What Is It?
Saturn Aura Concept
What's Special About It?
It's no secret that Saturn's first midsize sedan, the L-Series/L300, has flopped with buyers. With stodgy styling inside and out, mediocre performance and generally subpar build and materials quality, this car was a tough sell even to the Saturn faithful.
The Aura is a big hint at what its successor might be like. Built on the same platform as the Pontiac G6 and Chevrolet Malibu Maxx, this car has a long wheelbase and that means lots of legroom inside. Exterior styling is European-inspired, with a rounded greenhouse not unlike that of the VW Passat and a high beltline that calls to mind the Chrysler 300. Over-the-top 19-inch wheels and Z-rated tires consume the wheel wells. The front fascia incorporates a wide chrome bar that you'll see on all future Saturns. Large, expressive headlamps peer out at the world with determination.
Inside, Saturn designers took a trip uptown, installing rich brown "Rustica" leather to give the impression of a finely furnished room. To ensure plenty of light filters into the room, there's a panoramic roof with four glass panels. These can slide all the way open to provide an open-air experience. As in the Sky roadster, greater use of backlighting and tasteful metallic finishes suggests an attention to detail not seen in earlier Saturns.
The L300 was no thrill ride, but with GM's excellent 3.6-liter DOHC V6 under the hood serving up 250 horsepower and a six-speed automanual transmission, the Aura promises a little fun. Its list of safety features matches that of top import sedans with stability control and both seat- and roof-mounted side airbags.
What's Edmunds' Take?
Saturn is calling the Aura a concept, but seeing as how it has such a pretty name and is built on an existing GM platform, we'd say this car is very close to the production version. Naturally, we won't hold our breath for the glass roof or the 19-inch wheels. If Saturn pulls off the handsome leather and DOHC V6, though, this car could be a legitimate competitor to the imports. — Erin Riches
Saturn Aura Concept
What's Special About It?
It's no secret that Saturn's first midsize sedan, the L-Series/L300, has flopped with buyers. With stodgy styling inside and out, mediocre performance and generally subpar build and materials quality, this car was a tough sell even to the Saturn faithful.
The Aura is a big hint at what its successor might be like. Built on the same platform as the Pontiac G6 and Chevrolet Malibu Maxx, this car has a long wheelbase and that means lots of legroom inside. Exterior styling is European-inspired, with a rounded greenhouse not unlike that of the VW Passat and a high beltline that calls to mind the Chrysler 300. Over-the-top 19-inch wheels and Z-rated tires consume the wheel wells. The front fascia incorporates a wide chrome bar that you'll see on all future Saturns. Large, expressive headlamps peer out at the world with determination.
Inside, Saturn designers took a trip uptown, installing rich brown "Rustica" leather to give the impression of a finely furnished room. To ensure plenty of light filters into the room, there's a panoramic roof with four glass panels. These can slide all the way open to provide an open-air experience. As in the Sky roadster, greater use of backlighting and tasteful metallic finishes suggests an attention to detail not seen in earlier Saturns.
The L300 was no thrill ride, but with GM's excellent 3.6-liter DOHC V6 under the hood serving up 250 horsepower and a six-speed automanual transmission, the Aura promises a little fun. Its list of safety features matches that of top import sedans with stability control and both seat- and roof-mounted side airbags.
What's Edmunds' Take?
Saturn is calling the Aura a concept, but seeing as how it has such a pretty name and is built on an existing GM platform, we'd say this car is very close to the production version. Naturally, we won't hold our breath for the glass roof or the 19-inch wheels. If Saturn pulls off the handsome leather and DOHC V6, though, this car could be a legitimate competitor to the imports. — Erin Riches
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