Is this Saturns Next Small Car?

[Charlie]

A new image entry has been added:

[drupal=3314]Is this Saturn’s Next Small Car? Take a Closer Look at the Renault Samsung SM3...[/drupal]

More and more industry analysts seem to agree that at some point in the next two years, Saturn retailers will begin selling a compact car that's based on the Renault Samsung SM3 you see in the picture above. While there has been evidence published to support this theory, it is only speculative at this time since none of the parties involved

[piney]

It looks like a Suzuki Forenza. For Rodger's grandkids' sake, I hope it ain't.

[leogag1]

The SM3 is also sold in Europe under the Renault name: the Megane III. In France, this car is well appreciated. Even former F-1 champion Jacques Villeneuve had a Megane while he was living in Europe.

For Piney: Don't be afraid, the Suzuki Forenza/Chevy Optra is a Daewoo Lacetti, not a Samsung. The upcoming Chevy Cruze IS the new GM Daewoo Lacetti Premiere. Much better than the old Lacetti/Optra/Forenza... both cars (Lacetti Premiere and SM3) compete directly in Korea, along with Kia Forte and Hyundai Elantra.

[saturnd00d]

Looks really nice, too bad we won't see this car in Canada, that's even if Penske brings it to North America at all.

If he does bring it stateside, I'd like to see the car with a slight redesign though, at least with the interior.

[gary p]

It has the respectable Sentra mechanicals without the dorky Sentra body. What's not to like?

[infosix]

Originally Posted by Charlie

A new image entry has been added:

[drupal=3314]Is this Saturn’s Next Small Car? Take a Closer Look at the Renault Samsung SM3...[/drupal]

Canada market closed for Saturn.. who will buy any small car in US ?

[rossao1]

They need to move the USB/Ipod input radio down to the entry level. This radio needs to be on every car.

And the safety sensing window is a must also. IMO

[unkle bik]

Originally Posted by rossao1

And the safety sensing window is a must also. IMO

Can you elaborate??

[MiSaturn]

While I doubt it would be much competition for the new Forte'/Koup, it certainly doesn't hold a candle to the styling of the new Opel Astra... . We lost a great product when GM pulled the plug.

[SaturnOldTimer]

Terribly interesting that this car is actually called a "SUB-MIDSIZE" around the world. I compared the wheelbase, length, width to an ION a week ago. Hope my Metric conversions worked out. Somebody might double check this. What I found was that it is a little bit shorter and still nicely wider. Do your comparisons. This may be very cool for interior comfort (left and right). Wheelbase pushed to the corners for interior legroom. Does a bit shorter gives better handling potential? Just needs to be priced lower if they call it a compact car.

[SaturnOldTimer]

I agree with the prior poster.
Technology is usually the domain of the YOUNGER and less affluent. Saturn has two years to figure that it is DUMB to offer a feature that they would love to use (and brag about) and then price them out of it. Don't put USB ports and bluetooth on, only, the most expensive models. You will lose those younger folks to another brand. In two years, they better be offering Turbo-EcoFriendly-Internet. Up to 5 people in the car can each be surfing the web. Mom's got Mapquest for directions and lil Johnny has chat and Skype with his friends back home.
Only in AMERICA, BABY!

[chillin05VUE]

Originally Posted by piney

It looks like a Suzuki Forenza. For Rodger's grandkids' sake, I hope it ain't.

I thought it was a Suzuki. I hope they don't use this body. It wasn't successful for Suzuki and it will kill Saturn altogether.

[madpogue]

Warning: May Cause Drowsiness....

Yeah, just what the country needs; ANOTHER compact sedan that's built, and happens to look, like every one of its competitors. That'll have 'em bustin' down the door .

No manual tranny? Probably old-school unibody construction. Chain-timed? Probably not. No wagon/crossover. What's the point? Which part of the word "different" doesn't Roger understand?

[davidsky]

Originally Posted by madpogue

Warning: May Cause Drowsiness....

Yeah, just what the country needs; ANOTHER compact sedan that's built, and happens to look, like every one of its competitors. That'll have 'em bustin' down the door .

No manual tranny? Probably old-school unibody construction. Chain-timed? Probably not. No wagon/crossover. What's the point? Which part of the word "different" doesn't Roger understand?

It will likely have the current Nissan engine that's in the Sentra so it will be chain-timed. Most 4 cylinders these days use chains because they were able to develop quieter chain systems so the advantages to belts have been minimized.
Even Honda's L4s are chain driven these days.
No one buys manuals and unibody is better.

[Emanuel]

This could be a great restart of Saturn:

1. Excellent crashworthiness ala the s series
2. Nice looking
3. Modern fuel efficient engine
4. No worries about reliability; will have a good warrantee and excellent Saturn service
5. May well be built is the US at a Nissan plant (Smyrna Tn - next door to Spring Hill?)
6. Penske can specify suspension tuning, tires and interior appointments for a unique Saturn Design Look and Feel.

In line with this last thought, wouldn't it be great if Penske introduced the new Saturn Design Look and Feel with upgraded suspension tuning, tires and interior appointments for the 2010 GM built Saturns.

[98s10ss]

Originally Posted by piney

It looks like a Suzuki Forenza. For Rodger's grandkids' sake, I hope it ain't.

Yeah a Suzuki, Hyundai, and Toyota all wraped up in one package.

Being that Saturn is now divorced from GM and if they really wanted to make a strong come back against GM, and show them, hey we can make it without your dictatorship, all they have to do is come up with a small pickup, like the Colorado, or Canyon.

There's been a long cry for Saturn to come out with a pickup.

[madpogue]

Originally Posted by davidsky

No one buys manuals

Mostly because (1) it's not taught in driver's ed and (2) way too few are built

and unibody is better.

In what way? Sorry, I've seen too many crashed Saturns just on this site, that were repairable because of the spaceframe construction. I wouldn't be on this site now, because my SW2 wouldn't have survived the buck who tried to mate with it a few years ago, if it had been a unibody car. Have you never seen how "cosmetic" rust on the panel of a unibody car can metastacize into structural rust, something impossible, by definition, with spaceframe construction with bolt-on panels? Have you never been to a Detroit junkyard, where the majority of the cars are not there for blown engines or total wrecks, but for structural rust, which started in the body panels?

[GR898SL2]

Originally Posted by piney

It looks like a Suzuki Forenza. For Rodger's grandkids' sake, I hope it ain't.

The Samsung SM3 looks much better than the Forenza. If anything, it reminds me of the Olds Alero sedan:

[davidsky]

Originally Posted by madpogue

Mostly because (1) it's not taught in driver's ed and (2) way too few are built
In what way? Sorry, I've seen too many crashed Saturns just on this site, that were repairable because of the spaceframe construction. I wouldn't be on this site now, because my SW2 wouldn't have survived the buck who tried to mate with it a few years ago, if it had been a unibody car. Have you never seen how "cosmetic" rust on the panel of a unibody car can metastacize into structural rust, something impossible, by definition, with spaceframe construction with bolt-on panels? Have you never been to a Detroit junkyard, where the majority of the cars are not there for blown engines or total wrecks, but for structural rust, which started in the body panels?

Unibody is stiffer, makes the car quieter plus it improves handling. "Structural" rust only affects cars with considerable time and mileage on them. Better to have cars that ride and drive better in the first 10 years than worry about what they're like after 10 years.

[davidsky]

Originally Posted by madpogue

Mostly because (1) it's not taught in driver's ed and (2) way too few are built

Actually, it's because most people live in cities with heavy traffic. Even when car makers made more manual trans cars, they still didn't sell. I personally would love more manuals but I won't hold my breath.