Filed under: Chicago Auto Show, SUV, Plants/Manufacturing, GMC, Design/Style

Yesterday, Car and Driver called out GM in a snarky blog post for repurposing parts from the discontinued Saturn Outlook to refresh the GMC Acadia. GM didn't confirm C/D's suspicions at the time, but after we called and asked politely, GMC PR did answer our request.

According to spokesman Joe LaMuraglia, the 2013 Acadia liftgate glass, spoiler, rear quarter panel and rear side glass are all sourced from the Outlook. The hatch is also the same as the Saturn, but that's always been the case, as the old Acadia used the same part.

Now before you rush to judgment here, we suggest you take a good hard look at the new Acadia and tell us you don't think it looks better than the old model. We've always thought the Saturn Outlook was the more attractive of the siblings, so we don't have any issues with GM's parts-sharing tactic, especially considering all these parts are in the rear of the vehicle rather than up front in the all-important "face."

Considering that GM is likely to still be producing service parts for the thousands of Outlooks on the road, this is actually a really good move. Needless spending to refresh the Acadia when this suitable alternative already exists is the kind of smart decision that we hope GM continues to make.

GM confirms discontinued Saturn Outlook parts used in refreshed GMC Acadia originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Chicago Auto Show, Etc., Crossover, GM, GMC, Saturn, Design/Style

General Motors unveiled the company's refreshed GMC Acadia at the 2012 Chicago Auto Show yesterday, and if you were paying attention, you may have noticed something curious about the vehicle. While the new Acadia looks considerably better than its predecessor, a few components of the design looked more than a little familiar. Upon closer observation, it appears that GM has simply repurposed elements of the now defunct Saturn Outlook crossover on the 2013 Acadia. Both vehicles seem to share the same wrap-around rear glass, back hatch, tail light openings and exaggerated, squared-off fender arches.

While the vehicles are differentiated by badging, tail lamps and a rear valance, there's no denying the similarities toward the vehicle's rear. Up front, both share similar fenders, though adjustments have been made for the varying headlight designs.

That's good news if you just can't imagine life without the Saturn Outlook.

GM isn't the only automaker to pull something similar. Parts sharing is a smart way to keep costs as low as possible, and recouping the design and manufacturing costs the automaker poured into the Outlook is a smart way to keep GM's earnings headed in the right direction. For example, Chrysler famously reused Dodge Grand Caravan tail lights in the first-generation Dodge Durango. We just aren't accustomed to seeing this sort of recycling on such a grand scale or after so much time has elapsed.

GM appears to repurpose Saturn Outlook parts on new Acadia originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Budget, Sedan, Etc., Videos, Saturn

Residents of a Fresno, California apartment building recently awoke to debris falling from their ceiling after a car thief managed to execute a perfect parking job on the structure's roof. Police say 26-year-old Benjamin Tucker stole the Saturn sedan from a nearby house before striking either a curb or some rocks, vaulting the vehicle into the air and onto the roof. After seeing his predicament, Tucker leapt from the roof and fled the scene. Or at least he tried to. Tucker broke his leg in the fall and only made it around a quarter of a mile from the crash when police picked him up.

No one else was harmed in the stunt.

Tucker had two outstanding warrants for his arrest at the time for a hit-and-run and evading police. A special crane had to be called in to remove the Saturn from the apartment roof and the structure will indeed require repairs. Hit the jump for a news report on the incident.

Continue reading Car thief lands Saturn on Fresno roof

Car thief lands Saturn on Fresno roof originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 06 Jan 2012 12:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Sedan, Safety

The New York Times reports that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has broadened its investigation into faulty transmissions used in the Saturn Aura. A total of nearly 89,000 vehicles are now being looked at, including 2007-2008 Auras and 2008 Saturn Aura Green Line hybrid models. Before the investigation's expansion, about 44,000 units from the 2007 model year were under scrutiny. Multiple crash incidents have been reported, and General Motors apparently says the problem is limited to four-speed automatic transmissions.

According to NHTSA, affected vehicles may not shift correctly, creating a mismatch between the gear selected and the shift lever. For instance, the transmission may stay in Drive, even when the gear lever is moved to the Park or Reverse position. This can lead to some potentially dangerous situations where a vehicle can roll or power away from an unsuspecting driver. The problem seems to be caused by deterioration of the shift cable jacket, which can even lead to a complete loss of shifting.

NHTSA investigating GM gearbox issues originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 15 Nov 2011 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Sedan, Safety

The New York Times reports that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has broadened its investigation into faulty transmissions used in the Saturn Aura. A total of nearly 89,000 vehicles are now being looked at, including 2007-2008 Auras and 2008 Saturn Aura Green Line hybrid models. Before the investigation's expansion, about 44,000 units from the 2007 model year were under scrutiny. Multiple crash incidents have been reported, and General Motors apparently says the problem is limited to four-speed automatic transmissions.

According to NHTSA, affected vehicles may not shift correctly, creating a mismatch between the gear selected and the shift lever. For instance, the transmission may stay in Drive, even when the gear lever is moved to the Park or Reverse position. This can lead to some potentially dangerous situations where a vehicle can roll or power away from an unsuspecting driver. The problem seems to be caused by deterioration of the shift cable jacket, which can even lead to a complete loss of shifting.

NHTSA investigating GM gearbox issues originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 15 Nov 2011 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Engineers with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) are taking a closer look at possible transmission issues with 2007 and 2008 Saturn Aura. The federal safety agency says it has received an increasing number of consumer complaints where the car fails to shift into the proper gear or, worse still, fails to remain stopped when "Park" is selected.

NHTSA first began investigating the transmission issues in 2007 Saturn Aura sedans last May.

According to the NHTSA Office of Defect Investigation (ODI) and General Motors, the issue may involve the jacket covering the transmission shifter cable wearing out prematurely. Without proper protection, the metal wires inside the cable may deteriorate and prevent the transmission from shifting into the gear selected by the driver.

The federal safety agency has received more than 100 reports of such transmission shifting failures; seven reports involved collisions. In one instance, an Aura rolled forward and struck a building after a driver believed the car was set in Park. In another similar incident, a driver was struck by an Aura moving in reverse even though the driver claims to have selected the Park gear.

GM believes that the issue affects only 2007 Saturn Auras installed with four-speed transmissions. However, the administration's Office of Defect Investigation says it expanding its probe to include 2008 model year Auras, including the Aura Hybrid. In all, some 89,000 Saturn Auras may be affected, should NHTSA's ODI determine a recall is necessary. According to NHTSA, GM has noted that similar cable installations are used in other GM vehicles, namely the 2004-2008 Chevrolet Malibu and 2005-2008 Pontiac G6.

GM is working with the NHTSA to determine the nature and extent of the possible issues. It also announced that the company will extend the warranty on 2007 and some 2008 Saturn Auras to include free repairs.

ODI investigates 2007-2008 Saturn Aura transmission - Campaign ID #: EA11015 [NHTSA ODI]
Safety Regulators Intensify Saturn Aura Investigation [Wall Street Journal]