But the one-piece door armrests not only punish one's elbow, the imitation stitching speaks volumes to this car's potential– before the heartless, merciless, ruthless beancounting bore fruit.īut wait, there’s less! The folding in-dash binnacle impresses Toyotaphiles initially, though its lack of carpeting and thin casting make it an instant rattletrap for coinage. Yes, the dash positions quality polymers and glossy metal-effect goodies within poking distance. Spend a few minutes in the Aura’s drab and depressing monochromatic black interior cabin and it’s clear GM's strategically placed interior quality has claimed yet another victim. The Aura's substantial door handles feel even better than they look too bad the same isn't true for the interior. At long last, badge engineering creates beauty where mediocrity is the norm. Topping the package are the most elegant logos adorning a modern vehicle the Saturn's famous red-square has the depth of a trillion-cut ruby. The Aura hosts a pair of upbeat exhaust pipes, making a statement of virility no previous Saturn dared proclaim. The deck lid's chrome slab does more than get its spizzarkle on it visually thins the booty. Meanwhile, the Aura’s Audi-esque flowing C-pillar and side marker lights add a distinctly Teutonic touch pronouncing the car’s German heritage louder than a computer generated Kraftwerk concert.Ī tall posterior rounds out the Aura’s rear, offering an ideal blend of Pontiac understatement and Altezza attitude. Conforming to the current Japanese style, oversized headlights blight the Aura's sleek silhouette. The blistered wheel arches and chunky front end are muscular by Camry standards– albeit with a thick chrome bar across the grill that would be right at home on Paul Wall's iced-out grin. The model’s sheetmetal offers suitably clean/boring lines in a pronounced wedge shape, with complementary angles and purposeful curves. The Aura is an American-built Opel that looks like a Japanese copy of a German car. And now, finally, the Saturn Aura is here to revive GM’s 'import fighter.' After leaving Saturn to twist in the wind, losing billions in the process, GM eventually spiked the brand’s independence. Friendly Saturn dealers created devoted customers with a “no dicker” sticker and a pretty good range of plastic-paneled cars (the S-Series). Saturn was born “A different kind of company, a different kind of car.” Talk about post-modern irony GM created the Saturn division to copy Japan’s products, management techniques and manufacturing dexterity.

Aura xe