GM Considers Selling Opel Cars in U.S. as Saturns

[GsiTurbo]

SaturnFans.com ? March 11, 2004
Reuters reports that General Motors is considering bringing Opel cars to the United States, and selling them under the Saturn brand. The story confirmed rumors that indicated GM was looking to its European arm as a way to give Saturn fresh product that was different from other GM models sold in North America. GM wants to craft a sophisicated European image for Saturn.

The company admits that it has still not decided how exactly it plans to get the job done, but one way would be to leverage products already under development for Opel. Interim GM Europe chief Bob Lutz told Germany's WirtschaftsWoche, "Right now we're looking into, among other things, whether Opel conforms to American specifications and where changes might be necessary." The Opel Works Council reportedly has pressured GM to consider the move. It thinks that Opel's absence from the U.S. market puts it at a disadvantage compared to its European rival Volkswagen. However, GM has not determined whether or not it will be able to simply transfer designs to the U.S., or if it will need to reengineer the cars for the American market. Sources say that either way, GM would build the cars in America, and not import them from Europe.


Source: Reuters

http://www.saturnfans.com/Cars/Future/g ... turn.shtml

[Audacity Racing]

woo!!! the new saturn sky is the opel speedster



everyone rejoice now!!!


The Sky



The Speedster

:twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

[jurupa]

Sweet. I saw the concept Saturn Sky a couple of years ago at the Los Angeles Auto show and I like the car then and I like the car now. Hopefully the car gets a nice after market support so we may be able to use some of the engine upgrades that are made for the Sky.

[kinkyllama]

Sweet. I saw the concept Saturn Sky a couple of years ago at the Los Angeles Auto show and I like the car then and I like the car now. Hopefully the car gets a nice after market support so we may be able to use some of the engine upgrades that are made for the Sky.

It will get aftermarket support.. i know several ppl buying one for they're new track/daily driver in hopes it will be something like the miata on an auto-x course

[tango]

I have a better idea. I think GM should do to Saturn what it did to Daewoo. Eliminate the name entirely and erase it from people's memory! The current saturns dealers should be given new franchises and given OPEL-badged cars to sell. Renaming the more succesful of the old Saturns as Opels if necessary.