Motor Trend: Penske Hopes to "Use a Competitor

[Charlie]

A new story entry has been added:

[drupal=3298]Motor Trend: Penske Hopes to "Use a Competitor’s Excess North American Capacity" for New Saturns[/drupal]

Motor Trend reports in its September 2009 issue that Roger Penske ultimately plans to sell Saturn vehicles that are built in North America. The magazine speculates that next-generation Saturn vehicles will be based on Renault-Samsung-Nissan models, which will be built in Nissan North American factories that have excess, spare capacity.

[chops]

I just hope Mr. Penske keeps in mind that Saturn devotees don't really like CVTs. Hopefully the next-gen Vue, if it is based on a Nissan product, will come with a traditional six-speed auto instead. (I would also be happy if a manual was offered!)

[saturned1]

Have you driven a Subaru with the CVT. I think you'll change your mind about CVTs. We now have the Subaru lineup and the legacy with this transmission is impressive.

[BobbyP]

Originally Posted by chops

I just hope Mr. Penske keeps in mind that Saturn devotees don't really like CVTs. Hopefully the next-gen Vue, if it is based on a Nissan product, will come with a traditional six-speed auto instead. (I would also be happy if a manual was offered!)

The other brand CVT's are much better than the dreaded VTi.

My disappointment was the mileage wasn't any better than a std 4-speed automatic.

[MiSaturn]

Let's hope that Roger doesn't follow the Kennmore philosophy of product sourcing - write up the specs and find out who will build it cheapest!

[chops]

Originally Posted by saturned1

Have you driven a Subaru with the CVT. I think you'll change your mind about CVTs. We now have the Subaru lineup and the legacy with this transmission is impressive.

After hearing all the horror stories about the VTi, I am extremely reluctant to trust any CVT, no matter what anyone says. I would presume that those who have actually experienced VTi issues firsthand would be even more reluctant.

I may be wrong, and I hope I am...but I still believe that the next Saturn with a CVT will be a tough sell.

[Sival]

Originally Posted by chops

After hearing all the horror stories about the VTi, I am extremely reluctant to trust any CVT, no matter what anyone says. I would presume that those who have actually experienced VTi issues firsthand would be even more reluctant.

I may be wrong, and I hope I am...but I still believe that the next Saturn with a CVT will be a tough sell.

Nissan has put CVTs in hundreds of thousands of its cars (millions even) since a few years back, more if you include the Japanese market. They haven't had more problems with them than with traditional automatics... hey they're probably more reliable than Honda automatics, but that's not saying much.

Anyway, I think the main problem with CVTs is that they sound weird to a lot of people. People expect their speed in acceleration to increase with noise from the engine, but with a CVT, it tends to put the engine at a given speed and change the ratio as it accelerates. That means that the noise remains more or less constant, and leads to people believing the car is accelerating slower than it actually is, even when it is doing so faster than similar cars with traditional automatics. For instance, motortrend once did a comparison between 4 automatic compacts, the Lancer, the Civic, the Sentra and the Elantra*. The Lancer and Sentra both reached 60 mph in about half a second faster than the Civic and a full second faster than the Elantra. But on many review sites, reviewers tend to downplay the acceleration of automatic Sentras and 2.0L Lancer and to praise that of automatic Civics and Elantras (ex: consumerguide gives 5 to both automatic Civic, Sentra and Elantra but a dismal 3 to the Lancer (the fastest in the test!)).

*http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...fications.html

[SaturnIONSLVUE]

I am done with Saturn since Saturn is becoming a Nissan. Nissan cars look cheap on the inside and are out dated much like the Toyota cars. If I wanted to buy an Asian car I would buy Honda or Mazda the only who that look decent, and as of right now it makes no sense to buy a Saturn or any non-core brand cars. Besides Nissan people do not know how to drive next time you are on the road what how they drive. And you will find it is like crap.

I don't even use Saturn for Service anymore I go to my Chevy dealer and I have been a loyal Saturn fan since 1995 with my SL1 My ION and My VUE which I plan to keep for many more years.

[s-seriesguy]

Originally Posted by SaturnIONSLVUE

I am done with Saturn since Saturn is becoming a Nissan. Nissan cars look cheap on the inside and are out dated much like the Toyota cars.

They don't look it, some of them are cheap on the inside and assembled with crap. After toyota, nissan is the next car brand that I can't stand the most

[SaturnIONSLVUE]

If it's not polymer, it's not a Saturn, I AGREE

[sparky741]

Agreed. if Saturn = Nissan in the future, sorry, will not buy.

[Kooler King]

My daily ride is a 4 cylinder Aura XE ... it's OK, but it could use more power.

I had an Altima rental for a week last year, 2.5 liter with CVT. It didn't give the sensation of being as fast as it was since there were no shift points to feel, but it did accelerate decently, better than the Aura.

For what it's worth, the Altima was just fine on the S. California freeways just north of San Diego. I can't say the same for the piece of junk Cobalt I had more recently.

I would take the Nissan over a Chinese, Korean, Indian, or Eastern European car any day.

[Zero_DgZ]

Forget traditional automatics, let's hope they remember to include proper manual transmissions as well.

No slushboxes, no CVT's, no flappy paddles, no computers, no voodoo. Clutch, stick, and gears, please.

[mhl5]

Well so much for owning another Saturn - if I want a crappy Nissan I'll just go buy one of those. I currently own an Astra - which is an excellent vehicle and I would replace this with a rebadged Sentra? No way - if only Opel (the only decent GM brand) could have an independant dealer network in the US

[TXVue04]

I sure hope this article is wrong... Gosh Penske, bring back sexy, don't fall into the boring just another beige car on the road syndrom.