A weak U.S. dollar has not put a damper Americans’ demand for the Opel Astra — or Saturn Astra, as it’s known here. Opel originally planned to export 30,000 cars in 2008, but now expects that number to reach 40,000.
Opel’s Klaus Franz told the dpa-AFX news agency the car remains attractive to U.S. buyers, even if prices will be impacted by the U.S. dollar.
The Astra will be the first Opel in 30 years to be exported in large numbers to America, starting in January. While General Motors has aligned its Saturn brand in America with Opel in Germany, a good deal of production has been kept on U.S. soil. The Opel GT — which is identical to the Saturn Sky — is made in America. The identical Opel Antara and Saturn Vue are built at different locations.
The Saturn Astra will be offered in three-door and five-door models. Power comes from a 1.8L Ecotec four-cylinder engine, delivering 140 horsepower (104 kW) and competitive fuel economy.
