http://img242.imageshack.us/img242/8709/20612080011m3e51fail5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Saturn confirmed today that it will add the Astra compact car to its lineup late in 2007, marking an important stage in its product revitalization plan. When the 2008 Astra joins the Sky, Aura, Outlook and all-new Vue, no Saturn will have been in the market more than 20 months, giving the brand one of the freshest product lineups in the industry.

"The Astra is a great fit for Saturn, with its European style and driving dynamics," said Jill Lajdziak, Saturn general manager. "It also signals our efforts to get new vehicles to market quickly and reinvent the entire Saturn product lineup with unprecedented speed."

The Saturn Astra will be nearly identical to the 2007.5 Opel Astra, unveiled this week at the Bologna Motor Show in Italy. It will be sold in the United States and Canada in three-door and five-door configurations.

The Astra is part of the larger collaboration between Saturn and Opel. By sharing resources from throughout GM's global network of design and engineering centers, the two brands can develop strong, broad product lineups that will attract buyers to the brands both in North America and Europe. Early examples of this collaboration include the Saturn Sky and upcoming Opel GT, as well as the Opel Antara and 2008 Saturn Vue.

"The Astra enables Saturn to occupy a unique position in the marketplace and to strategically broaden its appeal with consumers who usually have import brands on their shopping lists," said Lajdziak. "Saturn's partnership with Opel is a natural way to expand our lineup with relevant products that will attract new buyers into our showrooms."

More information will be available when Saturn unveils the 2008 Astra at the Chicago Auto Show in February 2007.

oh wow another car maker to add this car to their line up how many are there now?

oh great...i love the opel one.looks more sporty than this grandma's ride.

give me the opel one, not this one, its just weirdo, but beh, get the opel one, they are basically the same cars, with different trims and stuff, but yea, still give me the opel one

So they just give an existing Opel Astra the Saturn badge to sell it in America? Hmm...no smashing news, but it's basically the same what VW did: now they sell the South-American Fox also in other parts of the world.
No weird news, GM wants to keep Opel as brand, but in the next years the models will just turn into Saturns/other GM-brands with an Opel badge to satisfy the European customers. They showed that already with the Saturn Sky/Opel GT.

they always do that already, many times indeed...

The first thing I'll do is to Opelise it. This is what i did to my vectra. I'll take off the grille, badge the rear and get the OPEL blitz from ebay.

I prefer the Opel as well because I'm a Eurosnob. They've made the grill look boring on thise one, and there probably won't be an OPC version.

I prefer the Opel as well because I'm a Eurosnob. They've made the grill look boring on thise one, and there probably won't be an OPC version.
If they ever did, it might look something like this:

http://img182.imageshack.us/img182/3128/astraspcse6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Now that's hot! Now it just needs the OPC blue color. http://www.overdrivepc.com/images/logos-blue-hires.jpg lol.

well, its not gonna be like that if it was the OPC verison, it would have little vody kits and little spoilers and stuff...but still looks good

it still looks boring.the opc one rocks!!!
there must bee a good body kit nd that grill is a def no no!

well, the opel [ne just looks fine, they should maybe just add a saturn symbol instead of the chrome bar thingy

ill take the VXR over that anyday... thats ugllyyy....

gm thinks ppl r dumb..if they change the grill we'll think it's a new car.

Ok, got rid of the tacky grille, (But it was hard to get it to look good on it ), and changed the colour:

http://img182.imageshack.us/img182/9986/astraspc2jj0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

well, they just put pretty much the same stuff or maybe some different options or interior trim, but its still the same car...

EDIT:

the chop looks good, but it isnt the colour of the OPC version, looks good though, if you could use the bodykits of the OPC version as well, it would look great i think, but its your option to do it...

lol.. u have a point.. but i think this ir more of a new name, for people that didnt like the badge, if you know what i mean!

EDIT: AIMED AT ZEYKS COMMENT

Wow, a Vauxhall Astra.

There's already a VXR version of this isn't it?

nah, there will be a Saturn Astra VXR later or perhalps, a saturn astra VXR, though i dont think it will be called the VXR

EDIT:

the chop looks good, but it isnt the colour of the OPC version, looks good though, if you could use the bodykits of the OPC version as well, it would look great i think, but its your option to do it...
Yeah I tried but the only pic I had of the OPC was at a really bad angle so it was hard to get it on the Saturn one.

looks much better now..wish gm cud do the same.

oh well, it is still better than the Saturn one...

Ok, got rid of the tacky grille, (But it was hard to get it to look good on it ), and changed the colour:

http://img182.imageshack.us/img182/9986/astraspc2jj0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)Wow. It look much better with the new grill... and the color. That purple-ish grey color was downright depressing to look at.

I conqur..very nice PS Jamsey. Well..it's a Saturn, and it's and Astra, go figure. I don't really like the styling of it, PS-ed or not, although the colour change sure does help. It's just too blocky for a small car, sure; it's nice ot have a bit of bulk to your small car, although it usually doesn't succeed styling wise, and IMO, this is one of those cars. Although if it will bring any amount of sales into Saturn, then it's a help.

they might as well rename saturn to "vuxhall" or "opel". This just makes me think of GMs minivan. LEts have 0992-453902456890346 names for it! But this time, GM could make money off of it...becuase it is not avalable in another name in the US/Can

I prefer the Opel as well because I'm a Eurosnob. They've made the grill look boring on thise one, and there probably won't be an OPC version.
Same here.. I prefer the Opel more.
They looked better than these.. and probably slightly better in performance.

Now bring the VXR over too!

kinda looks like a cobalt exept more saturnly, i think looks bad, dont like it

Oh, Saturn. GM need's to do something about this company OTHER than importing Opels. Sheesh.

Seriously, this is just badge engineering on a global scale. I thought they were past that. Guess not.

At least GM saved Saturns ass. They would have been dead by now if it weren't for the new Opel models and the Sky.