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I'm surprised that none of the hybrid manufacturers are doing this yet. From what I understand, the main reason the EV1 didn't sell well was because there was no "back-up" conventional engine.

180 MPG - sign me up!

Hi Dfgf:

___The EV-1 was never for sale but instead leased. Every one produced and to be produced had a waiting list. The EV-1 Gen 2 w/ the NiMH’s was an excellent automobile according to those that drove it (thus all the fervor over them being destroyed) and unfortunately, just slightly ahead of its time.

___Can you imagine, the only car GM makes with a huge backlog of those wanting to purchase and they (GM) are taking them back from the leasees and smashing them into flat pancakes for permanent storage in the AZ. desert. Instead, they (GM) will spend billions in design, engineering, and especially marketing on SUV’s that they can’t sell w/ $5,000 rebates applied? It makes no sense whatsoever???

___The wheels are just about to fall off for GM and it is really to bad because at one time, they had some of the best engineering in the world

___Good Luck

___Wayne R. Gerdes
___Hunt Club Farms Landscaping Ltd.
___Waynegerdes@earthlink.net

I am disappointed in GM... My dad worked for them for 40 years or so, and always reported that they were at the cutting edge of engineering, as exel reports. He'd say things like - "CVT? GM had that in the 1960s, but decided to shelve it." I think that conservative strategy is catching up with the company now. I have been a brand loyal Saturn driver for 8 years. I was anxiously awaiting the promised hybrid VUE, despite its ho-hum handling and styling. I actually got email from Saturn two years ago to announce the car! I visited a dealer recently to ask about the latest timetable, and they said they heard there were no plans to produce a hybrid VUE.
Needless to say, I was frustrated. I want to buy two hybrids this year to take advantage of the $2000 federal tax credit that is being phased out.

I went to a Toyota dealer a couple days ago to try and find (in vain, it turns out) an Insight to drive, and the salesman there had worked for Saturn, and still had friends there. I told him my story, and he said that GM is experiencing delays because it is building its own hybrid/CVT from the groud up instead of leasing tech they way Ford has done from Toyota.

It's pretty sad when a competitor knows more about your car lineup than the sales folks in your own dealership. Maybe he was blowing smoke and hoping to get me to plunk down cash to reserve a Highlander? Either way, it's a disappointing feeling towards a once cutting-edge company.

p

I had a Saturn SC2 for 5 years before the engine blew up, prompting me to buy a hybrid (my dream car). Decent mpg, great pickup, suberb sound. Only 18K new.

When I bought it, it was a very good vehicle and Saturn was at the cutting edge. But GM would not give them the funding they needed to sustain that edge.

So nowadays, Saturns are noisy and crude compared to their competition. The SC fails in comparison to the Civic, Focus, Corolla, and Mazda 3.

Do you think Saturn lost money for GM? Their service was second-to-none. No hassle, max satisfaction.

Blueskies,

I don't know if Saturn lost money for GM, but even if they didn't lose money, they did not bring in much. The L300 bombed, (although I though it was a good value) and has been discontinued. I think you are right about them not getting enough money invested to stay cutting edge. They are trying to get that edge back by coming out with a roadster. It looked pretty sharp in photos, but I couldn't make it to the auto show this year to see it in person. I heard the division has a new president that wants to reinviograte the brand. I have also heard rumors that Saturn is on the list (with Pontiac and Buick) of divisions that could be discontinued if GM's fortunes do not turn around soon. I hope it's not true... I still love Saturn for the quality of its people and no haggling policy.

p