One Small Step for Saturn, Giant Leaps Coming Soon
Since last January when Saturn showed up at NAIAS in Detroit and shocked us all with the production-ready Sky and stylish Aura concept, not much else has transpired at my favourite up-and-coming nameplate.
Finally, I have something with some meat on it to chew on and share with you... uhh, that didn't come out right. What I meant to say is that finally Saturn has something new in the production front to talk about. Hard facts, there are few things I like better.
One vehicle I had a hard time imagining getting any more enticing was the Saturn VUE Red Line. The standard VUE, with its boxy, anti-conventional styling and wacky plastic panels was unusual yet endearing, all in one tidy package. Drop it more than an inch onto stiffer springs, a sport-tuned suspension, larger alloys and fatter rubber, give it a front-lip spoiler that leaves a person
wanting for little more, and then add more than ONE HUNDRED Honda-derived horsepower, and you've got a small SUV that is nearly out of control. Nearly, but not quite.
As I mentioned in an article a few of weeks ago (see automotive news section for Jul 6, 2005: The End of an Era: Reinventing Saturn), Saturn seems to be moving away from polymer body panels and slab-sided styling, in the direction of European-inspired design. Of all the Saturns and their awkwardly hard edges and slabby panels, more of a mid-'80s-Volvo-school-of-design look, the VUE is the one I will miss the most when it is summarily "sleekified" and "Eurovated". Actually, it's probably the only one I'll miss. Give the VUE credit, it broke the mold when it came to play and has since developed a couple of imitators in the Element and Scion xB (the latter Stateside only).
Since last January when Saturn showed up at NAIAS in Detroit and shocked us all with the production-ready Sky and stylish Aura concept, not much else has transpired at my favourite up-and-coming nameplate.
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| One vehicle I had a hard time imagining getting any more enticing was the Saturn VUE Red Line. (photo: General Motors of Canada) |
One vehicle I had a hard time imagining getting any more enticing was the Saturn VUE Red Line. The standard VUE, with its boxy, anti-conventional styling and wacky plastic panels was unusual yet endearing, all in one tidy package. Drop it more than an inch onto stiffer springs, a sport-tuned suspension, larger alloys and fatter rubber, give it a front-lip spoiler that leaves a person
 |
| Give the VUE credit, it broke the mold when it came to play and has since developed a couple of imitators in the Element and Scion xB (the latter Stateside only). (photo: General Motors of Canada) |
As I mentioned in an article a few of weeks ago (see automotive news section for Jul 6, 2005: The End of an Era: Reinventing Saturn), Saturn seems to be moving away from polymer body panels and slab-sided styling, in the direction of European-inspired design. Of all the Saturns and their awkwardly hard edges and slabby panels, more of a mid-'80s-Volvo-school-of-design look, the VUE is the one I will miss the most when it is summarily "sleekified" and "Eurovated". Actually, it's probably the only one I'll miss. Give the VUE credit, it broke the mold when it came to play and has since developed a couple of imitators in the Element and Scion xB (the latter Stateside only).