Category: vehicle

Step back in time with me if you would, about 20 years to be precise, to an era when automaker General Motors was busy making plans for their all new company, Saturn. This wasn?t to be just another GM division mind you as Saturn was created as a separate import fighting company meant to take on the likes of Toyota and Honda. By 1990, the first Saturn cars rolled off a bucolic Tennessee countryside assembly line signaling a new cooperation between workers and management. Immediately, the funky little ?S Series? of sedans, wagons, and coupes were a hit and GM was soon lauded for taking a bold initiative.

Today, Saturn is much different from the brand that took on Japan?s top automakers. Instead of being a separate, wholly owned car company the make is now one of General Motors? many automotive divisions. The S Series sold well and the introduction of subsequent models helped the brand, but ultimately parent GM decided to pull the company within the General?s fold as it chose to close down Oldsmobile instead. Current models being sold by Saturn are much different from what was originally offered, but the company has managed to keep one huge attribute that originally propelled the brand forward: people are first. Let?s take a look at Saturn?s current line up and the vehicles soon to be introduced.

ION ? After a decade of service, the S Series was retired in favor of the comparably sized ION. Unlike the S Series, the ION does not include a wagon, but it does include a four door coupe and sedan. Unfortunately, the car is not very competitive with similar models and GM is looking at an Opel-inspired car to take its place by the end of this decade.

VUE ? A recent makeover has kept the VUE, Saturn?s small SUV, competitive. In addition, a pending hybrid model is expected to strengthen the line and talk of an all new compact model showing up in 2009 has the auto world abuzz.

RELAY ? Saturn?s first minivan is a clone to models sold by Chevrolet and Buick. Unlike earlier Saturn models which featured polymer side impact panels [to limit dents], the RELAY is all sheet metal and simply a copy of other divisions? vehicles. Still, the RELAY has filled an important hole in the Saturn line up by offering a larger vehicle for loyal Saturn owners.

SKY ? Forget what you might have thought about Saturn previously. The SKY roadster is a hit for one big reason: it is absolutely sexy. Sharing components with the Pontiac Solstice, the SKY has radically transformed the brand?s image all by itself. Priced under $25,000, the SKY is competitive with the Mazda Miata and is a low cost alternative to the BMW Z4.

AURA ? Another vehicle built to battle the division?s bland image, the AURA steps in to the midsize category replacing the L Series which was discontinued two years earlier. Based on GM?s Epsilon platform, the AURA borrows heavily from GM?s German division -- Opel ? while incorporating a style and design that favors the Saturn SKY.

OUTLOOK ? To be introduced before the end of 2006, the OUTLOOK will be Saturn?s first bigger SUV. Although considered to be a ?crossover? by many, the OUTLOOK is a 7 passenger SUV meant to complement the smaller VUE. With the addition of the OUTLOOK in the Saturn fold, GM will take a break before tinkering with the Saturn line up.

Truly, Saturn of 2007 will look much different from Saturn of the 1990s. For years, Saturn dealers were content to sell only one model ? the S Series ? but today?s Saturn is going well beyond all of that. With a hybrid VUE in the line up and other variations of existing models also being planned, the once spartan Saturn line up is nearly filled to capacity. This is great news for Saturn loyalists looking for choices beyond the base models and a promise that GM is investing money in its import fighting division.

The Spokane used car market has grown and evolved and now it is very competitive and filled with tempting offers and deals. The car prices have softened but the market remained strong. People are very attracted to the fact that by paying the same amount of money as or a new car with no accessories they can purchase a Spokane used car with everything tons of options. Buying a used car has now become a safe investment.

Now with the development of the Internet, the used car market of Northwest has grown to a larger extent, and people can browse between many cars without even leaving the house.

You can find sites that specialize in Spokane used cars with lots of offers and deals. You can find the lowest prices on these sites together with pictures and information about the cars available. After deciding upon the car that best fits your needs you can contact the site's owners via email or telephone and discuss the deal further.

If you intend to purchase a used car you must do some verifications in order to make sure that you found a good deal indeed. Among these you should:

-Take the car on a drive test. The best thing would be, if the owner agrees, to take the car to an authorized mechanic to check if everything works fine under the hood.

-Do not go for the first offer that you find attractive. If you found a car that you like, check the prices of the car at other dealers and see how they compare to the price that you found.

-Try to find out some information about the car's past. See if the car was 'treated' properly by its former owner, if it has been involved in an accident or if it was ever flooded. Its condition tells much about its past in most cases.

You can find a large number of spokane used cars because the used cars market in the northwest is continuously expanding, so if you want to find the best deals and cars try browsing the Internet. You will discover that it is the easiest way of finding the spokane used car that you need!

Love them or hate 'em, hybrids are here to stay. But what's an enthusiast to do about it? While early generations of hybrids like the Prius were indeed geared toward operating economy, the newer generations of hybrids are making motor heads sit up and take notice. There is of course Porsche's 918 that, despite having 800 horsepower on tap, promises to return 78 miles to the gallon. To a motor head, that's automotive nirvana. But at $900,000 dollars, it's not a car that every Tom, Dick and Harry can afford. Ferrari has also announced a 900 horsepower hybrid that will be launched very soon, but in terms of affordability, we're not holding our breath on this one too.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, there's the Honda CR-Z. Designed as the replacement for the popular CR-X, it has gotten a lukewarm reception from most enthusiasts because of its anemic power output. For a generation that was brought up on giant-killing VTEC engines, the CR-Z's power train package leaves much to be desired. As a technology demonstrator though, it proves that it's possible to build frugal yet spirited cars. And spirited it is, because most people who have driven the car agree that a few choice aftermarket upgrades like a coil over suspension would make the car a blast to drive, given more power. Compounding the CR-Z's low power is the fact that hybrid systems weigh more. Even though a hybrid's electric motor delivers practically instant off-the-torque, the added mass cannot but affect a small hybrid's acceleration and handling. With 800 horsepower hybrid exotics, this would not be as evident a drawback as in a car whose 120 horsepower engine has to move 2,700 pounds.

From the makers of the most successful hybrid though comes the Lexus LF-LC, a hybrid concept car first shown to the world in Sydney, but which was also shown at the recently concluded LA Motor Show. With 500 combined horsepower from its twin electric motors and gasoline V8, this car's drive train is supposedly carrying the prototype for a high performance Lexus hybrid that will make its appearance in 2014. This segment of the market will perhaps be the most active in the near future because it's a niche that Audi, BMW, Jaguar and Mercedes have taken a serious interest in, in terms of hybrid offerings.

So, to those motoring enthusiasts who thought that the popularity of the Toyota Prius was a harbinger of doom, take heart. There's a lot of interesting tech, and cars, on the way.