Nah, forget it. That’s badge engineering, and that nonsense has got to stop now!
Nice, but is is going to have fake wood in the interior and ugly wheels when it comes out, like the Aura?
Check out the wide interior picture of the Aura. The wood on the doors and the dash don’t line up. How can you let a picture like that even be produced, let alone shown on the website? It makes the interior look unrefined and cheap.
LOSE THE WOOD
I’m 37, and I like wood trim in vehicles. Fake wood trim can look just fine.
As I posted before, one of my daily drivers is an ‘83 LeSabre diesel – full of fake wood and I love it!
make it… need I say more?
Mr Lutz,
PreVue is indeed a well styled “concept”. Very European, neh! Yes, it is. If you have been keeping track of the auto shows it is not difficult to place this one. The Saturn PreVue is nothing but a re-badge Opel Antara concept displayed at the Frankfurt Auto show. Why? Why?
Why GM does not want give up on old habit of “Badge Engineering”. Unfortunately, GM’s marketing strategies have not evolved over the years. Time and again GM resorts to this old tactics. And I think that is one important reason why your efforts are not appreciated by customer and GM’s market share continues to drop.
Why can’t you get Opel Antara to the US? Or why can’t you wrap a new skin with more American styling cue onto Antara to sell it as PreVue in the US. I should not have to remind you that internet has change the way information flows across the globe. So re-badging will not help in building brands. Instead, it will only liquidate the brand equity of those brands. You don’t see a Mercedes, BMW and likes resorting to re-badging tactics. Isn’t this an important fact why these brands continue to leverage from their brand equity?
GM needs to build strong brands and NOT number of brands.
The Preview illustrates that Saturn knows that some small vehicle drivers will pay for luxury and style. I love the proportions and the interior and hope the Preview becomes a production model.
aasheesh:
Saturn doesn’t really *have* brand equity at the moment. They had brand equity 10-15 years ago when the S-series was still reasonably current. That equity has since depreciated to nothing.
The question is what brand equity and brand image should Saturn have 5-10 years from now.
In this, GM is displaying some level of genius, IMHO. Saturn will be Opel of America. Saturn’s styling will be by Opel (and it’s drop-dead gorgeous styling, imho). I would even say that name discrepancies should be eliminated (ie the Aura should eventually become the Vectra, or perhaps a long-wheelbase Vectra should be named Aura, while the short-wheelbase Aura would be named the Vectra).
The question arises, why not rename Saturn to Opel? While this could be plausible, I would think that the money required to change dealer signage, etc. would be better spent elsewhere.
The only difference between Saturn/Vauxhall/Opel (to an extent Holden, and even, in some markets, Chevrolet) and say Toyota or VW or Ford is that the former simply uses different names in different countries. There will be a brief confusion, but eventualy everybody will know that there’s absolutely no difference between Saturn and Opel/Vauxhall, just as they know that Opel and Vauxhall are the same, save for which side of the car the steering wheel’s on.
This differs from historical badge engineering in that the other twins/triplets/quadruplets/etc. are not going to be for sale anywhere near each other. There will be no Saturn dealerships in Europe; no Vauxhall dealerships in North America; and no Opel dealerships in the UK. It’s not like being able to go down the street to the Buick dealer to buy a Park Avenue after looking at an Eighty-Eight.
I am afraid that if this works, GM will return to its old ways of badge engineered cars. That needs to be banished from th face fo the earth.
Reminds me of the SCION TC.
What will it offer that distinguishes itself from that SCION model?
“Reminds me of the SCION TC. What will it offer that distinguishes itself from that SCION model?”
How about: It won’t be the ugliest thing on the road?
Yes, it is a great looking car, but will it make it to production? You car companies always have cool concept cars but the ones on the lot usually aren’t so cool…
I don’t think that re-badging is all that big of a deal if we’re talking about two cars meant to be available on two different continents. If Saturn becomes the American Opel, I think that’s a GOOD thing!
This looks very similar to a Infiniti FX and Nissan Murano both which look superior to this but it is a good effort. Just has to be good quality too then maybe it might work…mildly
aasheesh:
Your comment about ‘badge engineering’ makes absolutely no sense for two reasons
- Opel does not exist in the US. My definition of badge engineering is rebadging a vehicle that ALREADY exists in the current market. Opels exist in Europe. Saturns exist in the US. Now if they put a Pontiac or Chevy badge on this down the line… That’s badge engineering.
- The design is damn sexy. It’s very European (good thing).
You also claim that the information age will make such badge engineering ‘blunders’ more apparent. I disagree. If anything, more Americans will see all the GREAT designs Europeans get compared too all the CRAP we as Americans get and rightfully complain to GM to bring it over.
These new Saturns confirms to me that Saturn still has the best looking GM lineup in the US.
I hope GM puts this on the market. It looks unique to what else is out there, which makes it a sure buy. I can’t wait to test drive this myself!
There is no doubt that the Antara/PreVue concept has enthralling proportions with sports car inspired styling cues and is the best one has seen from the GM Studios, lately, in the smaller size vehicle segments. It will be interesting to see how much of this original concept rolls out into production.
In any case if the PreVue concept is a show case of Saturn’s future product direction, then there seems a major shift in the target audience from the previous years. Instead of moving Saturn in the upscale segment, GM should rebuild the Saturn brand to target the Gen M buyers and likes. That would at least contain the growing aura of Scion-ish brands. With the gas prices exceeding $70 a barrel and a continuing growth seen in the light vehicle segments in the US it makes most sense to roll out some exciting, affordable and efficient small cars and Sport Utilities not only to grab the M-Gen-ish buyers but also to contain Mazda, Scion, VW, Honda and others from populating the small vehicle market segments. Currently, there is absolutely nothing exciting from GM in this segment. If GM is thinking of HHR to “Drive the Motor City” then I am sorry to say that GM is totally disconnected from its customers. HHR is nowhere near in doing what I-Pod did to Apple. It just seems like all the American innovators are now found only in the Silicon Valley.
As for Re-badging, it doesn’t matter however GM wants to redefine “Badge Engineering”, one thing is clear that “Badge Engineering” has evolved with the “Flattening of the World”. In the pre-globalization era, one could more often find same cars with different names sold under different brands probably found on the same streets. Unfortunately, the post-globalization era will see “Badge Engineering” extending across the continents. “Re-badging” could introduce a sense of betrayal in the minds of customers and the Pontiac (Holden) GTO’s success very well speaks for that. I am sure Mustang would have seen the same fate as GTO, if Ford were to sell some Mazda/Volvo or for that matter a Jag as its next Gen Mustang. I am not saying that Re-badging should or could be banished. Re-badging is inevitable in some scenarios and if rightly employed it could be a cost effective tool in expanding a product line of an already established brand. But here is brand that has lost its brand equity and GM is looking for rebuilding this brand. Re-badging an Opel or a Vauxhall or whatever is not going build a strong Saturn brand. If GM is intending on making Saturn as the “Opel of America” then why not get Opel to America. Won’t it be cheaper to change dealer signage etc. than building a brand ground up?
Why should GM have another upscale brand when Caddy is there to stay? Cadillac has seen an amazing turnaround after the introduction of CTS and it makes every sense to broaden its product portfolio to address a wider spectrum of upscale buyers – competing from A3’s to CLK’s to higher ones than creating another semi-upscale/upscale brand. I am no marketing wiz, but this just seems like a no-brainer to me. I am hoping this will not turn into another failing (and short lived) attempt by GM in revitalizing a brand before dumping it. Pardon my bluntness but given the situation it wouldn’t be fair to sugar coat my thoughts. It just feels odd to know why GM doesn’t see what other automotive manufactures see. Isn’t this one reason why GM is loosing its market share?
Well I just came back from the Saturn autoshow in New York City. In fact, GM’s models did take center stage from the Sky to the Camaro, from the Solstice to the Aero X.
The Preview, this vehicle can’t go wrong. What you are doing here is introducing the hottest looking vehicle in the fastest growing segment.
Go for it. Name a person, name one person that doesn’t want a fast looking crossover unless they have a big load. Well then now you have for them the Outlook.
Congratulations Saturn, job well done. With the Aura sedan, the Outlook crossover and the Sky roadster GM’s product holes have officially been filled.
Bon Voyage, Happy Sales.
Bob,
The Prevue looks sharp, it should sell very well. How about an alternative model that is less wagon to take on the Scion?
GM is making great cars. Making great cars is only a part of the solution to have more best sellers.
Even with the best products in their class, GM is missing too much business among upper middle class males whose parents drive Honda and Toyota products, these potential customers have settled for Toyota and Honda without knowing very much about GM products. GM needs to attack this problem head on. Mostly out of fear of the unknown, and what there friends are doing, these upper middle class males chose Civics, Accords, Scions, and Tacomas. This is one reason we suggested new GM dealers in upscale areas. GM needs to beat the singular and simplistic products of the foreign competition more on the margin, a bit closer to home.
The Saturn Vue and the Prevue are the right style for this group. GM’s Matrix promotion gained real credibility with star power for for Cadillac. Why not do it with Saturn? Hummer and Camaro also appeal to this group. The Gen Y and X shop stores like Abercrombie and Bananna Republic. Many know next to nothing about cars, they just know style and do what they perceive as popular.
Remember the Trofeo, the great car that no one knew about? GM has to overcome the media bias and the perception thing. GM can do it. GM should use some star power, celebrity appeal for these consumer groups. Try more MTV and more Hollywood. Sports alone is not the total entertainment picture.
How about creative lease programs for the high school and college crowd? If GM waits until they get out of high school, its may be too late to save them from their parent’s Toyotas and Hondas.
Early intervention is important to change perceptions and lure them away from Toyota and Honda.
The NAIAS should have a celebrity hosting the GM car introductions, not an exec. Have a star pop out of the GM cars. Get a star that appeals to Gen Y and X.
Thank you for bringing a cool looking diesel to Saturn! I was browsing the cutesy, but diesel, jeep liberty when the Autoweek copy hit my desk! A Diesel that’s not a Siverado 3500! I was toying with the idea of a midlife crisis and a Red Line Sky, but the new veiw is beautiful! Love bringing over the Opels, suitably rebadged. Now 2008, add a Golf/Mini sized, diesel turbo, optimized for high mpg and we can contnue with this relation ship. Now, about the Saturn pickup, can we get the Chevy Tornado built in brazil, with the turbodiesel….
97 Saturn Wagon,144k and going strong
I don’t even know what a Chevy Tornado looks like, but I still think bringing it stateside is a great idea. When Chevy replaced the S10 with the (larger) Colorado, it left a huge gap in its product portfolio. The mini pickup truck. The old Chevy LUV kind of thing. Build it with a small 4 cylinder, or a small diesel, and you’ll get truck gas mileage to brag about. Include an option for a more powerful version to satisfy the sporty market, and you’ll have a product that will be another “gotta have it” vehicle. E85 it (that’s got to be easy on a Brazil based vehicle), maybe even hybrid it, and you could out Prius Toyota!
With all the negative advertising GM (and Ford) get, you’d think they wouldn’t have to advertise at all – all advertising is good advertising (NOT!).
They do though. Really to counter all the bad publicity and rhetoric they’ve received over the years. So it’s not only a reason to advertise the new products, but to “bully pulpit” how well the vehicles they make are.
For now I would say that in some cases Toyota and Honda do have a quality edge. But they have nothing on GM as far as design. And with what GM is coming out with, Toy and Hon are falling even further behind in design, from the perspective of this car enthusiast.
So here we are. The foreign competition is a little ahead in quality, but only equal or behind in design.
Too bad the production vehicle will not look as good as the concept. GM always dumbs down the looks & features.
With biodiesel providing more energy per gallon of gas (some 28% or so), and much more than E85 (even less than gas), I vote for a plugin hybrid electric diesel. The MPG should be over 100+, since a plugin hybrid Prius can get about 150+ with the proper batteries (NiMh instead of lead acid). With that kind of the diesel engine/electric engine mix, the range would be insane, the eco-footprint would be super light, and the torque would kick some major butt. Can you build it for me?
Dear GM
I wish ever so har that we may have a vauxhall dealership on this side of the pond. I miss my vauxhall ever so much and feel that my american car(chevy monte carlo) is nothing but a pile of used parts put together to form a car.