>>Did you know that GM is trying to force Saturn out of business by making the LS models so unreliable. It ranks as one of the most unreliable in history, along with the Catera, based on the same platform. GM was starting to look bad, seeing Saturn making cars much more reliable than theirs. Imports only for me though. I like my cars to last. I'm already wearing my suit, so flame away.<<
What are you talking about? Why on earth would a company like GM sabotage the profits of one of the key models in a key division? The compact car market is red hot and Saturn puts GM in a perfect position to compete in this arena. Sabotaging the LS? Ridiculous. It's not selling because other than the plastic panels, there are no really gee-whiz features or styling with this car that would make it stand out compared to the Camry and Accord, its main targets.
Also, the Catera is NOT based on the same platform as the Saturn LS. For one thing, the LS is front-wheel drive and the Catera is rear-wheel drive. The only major similarities is that they were both designed by Opel and they have the same engine (along with some Saabs). The Catera failed because Cadillac took a good European car and had to add a ton of weight to it to meet U.S. safety standards. There goes much of the sportiness. And again it had no special features or styling to make it stand out against BMW/Mercedes/Audi, its main targets.
Enough flaming on this though. Pontiac missed its mark with the Aztek, but they will very likely have a direct hit with the Vibe (which is mostly designed by Toyota).