3 April 2002: Is this an indication of what we'll see in the next incarnation of the Opel Astra? It's the new Saturn ION, the specialist smaller US manufacturing arm of GM. It debuted at this week's New York Motor Show and will go on sale in the fourth quarter of 2002.

The two ION models are completely new from the ground up. Both the four-door sedan and the 'quad coupe' - so-called because of its dual rear-access doors (RADs) - are built on the new General Motors Delta global small-car architecture.

The new models will play an important role in GM's entry-level strategy to attract more young buyers, with an emphasis on making it easy for customers to personalize their vehicles through 'personal accents' kits. Planned exterior customization includes interchangeable roof rails that are color-coordinated with interior trim kits consisting of bezels for the center-mounted instrument panel, gearshift and HVAC control panel.

Both vehicles continue the Saturn tradition of polymer side panels, including the integral upswept 'swoosh' body side styling.

Inside, there's a centre-remounted instrument cluster a la Nissan Primera on this side of the Atlantic.

The five-passenger sedan and four-passenger quad coupe continue Saturn's traditional spaceframe construction. The new architecture allows the ION models to be substantially bigger than their predecessors - approximately 2 inches taller and 6 inches longer, in addition to having a wider track and longer wheelbase.

The Ecotec 2.2-litre four-cylinder engine, familiar in Opel cars overr here, is standard in all vehicles. A continuously variable transmission (CVT) is optional on base and mid-level models - the first application of a CVT on a high-volume compact passenger car in North America.

The Saturn ION sedan and quad coupe will compete in a small-car market that accounts for sales of more than two million units per year, about 14 percent of the total US new vehicle market. Approximately 30 percent of small-car purchasers are first-time new vehicle buyers.

©2002irishcar.com