When the re-badged Opel Astra finally hits U.S. shores as the Saturn Astra next month, General Motors will likely have an instant sales hit. However, the Astra can already be deemed a success for GM, even before the car rolls into Saturn showrooms. By using the current Opel Astra as a base, GM saved $900 million in the development of the Saturn Astra.
“Its adaptation to American requirements cost less than $100 million,” GM vice chairman told Automotive News.
Lutz also indicated that Opel and Saturn will continue to share models. “In the future, Opel and Saturn will share about 90 percent of their model portfolios,” he said.
The brands also share the Saturn Sky/Opel GT and the Saturn Vue/Opel Antara.
The Saturn Astra will be built along side the Opel Astra and GM’s Antwerp, Belgium plant. The Detroit automaker expects to sell about 45,000 examples of the Saturn Astra annually.
