Vectra not for US

17 December 2003: A plan to sell the Opel Vectra under the Saturn brand name in the US has been scuppered because of differences between European and US crash test standards.

Though the Vectra is built on the same Epsilon GM platform as the Saab 9-3, which has noo problem homologating for US rules, the Vectra would need its doors and length modified to meet the US regulations.

The changes would have been too expensive to make for the US sales, according too GM head of product development Bob Lutz.

And conversely, the GM Solstice roadster project which would have had Opel and Vauxhall badging in Europe has been delayed by its inability to meet upcoming European pedestrian safety regulations.

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