In yet another dismal sales month here in the U.S., General Motors actually did better than many companies with only a 15.8 percent drop in September compared to last year. There were even some bright spots in the numbers with the Malibu being up 192 percent and the Vibe jumping 91.1 percent. GM's hybrid models are also continuing to gain ground with 1,957 units moved during the month. The combined total of Tahoe and Yukon Two-Mode Hybrids topped 1,000 for the first time and the Malibu and Vue mild hybrids held steady at 382 and 443 respectively. The new Escalade hybrid still hasn't climbed into triple digits and the Saturn Aura still doesn't seem to be more than an afterthought with 31 sales. All together, GM has sold 9,053 hybrids through nine months. That doesn't go far toward offsetting the 50 percent drop in sales of the normal Tahoe and Yukon, but it's a start.

Related:

• In the AutoblogGreen Garage: 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid Limited FWD
• In the AutoblogGreen Garage: 2008 Saturn Vue Green Line Hybrid
• In the AutoblogGreen Garage: 2008 Chevy Tahoe Two-Mode Hybrid
• In the AutoblogGreen Garage: 2008 Chevrolet Malibu LTZ and Hybrid

[Source: General Motors]

click for a high res gallery of the teasers

We're still a month away from the Paris Motor Show which alternates every other year with the Frankfurt Motor Show. Nonetheless, GM has released some teaser images of the next-generation Astra which won't appear until Frankfurt in 2009. We've been seeing spy shots of the new Astra for some time now, but GM has managed to keep much of the surface development covered up thus far. According to the press release accompanying the images, the final version will be seeing more of the features that have appeared on the new mid-size Insignia along with recent Opel concepts like the GTC and Flextreme. Among those are the sculpted side blade and the wrap-around interior. The sketch above also shows a shoulder character line above the rear wheels that has appeared on the other cars. The Astra shares the next-generation Delta compact car platform with the new Chevy Cruze and Volt and it is expected to be built in North America in addition to Europe. That will be the key to making it a profitable enterprise for Saturn. The current Astra has been a commercial failure due to its relatively high price and limited changes from the European version; it still loses money for GM.


[Source: General Motors]

General Motors is finally starting to regularly break out the sales figures for its hybrid vehicles and while the numbers are improving, they still look very weak compared to the competition. August was the company's best month yet for hybrids with a whopping 1,629 units delivered of the six available models. Buyers took home a combined 797 examples of the Chevy Tahoe and GMC Yukon plus a single Escalade hybrid. The Escalade only went on sale in late August so we'll be looking for the September numbers to see if there really is any demand for a $70,000+ luxury hybrid SUV. Over on the mild hybrid side of the tally, the Saturn Vue was the winner with 417 sales, followed by the Malibu at 388 and finally the Aura with a mere 26 sales. These numbers are still pretty weak but at least they are trending upward. Over 12 months the current rate amounts to over 19,500 units, a number that will likely grow significantly when the two-mode Vue goes on sale in a few months. With six hybrids on sale though, that's still pretty tame compared even to Ford, which sells every one of the 25,000 Escape and Mariner hybrids it offers. Ford will likely jump well out ahead in the new year with the Fusion hybrid. Next month, we'll be carefully watching Chrysler's numbers as well, since the first sales of the Durango and Aspen hybrids should be recorded.

Related:

• In the AutoblogGreen Garage: 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid Limited FWD
• In the AutoblogGreen Garage: 2008 Saturn Vue Green Line Hybrid
• In the AutoblogGreen Garage: 2008 Chevy Tahoe Two-Mode Hybrid

[Source: General Motors]

Hey, always thinking that only Japanese and Europeans have a lot of fuel-efficient vehicle choices? American automakers also have fuel-efficient models in their lineup, usually based on "global" models designed for other markets, like GM does with its Opel/Vauxhall European subsidiary or its Daewoo operations in South Korea. In fact, in a new list compiled by Forbes, GM models took nine of the ten fuel miser models, with only a Ford Focus stealing a spot away from the General.

However, U.S. automakers still have homework to do. While the top three models in the Forbes list get an average EPA estimate of 28 mpg (45 percent highway and 55 percent city driving), these best-performing American vehicles are still behind their Asian-made counterparts, such as the Toyota Yaris (31 mpg) and Honda Fit (30 mpg). The list only includes automatic transmissions, because they're America's favorite.

So follow us after the jump to see America's fuel savers.

[Source: Forbes]

During the recent Plug-in conference in San Jose CA, Matt Kelly of GMNext talked with Larry Nitz about the new PHEV version of the Saturn Vue. The PHEV Vue is still at least a year away and is based on the Two-Mode Vue that comes out late this year. The nickel metal hydride battery is replaced with a lithium ion unit and a plug-in charger is added. According to Nitz, who is the executive director of hybrid powertrain engineering at GM, the PHEV Vue will average about the twice the fuel efficiency of the regular two-mode Vue for the first 20 miles. GM isn't talking about the electric only range, because the ability to actually operate on electricity alone is limited by the motor power. As what's called a conversion PHEV, the motor is not sized for a significant electric only operational window. The Vue will go up to about 35 mph at light acceleration on electricity. Beyond that the engine starts. Even in around town driving the engine will start with anything other a very light throttle foot. Nonetheless, the plug-in Vue will likely achieve somewhere between 50-60 mpg for the first 20 miles. If you can drive lightly enough to keep the engine off, you should be able to get around 10 miles on the battery. Check out the video after the jump.

[Source: GMNext]

To say that the Saturn Astra has not been a roaring success would be an understatement of the highest order. It's not that the Astra is an awful car, in fact it's actually quite a nice ride. The problem is that GM literally invested almost nothing to bring it here. Aside from switching the units on the gauges from metric to U.S., the rest of the interior was unchanged and that is the biggest weakness of the car. Well, that plus the fact that is is also kind of pricey for its segment. This is because it's built in Europe and it was introduced here at a time when the dollar was at record lows against the Euro.

A new generation Astra is set to debut in 2010 built on the same Delta platform as the previously announced Chevy Cruze. This time around, the Saturn-badged variant will be sourced from a U.S. factory although at this point it's unknown which plant that will be. It might be built in Lordstown, OH alongside the Cruze or it could initially come from the Detroit-Hamtramck plant. The Detroit factory is scheduled to build the Volt and a Delta-based MPV. Initial volumes of the Volt will be low so it could build the Astra for a while until its volumes ramp up enough to justify another plant.

[Source: Motor Authority]

The next-generation Opel Meriva has been caught testing on somewhere on public roads. The Meriva is a tall wagon based on GM's European B-car platform which also underpins the Corsa. The new Meriva was displayed in concept form at this year's Geneva Motor Show and the production version doesn't appear to differ too much from the concept. As with other new Opels (and presumably Saturns), the signature scalloped side panels are visible below the camouflage. The side glass shape of the concept is also retained, although it's not clear if the stepped window opening on the rear does survives. Judging by the extra camo panels just below the rear door glass, it appears that it might be there. The camo panel also features false door handles which indicate that the suicide doors of the concept also might make it to production. Since the concept had a B-pillar even with the suicide doors (unusual for a concept) there is a possibility the rear hinged doors will survive. Whether we'll ever see the Meriva on U.S. shores is another question entirely.

[Source: EVO]

Advanced Mechanical Products (AMP), the company with plans to convert hundreds of Saturn Sky roadsters from gas to electric power, appear to have a prototype doing some on-the-road testing. A video on YouTube shows a black "AMP" whizzing down the road and the cameraman announcing "...wards [sic] us is the AMP Saturn Sky. Totally electric. This is our fourth test drive." The car comes to a halt in front of the camera and the hood is immediately opened to reveal the gas engine has been replaced with black boxes with orange wires going to them. The car sports the word "electric" in chrome letters on the side of the front fender.

If the car is true to the original design specifications, it is powered by lithium phosphate batteries sending current to twin brushless DC motors, one for each back wheel. They hope to hit 0 to 60 in under 6 seconds, have a range of 150 miles and a top speed of 90 mph. The company is now taking pre-orders for the first 300 vehicles. A $10,000 down payment goes towards the $25,000 conversion price tag which, of course, doesn't include the car. If you already possess a Saturn Sky you can have it converted instead of buying one for the purpose. One last catch? In order to provide after-sale service, the offer is only open to residents of the Greater Cincinnati, Ohio area, the home of the company. Video pudding proof after the break.

[Source: YouTube / Advanced Mechanical Products]

A row of Saturn Vue PHEVs in Milford's building 16 garage

GM may have been late to the party when it came to hybrids, but they are now throwing resources at a bunch of different parallel paths that including electric drive. There are already cars and CUVs with mild hybrid systems and full-size SUVs with Two-Mode hybrid systems. Later this fall pickup trucks and Saturn Vues will also get the Two-Mode system. Then there is of course the E-Flex Chevy Volt. Sometime around the end of 2009 GM's first plug-hybrid should debut also in the shape of the Vue. At the Plug-In 2008 conference Larry Nitz, the Executive Director of the hybrid powertrain engineering at GM provided an updated on the Vue PHEV program. After initiating development with nickel metal hydride batteries, the team based in Building 16 at the Milford proving ground now has 11 plug-in Vues running with lithium ion batteries. If the PHEV Vue makes it by the end of next year it will likely be the first commercially available plug-in hybrid from a major carmaker. The Vue is expected to have about 10 miles of electric driving range on a full charge.

[Source: GM Fastlane Blog]

Click the Saturn Vue Hybrid for a high res gallery

The Saturn Vue was the first hybrid model from General Motors and has lived on through an entire model cycle. For 2008, the Vue was completely redesigned, though the mild hybrid system was carried over with few changes. We think that the new model is rather attractive, so it gets points for style. The fact that it uses a lower-tech hybrid system brings it back down, though. There will be a new 2-Mode Vue hybrid available shortly, but it's not out yet, so we're sticking with the mild unit (someday, a plug-in version will be available as well). Still the 5kW motor/generator is able to make a decent improvement in fuel economy. According to the EPA, the non-hybrid Vue manages 19 mpg in the city and 26 on the highway. Total estimated cost for a year's worth of fuel is $2,757. The hybrid version manages 25 in the city and a whopping 32 on the highway, which should result in a savings of about $600 in a year. The Vue gets extra brownie points for coming in at just $25,370. That price makes it the cheapest hybrid SUV on our list. Still, we think there's a better option. This one.

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Two-Mode Vue

Ever since the initial hybrid version of the Saturn Vue, the "different kind of company" chose to go its own way by badging its fuel-saving wares as Green Lines. This designation will be going the way of the Dodo in favor of the much more simple and recognizable designation of simply "hybrid." The reasoning is that the Green Line badge adds unnecessary confusion to Saturn's line of vehicles and is too long for marketing purposes. This becomes especially true as General Motors rolls out new versions of its hybrid technology. Soon, the Saturn Vue will be granted the sophisticated 2-Mode technology as is used on full-size SUVs from GM such as the GMC Yukon, Chevrolet Tahoe and Cadillac Escalade. While the current Vue is well priced considering its decent fuel mileage of 25 mpg in the city and 32 on the highway, the new 2-Mode model will be capable of powering the vehicle on electricity alone and should be available in 2009.

[Source: Kicking Tires]

Since Saturn has essentially become the U.S. arm of Opel, and all the new models (aside from the Outlook crossover) are essentially re-badged Opels, the big question is, "what next?" With sales of larger trucks and SUVs in complete collapse and carmakers scrambling to shift production to smaller cars, Opel has a model that might be a perfect fit, the Agila. The Agila is developed and built jointly with Suzuki and is sold as the Splash by the Japanese brand. The Agila is powered by three and four cylinder engines of 1.0L and 1.2L displacements.

It's unknown if the Agila is even close to being able to pass U.S. safety standards. However, GM will begin producing engines in the U.S. next year that fall into that size range so there will be U.S.-certified engines that would fit. The Agila could potentially make a very interesting competitor to the Smart ForTwo, VW up! and Toyota iQ. The Agila is built in Poland which may make it an affordable option for the U.S. market. The 1.2L version is rated at a combined 42.8mpg (U.S.) with the 1.0L version scores 47mpg (U.S.).

[Source: BurlappCars.com]

Click for a high res gallery of Bob's Saturn EV Coupe

Usually when I sit down at my laptop to write an article I find ideas after perusing my several hundred RSS feeds or the media sites from manufacturers, or going to a car show. Every once in a while they just sort of fall into my lap. Such was the case this afternoon when Bob Gurk pulled into my driveway. I was pulling the lawn mower out of the shed when Bob walked through my back gate and inquired if I was the person with the little Mercedes. It turns out he was asking about the Smart diesel that I had been driving a couple of months ago. After explaining that it was a vehicle I had been reviewing he asked if I wanted to check out his electric car. We headed out to the driveway and sitting there was a gold first-generation Saturn SC coupe from the early '90s. Bob and I started talking about the car and he explained that he decided to build it about a year ago after seeing "Who Killed the Electric Car?" Follow the jump to learn more about this conversion.


Photos Copyright ©2008 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.

Click the Saturn Vue Hybrid for a high res gallery

It's no secret that General Motors' hybrid sales are nothing to brag about, especially when compared to cross-town rival Ford and, especially, cross-ocean rival Toyota. While the overall sales direction is positive, sales were most certainly negatively impacted by a problem with battery packs manufactured by Cobasys which were intended for installation in mild hybrid versions of the Chevrolet Malibu, Saturn Vue and Saturn Aura. According to reports, some nine-thousand batteries had to be recalled and replaced due to an internal leak which made the entire pack inoperable. Although the vehicles themselves would still operate, the hybrid system would not.

GM spokesman Tom Wilkinson put it well when he said, "I don't know how many hybrids we could have sold, but we would have had at least 9,000 more batteries for the pipeline." There appears to be light at the end of the tunnel, though, as Cobasys claims to have resolved the problem and Chevrolet reports that production of the 2009 Malibu hybrid is on target for June 23.

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]

Click the Volt for a high-res gallery

Round and round we go... where we stop, nobody knows! That sounds like an apt description of the merry-go-round that is the Chevrolet Volt, especially when pricing and delivery date are concerned. Perhaps what we are witnessing in this case is the first truly transparent product launch in history. Do major shifts like this happen with all vehicles, or is the new technology needed to make the Volt a reality causing pricing headaches for GM management? Maybe it's all of the above. Whatever the case, GM CEO Jim Wagoner has been quoted on Forbes as suggesting that General Motors will be selling an electric car for less than $30,000 by the year 2010.

Another possible explanation for this pricing confusion could involve the upcoming plug-in Saturn Vue. How can we be sure that Wagoner was referring to the Volt when he cited the pricing and deadline of the electric vehicle? We can't. It's possible that GM could have a plug-in Vue ready for the market in 2010 with an electric-only mode, making it an electric car of sorts. We'll just need to take a wait-and-see approach when it comes to the Volt's, and the Vue's, debut.

[Source: Forbes]