GM Stops Saturn Production; What Now?

GM stopped producing new Saturns yesterday after news broke that its deal to sell the brand to Penske Automotive Group fell through. People were shocked in both the executive suites of Detroit and the 350 Saturn dealerships across the country. Add in the thousands of Saturn owners and potential buyers, and there’s a lot of confusion over the future of GM’s formerly “different” car company. Here’s what you need to know if you’re a Saturn owner or potential buyer.

No New Saturns or Hummers after 2009

During GM’s announcement today that Pontiac would no longer exist after 2010, the company also said it would stop producing new Saturns after the 2009 model year and Hummers by the end of 2009.

Previously, GM had said it would build Saturn through 2011. The 2009 model year is currently being sold; GM generally switches over to the new model year during the summer. This means no new Saturns — and likely no new Hummers — will roll off assembly lines after this summer.

While the end of Pontiac may be seen as a sad day to automotive buffs, the same can’t be said for Saturn and Hummer. The two brands don’t have the cachet or fanbase of the 83-year-old Pontiac. However, this accelerated timeline caught the industry off guard.

If you’re thinking of buying a car or SUV from either brand, spokesmen from both companies say that they will be fully backed by GM’s warranty until either brand is sold. That same warranty is also backed by the U.S. government for any GM vehicle sold through May 31.

Both Saturn and Hummer are in the process of being sold to new owners. There are a number of scenarios for each brand, which we detail below.

Saturn: We're Still Here

As General Motors fights for its own survival, its subsidiaries — Saturn and Saab — were the first to feel the effects of the automaker’s empty coffers. Saab has already declared bankruptcy, cut 750 jobs and reduced production. There are reportedly a number of “interested parties” who might save the brand from absolute closure.

As for Saturn, GM fully intends to jettison the brand by 2012, with or without a buyer. With Saturn’s possible death out in the open, sales have fallen precipitously, down more than 50% since the beginning of 2009 compared to the same time frame in 2008.

According to The New York Times, in order to keep its few remaining customers, Saturn will roll out a new ad campaign this spring. One of them is featured above and one below. The campaign reminds viewers that despite all the depressing news surrounding Saturn, the brand is still here with all its cars and most of its dealerships intact.

Cars.com Reviews the 2009 Saturn Aura

Having replaced Saturn's L-Series, the Aura has been set loose to do battle in the tough midsize-sedan segment. For 2009, Saturn has improved the Aura's fuel economy, but will that be enough to make it competitive? Cars.com's Mike Hanley offers his views on the Aura, which now has a hybrid version and a more fuel-efficient four-cylinder. Read his full review to find out if Saturn's sedan is worth a look.

2009 Saturn Aura Expert Review

Saturn Employee Pricing: Good Prices, No Haggling

The No Haggle approach from Saturn has always been a mixed blessing, drawing in folks who don’t want pressure from salesman while turning off shoppers who think they won’t get the best deal. Well, with GM’s new employee pricing program there are some very good deals to be had at Saturn. While the total savings might not “wow” buyers like the ones available on big SUVs and aging models will, remember that Saturn’s entire lineup has been revamped over the past two years. 

While there will be a more fuel-efficient four-cylinder version of the Aura sedan for 2009, the 2008 Aura XR with a V-6 will remain basically unchanged, and it’s seeing almost 18% in total savings. Saturn’s two excellently reviewed — and Cars.com favorites — SUVs, the Outlook and Vue, both have more than 10% in total savings.

GM Cars Get Better MPG for '09

It seems the folks over at GM are as experienced at emergency surgery as the cast of “ER.” Across GM’s entire lineup of cars, trucks and SUVs, the company has tried to enhance fuel economy above all else, often with significant results.

We can only report with certainty on the models whose EPA estimates have been reported so far, and the ones that stick out most are GM’s midsize sedans and full-size trucks.

The Chevy Malibu, Pontiac G6 and Saturn Aura now feature a six-speed automatic transmission in their four-cylinder models. The six-speed is offered only on certain trim levels of the Malibu and G6, but is standard, along with stability control, on the Saturn Aura. Prices haven’t been announced for the 2009 models, but prices for the same trims/packages for 2008 were $21,185, $21,775 and $20,405, respectively. That makes the Aura by far the value leader of the trio.

What does the new transmission mean at the pump? It means the trio — rated at 22/33 mpg city/highway, up from 22/30 mpg for 2008 — is now more efficient than four-cylinder versions of the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord, which are rated at 21/31 mpg and 22/31 mpg respectively. They even best the manual-transmission Accord at 22/31 mpg.

Earlier, we reported on both the 2009 Chevy Aveo and the 2008 Cobalt base models getting mileage bumps.

What other GM models get better mileage this year? The Chevy Silverado.

Saturn Drops 'Green Line' Name for Hybrids

Saturn was one of the first domestic automakers to add a hybrid to its lineup when the Vue Green Line debuted in the summer of 2006. You know, back when gas was less than $3 a gallon. Being Saturn, “the different kind of car company,” it enlisted a name for its line of hybrids, which includes the Vue and the Aura sedan: Green Line. Complete with a little badge, too.

Times have changed and car shoppers don’t have the time to decipher cute little badges as they frantically search for a hybrid to save them from high gas prices. So for 2009 models, Saturn has officially dumped the Green Line moniker.

According to Saturn spokesman Mike Morrissey, “It was simply a practical matter. As we expand our hybrid lineup, the names were getting a bit long. It's hard to write a short sentence about the Saturn Vue Green Line 2-Mode Hybrid."

Speaking for the rest of the editorial team at Cars.com, thank you, Mike.

As for Saturn’s performance lineup, known as Red Line, that name and cute little badge will remain intact for 2009 and the foreseeable future.

Oh, and if you’re waiting for the high-mileage Saturn Vue 2-Mode Hybrid, it will go on sale in early 2009. Until then, the current Vue Hybrid, with its mild hybrid system that returns 25/32 mpg city/highway, is still on sale, mostly lost in the hybrid-hysteria media coverage. That’s better gas mileage than a four-cylinder Toyota Camry or Honda Accord sedan, but slightly behind Ford's Escape Hybrid SUV.

Question of the Day: Why Do Opinions of the Chevy Malibu, Pontiac G6 and Saturn Aura Vary so Much?

The Malibu, G6 and Aura midsize sedans are corporate cousins from General Motors that ride on a similar chassis. Our questioner of the day asks how each sedan can share so many parts yet evoke different reviews, observing the “Malibu is universally praised, the G6 is universally panned and the Aura tends to fall in the middle of the pack.” See how our editors answer that question.

Why do opinions of the Chevy Malibu, Pontiac G6 and Saturn Aura vary so much? (AskCars)

Midsize Cars Improve in Side Crash Tests

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety recently concluded crash tests on seven midsize sedans and discovered that while they had improved in side crash tests, they still lacked enough head protection to earn top marks in rear crash tests.

Tested were the 2008 model year Chevrolet Malibu, Dodge Avenger, Infiniti G35, Kia Optima, Mitsubishi Galant (which was updated for the 2009 model year on sale now), Nissan Altima and Saturn Aura.

Only the Kia Optima did not earn the top score of “good” for side impact crash tests – it received the second highest nod, “acceptable.” However, the Optima was the only car in the test to receive a “good” score in rear crash tests.

The difficulty in scoring the top rank in rear tests involves head and neck protection for those rear-end collisions that produce whiplash. The IIHS claims that those types of accidents and injuries lead to losses of $8.5 billion annually. Most vehicles need to equip active head restraints to pass this test.

The Audi A3, A4, Honda Accord, Saab 9-3 and Subaru Legacy – with optional stability control – earned good ratings in all tests previously and earned the IIHS’ Top Safety Pick designation for midsize cars. 

A full chart of how the cars scored is below.

This Week in Ask.cars.com

We’ve all heard that, second to the average person’s home, their most valuable possession is their car. When it’s time to buy that car and you have no idea where to start, there’s no doubt the decision is daunting. This week at Ask.cars.com, we answered that very question — where a first-time car buyer should start the search — plus a few more things that puzzled readers.

• Any suggestions for a first-time car buyer?
• Is the 2008 Nissan 350Z going to change in looks from the 2007?
• How can you find if a car is made in America?
• Is there going to be a Saturn Aura Red Line model in 2008 or 2009?
• How do I find what my car is worth?
• What are some cheap seven-passenger vehicles?
• When will the 2008 Ford Fusion hit showrooms?
• Can I get heated seats with cloth instead of leather?