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I'm not a big fan of French auto design or small boxy vehicles, but this vehicle looks okay for what it is. It certainly doesn't look any worse than similar Asian designs from Toyota, Honda, Nissan, and Kia. undefined

Based on the spy shots, I thought that the 2009 Avensis might turn out to be a nice looking sedan for Toyota. My opinion has changed drastically now that all the camo has been removed. This car continues the recent Toyota design direction of combining a bland overall design with awkward and hideous front/rear treatments. Oh well, I guess we can be thankful that we won't see this thing out and about on U.S. roads. undefined

+1

"Perhaps because there is less historical image with Saturn than Pontiac... easier to mold a new image." I don't exactly agree. Pontiac does have more heritage, but I also think Saturn has an established market image. I think if you ask people about Saturn (other than enthusiasts), most of them will tell you that it's the company that makes those cheap little cars made out of plastic. The division even had a bit of a cult following with gatherings at the Spring Hill, Tennessee factory where the products were assembled (I remember seeing reports about these events on the news back in the '90s). To move Saturn upmarket, GM will need to completely erase this identity and replace it with something more upscale. So far, I think their efforts have been mediocre at best. The division's advertising since the transformation still has a cheap, childish, quirky feel that really doesn't define the new mission or purpose of the brand (I know there was a commercial with a stunned customer at a Saturn dealership, but the commercial still didn't convey much about what has changed at Saturn). If I didn't know better and based my perception of the brand solely on the marketing, I would assume that Saturn is still that quirky company that produces affordable, plastic sided vehicles. GM has given the division a nice lineup that is the antithesis of what the brand has been in the past. Why not emphasize the "New Saturn" with advertising that focuses on the Euro flavor, sophistication, and driving dynamics of the products along with their fuel efficiency (which is almost required in today's market). If GM is going to stay the course and attempt to move Saturn upmarket by aligning it with Opel (which I still disagree with, but that's beside the point), then they need to aggressively market the division's new image in a way that lets the general public know that something has drastically and dramatically changed with the division. This link represents the direction I think GM should take with Saturn's advertising/marketing: undefined It should have a sophisticated, international flavor that better represents the new identity of the brand. "Pontiac is a dead brand walking, so you won't see Opel models going there." I guess I will have to sadly accept Pontiac's eventual demise as well as the fact that Saturn is here to stay as the North American version of Opel (I'm officially surrendering my position on the topic). I just hope GM realizes that it has a huge task ahead of them in trying to convince the general public that Saturn has moved upmarket and beyond what it was in the past. It's something that the corporation will need to commit to and diligently pursue if they want it to be successful. It requires much more than simply changing the product portfolio. An aggressive marketing campaign that eschews quirkiness for qualities that are indicative of the brand's new direction will be needed for the transformation to be acknowledged, understood, and accepted by the buying public. For the sake of the corporation, I hope this plan is successful for them.

I agree. Between the picture angles and the executives obstructing the view, it's really hard to get a good idea of the overall feel of the design. It was pretty much a given that the production version wouldn't look exactly like the concept. As long as they have kept the overall flavor of the concept without cheapening out on the details, then I think they will have nailed it. I do have to admit that I don't like the fake mesh treatment on the grille flaps because it cheapens the design, but that is the only complaint that I have so far. Even in these pictures I can tell that I like it much more than either the Prius or Insight. Neither one of those dedicated hybrids have any sense of style.

The teasers don't really reveal much, except that it appears that the next gen Astra will probably look sportier than the current model (which looks to be a trend the Opel division began with the Insignia and current Corsa). Why GM can't realize what a good match these next gen products would be for Pontiac is beyond me. The next gen products would have to be decontented somewhat to become Pontiacs (and GM needs to ensure that they're not outpowered by their Chevy platform mates), but not as much as they would need to be to become Saturns. It's time GM paired Opel with a division that has similar brand characteristics: edgy, sporty, and aspirational. The first time Opel was in the States, the brand's products were sold under their own brand name at Buick dealerships (Buick is a great historic GM brand, but not the first place I would consider when looking for small and sporty import cars). Now GM has teamed Opel with Saturn, a brand that began its existence with bland and quirky budget-mobiles. Pontiac has the larger dealership base and brand image (when it's not diluted with rebadged Chevy clones) to effectively and successfully represent Opel in the North American auto market. Here's a link to the article about the teaser images: undefined

It's amazing how much VW has altered the exterior just by changing the front/rear design. The overall effect is far less boxy or retro '80s than the Chrysler LLC twins. Chrysler LLC should seriously consider an emergency restyling of the front/rear and interior of their versions. If VW can make their version look more stylish and the interior less cheap, then there is no reason that Chrysler LLC can't do the same with their versions.

I don't know if a total reskin is needed on the minivans. I am not too enamored of the boxy direction they went with the recent redesign, but that could be toned down quite a bit if the front and rear were restyled. The VW Routan spinoff has the same overall shape, but doesn't appear to be as boxy due to the smoother design of the front and rear of the vehicle. I do agree that the interior needs a major overhaul and upgrade (as do most Chrysler products). The recent remake of the interiors of the Patriot and Compass is a promising sign that Chrysler does know how to make appealing interiors.

It's okay for what it is. I'm just not a big fan of boxy mini-crossover cars. The only 2 major design blunders that I see are the '80s style door handles and cheap looking black side molding on the doors. I am more impressed with the styling job they did on the upcoming Forte compact sedan. PCS: The Soul isn't the nicest looking thing out there, but I hardly think it is anywhere near being Aztek caliber ugly.

Actually, I think Dodge should create a design language influenced by the Dodge ZEO and Charger R/T concepts for their future car based products. The future car based products need to be slick and sporty, not bulky and blocky. I would like to see Dodge become sort of a domestic Mazda; a mainstream division with a sportier edge. I think using the ZEO and Charger R/T for design inspiration could help them achieve that. The truck design language doesn't need any full scale changes; Dodge should simply continue to evolve it to keep it modern and fresh. The EcoVoyager is not as inspiring. It looks too derivative to inspire anything that would be uniquely Chrysler. I think Chrysler brand products should evolve the "edge" or angularity of their current products into something a little more streamlined. The "edge" could serve to retain a sort of formality while the streamlining would make them appear more fuel efficient and modern. Basically, they need to balance out the angularity with some appropriately applied roundness and aerodynamic looking styling. Dodgefan: I agree with you about Chrysler's cab-forward design triumphs from the '90s. My favorite was the low-set Ferrari style grille on the redesigned 1998 Chrysler Concorde. It gave the car a unique look, at least among large FWD sedans. Just imagine how sweet that design would have been on a RWD platform with much shorter overhangs!

+1

I respect hybrid technology, but I seriously doubt that I would ever buy a dedicated hybrid model until someone makes one that doesn't look like a shapeless blob. To me, this thing is just as unappealing as the Prius. I have hopes that the Volt won't look like either one of these style challenged blobs (Prius & Insight). Yuck! It's a good thing that auto companies make hybrid versions of some of their regular models. At least you can obtain the tech in something that doesn't look like a complete dork mobile.

I agree. All the info pretty much indicates that the Lucerne will become a Crown Vic/Grand Marquis type of vehicle that will wither on the vine and be unceremoniously dumped. Unlike many people, I like the exterior style of the Lucerne (as long as it doesn't have the Super's awkward looking grille). If they made foglights, HID headlights, and LED taillights standard on all trim levels, the exterior would be good to go (I also prefer the all chrome grille to the blacked out version). The interior needs an Invicta-esque type makeover (or MKS-type makeover) and the engine/trans needs to be upgraded to the DI 3.6 liter V6/6 speed trans combo. These changes would make the vehicle quite competitive for the forseeable future if GM plans on letting it remain on the market without a significant redesign or replacement. Unfortunately, GM apparently doesn't have the resources to accomplish this and bring smaller, more fuel efficient products to market simultaneously. As much as I hate to admit it, upgrading this product is simply not a priority at this time. If I had my preference, I would like to see GM develop a shorter next gen flagship (maybe around 198 inches in length) on an updated/improved version of the G-body for Buick that would utilize some of the design cues found on the recent Riviera and Invicta concept cars. The engine listed in the paragraph above would be perfect for this car. A Chevy version (with distinct exterior/interior design and the regular 3.6 liter V6/6 speed auto trans combo as the standard engine) could replace the W-body Impala. Both cars would receive shorter bodies that would be more tautly stretched over the mechanicals. This wouldn't exactly make up for the cancellation of the Zeta based products, but it would be an improvement over what is currently there (especially the W-body Impala).

Unfortunately, GM doesn't have the money to do this now (although I don't understand their excuse when they did have the money to do it). At the risk of being repetitive, this is why Pontiac should be aligned with Opel instead of Saturn. Opel represents what Pontiac should be: edgier, sportier, more stylish, and more upscale than Chevrolet. The Insignia and next gen Corsa and Astra would be perfect products to elevate Pontiac back to its rightful place as a bridge between Chevrolet and Buick in GM's brand hierarchy (the three products would need to be augmented by a couple of RWD car products to complete the lineup). The next gen Meriva, Zafira, and Antara could be added to the Terrain and Acadia crossovers to transform GMC into a more market appropriate MPV/crossover brand to complement Pontiac's car lineup (GM would move Buick up to join Cadillac as a FWD luxury vehicle companion brand to Cadillac's RWD luxury car lineup after selling Saab and Hummer). This would make Pontiac/GMC a desirable and competent midmarket dealer network. The 2 brands still have the market image and larger dealership base to make it a successful and prosperous proposition for GM. The transition should begin by the Insignia sedan and wagon replacing the G6 sedan in Pontiac's lineup (I would like to see this car badged as a "Grand Prix", Pontiac should revert back to some of its racy model names from the past to attempt to inject some passion back into its products; the G-numeric model designation system is just too sterile and clinical for Pontiac). Each time a next gen Opel product reaches the market, a North American built replica should take its place in the lineup for either Pontiac or GMC. If GM does this, what would they do with poor Saturn? I say shut it down (GM doesn't need 2 affordable divisions) or give it mildly restyled Chevy products. Saturn basically appeals to people who want an affordable GM product but don't want to be seen driving a Chevy. To satisfy the needs of this customer, why not take a Chevy product, give it a significantly restyled front/rear treatment and interior, and slap a Saturn badge and model name on it. GM did this in the past to successfully differentiate the last gen Grand Am from the Alero. To the casual observer, the 2 cars were distinct and different products (of course, enthusiasts knew better). Why not duplicate this formula to create products for Saturn? After the Cruze and next gen Malibu are introduced to the public they could be followed by their Saturn counterparts about 6 months later. Opel's market potential shouldn't be wasted on Saturn. It should be reserved for the 2 brands that have the heritage and dealership base to properly represent and sell Opel's intrinsic brand qualities in the U.S. market: Pontiac and GMC. I apologize for my repetitiveness on this issue, but I wished GM would realize how lucrative this plan would be for Pontiac/GMC and the corporation in general. These 2 historic North American GM brands shouldn't be disrespected and diluted with blatant Chevy clone products any longer! Stop the insanity!

I hope you didn't think I was dissing GM or calling them jurassic. That's not what I meant and I hope it didn't come across that way. What I meant by what I said is that any new or redesigned products going forward should embrace current or future tech in order to maintain GM's modernized perception. I think they have done this so far (aren't they even installing a 6 speed auto in the Cruze which would be a first for a mainstream compact sedan). If they were to offer redesigned G-body sedans, I would expect to see them with the modern tech (a new or redesigned product with old tech would just be giving the naysayers more ammo to diss the company). It would be nice to see the 3.6 DI V6/6 speed auto show up in the current Lucerne, but this is not a priority (especially considering GM's currently precarious financial state; they need to focus on ensuring that their upcoming products are superb).

I have heard so many conflicting things about Alpha that I am more than a little confused about it. I have a few questions about it that can hopefully be answered from someone who has the inside scoop (like PCS). 1) What size classes can this platform cover? I've heard rumors that it can be utilized as a platform for everything from small roadsters to midsize cars. 2) Is the platform that flexible? 3)I know it is supposed to underpin a sub-CTS compact sedan for Cadillac. Will that compact Cadillac line be expanded to include a coupe or wagon? What other products will it be used for? The only thing I can tell for sure is that Alpha is a RWD platform that slots under the Zeta and Sigma RWD platforms for GM. Other than that, everything else is a little cloudy.

I thought the Impala would have the 3.6 liter V6 as standard and the direct injection version as optional. I agree with you that the direct injection version should be standard on the Buick G-body (I would prefer a name change, "LeSabre" would be my pick since it has a lot of market recognition). I would maybe add a turbocharger to the direct injection version for an upper trim level of the Buick. GM needs to quit compromising their future products with old tech. They need to appear as though they are modern and competitive in the market and old tech compromises this perception. I don't want GM to be the oversized dinosaur in the market anymore.

I understand the logic in switching the next gen Escalade to a car platform, but why not base it on Sigma or Sigma-Zeta (if GM is still planning on producing this platform merger) instead of Lambda? I know Lexus has been successful with their FWD crossover, but I thought Cadillac was gunning for the luxury big boys (BMW and Mercedes) instead of Lexus. To me, a properly executed Sigma based crossover would make a more appropriate flagship utility vehicle for Cadillac.

I agree with you. I think Buick would still have a competitive large sedan if they would create a redesign on an updated version of the G-body with a more modern and competitive engine/trans combo. However, I would like to see the Pontiac flagship sedan remain RWD (I know, fat chance in that happening). A G-body replacement for the W-body Impala would be nice, though.

The way GM treats Pontiac, I wouldn't be surprised if they keep producing the current version until they can align the next gen version with the Eps II based Malibu. Since the subcompact and compact Pontiacs will be twin-nostrilized Chevys, why not have the midsize product follow the same pattern? Pontiac could be so much more if GM would open their eyes. Instead, the brand will be diluted to within an inch of its existence with rebadged Chevys. Although I know it will never happen, this is why I would still like to see Pontiac aligned with Opel. Opel's products seem to be sportier, edgier, and more aspirational than their Chevy counterparts and could be used to restore a little luster and attitude back to the Pontiac brand image. The Insignia and next gen Corsa/Astra would make nice products that could effectively straddle the line between fuel efficiency and sportiness for Pontiac (maybe augmented with a coupe of RWD products to complete the lineup). Instead, GM prefers to foolishly waste Opel's North American potential on Saturn. Saturn is nothing more than a mainstream alternative to Chevy for people who want an affordable GM without the perceived stigma of the Chevrolet badge. It will never be perceived as anything but an affordable brand in the market (Despite GM's half-baked, mediocre attempts to move it upmarket). Why not give this brand significantly restyled Chevy products (altered front/rear and interior designs) and use Opel to restore Pontiac to its rightful place as the aspirational bridge between Chevy and Buick? Pontiac still somewhat has the brand image and a much large dealership base for this to be a successful venture for both Pontiac and GM. PCS: I know this is not planned and will never happen. It's just a suggestion. I know it is and will continue to be an unrealized dream (just as much as my first preference of Pontiac receiving an all RWD lineup). It would just be nice to see GM give some respect and preference to Pontiac (a brand that has much more heritage with GM) for a change instead of trying to make Saturn (an unncecessary measure by GM to appeal to import shoppers instead of just simply investing money to make improved products) something it's not and was never intended to be. I do respect your insight and connections to the inner workings of GM and I appreciate you letting us all know what's up. At least I am not too surprised or shocked when another rebadged Chevy shows up in Pontiac's showroom.

Ditto

So basically GM is content to let the brand drown in mediocrity with twin-nostrilized Chevy clones until the inevitable day arrives when they pull the plug on it. That's a shame. Pontiac has a lot of potential that could be realized if GM would give it rebadged and slightly altered North American built Opel products. Opel cars (Corsa, Tigra, Astra, Insignia) would have given the brand some products that have a proper balance between fuel efficiency, sportiness, and moderately premium aspirations (basically, the qualities that Pontiac should have today). The cars would have required some slight decontenting and alterations to be successful as both Pontiacs and moderately premium cars in North America, but I believe those changes would have been less dramatic for Pontiac than they have been for Saturn. Even the next generation Opel MPVs and Antara crossover would have made nice additions to the Terrain and Acadia in GMC's lineup if GM wanted to transform the brand and move it out of the rapidly shrinking truck/SUV segment. I think Opel is totally wasted on Saturn. Saturn's existence began as a quirky "cheap and cheerful" car division and that perception of Saturn will never change no matter how many Opels (either "real" like the Astra, Vue, and Sky or "faux" like the Aura and Outlook) GM stuffs in its product portfolio. Saturn shoppers aren't looking for anything edgy, sporty, or aspirational; they are looking for an affordable GM product that isn't badged as a Chevy. It seems to me that these customers would be just as satisfied with significantly modified Chevy products as they would be with altered Opels. In fact, they would probably be much happier since the products would be closer to the budget price points that Saturn shoppers value as a top priority. This situation should start when the Cruze hits the U.S. market. GM should introduce a significantly altered version for Saturn (completely revised front/rear and interior design) maybe six months after the introduction of the Cruze. If GM is under the impression that it needs 2 brands to cover the mainstream affordable volume end of the market, this seems like the direction they should go (which seems like it wouldn't be necessary if GM would just focus on making Chevy strong and competitive). From the way your post was submitted, I am assuming this is totally out of the question (no matter how much it makes sense). I could really come to terms with GM abandoning the all RWD lineup (hopefully not completely abandoned) for Pontiac if they would substitute some of it with something besides rebadged Chevy clones and reworked Toyota products. GM has the opportunities (Saturn as an alternative volume brand to Chevy and Pontiac as a moderately premium sporty brand), but they have their product strategies severely mixed up to take advantage of these opportunities.

Opel products should be exclusive to Pontiac/GMC. Opels were sold through Buick dealerships the last time around and didn't sell very well. I have a lot of respect for Buick, but it is not the first place I would go to look for a sporty, Euro derived product. I would give the G8 ST a Camaro inspired front end treatment and have it join the Camaro and Corvette as the El Camino in a sort of Chevrolet "Performance Legends" type of setup, at least in North America. GMC products need to become sleeker and sportier to complement the Opel derived Pontiac car lineup. Chevrolet can competently handle the shrinking truck/SUV segment on its own. I don't think GM needs 4 divisions (Chevy, GMC, Hummer, and Cadillac) to cover this segment anymore; this segment's time in the spotlight is over and it's time to move on.

Well said. I totally agree. GM doesn't have their North American brands any better defined or positioned than before. I know I have submitted this before, but I'm going to do it again and attach some reasons for it. For the most part, the product strategies of Saturn and Pontiac/GMC should be refined and flipflopped. I don't think GM is trying to move Saturn upmarket as much as they are trying to transform it into a mainstream division to appeal to Asian import brand shoppers that consider Chevy to be tarnished and taboo. If that is the case, why not give this brand restyled or reimagined Chevy clone vehicles. I think the last gen Grand Am/Alero siblings should be the inspiration for the pattern that GM should use for Chevy and Saturn. The last gen Grand Am/Alero siblings shared the basic overall shape, but had unique front/rear designs, different side detailing, and distinct interior designs. Although the two cars shared the same overall basic shape, the differences were significant enough that I think almost everyone except enthusiasts looked at them as two distinct cars. If this is the corporation's true intentions for Saturn, I think they should stop wasting Opel's potential on this brand and take the route I suggested above to supply Saturn with its future products. I think the desire to make Saturn a mainstream Asian import fighter is the main reason the brand will not receive the Insignia, but will instead receive "its own car" as Mr. Lutz has claimed. The Insignia is a stunningly beautiful car, but it's not mainstream volume midsize sedan material. The Insignia is built on the SWB Epsilon II platform and has "4-door coupe styling" proportions that limit passenger and cargo space which would make it a segment bench warmer in the mainstream volume midsize sedan segment (sort of like the first gen Mazda6 or the first two generations of the Nissan Altima). I think the next gen Aura will have much more in common with the next gen Malibu than it will with the Insignia. It will be built on the LWB Epsilon II platform and have a shape that will allow it to offer the amount of passenger/cargo space that is demanded by mainstream volume midsize sedan customers. The only items that the next gen Aura will share with the Insignia is the new Opel brand headlights/taillights/ grille and possibly the new boomerang shaped side character line. It will essentially be what the current Aura is, a reimagined Malibu decorated with Opel brand styling cues. I think Opel has so much more to offer GM's North American operations than to be diluted to appeal to affordable mainstream shoppers who think they are above driving a Chevy badged vehicle. If you think I'm off-base about GM's intentions for Saturn, allow me to submit a quote from a representative of GM's Global Brand Studio: "Saturn attracts buyers who wouldn't touch a Chevy or Pontiac with a 10-foot-pole..." This indicates that GM doesn't intend for Saturn to be anything more than an affordable mainstream volume alternative to Chevy. According to the description in the above quote, Saturn customers are not necessarily looking for something more cutting edge, premium, or sportier than Chevy. They are just looking for something that doesn't have the Chevy badge attached to it. This is why I think the product strategy I submitted above would be more effective in providing Saturn with future products. I don't think GM should follow the direct rebadge cloning path that it has utilized to give Pontiac the G3, G5, and Torrent. If it does, then Saturn will become as irrelevant in the market as Pontiac or Mercury. I do think that the pattern that GM utilized to create the Grand Am/Alero siblings in the late '90s could be an effective way to supply Saturn with future products though. When Saturn's products are replaced with next gen versions, GM should use the Grand Am/Alero siblings restyling example to create these products: Saturn Subcompact=Chevy Aveo, Saturn Astra=Chevy Cruze, Saturn Aura=Chevy Malibu, Saturn Vue=Chevy Captiva, Saturn Outlook=Chevy Traverse, Saturn MPV=Chevy MPV, etc. With this product strategy in place for Saturn, GM could then use Opel to reinvigorate Pontiac. To me, Opel is a great match for what Pontiac should be in the North American auto market: edgier, sportier, and premium. Opel's products are not necessarily suited for the volume portion of the U.S. market, but they would make good additions to a lineup for a brand that has sportier aspirations. The exterior/interior design should pretty much remain unaltered (except for the badging, grille, and model names). The details (engines, features, and ergonomics) need to be tweaked to better align the vehicles with North American perceptions of sporty premium products (hopefully to avoid repeating the failure of the current Astra in the U.S.). The vehicles may need to be slightly and carefully decontented to fit in Pontiac's price range (higher than Chevy/Saturn, but less than Buick/Saab) without giving off a cheap impression. The money for the basic engineering and design have already been spent to sell these products in Europe, there is no reason GM couldn't tweak the vehicles to build and sell in North America as long as they are placed in the appropriate division's product portfolio. The products could restore the sporty and moderately premium luster back to the Pontiac division. To me, aligning Pontiac with Opel (and Holden) would help GM position the brand to mesh with the image proposed by GM's Global Brand Studio: "A Pontiac will be designed for the nightlife, too, but for a fashion-forward agenda with pounding bass and flashing strobes." According to this description, Pontiac should be for people who value style and sportiness over maximum interior volume or ultimate affordability. Rebadged Opel products would better fit this description than twin-nostrilized Chevy clone products. So basically, Pontiac's future lineup would look like this: Pontiac Fiero=Next gen Opel Corsa, Pontiac LeMans=Next gen Opel Astra, Pontiac Grand Prix=Opel Insignia, Pontiac Bonneville=Downsized next gen Holden Commodore, Pontiac Solstice=Opel GT (if there is a next generation). Since the truck/SUV segment is rapidly shrinking, GM could use some of Opel's products to transform GMC into a sporty and premium MPV/crossover division to complement Pontiac: GMC Meriva=Next gen Opel Meriva MPV, GMC Zafira=Next gen Opel Zafira MPV, GMC Antara=Next gen Opel Antara crossover, GMC Vectra=Renamed GMC Terrain midsize crossover These 4 products could be added to the Acadia crossover to create GMC's new lineup. For this to work, GM needs to combine Buick with Cadillac to form the luxury dealer network so that there is no perceived product overlapp between Buick and Pontiac/GMC. Hummer would be sold. Saab could remain in the luxury dealer network with Buick/Cadillac, become the luxury member of a Pontiac/GMC/Saab import focused dealer network, or be sold off like Hummer to raise some revenue to implement this restructuring plan.

I totally agree. If Buick is supposedly headed for a "renaissance", then why not resurrect a historic name from the brand's past to inform the public of the brand's triumphant revitalization. There's just something about the "Invicta" name that makes me think that Buick is more than ready for its place in the spotlight again. "LaCrosse" just doesn't carry the same impact for some reason (maybe because the current car is so lame). I realize that Chevy worked wonders turning the "Malibu" name around with the 2008 model, but that was a historic Chevy model name. "LaCrosse" is not historic and not really a model name worth attempting to transform. In this case, GM has a justifiable reason to change the model name. Actually, it shouldn't surprise any of us that GM would drop the ball on this. Saturn's transformation was poorly executed and mismanaged. The marketing and advertising for this brand and its new products do little to notify the public that anything drastic has changed at Saturn (except for the lame and cheap looking commmercial of a stunned customer's reaction at a Saturn dealership - Wow! How original and impactful; NOT!!!!). The advertising is just as quirky and dorky as before and doesn't really encourage me to visit a Saturn dealership to check out their great new products. The best we can hope for at this point is that the car is well executed and competitive. Almost everything about this car has been quite promising so far.