Saturn projette un deuxième SUV plus gros que le VUE

[G@B]

General Motors Vice Chairman Robert Lutz said Saturn will get SUV that will be "a big brother to the Vue."

By DAVE GUILFORD | Automotive News


Lutz spoke to the GM Minority Dealers Association here Friday, giving a division-by-division review of his plans for a product revival.

GM has not publicly confirmed plans for a larger Saturn SUV or crossover.

After the speech, Lutz said he was not referring to the Relay minivan coming for Saturn, or to an extended-wheelbase version of the Vue.

He said the vehicle will be built on a new architecture. Lutz's description seems to agree with supplier reports that Saturn will get a crossover vehicle on the Lambda architecture, designed for front- and all-wheel-drive minivans and crossovers. That architecture is designated for a plant GM will build near Lansing, Mich.

Construction is slated to begin this year, with vehicles appearing in the 2006 and 2007 model years.

Pontiac and Buick are also scheduled to get Lambda vehicles, industry sources have said.

Lutz said GM is trying to exceed, rather than match, competitors as it designs vehicles: "It is the only way that we're going to get away from this terrible rebate thing."

He also praised the efforts of GM's minority dealers, saying sales at minority-owned stores have grown from $7.8 billion in 1999 to $12.2 billion in 2003. Profits are at the same level as other dealerships.

Said Lutz: "The profitability between minority and non-minority dealers is really at parity."

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C'est une déclaration de Bob Lutz lui même lors d'une élocution prononcée devant le GM Minority Dealers Association vendredi dernier, élocution qui visait à dévoiler ses plans pour la''renaissance'' du produit dans chaque catégorie.

GM n'a toutefois pas confirmé publiquement ce plan d'ajouter un nouveau SUV ou crossover plus gros que le VUE dans la division Saturn.

Après le discours, Lutz a indiqué qu'il ne faisait aucunement référence au Relay ou encore, à une version d'empattement allongé du Vue. Il a plutôt mentionné que ce véhicule sera construit sur une nouvelle plate-forme, ce qui semble correspondre à la plate-forme Lambda dont bénéficiera également Pontiac et Buick, conçue pour les minivans et crossover à traction-avant et intégrale.

La construction d'une nouvelle usine d'assemblage débuterait cette année près de Lansing au Michigan, pour donner naissance à ces nouveaux véhicules en 2006 et 2007.


Étant donné que Pontiac et Buick sont également co-visés pour l'élaboration de ce nouveau véhicule, parions qu'on assistera encore à du clonage inter-division. La question que je me pose, Saturn a-t-elle vraiment besoin d'un gros SUV dans un segment déjà très encombré par une compétition plus fiable et bien établie?

[BedZ]

GM sont partis pour sortir une version de chaque voiture par division!

Quelle est l'utilité? Ils peuvent bien se vanter qu'ils vont sortir <n> (me souviens plus du nombre) nouveaux modèles dans les prochaines années!

[lafe005]

Saturn's Future Product Roadmap
SaturnFans.com News Service · February 3, 2004

Jill Lajdziak, vice president of Saturn sales and marketing, talked to retailers on Sunday at the 2004 NADA conference. She spoke about the future of the brand, the importance of maintaining Saturn's high level of customer satisfaction, and increasing brand awareness through advertising. The list below highlights some of her discussion points. No pictures were shown, but retailers were told they can look forward to seeing photos of the new products at their national meeting in March.

Here's a look at what's in store for Saturn in the next three years:



ION facelift for 2005,
Relay CSV minivan this fall,
L-Series production will end in 2005,
Still unannounced 2006 midsize vehicle to replace L-Series,
Cloth-top roadster with “bolder styling than the Saturn Curve concept”,
New, larger SUV in addition to the VUE,

In addition, a pickup or sport-utility truck based on the larger SUV is also under consideration.



extended-wheelbase VUE
hum..... :idea:




Lutz Confirms Second Saturn SUV
SaturnFans.com News Service · February 3, 2004

Automotive News reports that GM vice chairman Bob Lutz recently talked about Saturn's plans to add a second sport-utility to it lineup. Lutz revealed few details about the vehicle, which he called a "big brother to the VUE," to the GM Minority Dealers Association at the NADA Convention on Friday. Lutz said after his speech that the vehicle he was referring to was not the upcoming Relay minivan or an extended-wheelbase VUE. The larger Saturn SUV, available with either front- or all-wheel-drive (FWD/AWD), will compete against the Honda Pilot and Toyota Highlander. It will be based on GM's upcoming Lambda platform. A V8 will reportedly be offered in its second year of production.

GM's family of Lambda-based SUVs and minivans will be built in a new plant near Lansing, Michigan. Construction of that plant is expected to begin later this year. Automotive News says the first vehicles will appear "in the 2006 and 2007 model years."


Saturn a de bonnes idées, mais le vent soufflera t-il dans leurs voiles ??..