"It's an Opel! It's a Vauxhall! No... it's a Saturn!" Even the haters are a little excited about Saturn going all Madonna on everyone (you know, pretending she was born and raised in Europe all of a sudden). The trio of Saturns set to appear at next month's New York Auto Show stand as shining examples of models GM hopes will trigger a brand revitalization. The Saturn Sky Red Line (the planetary brand's counterpart to Pontiac's Solstice GXP), sources the family 2.0-liter, 260 hp direct-injection turbo. The Saturn Aura (which looks suspiciously like the Opel Astra), is the brand's call to the upscale, with an interior that is by far the richest in the marque's stable. And finally, the Saturn Outlook, which goes into production later this year as an 8-person crossover based on GM's new CUV platform.  The Sky Red Line will go on sale this fall, and the Aura hits dealership lots this summer.

In related news, the Big Apple will also play host to the North American premiere of the Geneva Motor Show favorite, Saab's Aero-X.

(The General's full release can be found after the jump)

[Source: General Motors via WebWire.com]

BOLD NEW SATURN VEHICLES DEBUT AT NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL AUTO SHOW

Saab Aero X makes North American debut on Saab USA 50 th anniversary, Pontiac reveals G6 GXP show car

NEW YORK – General Motors will unveil a dramatically revitalized Saturn lineup with production versions of the all-new 2007 Saturn Aura midsize sedan, Saturn Sky Red Line performance roadster and Saturn Outlook crossover vehicle at the 2006 New York International Auto Show.

“Saturn’s new products demonstrate GM’s commitment to raising the bar on product execution as part of our North American turnaround plan,” said Mark LaNeve, GM North America vice president, Vehicle Sales, Service and Marketing. “Saturn’s dramatic new cars and crossovers, combined with an industry-leading positive retail experience, are a winning combination.”

The Saturn vehicles making their world debut in New York include:

• The Saturn Aura, which goes on sale this summer, brings the new design of Saturn into a fun-to-drive sport sedan, with bold exterior styling and high levels of interior refinement.
• The Saturn Sky Red Line, arriving at Saturn retailers this fall, adds extra power and performance to Saturn’s new signature roadster with a 260-horsepower 2.0L direct-injection turbo.
• The Saturn Outlook is an eight-passenger crossover vehicle that strikes an ideal balance of style, size and capability. Outlook, which goes into production later this year, is built on GM’s new crossover vehicle platform.
• A Saturn concept vehicle that will provide an indication of how the brand’s new design cues will continue on future vehicles.

In addition to the bold new Saturn production vehicles and concept, Saab will showcase its aviation heritage and Scandinavian design philosophy in the Saab Aero X concept, which makes its North American debut in New York. Saabs were first introduced in New York to the U.S. market 50 years ago. AutoWeek magazine named the Aero X concept “Best in Show” in February at the 2006 Geneva Auto Show.

“The Saturns and the Saab Aero X concept demonstrate how GM continues to leverage global resources to develop emotionally compelling vehicle designs, which is key to sustaining our product momentum,” said Ed Welburn, GM vice president, Global Design.

Conceived as a study to explore future design directions, the all-wheel-drive Saab Aero X concept features an innovative front-hinged canopy with no A-pillars, lightweight carbon fiber bodywork and a jet-inspired cockpit without conventional dials and buttons. The 400-horsepower twin turbo BioPower V-6 is fueled by 100-percent ethanol, a renewable and sustainable energy source that reduces vehicle emissions.

GM’s Pontiac brand also has plans for New York with the Pontiac G6 GXP show car. The G6 GXP builds on the clean, contemporary styling of the G6 coupe with a 270-horsepower 3.9L V-6 and a more aggressive, ground-hugging appearance and stance. The GXP show car will test both media and public reaction before a decision on production is made.

GM’s New York International Auto Show exhibit also will feature many of the products recently introduced at auto shows in Los Angeles, Detroit and Chicago.

General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM), the world’s largest automaker, has been the global industry sales leader for 75 years. Founded in 1908, GM today employs about 327,000 people around the world. With global headquarters in Detroit, GM manufactures its cars and trucks in 33 countries . In 2005, 9.17 million GM cars and trucks were sold globally under the following brands: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, GM Daewoo, Holden, HUMMER, Opel, Pontiac, Saab, Saturn and Vauxhall. GM operates one of the world’s leading finance companies, GMAC Financial Services, which offers automotive, residential and commercial financing and insurance. GM’s OnStar subsidiary is the industry leader in vehicle safety, security and information services. More information on GM can be found at www.gm.com.