Interesting article about the death of the Saturn L-series (The Solstice is coming)!!
11-20-2003 | 12:16 PM
#1
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Interesting article about the death of the Saturn L-series (The Solstice is coming)!!
Since the Wilmington plant will become the future home of the Solstice and its siblings- I thought you guys would like this- http://www.freep.com/money/autonews/...0_20031120.htm
quote:
"The official said the new Saturn won't be made at Wilmington. Instead, it'll be assembled either at the Fairfax, Kan., plant, where the 2004 Malibu is built, or the Lake Orion plant. Lake Orion is going to build the Grand Am replacement, called the Pontiac G6"
quote:
"The official said the new Saturn won't be made at Wilmington. Instead, it'll be assembled either at the Fairfax, Kan., plant, where the 2004 Malibu is built, or the Lake Orion plant. Lake Orion is going to build the Grand Am replacement, called the Pontiac G6"
Last edited by johnsocal; 11-20-2003 at 12:59 PM.
11-20-2003 | 01:08 PM
#3
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Re: Interesting article about the death of the Saturn L-series (The Solstice is coming)!!
Originally posted by johnsocal
quote:
"The official said the new Saturn won't be made at Wilmington. Instead, it'll be assembled either at the Fairfax, Kan., plant, where the 2004 Malibu is built, or the Lake Orion plant. Lake Orion is going to build the Grand Am replacement, called the Pontiac G6"
quote:
"The official said the new Saturn won't be made at Wilmington. Instead, it'll be assembled either at the Fairfax, Kan., plant, where the 2004 Malibu is built, or the Lake Orion plant. Lake Orion is going to build the Grand Am replacement, called the Pontiac G6"
The Saturn L-series: Good ridens!
11-20-2003 | 01:21 PM
#4
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Posts: 835
From: HOUSTON TX USA
Have you driven one ?
Originally posted by redzed
The L-series only happened because the Epsilon platform fell way, way behind schedule. They shouldn't have used the aging Vectra chassis and the never-up-to-snuff Opel V6 was a duffer too.
The Saturn L-series: Good ridens!
The L-series only happened because the Epsilon platform fell way, way behind schedule. They shouldn't have used the aging Vectra chassis and the never-up-to-snuff Opel V6 was a duffer too.
The Saturn L-series: Good ridens!
Granted, it's lacking in upper end (70+ ) HP, but then it has a helluva lot bigger trunk than my SS does.
Handling is solid, steering feels tight, brakes are good , seating position is good, looks are subjective, but in my eyes (apparently the minority view - ala the F's
) it is an attractive car.Plus, it has side curtain airbags & traction control.
And, it has a great bottom end pull , and a solid 30 MPH WOT downshift !
To each, their own, I suppose.
We like ours.
Cheers !
Britt
11-20-2003 | 02:48 PM
#5
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Posts: 3,650
From: Indianapolis, IN
Re: Have you driven one ?
Originally posted by NEWBIE T/A
To each, their own, I suppose.
We like ours.
Cheers !
Britt
To each, their own, I suppose.
We like ours.
Cheers !
Britt
). Don't worry about Redzed's comments. He simply can't say anything positive about GM or their current (and from what I've seen, upcoming) products.
11-20-2003 | 03:30 PM
#6
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Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 8,504
From: Ohio
I don't see what is overly shocking about this as far as L-Series production goes...
The L-Series ran it's course, and the new car will be built alongside other Epsilon platform-mates... kind of makes sense, doesn't it?
The L-Series ran it's course, and the new car will be built alongside other Epsilon platform-mates... kind of makes sense, doesn't it?
11-20-2003 | 11:16 PM
#7
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Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 389
From: Racine, WI
The L series is the only platform currently built at the DE plant. Solstice and its twins will be about 100k units total. This leaves plenty of room for another high volume model to be built there. Could it be one that is currently on hiatus?
11-21-2003 | 01:12 PM
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Re: Have you driven one ?
Originally posted by NEWBIE T/A
Our '02 is almost as much fun to drive as the SS !!
Granted, it's lacking in upper end (70+ ) HP, but then it has a helluva lot bigger trunk than my SS does.
Handling is solid, steering feels tight, brakes are good , seating position is good, looks are subjective, but in my eyes (apparently the minority view - ala the F's ) it is an attractive car.
Plus, it has side curtain airbags & traction control.
And, it has a great bottom end pull , and a solid 30 MPH WOT downshift !
To each, their own, I suppose.
We like ours.
Cheers !
Britt
Our '02 is almost as much fun to drive as the SS !!
Granted, it's lacking in upper end (70+ ) HP, but then it has a helluva lot bigger trunk than my SS does.
Handling is solid, steering feels tight, brakes are good , seating position is good, looks are subjective, but in my eyes (apparently the minority view - ala the F's
) it is an attractive car.Plus, it has side curtain airbags & traction control.
And, it has a great bottom end pull , and a solid 30 MPH WOT downshift !
To each, their own, I suppose.
We like ours.
Cheers !
Britt
2. What doesn't have a bigger trunk than the F4? If happiness resides in a large trunk, then you can find it in a VW Jetta.
3. Doesn't some Kia have side curtain airbags? So what?
4. Wasn't traction control a big deal at Mercedes back in 1991? Any Dodge Neon with ABS also has traction control - Saturn isn't exactly ahead of the game.
5. The Saturn's V6 has "great pull" only because the engine was thoroughly "detuned" for torque. The original Opel/Vauxhall design was supposed to make 230hp, fell 20hp short of the target, fell 10hp further in the Cadillac Catera and makes something like 182hp in the L-Series. By the way, that's exactly the same output as the 3.0 liter V6 in the 1992 Toyota Camry.
11-21-2003 | 01:17 PM
#9
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Posts: 3,122
From: Houston
Re: Re: Have you driven one ?
Originally posted by 96_Camaro_B4C
Don't worry about Redzed's comments. He simply can't say anything positive about GM or their current (and from what I've seen, upcoming) products.
Don't worry about Redzed's comments. He simply can't say anything positive about GM or their current (and from what I've seen, upcoming) products.
11-21-2003 | 01:21 PM
#10
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Posts: 3,122
From: Houston
I cant wait for the Solstice! I'm really starting to think if the 5th Gen V8 Camaro’s are out of my price range right out of college that I'm going to get a Solstice. A fully loaded Solstice will be pretty damn cool if they can bring it to the market w/ a blower/turbo and a 6 speed in the low $20,000's.
11-21-2003 | 01:23 PM
#11
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Posts: 1,954
Re: Re: Have you driven one ?
Originally posted by 96_Camaro_B4C
Glad you like yours. My girlfriend really likes her '03 L200 (though she wouldn't get the 5 speed ). Don't worry about Redzed's comments. He simply can't say anything positive about GM or their current (and from what I've seen, upcoming) products.
Glad you like yours. My girlfriend really likes her '03 L200 (though she wouldn't get the 5 speed
). Don't worry about Redzed's comments. He simply can't say anything positive about GM or their current (and from what I've seen, upcoming) products.
1. They withheld the 2003 Chevrolet full-sized truck "restyling" from the Tahoe and Suburban.
2. My local Cadillac dealer still hasn't sold his first SRX. Or the second one they sent him...
It's good to have plenty of inventory.
3. GM puts small tire sizes on its full sized trucks and mainstream sedans. Tiny tires are cheaper to replace.
4. They still make the Corvette.
5. The styling of recent Cadillac models is meant to improve the self-esteem of BMW designer Chris Bangle.
11-21-2003 | 01:54 PM
#12
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Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 3,650
From: Indianapolis, IN
Re: Re: Re: Have you driven one ?
Originally posted by redzed
5 Positive Statements About GM
1. They withheld the 2003 Chevrolet full-sized truck "restyling" from the Tahoe and Suburban.
I actually agree with that one; I prefer the older style myself.
2. My local Cadillac dealer still hasn't sold his first SRX. Or the second one they sent him...
It's good to have plenty of inventory.
Oh, the SRX will sell just fine. But way to be supportive and hope that it doesn't!
3. GM puts small tire sizes on its full sized trucks and mainstream sedans. Tiny tires are cheaper to replace.
Small compared to whose tires? Have you ever seen the stock tire sizes on a Camry? Accord? They are almost always smaller than the tires on an Impala, Grand Prix, etc? If anything, the problem (particularly on the older W cars, and somewhat on the N-body cars) was a front strut suspension that created too much gap between the tire and the fender/wheel well.
4. They still make the Corvette.
Whoa! A real positive response! Are you feeling ok today?
5. The styling of recent Cadillac models is meant to improve the self-esteem of BMW designer Chris Bangle.
Well, you know what they say about opinions (being like @ssholes, which is sometimes particularly fitting...). The CTS, Escalade, and XLR are getting all kinds of good reviews from the press, and more importantly, from the public. Sorry you don't like it, but plenty of other people do, which is kind of the point when trying to sell cars to more than just redzed.
5 Positive Statements About GM
1. They withheld the 2003 Chevrolet full-sized truck "restyling" from the Tahoe and Suburban.
I actually agree with that one; I prefer the older style myself.
2. My local Cadillac dealer still hasn't sold his first SRX. Or the second one they sent him...
It's good to have plenty of inventory.
Oh, the SRX will sell just fine. But way to be supportive and hope that it doesn't!
3. GM puts small tire sizes on its full sized trucks and mainstream sedans. Tiny tires are cheaper to replace.
Small compared to whose tires? Have you ever seen the stock tire sizes on a Camry? Accord? They are almost always smaller than the tires on an Impala, Grand Prix, etc? If anything, the problem (particularly on the older W cars, and somewhat on the N-body cars) was a front strut suspension that created too much gap between the tire and the fender/wheel well.
4. They still make the Corvette.
Whoa! A real positive response! Are you feeling ok today?
5. The styling of recent Cadillac models is meant to improve the self-esteem of BMW designer Chris Bangle.
Well, you know what they say about opinions (being like @ssholes, which is sometimes particularly fitting...). The CTS, Escalade, and XLR are getting all kinds of good reviews from the press, and more importantly, from the public. Sorry you don't like it, but plenty of other people do, which is kind of the point when trying to sell cars to more than just redzed.
Last edited by 96_Camaro_B4C; 11-21-2003 at 02:03 PM.
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