Should Saturn Graft the Front of the Quad Coupe onto the ION Sedan?

[Charlie]

Should Saturn graft the front of the quad coupe onto the ION sedan, as was done with this concept (http://www.saturnfans.com/photos/showphoto.php3?photo=8264) car on display at the 2003 SEMA show?

Post your thoughts.

Thanks!
Charlie

[SW2Muck]

First one to vote! I was a bit skeptical, but I really like the looks of that! Although, I wish they'd graft the QC's front clip on an ION Wagon!

[johnsocal]

WOW!!

I think it looks great!!

Saturn needs to make a redline version of the sedan with the QC front ASAP!!

Back in August I was asking people if they would like to see the QC front on the sedan and this what they said- http://www.saturnfans.com/forums/showthread.php3?threadid=23154&highlight=front

[IONicSaturn]

Yes, I do think Saturn should graft the front clip of the QC to the body of the sedan, I think it looks AWESOME!! :yes: However, it would go against Saturn's way of separating the coupes from the sedans. Maybe they could slap the sedan's nose onto the QC; I'd like to know what THAT would look like. I always preferred the front of the QC to the sedan, and I wondered what the sedan would look like if it were to have a Quad Coupe's front clip. Not to say I don't like the front of the ION Sedan, I'm just saying that I prefer the nose of the QC. I guess this could be considered the ION version of that mysterious SL3 sedan of the early 1990s.

[SkyKingAGI]

I think it's a HUGE improvement!

Ken

[John10]

It looks great but if both models look the same, what is the remaining difference between the four door coupe and the four door sedan? Why would anyone still buy the coupe at its higher price?

[swoker183]

Yes! DO IT! dont even think about it, just do it

[eRic 02sc2]

egad no. saturn did that over ten years ago--remember? the 1993 SL3 was a sedan with a coupe (w/pop-up headlights) front end on it. come to think of it, the 1993-1996 SC1 was a coupe with a sedan front on it. it's madness!

[Twin_Cam]

Sure. I think it would look cool.

[PAGuy77]

I voted yes. I think it would look cool. It would make the sedan a bit more agressive looking...:)

[myoung]

I like it. If I ever buy a totalled ION sedan, I'm doing that.

[Henry_02SC1]

I think it would look great. Looks more aggressive than the present sedan.

[KrgION03]

I didn't think i'd like it, but it's awesome!

If I was in chage of Saturn, the '05 ION sedan would have the QC nose. I always thought it was strange that they had the coupe and sedan look so different considering they have the same name.

[SL2CAM]

They have to do something with the ugliest Saturn ever built. I'm guessing I'm not the only one to think that. Just look at the sales records

[KrgION03]

Originally posted by SL2CAM
They have to do something with the ugliest Saturn ever built. I'm guessing I'm not the only one to think that. Just look at the sales records

Good for you:rolleyes:

[Craig]

I like the wheels they put on it...those would look really nice on my '95 SW2!

[silverblueL200]

I like that much better than the regular sedan, the QC front end looks more "Saturn" to me, more reminiscent(sp?) of the old S series.

[monkeysl2]

Sweet.

Now drop the RL S/C Ecotec in it and then we are talking.......

[Kender]

I think it looks much better than the current sedan!

[VTHokie00SL2]

Looks much better IMO! Now they just need to do something about that abrupt C pillar and the excessively round roofline.

[VTHokie00SL2]

You know, the rounded roofline might not even be so bad if they de-emphasized the roof rails. If they put on smaller roof rails, and did something to soften the appearance of that C pillar, it would look pretty sharp!

I'd also make the back of the car less "droopy" by giving it smaller tail lights, with the lines accentuated in the horizontal instead of the vertical. Think Audi A4. (I think the ION looks too tall in its present form.)

Another thing I would do is take out that gouge in the side of the car, which looks like an afterthought, and replace it with a more subtle "swoosh" lower down, like on the S Series.

Then, you'd have an ION sedan that I think looks pretty cool, at least on the outside! The interior needs a total makeover as well.

I still wouldn't buy one, though, unless they gave it a fully independent suspension and 4 wheel disc brakes. It's the principle as much as anything else - I refuse to replace my car with one that has a beam axle rear suspension and drum brakes!

[Cap138]

Oh wow! I was also skeptical at first, but now that I see it I think that looks great! Of the front ends, I like the QC's better and of the rear ends I like the Sedan's better. IMO, I think this concept splendidly combines the best of both worlds.

[ProDarwin]

Yes. It looks better than the quad coupe. I'd almost consider buying it, provided it came with wheels and tires like that.

[TommyH]

I'm guessing that, in theory, this wouldn't be all that hard to build because of using rouphly the same front end but different skins.

I'm guessing that all you wold really need is a whole sedan or one with a lightly dammaged front end and just the undammaged front of a QC. these cars have been out for over a year now so I'm sure that someone somewhere has destroyed one of these already.

:flag:

[GR898SL2]

The sedan takes on a more sporting character with the QC's snout grafted on. This would not be an expensive alteration and probably help boost sedan sales.:whoa:

:flag:

[Airenping]

I also think it looks better, but lets keep a little difference between the cars.

[Hiddenlites]

I think the sedan looks better with the QC nose, and that the QC nose has alot of visual features which tie it in with the S-Series and first gen L-Series. If I saw an Ion sedan a year ago without any badging, I would have never guessed it was a Saturn by looking at it from a distance.

But I like how Saturn has kept the styling between the sedans and coupes different in the past (well at least the up level coupes :))

[bodie]

Yes and more needs to be done. Sales are way off considering this car replaced the rather bland S series. The Redline is a cool idea but way to costly for most buyers to consider and maintain.

[03VUEAWDVTI]

I kinda like the differentiation between the two models. Leave that there.

[bravesfann23]

Think that would be sweet if they did that. :yes:

[GRRONK]

That would be an great improvement from that metal toothed grill on the sedan

[bennett9000]

They should graft the rear end of the coupe to the sedan. I like the front of the sedan, but the Altima trunklid has GOT to go...

[sstar]

When I first saw the QC, I thought Saturn should have put that front on the sedan. However, as time went buy, I started to like the sedan better. To me it looks more like a Saturn then the QC. I don't think of the QC's front as more aggressive. It looks more sporty. And since when is more aggressive automatically better anyway? The QC has a totally different effect then the sedan. I think they should leave it that way.

[MydnightMyst]

I always thought they should do SOMETHING about that front end. It sticks out like a sore thumb.. Ugh. The front end of the quad coupe is really nice. It has an aggressive stance and doesn't look so bulky.. It's very sporty looking. Not saying that aggressive is for everyone, but it is definately for me.. *lol*
If I had to buy a Saturn tomorrow, and all of the S-series were gone, I'd go for the Quad Coupe or the VUE, but the sedan looks sad.. :(

[Red_Forman]

That's the way it should have been done from the beginning!

[IONU]

The 20 foot view looks pretty cool, but doesn't everyone see the hacked nature of this conversion? This idea REQUIRES new front fenders to be halfway saleable. The QCs front wheel lips have about twice the flat surface area around the wheel openings as the sedan's, so the front fenders look like the junkyard scrounge job they are. Also notice the mismatch between the hood/fender and the door in the mirror area (where does the thin spear that runs along the sedan's front doors go? OOPS.). Im sure there is also a triangular gap big enough to put your fingers through at the front of the door swoosh. This "concept" is one of those neat ideas that someone dreamed up but didn't have the common sense or money to do the job right. This is an idea worth pursuing, but not a "do-it-at-home" kind of job.

At first glance it DOES look more aggressive, just needs more refinement.

[VTHokie00SL2]

I have a couple more criticisms, if you'll indulge me! :) Those side marker lights look a little too orange, know what I mean? Can't you still have amber lights without making them look so, um, amber?

And speaking of amber lights, they should have amber turn signals on the rear! The S Series did, but Saturn obviously made the ION's tail lamps use only one kind of bulb to save a few bucks. The right thing to do would be to go back to amber rear flashers.

But the main thing I wanted to add to my list of changes is the following:

I was looking at an ION today, and it struck me that the side panels are very flat. They don't bulge much like those on the S Series, and that contributes to the "slab sided" look. The ION is taller than the S Series, so that last thing it needs is flat sides that accentuate the height.

The front fenders seem okay on this version, but it's the same old flat sides from the doors on back. I wouldn't make them overly bulging, but just a little more muscular, like the S Series. (I think the first generation SC is still one of the best looking cars out there!)

I do like the wheels on that ION, though!

[matt2791]

I think it looks odd- it would really have to grow on me. But maybe it's a "color issue"- I'm a Silver Car type of guy- show me one on silver and I may drool.

[walt]

Saturn needs to do whatever it takes to make the ION a hit. Saturn needs make the ION more agressive .They need to go after the youth market with performance. They need to be able to compete with the likes of Honda and Accura as far as speed and handling are concerned and the key is they need to do it for less which has always been a Saturn trademark. The Redline is a step in the right direction. Saturn seems to be on there own because the magazine publishes will not lift a finger to help,they always seem to just hold the bashing section in their articles for Saturn products.

[Roly]

No way; i like it just the way it is.

[Fallinpoet]

Thank god yes they should switch the sedans nose over to the QC design. I've had my Ion2 for a little over a year and can't find anything that will help it look anymore aggressive then a family care outside of Stater Bro's. If anyone can also send me any info in such matters regarding tuning up my Ion please feel free to send them to Fallinpoet@hotmail.com thanks. :grnjump:

[scotted73]

Yes, it should be done, if a Redline Sedan was to be built. The current sedan has a "timid" look to it. The Coupe front end would give the sedan a more aggressive posture.

[Elsongs]

I actually think the opposite. Unlike the S-series coupes, I don't think their ION counterparts have a very distinct front end. I always thought the SCs (but not the early SC1s) had a way better front end design than the SLs, but for the IONs, I actually like the '03-'04 sedan front ends better than the '05-'06 sedans and any of the coupes. I don't find the ION coupe's exterior design all that interesting.

[Elsongs]

They should graft the rear end of the coupe to the sedan. I like the front of the sedan, but the Altima trunklid has GOT to go...

I actually like it. My car has a nice ass. There, I've openly admitted it.

But I know what you're talking about. A couple of weeks ago my friend's '02 Altima parked next to mine at a restaurant parking lot. We were having a conversation in the parking lot and I was constantly glancing at our two cars noting the many similarities.

[Rm88de]

That was the primary reason that I bought my QC. The nose on the sedan is homely at best. Do it!