The 2007 Saturn Aura

[Ravenfreak13]

I think it looks great! Normal people probably havent ever even seen the concept let alone know every little difference...I am proud that saturn was able to keep as much as they could.

[Bimmer325]

I'll reserve final judgement until more pictures are released, but until then, allow me to lend some optimism to the topic.

Regarding the above image, I think most of the dissapointment is premature. First of all, the Aura pictured is rumored to be the base model, which would explain the more conservative lower front-fascia. There's nothing wrong with that. Further, the Aura pictured is silver, a decidedly boring and uninspiring color that drowns out chrome accents like the door handles, window surround, and even the entire upper-grille. Imagine a slick black or navy exterior that would allow the chrome bits to really stand out. Silver is the worst color in that regard. The car is also in motion, thus it's wheels and overall stance can't be determined. Wheel-to-body relationship looks good, though, with minimal gap in the wheel well. Nice. Other than the less aggressive sills, the side looks identical to the concept. The sharp crease remains a nice touch. Remember, lighting is also an issue.

From what we can see, I'm happy with the Aura's translation to production thus far. The car is identical to the concept from the headlights back, and we already know a more aggressive lower front-fascia will appear on uplevel models. As far as I'm concerned, the Aura is a hit waiting to happen...Still.

[titan]

NOOOOOOOOOOO!

the changed the sides too much! i liked the extended molding at the bottom of the door!

And i don't like that "extra" bumper piece above the fog lights.

it'll still sell as long as they

SHOW US a fine INTERIOR!

I thought the exact same thing. It's amazing how the whole look of the car can change with just those small tweeks. Overall, I still like it alot. I NEED to see the interior. However, I'd get it in a heartbeat over the Fusion, Accord, or Camry.

[fkh1]

mannual tranny comb? does anyone beleive they will make it?

[Darc Requiem]

Can someone post the Aura Redline production car spy shots? The photo is of a base model and the production Redline retains the concepts front end. You can see that through the camo. Also, the Redline produciton car as dual exhaust, not center exhaust like the concept.

[fkh1]

General Van winkle knows that this is there 86 Taurus so to speak...I have full faith have that they may have toned down the exterior to give us the noce interior w/ the six speeds...just my thoughts...I think this will save gm even though it only will be 150,000 a yr... they will sell every single one.

Edited April 8, 2006 by fkh1

[titan]

A few thoughts. After seeing the uplevel Vectra, I think it's safe to say that'll be the Aura's Redline look; after all, the Vectra's front facia (above) is almost identical to the Aura Concept. What really pisses me off is that the 3.6L HFV6 could have easily matched (really, beaten by a few HP) the Camry's 268HP with a 270HP version as the STANDARD V6 Model. The same engine can do 290HP for the Redline version. It really angers me that a new and presumably possible class leader is introduced BEHIND the compeititon... AT LAUNCH! There's no reason for that. No good stickin' reason for that. GM is wholely capable of matching Toyota (and Nissan) in this field.

[Angry Dad]

Let it be said, who really knows or believes when Toyota rates horsepower?

They lie.

Is there any doubt?

None.

[Ravenfreak13]

Who is ACTUALLLY going to use all that horsepower....same with offroad vehical...90% of those never leave the road so whats the point?

[fkh1]

i am not a gm fanatic...I drive all makes and models and including GM..but everyone i have talk to about this car ...have said they would trade in for this...Euro is big right now...I lived in Spain and this what i am use too style wise from opel...but this will be real alternative...this car will give a little of something that the other competors have...horse power for the altima crowd, hopefully euro tunning for the accord crowd...and good style for the fusion fans...any thoughts..just my 2 cents.

[rueben44]

Why do I feel that after I get rid of my CTS and the Mazda I will be buying a foreign make? The RX8 is looking good tome know that GM f up the Aura! So much for us getting Opel's because the Vectra does not look like some economy sedan like that picture. Where’s the muscle and aggression. Leave Pontiac for the people who like weaker designs.

[Darc Requiem]

I dont believe any spy shots of a production Aura Redline exsist. Just shots of the normal models.

Inside Line, I think was them, had spyshots of the production model of the Aura. They were camoed but you see the dual exhuast and you could see that the front grille was the same as the concept.

[Bimmer325]

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Featu...rticleId=105868

[CaddyXLR-V]

Who is ACTUALLLY going to use all that horsepower....same with offroad vehical...90% of those never leave the road so whats the point?

Me. I have 280 in my grand prix. It's not enough. I think I'm going to buy a cam and small intercooler. I should have 370hp when thats done.

[ponchoman49]

Did anyone here really think GM would keep the lower front fascia and side moldings for the production model?  I know I didn't.  Maybe GM will use them for an Aura Redline version.  Who knows.  I think the lower front is fine.  This is supposed to be a mainstream car afterall.  The front end from the concept version would be too out there for most customers.  Anyway, it looks like the actual sheetmetal is the same and that's the most important thing.  And yes, the skinnier chrome bar on the grill is better than this bigger one.

I hope GM did some redesigning to the interior.  After looking at pictures of it for many months, it really seems subpar compared to the competition.  GM could do better.

What good are lower moldings? All they do is get scuffed up easier and the paint wears off after about 2 years. Saturn made a very wise decision not to do the very 90's lower moldings and instead put the bodyside molding where it belongs, in the middle of the door where it will do some good! This car looks better than the concept in some ways and I like the Sky like front end appearance. It makes the Camry look like what it is, a pig with lipstick. And 85% of the Camrys on the road have the dull 158 hp 2.4 4 banger while much more Auras will have a sweet 248 hp mill underhood smokin those bland Camrys.

[PurdueGuy]

...many car owners aren't interested in "smoking" other cars. Might as well have a version that can cruise down the road nicely, a version that has solid git up & go, and a model that can smoke most of the other midsize sedans out there.

[Ravenfreak13]

If that production picture is the base...then I'll try to buy one...

[Robert Hall]

AMEN!

Actually, I think it's just the Aura front end that looks like the Vectra... it doesn't have the Vectra's greenhouse (Vectra has a 6-light treatment) or rear end...

[Guest YellowJacket894]

Yeah...that pic is more than likely the base Aura. Why? Well this spy photo is more than likely of the most upscale Aura under the RedLine edition, and there's -- low and behold, folks! -- the gap between the hood and crossbar.

Edited April 9, 2006 by YellowJacket894

[Ravenfreak13]

Yeah...that pic is more than likely the base Aura. Why? Well this spy photo is more than likely of the most upscale Aura under the RedLine edition, and there's -- low and behold, folks! -- the gap between the hood and crossbar.

exelent observation!

[Bimmer325]

That's a distinction I don't understand.

[Northstar]

Maybe it's just an optical illusion on the first pic.

[CadillacCTS]

Maybe it's just an optical illusion on the first pic.

That was my first thought about it to. I think the poor lighting and the angle of the shot hide the gap.

[titan]

Let it be said, who really knows or believes when Toyota rates horsepower?

They lie.

Is there any doubt?

None.

Yeah. They used to for sure. Now, I think they're being looked at more closely. The Camry's 268HP V6 number comes from the new SAE ratings. With the old, Toyota claimed it made 280HP (in the Avalon), and then had to revise it. So, the 268 should be a good number; and I still say it's a shame Saturn didn't come out with 270HP for the stadard V6 and around 290-300HP for the Redline version.

[titan]

What good are lower moldings? All they do is get scuffed up easier and the paint wears off after about 2 years. Saturn made a very wise decision not to do the very 90's lower moldings and instead put the bodyside molding where it belongs, in the middle of the door where it will do some good! This car looks better than the concept in some ways and I like the Sky like front end appearance. It makes the Camry look like what it is, a pig with lipstick. And 85% of the Camrys on the road have the dull 158 hp 2.4 4 banger while much more Auras will have a sweet 248 hp mill underhood smokin those bland Camrys.

Why compare apples and oranges? Comparing the Aura's V6 to the Camry's I4 isn't fair... now, comparing the Ecotec the Aura will get to the Camry's I4 is fair... and in I4 form the Aura's sure to be more of a runner than the Camry's comparable version.

[Croc]

I'm gonna be cautiously optimistic here...so far it doesn't look any less than the 95% production that was promised by the concept. Some things have improved, such as the more substantial bumper as noted earlier...As for the side molding and grille...well I am going to wait for better pix before I can comment, and of course I hope GM didn't dumb down the rear by making the production concept's jeweled taillamps flat plastic like they did on the G6. I don't mind the change in the side at all, especially if this is the base trim. Again, I need more pics, and would especially love to see the interior.

[Croc]

now, comparing the Ecotec the Aura will get

Aura is not getting an Ecotec...it is only offering 6 cylinder engines as of now.

[titan]

Aura is not getting an Ecotec...it is only offering 6 cylinder engines as of now.

Really? I thought they'd also be offering a 4 cylinder engine.

[ToniCipriani]

Aura is not getting an Ecotec...it is only offering 6 cylinder engines as of now.

But I thought this strategy didn't work, at least for the G6. People were complaining on how a 4-cylinder version wasn't available at start.

[jrockb4]

Aura is not getting an Ecotec...it is only offering 6 cylinder engines as of now.

While I don't doubt you, that would be a stupid move by GM. For the average driver, the tide has turned from more hp is cool to more mpg is cool. For every I got to have 300 hp person out there, there are 10 I have got to have 30 mpg people. They are willing to sacrifice performance, so long as they get the MPG. That is the current paradigm.

[Northstar]

The Aura Green Line for 2008 is getting the 2.4L Ecotec, but I'm not sure if the Aura will get a non-Green Line 4 cylinder.

[Robert Hall]

You know at first I said I would wait but you know what after looking at it more I hate it. They put a crease in the top side of the bumper. They also took the nice front slanted crease out of the front bumper. It just looks so weak I hate I defended this car so long. Anyway I will still try to wait but it is not looking good to me.

Ok..so you are upset about a crease in plastic bumper...wow..that's pretty shallow. Why not wait until you see more photos or see the car in person?

[Croc]

I don't think it's a stupid move...Aura competes with uplevel versions of Camry and Accord as well as offerings from VW and Acura. If a buyer wants the 4-cyl, then they should go to Chevrolet or Pontiac and get those 4-cyls. Of course, this strategy only works logically when the Malibu and G6 aren't complete and utter crap.

Give the G6 a new interior, plus some exterior tweaks, and it would be fine. Since the G6 and Aura both offer that panoramic sunroof, those two would be the logical alternatives to each other IMO.

[PurdueGuy]

I agree that it would be silly not to have a regular 4 cyl version available eventually, but I wouldn't put the 2.2L in there, just the 2.4L.

[jbartley]

I don't think it's a stupid move...Aura competes with uplevel versions of Camry and Accord as well as offerings from VW and Acura.  If a buyer wants the 4-cyl, then they should go to Chevrolet or Pontiac and get those 4-cyls.  Of course, this strategy only works logically when the Malibu and G6 aren't complete and utter crap.

Give the G6 a new interior, plus some exterior tweaks, and it would be fine.  Since the G6 and Aura both offer that panoramic sunroof, those two would be the logical alternatives to each other IMO.

Makes sense!

and when AURA does have a 4-cylinder, it'll be the "Green Line"

WHEN do we see more pics? when is the embargo up?

[AM6_Cutlass]

I need more pice before I make a final decision, but so far I'm not impressed. The sides look way too dumbed down. The Ford Fusion and Mazda 6 have much more side sculpting than this. I also don't like the wider chrome bar on the grille. It looks way too thick now, I thought it was perfect before. The front bumper does look better now though. Hope they kept the jeweled tail lights in the back.

[AM6_Cutlass]

You wont be dissapointed.

good

[Imaj]

Yeah...that pic is more than likely the base Aura. Why? Well this spy photo is more than likely of the most upscale Aura under the RedLine edition, and there's -- low and behold, folks! -- the gap between the hood and crossbar.

This looks promising

[sigma]

I concur with the promising. More than likely, its just a bad photo.

[Intrepidation]

It's tough to tell from that spyshot, but from what I can see, the upscale/RedLine version will look closer to the Aura concept. You can see modlings on the rocker panels in the spyshot, not quite as big as the concept, but still there. Anyway "fixing" the production version to look like the concept, at least from the what we can see so far, is as easy as swapping the bumper, adding larger rocker panels, and larger wheels. So it's safe to assume that, if there is a RedLine, it will look like the concept.

From what I can tell so far the Aura looks promising, I'm eager to see more photos of it as well as the new Altima and the Sebring/Avenger.

My only question, is if the RedLine doesn't look like the concept, then why did the Aura get dumbed down? GM should learn from Chrysler about not dumbing down concepts. Again, this is hypothetical, and is only relevant if th RedLine doesn't look more like teh concept.

BTW does anyone know if the Sebring and/or Avenger are debuting in New York?

Edited April 10, 2006 by Dodgefan

[NINETY EIGHT REGENCY]

Only time will tell. Looks like an Opel for North America just as Bob Lutz promised.

[Bimmer325]

BTW does anyone know if the Sebring and/or Avenger are debuting in New York?

The revamped DCX midsizers will be at NY.

[Bimmer325]

Oh well, more attention for the Aura.

[Northstar]

I wish GM would actually let people sit in the Aura at NY to compare it to the Camry/Accord/etc. At Chicago you could sit in the Yaris, Camry, FJ, and ES350, and I don't believe any of them were on sale yet. However, you couldn't even sit in an Escalade and it was already on sale.

[jbartley]

if they didn't dumb down the interior, then the sebring/avenger doesn't stand a chance

[vt_hokie]

I'm going to have to vote not. I think that nose is incredibly ugly. I can't stand the oversized, ungainly headlight assemblies, the gaudy chrome strip, or the smiley face look with that grille/bumper design. I think the Pontiac G6 is a much better looking car. And with the dent resistant plastic panels gone, what reason is there to choose Saturn over the divisions, especially if Saturn's still going to charge MSRP?

[Croc]

I'm going to have to vote not.  I think that nose is incredibly ugly.  I can't stand the oversized, ungainly headlight assemblies, the gaudy chrome strip, or the smiley face look with that grille/bumper design.  I think the Pontiac G6 is a much better looking car.  And with the dent resistant plastic panels gone, what reason is there to choose Saturn over the divisions, especially if Saturn's still going to charge MSRP?

More features? Better styling? Nicer interiors? Hassle-free dealership experience? I dunno...I guess there aren't any reasons there. Let's just kill Saturn because the dent-resistant panels are gone

[wiserocz]

All those aggressive air intakes, which weren't being using anyway, increase drag. Drag is bad for fuel economy. Which one would want to make smooth if they were making a vehicle that will get good gas mileage. Such as...A Hybrid or base vehicle. The only thing you folks are missing are the bottom sills and really hard to read instrumentation. Wait for the redline for all of those cut outs to open up.

If you think this car is bad what do will you expect the Camaro to look like with its 17 inch wheels and 2 inch higher ride height. Oh yeah and I bet you think those aggresive fenders will stay also.

When you get done writing a post that says boo hoo. Go back and look at the 1993 Mach "Mustang" concept car. Camaro of 2005 is to 2009 Camaro how the 1993 concept was to the production Mustang. The Camaro will sell plenty, you will buy one, your neighbor will buy one and then you will trade it in for a four door SUV when your lease expires.

The biggest problem here is that GM is trying to be Chrysler and sell concept cars, but these are lame concepts that are no more fantastic than the vehicles in your local Toyota lot.

[vt_hokie]

More features? 

I wish they'd offer the same features on the G6, because it's a better looking car!

Better styling?

The Aura doesn't look very sleek to me with that ungainly nose. I like low profile, understated, sleek and well proportioned vehicles.

Let's just kill Saturn because the dent-resistant panels are gone

What's the point of keeping Saturn if it's no longer different? GM has too many divisions. There's no point in keeping Saturn if it isn't going to be unique.

I'd be driving a G6 right now if it came with dent resistant body panels. I almost bought one, but I couldn't bring myself to spend over 20 grand on a car that would get ugly dings after a few trips to the supermarket parking lot, so I bought a used Saturn SL2 instead. The way GM is going, that's probably going to be my last GM purchase ever.

[Variance]

Geez, that's a bit extreme isn't it? Dings and dents are a part of car ownership (not that I enjoy them but still...). Are you just going to buy used Saturns for the rest of your life?