Cars
Saturn Ion and Sky Now Included in GM's Faulty Ignition Switch Recall
General Motors is expanding the recall of certain 2003-2007 model year vehicles to correct a condition with the ignition switch that may allow the key to unintentionally move or switch to the "accessory" or "off" position, turning off the engine and most of the electrical components on the vehicle.
Did You Know: The Saturn Vue was Reborn into a Chevy So Exclusive that You Can Only Borrow, Not Buy
From the New York Times: Rental cars are rarely anything special. And that’s just fine. All you really need from a rental is unlimited miles, long-term shelter for a few stray curly fries and a hassle-free ride from A to B and back again before those martinets at the counter charge you for an additional day. If you’re driving a rental, the car itself is most likely not the point — it is merely a solution to a problem. And for many travelers over the last couple of years, the Chevrolet Captiva has been their rental car solution. The Captiva is a rare thing in the American auto market: a vehicle that isn’t available to consumers but is offered only to fleet customers, including the rental car companies. You can rent one, but you cannot buy it.
Flashback Friday: The Legend of the Saturn SL3
The mysterious Saturn SL3 is the loch ness monster of the Saturn world. Some have witnessed proof of its existence, but only a few have seen it and I'm not aware of any photos of the vehicle. I've been told that if you can imagine a first-generation SL2 sedan with a SC2 grafted on the front-end, you'd have a good picture in your head of the SL3. Significantly, it was powered by an 2.5L 30-valve inline six-cylinder powerplant (five valves per cylinder!) that reportedly produced around 250 hp.
Flashback Friday: Saturn Ion·EFX Concept from the 2002 SEMA Show
As the 2013 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show winds down, we're taking a look back at one of the vehicles Saturn showcased at its display back in 2002: the Ion·EFX quad coupe concept. The Ion·EFX was packed with licensed performance and style accessories that were available at Saturn retailers. Saturn Service Parts Operations worked closely with leading aftermarket parts manufacturers who designed the accessories.
Flashback Friday: First Saturn Sold Today in 1990
On this date in 1990, Saturn sold its first car. According to the St. Petersburg Times, the first Saturn - the blue SL2 sedan shown above - was sold just after midnight to Elaine Terry at Saturn of Clearwater. "I wanted an American-made car and decided to give it a try," Mrs. Terry told the newspaper. It was a 25th wedding anniversary present. USA Today and CNN were reportedly at the retail facility to document the event. "I kept it for 10 months and put over 5,000 miles on it. People all over the country wanted to buy the car from me. One man in Las Vegas was talking up to $100,000 for it."
Video: A Humorous Look Back at the Year 2000 and the Saturn L-Series Wagon
The folks at Yahoo Autos came across this different kind of YouTube video of the 2000 LW1 that invites viewers to "wax nostalgic over a Saturn." The review was recorded by Regular Car Reviews. Yahoo's Justin Hyde says the video features "astute narration to a wagonload of turn-of-the-century nostalgia. It's enough to make one pine for the plastic-body vanilla cars of yore."
Auto Rewind: Pre-Owned Saturn Outlook Review
From Auto123.com: Saturn's big family hauler hit the road for 2007, just a few years before the demise of the GM-owned brand. Packing room for up to eight, and riding the same platform as the Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Acadia, the Saturn Outlook packed standard V6 power, plenty of size, available AWD, and a long list of available feature content.
Reminder: Check Out GMbeat.com for a Look at What Was Going to be the Future of SaturnFans.com
It's been more than three years since General Motors announced it was shuttering its "different kind of car" division. At the time, Roger Penske was attempting to purchase the brand and possibly stock it with cars sourced from plants in the US, South Korea, Mexico, or even Europe. Ultimately Mr. Penske couldn't get a deal done within GM's tight timeframes and Saturn was closed. While frantically attempting to keep up with rumors swirling around Saturn that fateful year, I made a decision to rethink the way I was collecting and reporting the news. In the midst of all the uncertainty surrounding Saturn, I began to draw up plans for new and improved version of SaturnFans.com that could not only help visitors track what Saturn news was happening, but where it was happening as it was happening.
Road Rippers Saturn Ion
A few years ago Target sold some motorized Saturn Ion toys that were "tuned for speed." The cars were available in two colors: black/purple (pictured above) and red/black (below). On the top of each car were two buttons. Pressing the triangle caused the car to rev its engine, flash its headlamps and under-body neon lights, and finally zoom forward a few feet. The square button started a caused the car to play a catchy rhythmic tune with the lights flashing along to the beat.
Did You Know? (Part 2)
Test you knowledge with these Saturn 'did you know' trivia bits from Saturn's yesteryear.
Random Article from the SaturnFans.com Archives
Saturn Aura Showcases New Styling Direction for Saturn VehiclesWith its European-influenced exterior and fun-to-drive character, the Saturn Aura concept provides a clear preview of how the Saturn design element can be applied to a sporty medium sedan. |