This article is listed under:
Astra,
New and Upcoming Product
Click your category to return, or
use your back button
2008 Saturn Astra
Preview: thecarconnection.com
Date: Jul 18, 2007
Source:
CheersAndGears.com
Author: Ninety
Eight Regency
Source Link
Original Article:
2008 Saturn Astra
Preview
Date: Jul 17, 2007
Source:
thecarconnection.com
Author: TCC Team
Source Link
2008 Saturn
Astra Preview
Good weather predicted for trans-Atlantic crossing.
by TCC Team (2007-07-17)
by Conor Twomey
2008 Saturn AstraAll the exotic carmakers do it - Ferrari, Bentley, and
Lamborghini, for example. Executive car producers like Mercedes, BMW,
and Audi do it, too. And so do the manufacturers of humdrum cars like
Toyota , VW, Nissan, and Chrysler. Even Alfa Romeo thinks it can do it
and is beavering away behind the scenes to make it happen. But GM and
Ford? They just can't seem to be able to get it right, which means
they're needlessly wasting millions of development dollars each year.
I'm talking, of course, about building global cars. How is it that VW
can build the Golf and Passat and Toyota is able to produce the Yaris
and Corolla and both companies can sell identical all over the world
without too much difficulty, while GM and Ford have never been able to
find a single car to keep Asian, European, and American customers happy?
Ford's best attempt, the Focus, got off to a great start in America and
looked like becoming the company's first, global, mainstream success,
but in transferring production to Mexico it seems much of the quality
control got lost in translation and the Euro-chic Focus' reputation
ended up in the Euro-trash. For the all-new 2008 model, Ford's designers
have grabbed their security blankies and designed a car reminiscent of
the good-ol' Escort in terms of design and layout so a bland sedan and
coupe replace the bold sedan and hatchback models. An opportunity is
missed and status quo is restored.
Not to worry, though, because just as Ford beats a hasty retreat GM
steps in to take up the fight. Its resurgent Saturn division is
currently preparing to launch the all-new Astra, a car that's
more-or-less identical to the European Opel Astra in every significant
way...or so we hope. Rather than importing the car from Europe -- which
it will do at launch, to get the car more quickly -- GM will build the
car Stateside (in Tennessee, we understand) and massage some of the more
expensive content out to make it a more cost-effective proposition for
the U.S. market. However, we're pretty sure that GM and Saturn will have
learned from Ford's experience with the Focus, so what arrives on Saturn
forecourts in the fall of 2007 will be much closer to its European
sibling that the over-diluted Focus was back in 2000
What's it like?
2008 Saturn AstraSo what is the European Astra like, then? Pretty darn
good, actually. At its European launch in 2004 it was praised for its
sporty and funky styling and, with the exception of federal bumpers and
Saturn grille, its basic appearance won't be altered for American
consumption. Fortunately for Saturn, the three-door hatchback (known in
Europe as the GTC) has been styled to resemble a rakish coupe (it's
still a roomy five-seater, though), helping it to poach sales from the
new Focus Coupe and Scion tC, while the five-door hatchback is slightly
more conservatively styled to make it more appealing to family buyers.
(Pictured here are the U.S. Saturn versions, fresh off embargo.)
Opel has also just unveiled a new four-door Astra sedan for Eastern
Europe (they prefer sedans out East) and you can be sure that will make
its way Stateside before long also, though Saturn declines to comment on
that. The Astra wagon and hardtop convertible won't be offered in the
U.S. , however.
As you might expect from a GM product, the interior isn't quite as
exciting as the exterior and what little glitz the Euro-Astra has will
probably have to be pulled to keep costs down (fancy one-touch stalks
and windows, for example). Even so, the Astra will remain as spacious as
ever and will offer a great driving position and excellent visibility,
too.
2008 Saturn Astra Mechanically, the Astra isn't as sophisticated as its
main rivals in Europe, with its basic torsion-beam rear suspension, but
the good news is engineers have worked wonders with it and in terms of
ride and handling it's not disgraced by the agile and refined
European-model Focus and Golf. This bodes well or American customers
too, because Saturn wants to keep that sporty European feel to help it
win over younger buyers.
Refined ride
2008 Saturn AstraI've driven several Opel Astras over the past few
months and where they truly excel is in terms of ride and refinement, as
well as body control and steering precision. They feel agile and
willing, even if they could use a bit more feel and involvement, while
the gearchange and brakes operate with slickness and consistency, making
it an amusing car to hustle along and a fine long-distance companion.
The Saturn Astra's engines are likely to be versions of GM's global
Ecotec four. The U.S. engine is a 140-hp 1.8-liter Ecotec engine, which
proved adequately powerful if somewhat lacking in smoothness at high
revs. A five-speed manual will be standard on all Saturn Astras, with a
four-speed automatic offered as an option.
Opel, like most European carmakers, is shifting towards smaller,
turbocharged engines in a bid to lower emissions and fuel consumption
without affecting performance, so the company's excellent 180-hp,
1.6-liter turbo is likely to be the pick of the revised European Astra
range, which goes on sale in February.
Meanwhile, American enthusiasts are no doubt be hoping that the Astra
Red Line will be little more than a re-badged version of the
howling-mad, 240-hp, 2.0-liter turbo Astra OPC (Opel Performance
Center). The Red Line coupe will probably use most of the OPC's bodywork
and chassis tweaks, but whether it will get the 260-hp, 2.0-liter turbo
GM stuffs in the Solstice, remains up for conjecture.
Frankly, that might be an issue. The Astra's chassis simply isn't
sophisticated enough to cope with all that power and torque and as a
result, the OPC is a surprisingly frustrating and uninspiring car to
drive. Turn off the stability control and you'll find that when you're
not quenching torque-steer and wheel-spin, you're doing battle with
oversteer and understeer as it bounces and skips its way over uneven
surfaces. Leave the traction control on and the dashboard lights light
up like Vegas at night, especially if there's a hint of moisture on the
road.
As with the Focus, the Astra's success as a global model depends on the
American division's final execution. If Saturn gets it right, the Astra
will be seen as a good-looking, fun, and classy little car that will do
great business for Saturn and will also do a lot to raise the brand's
profile with trendy young Americans. If they get it wrong…well, I guess
nothing much will have changed, will it?
