Straightline
Saturn Astra-Frankfurt Show Contest
September 21, 2007
I've been home for over a week now, and while I'm thrilled to be done with eating goose liver and green eggs, I look back on this trip as one of the most exciting adventures I've ever had.
As someone who follows car companies like most guys follow sports, being so close to the industry was awesome. I saw the vehicle unveils firsthand, met with industry executives and worked alongside the top names in automotive journalism.
My interest in cars doesn't have grand origins...
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- Posted by: Donna DeRosa September 21, 2007, 3:40 PM
- Categories: Saturn Astra-Frankfurt Show Contest
For those of you looking for a quick, easy-to-read summary of my Astra review, here are some of the highlights and shortcomings of the Saturn Astra.
Initial impressions: Perfect proportions and well-drawn lines make it impossible to find a design flaw on the sheet metal. And while the design is conservative enough that it won't offend anyone, it's definitely not dull. The headlamps that were revamped to meet American safety standards add a bit of aggression...
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- Posted by: Donna DeRosa September 21, 2007, 3:32 PM
- Categories: Saturn Astra-Frankfurt Show Contest
September 13, 2007
Over the course of the past three days, I had the opportunity to sit down with Saturn General Manager Jill Lajdziak several times. Our conversations focused on the immense change in Saturn's products, hitting on Red Line, green technologies, a Saturn subcompact and the Saturn/Opel relationship. Here's what I learned.
Opel's OPC performance badge graces nearly every model the company offers in Europe, boosting both performance and go-fast looks...
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- Posted by: Donna DeRosa September 13, 2007, 5:35 PM
- Categories: Saturn Astra-Frankfurt Show Contest
September 12, 2007
I almost had to hold back snickers while talking with Saturn General Manager Jill Lajdziak on Tuesday. While sharing some of the details of the Opel/Saturn relationship, Lajdziak mentioned that Saturn would play a much more significant role in creating engineering standards for the next generation of Opel/Saturn products –- engineering standards like the number of cupholders.
Cupholders? Was this the punch line of a bad joke about the stupidity of American consumers?..
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- Posted by: Donna DeRosa September 12, 2007, 5:04 PM
- Categories: Saturn Astra-Frankfurt Show Contest
September 11, 2007
There's something unnatural about grown men in suits skateboarding and scootering down the halls of an auto show. But after the laughing subsides, it dawns on you that maybe these goofs are actually seasoned veterans when it comes to covering the world's largest auto show.
It's not just that the Frankfurt auto show covers so much square footage that a walk through the show will suck the life out of you. It's that the manufacturers are spread across 10 halls connected by never-ending passages...
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- Posted by: Donna DeRosa September 11, 2007, 2:59 PM
- Categories: Saturn Astra-Frankfurt Show Contest
Kia unveiled a design concept here that will set the tone for future styling from the Korean automaker. The lime green Kia Kee sport coupe is marked by uncluttered body panels that exude a simplicity rarely seen in automotive design. The front is a bit busier with an LED strip that arches from the headlight to the lower fascia. In place of the overly used quarter-panel vent, Kia has left a small accent crease...
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General Motors kept the surprises to a minimum but continued to push its barrage of green technologies at this morning's press conference. Hydrogen, ethanol, diesels and hybrids all received playing time as Carl-Peter Forster, president of GM Europe, drove home his message that, “low emissions and price economy should not be exclusive.”
The HydroGen4 is Europe's version of the Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell. A fleet of about 100 test vehicles will be on the road around the globe by 2008. Just don't expect hot-rod performance...
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September 10, 2007
I left for this trip with one firmly planted belief: There can’t be a better career than being paid to drive cars. I haven’t been in Germany for 12 hours and we’re still days away from driving a car, yet I already need to revise this judgment.
There can’t be a better career than being paid to drive cars and attend swank parties with free food, drinks and good conversation. This revelation has been brought on at General Motors' Premiere Night in a dark clublike atmosphere, featuring some of the most knowledgeable and well-known gearheads there are and food so fancy you can’t tell what it is until you bite into it...
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- Posted by: Donna DeRosa September 10, 2007, 2:43 PM
- Categories: Saturn Astra-Frankfurt Show Contest
September 6, 2007
The Frankfurt auto show is a big deal. Sure, Frankfurt has a great list of production and concept unveils set for next week, but that's not what sets it apart. The auto show organizers over in Deutschland are so confident that their show is top-notch, they pull it off only once every two years — yet it still remains relevant up against premier annual auto shows like Detroit, Los Angeles, New York and Geneva. Maybe they're on to something...
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- Posted by: Donna DeRosa September 6, 2007, 12:53 PM
- Categories: Saturn Astra-Frankfurt Show Contest
