Red and Green Lines

[Dr. Bob]

With the announcements of new "red line" performance vehicles and the "green line" environmentally friendly vehicles, it appears that Saturn is working toward making niche vehicles - vehicles with relatively modest anticipated sales numbers, but vehicles that fill a specific market need.

Subaru has been very successful with filling small market spaces with its products for decades.

1) Do you think this a deliberate strategy of Saturn and hence we can expect more niche vehicles, or it this mere coincidence?

2) If this is a strategy, what other niches should Saturn consider?

Some possibles - the Sky sports convertible, a 4WD ION, an ION wagon, a right hand-drive ION?

[OhioVueBoy]

I'm just hoping they play their cards right and management doesn't cut them off.
~D.J.~

[Xanatos]

These niche vehicles could defiantely help build the brand, and get more overall sales per year.

I think for now, the Red Line and Green Line badges will definately help those. While both will see relatively small sales numbers per year (maybe 10K Red Lines and 20K Green Lines), it will be nice.

I would love to see the SKY Sports Convertible come out, and continue the Red Line name across all models, into the L (or the vehicle that replaces it), as well as the Green Line across all models.

I've never been much of a wagon person, but there definately is a market for it, and they seem to be getting more popular all the time. I think an ION Wagon would be a smart move for Saturn. I think it would be pretty easy to to a RHD ION due to the Center Console, not much would have to be changed. I don't see much of a market for it however, since Saturn failed in Japan, and the only reason for it here in the states would be for Postal workers et al.

But yet, I would like to see saturn filling more niche markets.

[OhioVueBoy]

Well, as a shuttle driver, I try to talk to people about their vehicles, and find out what they like/dislike/want to see from the company. Granted, many of us here might not like them (I happen to enjoy their practicality), most people are really looking forward to the minivan. I would like to see the SKY and possibly either a large, Toyota Avalon sized car, or a small to mid-size high performance coupe, something to battle the 350Z and its breatheren. With the F bodies in the big showroom in the sky, GM needs all of the performance tools in its pants that it can have now.
~D.J.~

You said tool in pants.

Okay, juvenile moment over... Maybe Saturn is just getting ready for Christmas early. I tease, I kid. I think at the moment the Redline QC will serve adequately as the performance model, but perhaps to compete with the 350Z it needs more supercharger boost and another gear on that 5-speed. Saab makes a six speed for the 2.0 Ecotec, so you could just steal that and boost the heck out of the engine.

Green Line is cool, hopefully they'll put the hybrid system in more than the Vue. And, even though it's low-tech, why not put a 1.8 Ecotec under the hood of a lightened Ion with economy gearing, 5-speed stick and VTi. I could post like five more pages of suggestions, but I'm trying really hard to keep it to a reasonable limit.

I think the naming scheme is kinda cool, as long as the STICK with it and MARKET the hell out of it. Lets avoid another L series name change Saturn...

[fotovue]

red line? green line?

Introducing the Saturn Blueline-

So how about Saturn branch into the Speciality Vehicles market with some "Blue line" Police Vehicles (Vue, L/LW 200/300's, and IonQC's as chase and u/c's?

Not the ones we've all seen on here already-









But these models specially tuned for police use... (i.e. big, bad, performance enhanced models for law enforcement only)

I know, i'm dreaming.

[PAGuy77]

The Saturn "Blue Line" would be nice to have in the consumer market Nick.....

I think its great that Saturn is coming out with vehicles that appeal to the performance savvy, to the eco-friendly, and just your average everyday car with some kick... I would really like to see the eco-friendly make it out on the market possibly in the Vue and the Ion.

[germ]

I actually would love to see a red line sedan,and definetly a ION wagon. Both I think would be totally awsome.

[Xanatos]

Originally posted by fotovue

haha I've never seen that before.

I was looking at it and was like WOAH that looks like a Colorado SP design, and low and behold, look at the plate, it is Colorado State Patrol.

I haven't seen that one, usually they are Camaros, Impalas, and Caprice Classics. Also are usually a dark silver.

[SilverNickelQC]

I am begining to think the same about Saturn becoming a niche company because of the 50k total units of the epsilon platformed vehicle in the Saturn name plate at another facility in another state, if i remember correctly Chevy intends on building like 250k of total 300k vehicles, does anyone have anything current on this?

[fotovue]

Originally posted by Xanatos
haha I've never seen that before.

I was looking at it and was like WOAH that looks like a Colorado SP design, and low and behold, look at the plate, it is Colorado State Patrol.

I haven't seen that one, usually they are Camaros, Impalas, and Caprice Classics. Also are usually a dark silver.

It's a very rare picture too!

That saturn was made by the CSP & Saturn for the Saturn Cycling Classic "Lead/Pace Car" a few years back... I don't think it's still in use- I think they used it for a year at most...