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According to vice chairman Bob Lutz, bringing over the Opel Astra to the U.S. and rebadging it as a Saturn has saved GM about $900 million in development cost.

“Its adaptation to American requirements cost less than $100 million,” Lutz said at the car’s North American press introduction here. “In the future,” Lutz said, “Opel and Saturn will share about 90 percent of their model portfolios.”

The Saturn Astra goes on sale across the U.S. in January with pricing starting at $15,995 for the five-door XE trim. The XR trim starts at $17,545 while the sporty three-door XR starts at $18,495.

Previous reports from Germany say that GM’s Opel in Europe has already started work on a hybrid Saturn Astra.

“We are working on a hybrid version of the next Astra,” a General Motors development engineer told Automobilwoche.

 

2008 Saturn Astra Gallery:

       

 

Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required)

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