Spied! Next Generation Saturn Aura Caught Testing

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It seems as if Saturn is continuing its pattern of bringing the latest in Opel hotness over to the U.S., as the clandestine photogs of Brenda Priddy & Company have captured another future Saturn testing in the American Southwest. Seen here is the production version of the Opel GTC concept that was shown at Geneva in 2007, with a couple of doors and a layer of camouflage added. This car will most likely be the European follow up to the Opel Vectra, set to be called Insignia, and will likely come to the U.S. as the next iteration of Saturn’s Aura. Saturn’s corporate face seems to have been grafted onto the cool GTC body and is riding on GM’s new Epsilon 2 platform. While Opel’s version of the car will probably go on sale late in the year as a 2009 model, chances are Saturn dealers will have to wait just a bit longer for the car. Check out the rest of the images in our gallery below, and click through the jump to read the shooter’s take on the test car.

First we saw it in the South of France, then in Germany, later in the States, then in Sweden - and now again in the south-western part of the U.S. This is prototype of the production version of Opel’s GTC Concept, which debuted in Geneva in 2007. By adding two doors to the concept, this becomes the next generation Opel Vectra – now known as the Insignia, but here in the States – we’ll likely be calling this the next generation SATURN AURA. And even under the camouflage, one can easily see that the front styling and overall feel of the design slightly mimics Opel’s GTC Concept, as well as Saturn’s new face. Based on the new Epsilon 2 platform, our sources are telling us that Opel’s version will go on sale in late 2008, as a 2009 model, but we may have to wait a bit longer here in the States to see the new sleek Saturn debut. And, at this point we’re not sure if the next-gen Aura will carry that name, or switch to become a Saturn Insignia. Brenda Priddy & Company

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Comments

Borger

All in all, I rather have the Opel badge on it than the Saturn badge, GM should just bring Opel to the USA and be done with it.

BruceinCary

Lets hope the car in the pictures does not have the handling package, 'cos there is some serious lean there!

Bruce

The Stig

^ Word up Bruce

94 Taurus owner

Well Borger ,at least we're getting it.

Michael

Well, once you get the overweight American in there with the Big-gulp, then the body roll goes right away! As does any ability to go around corners, but that makes it like how many other cars out there...

mbslrm

It's too expensive for GM to bring over Opel. And they will have to do a lot of marketing for it as well.

And for some reason, this car's head and tail lights remind me of the Mercedes Benz C Class. That's a good thing, BTW.

Winding Road » Archive » 2009 Opel Insignia Revealed Early

[...] we’ve been seeing the new Opel Insignia (and probably future Saturn Aura) in various forms of spy photograph for a while now, nothing has [...]

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