It is first in-class with dual-screen seat mounted rear entertainment system, power programmable lift gate and memory driver seat and mirrors. The equipment levels compared are higher as compared to Honda CR-V, Ford Escape or Toyota RAV4

Today the company has around 9,400 Saturn cars as inventory as reported by the GM’s vice president of U.S. sales, Susan Docherty during a sales conference call. She said that the company does not expect any obstacle in the sales of the outstanding units.

Docherty had said: “Starting next week, we’ll have a print campaign which features that product. In the next 90 days, we’ll have cleaned up that inventory. I’m not worried about it at all.”

However, the dealers are more worried on selling the remaining units after the Saturn sales came to a screeching halt last month when Penske Automotive Group withdrew from the deal to take over Saturn.

A Saturn dealer at the Motor City Auto Center in Bakersfield, Calif., who had sold 21 new Saturns in September, however, managed to sell only seven units the last month. The General Manager John Pitre who has 51 Saturns in stock thinks this fall will take a minimum of five months for him to sell off the remaining units.

“We’re in a holding pattern,” Pitre said. “It’ll probably take six months to locate and secure another franchise for that facility, so we want to keep it up and running for that amount of time.”

The GM, in the meantime, has initiated a new incentive program until the end of the month wherein the consumers can get either $4,000 off of any 2008 or 2009 Saturn or 0 percent financing for 72 months to augment the sales of the inventory. They also have introduced a loyalty mailing to current Saturn owners that offer an additional $1,000 in cash, not considering whether they trade in their Saturn vehicle

Chevy Avalanche is considered as one of the Best in Class Fuel Economy as it 2WD delivers 15 mpg city/21 highway. However, Avalanche 4WD is not rated by EPA for fuel economy estimates. With 31 gallon fuel tank capacity in Avalanche, it travels farther between fill up, with a highway range of 650 miles.

Standard OnStar with available Directions and Connections with Turn-by-Turn Navigation. Chevrolet Avalanche received 5-Stars in Frontal impact for Driver and Front Passenger and now includes standard front seat-mounted side-impact air bags.

Avalanche is a fine example of high refinement craftsmanship. Flush surfaces and tight component fits give this model a premium quality appearance. It has fully boxed frame which prevents frame from bending and twisting, thus enabling improved ride quality, road and power train noise isolation.

You will get best warranty in the industry with this vehicle. Avalanche offers a 3-yr/36,000 mile bumper-to-bumper warranty plus a 5-yr/100,000 mile power train warranty with roadside assistance and courtesy transportation

While the automatic Xtronic Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) remains elective in the S trim Cubes, it is a standard option on the SL and Krom trims.  The $19,930 priced SL trim comes with the $1,600 Preferred Package, which includes the remote keyless entry, push-button start, Bluetooth, and a rear sonar system, a $230 Interior Design Package with the carpets and a shag dash, a $100 Vehicle Alarm Sensor, and a $490 Interior Illumination Package that includes a 20-color accent lighting system and stainless steel kick plates. The fully loaded 6-speed manual transmission Krom trim also has a unique body design, a leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls, a lot of interior lights, and Rockford Fosgate audio system for a cost less than $20,000.

The interiors are meant to be stylish and offer a comfortable ride. Cube comes with standard features like air-conditioning with in-cabin microfilter, power windows and door locks, and a CD system with aux jack. The SL trim enjoys an automatic headlight system and enhanced audio system. The S trim, on the other hand, presents steering wheel-mounted controls, cruise control, additional two speakers and interior lights and pockets. Even though the second-row seats do not fold forward, it has rear-hinged tailgate opening like a door and wrap-around windows.

For the safety, Nissan has brought in six standard airbags including roof-mounted bags, and with Zone Body Construction, high-strength steel side-door guard beams, and Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH). The ABS, Vehicle Dynamic Control, Traction Control System, Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD), a Tire Pressure Monitoring System, Nissan’s Vehicle Security System and the Rear Sonar System give it greater gravity and control. But the limited cargo area might pose a source of worry to the owners.

It offers 28/30 mpg city/highway fuel efficiency besides being announced as a Low Emissions Vehicle.  The costs typically range around $13,990 and $19,370. While the S trim comes at $14,690, the SL at $16,790 and the Krom at $19,370, opting out of the Rear Sonar System can leave a saving of $1,600.

To conclude, compared to its competitor the Scion xB, Nissan Cube enjoys lower price by $3.5k, and better mileage than Scion xB’s 24 mpg besides a hinged door, making the option worth consideration.

Chevy Traverse has a 3.6 liter, V-6 engine and a six-speed automatic transmission that can produce 281 horsepower. It has wheels made of aluminum as compared to the typical steel wheels, making it different. The vehicle has a curb weight of 5,200 pounds and offers a seating capacity for seven or eight people. It enjoys 16 MPG in the city and 23 MPG on the highway.

Chevy traverse are for people who love a bit of adventure and fun in their lives. The capacity of the transmission to downshift quickly and the excellent power train permits the best use of the engine’s horsepower to the fullest. If interested, one can go for the top LTZ trim level that gives an additional 7 horsepower to the vehicle.

The 116.4 cubic feet of space behind the front row of seats, 68.8 behind the second row and 24.4 behind the third row makes the journey comfortable. The seats can be folded flat, even though it does not fold into the floor like that of the Dodge Grand Caravan.

Though comparable with the Toyota Sienna, Chevy Traverse weighs at 5066 pounds, which is over 500 pounds more than the Sienna. In spite of the weight the EPA fuel mileage numbers displayed by Traverse is much more than its competitor. Sienna is rated at 16 in the city and 21 on the highway as compared to the 16 and 23 of Traverse.

Traverse permits great handling, comfortable seats and smart designs. But it feels a little stiffer over larger bumps while traveling at a slow speed when the vehicle is loaded with people.

The interiors present greater room and leg space than the Tahoe. When compared to the third-row seats in the Tahoe which comes with little leg space, Traverse gives a comfortable ride for its passengers. The sliding seats of the middle row make access to the third row easier.

A place where Traverse lags behind Tahoe is in towing. While Tahoe can tow up to 8,400 pounds, the new Traverse capacity is reduced by 3,200 pounds. But a decent overall rating makes Chevy Traverse still an option worth consideration.

Lajdziak will take a vacation until her retirement from the General Motors Company at the end of this year, said the spokesman John McDonald. The job of bringing a great era to a close is left to the GM’s general manager of the retail sales support, Steve Hill.

The last few weeks saw a group of hopeful people keeping a close watch over the deal between the Penske Automotive Group and the GM. The withdrawal of Penske came as a shock to many as it was followed by GM’s announcement to stop the production of Saturn. The show comes to an end when the “dealers are able to sell their inventory and wind their dealerships down,” McDonald said.

Lasjdziak, who is a graduate from the University of Wisconsin with a bachelor of arts in business marketing and management, began her career with GM in the year 1980 as the district sales manager with Chevrolet. She became the manager of the retailer division of Saturn in 1986.

Her passion for cars grew from growing up with her father who was a Chevrolet and Oldsmobile dealer in a small Wisconsin town. She started her small “career” by assisting her father in washing new cars at the age of three. When she was interviewed by Procter & Gamble at the early years of her career, who asked where she sees herself after a period of five years, she commented, “I want to be working for GM.” The interviewers reply to check out this option brought a major break in her career.

Twenty three years of Lasjdziak’s career was spent in the different managerial level jobs with Saturn. In 1999, her contribution got rewarded when she was made the general manager of this brand.

Today, the demise of Saturn brings a glorious end to the career of people like Lasjdziak.

Robert Lutz, who first began his employment in GM in 1963, has led all of Chrysler’s automotive activities for twelve yeas and spent another twelve with the Ford, the last as the executive vice president of truck operations. GM re-appointed him in 2001 and even though he was to retire this year, he continues with his contribution to the “new” company.

He expressed his views about the automotive sector as, “I feel like the industry is on the cusp of a technological revolution.” He said the future lies in the latest technology and in EV like new Chevy Volt.

Lutz emphasized the excellence of the GM’s products repeatedly during his speech. “The world does not realize how great today’s GM products are,” he said. “Our products are equal or superior to the competitors.” The company is now on its way to a “may the best car win” ad campaign these days.

When it launched an ad that stated that the GM cars enjoyed a better mileage than the Toyota cars, the latter asked GM to withdraw the advertisement. Lutz said that he will race a Cadillac CTS-V against the comers with stock four-door cars to prove the Cadillac is the fastest sedan in the world as a part of the promotion program.

He utilized the opportunity to reveal the pictures of the latest models that GM is manufacturing or proposes to produce in the future such as the Cadillac CTS Sportwagon, GMC Terrain and Chevy Cruze. He also stated the company’s plan to produce the concept car, Cadillac Converj during the dinner meeting.

Lutz highlighted the Chevrolet Camaro during the meeting where the company focuses on the fuel-efficient models, even though V-8 is better selling today. The company is on the look out to break-even at those markets that they had struggled recently by aiming at the younger crowd.

When he was asked whether the company has plans to fight through the “Government Motor” image, Lutz commented that the role of Government is virtually nonexistent during the bailout period. “The way it is organized now it’s like any other company. The best way to shed that image is to make a lot of money quickly and buy back the government’s stock.”

Lutz is hopeful of the ability of the hybrid versions of bigger vehicles like the trucks and SUVs in meeting the future fuel economy laws of the country.

The first car of the brand Saturn, a red S-Series that was launched in 1990 is still kept for display in the factory premises. The factory and the town have hosted many tours and reunions for the Saturn car owners as a part of their promotion programs. The City Hall has the walls decorated with the photographs of the old town of Spring Hill before and after the arrival of the brand, Saturn, depicting an era of development.

The residents and the Mayor credit GM’s Saturn for the major developments the town has witnessed over the period. But later, the locals saw GM rolling off Saturn from Tennessee in 2007 to replace it with the building of Chevrolet Traverse that is now on its way out. The company has made plans to transfer the production of Traverse to a plant in Michigan, closing down the Spring Hill factory.

This decision of the General Motors to wind up the factory has left the residents in a state of perplexity. A few, who had remained hopeful of Penske’s ability to revive the brand, were unable to understand its decision to pull away from the deal. Others are still in a shock over the fall of the auto giant GM that can leave many locals jobless. One of the local residents put the blame on the federal government calling it responsible for the fall of the automotive industry in the country.

The locals are also wishing for a revival of the economy that can put back the things to its normal state. To quote a resident, Dinwiddie, who is confident of the future of Spring Hill, “I have to believe the plant is going to come back. It all depends on the overall economy. I hope that Americans start buying American products and start supporting the American auto manufacturing industry and if that happens, we’ll get a product in this plant.” He has sent invitations to President Obama and the auto recovery czar to have a tour of the plant, which he thinks will result in it being operational.

Whatever be the future of the plant in Spring Hill, residents are sure of their ability to wade through the times of misery.

Bob Maguire says his two Saturn dealerships at Bordentown and Toms River will continue to be open and sell. Maguire, the co-owner of Maguire Auto Group quips, I will try to cultivate new business and confident that something will come up soon.”

With the announcement by General Motors of wind down of Saturn vehicles after the acquisition deal with Penske Automotive failed, it left 350 Saturn dealers across the country have been left in the lurch and trying to find exit strategies including Bob and Marcy Maguire for themselves and also for the workers. The on going events and trends means almost definite death of Saturn brand that was set up by Saturn to fight against the Japanese imports in the 1990’s and currently it is estimated around 13,000 jobs are at stake.

The exact business plan is still vague, and the steps being taken after the shutdown of Saturn operations in October 2010 is still being formulated, but for one thing, the business will be as usual. We are looking for new business and selling new Saturn vehicles to anyone who is interested to purchase the last ones in the breed. He does not close out the option of shutting down the two dealerships at Bordentown and Toms River a year from now and is keeping all options open. Currently the two dealerships employ 25 people each. Maguire further adds that it is not is ambition to close down the dealerships, but would be forced if no viable options come up and says they still provide gainful employment to all their workers.

Saturn launched in 1990 with its own exclusive tag line, “A different kind of Car Company” gained popularity in America by their low-key showrooms and no-haggle pricing. General Motor had launched Saturn with the hope that with the dent free plastic panels, it would attract the young generation with the hipper cars. It built the Saturn plant at Springhill, TN devoted to Saturn vehicles.

Although it attracted and drew huge crowds, the brand could never make enough money, although it was never disclosed how much the company made profit on the Saturn brand.

The Saturn customers brand base we have, have their culture of their own and there were never a customer that was unhappy with their Saturn vehicle they purchased from us and sadly it’s true.

The closedown events have come as a shock to everyone. GM had even agreed to keep 3 models running beyond 2011 and after which Penske have had to come up with their own products made by any other manufacturer.

There is very little hope that talks could be reopened without another supplier in place before the deal was signed according to Anthony Pordon, a Penske spokesperson. It would take several years to design new vehicles, especially foreign vehicles which meet US standards and Penske would beat risk selling no products once the contract with GM expires.

The production of new Saturn vehicles will be stopped as soon as possible. But no layouts are expected according to Sherrie Childers, GM spokeswoman. The Saturn owners can still go to their dealers for servicing and will be able to go to certified GM dealers once the Saturn dealerships close down.

Maguire said it was even true for his NJ dealerships. They would continue to be in business and would take care of Saturn customers who are in need of servicing. The close down announcement has come as surprise to everyone. In this damn economy it is difficult to forecast anything but we are doing the best as we can, according to Bob Maguire.

Chevrolet Colorado 2009 is a complete engineering transformation of Colorado. It is claimed that it’s a full power in small space. Best power handling and sporty style. The truck is loaded with 14.5:1 ratio for a quick response and provides you the best sneaky radius for the turn. You will feel a difference in driving around the corners.

The redefined and retuned steering and suspension had made Colorado ZQ8 a preferred truck for two lane high and mountain roads with tight lanes and reducing radius turnings, Colorado ZQ8 is a pure precision and transition vehicle. It is enhanced to the level of sport driving.

You are safe while driving at high speed as the brakes are front disc/rear drum with higher stopping power; all this because of the twin-pistons discs. The discs are tortured to stop the power house 4013 pound Colorado to a stand still. The vehicle is having 4 channel ABS system, stops straight, yaw control to balance the uneven load in the rear.

With the bigger wheels and lower stance, the new look, makes the Colorado look better, sleeker and trimmer.

The latest V8 engine provides full throttle to the giant, and reaches 0 to 60 mph in less than 7.67 seconds, which is exception in its segment. The 2000 rpm kicks the truck to 67 miles per hour on highway and to reach 70 miles per hour, it generated 2200 rpm, with best fuel efficiency.

The Colorado ZQ8 is a legitimate 5 passengers capability, with enough leg-space, shoulder room for three passengers at the back and with a seating configuration of 6 passengers.

The interior of the truck is not very special, it is very simple in looks and a generous use of plastic and control panel for audio and HVAC systems.

All the sport truck enthusiasts will appreciate the Colorado ZQ8, a classic machine of American street with great performance and dynamic capacity, a power house on need. The sporty style and convenience features make it a young family car.

The 2009 Colorado ZQ8 price range starts at $23,330, a standard model with 2.9-liter 4 -cylinder engine and all the standard safety equipment included. To add the sport package in it will amount to additional $3,935 to the price. Further, heated leather seats will add another $1,495, and a sunroof for $695; with rear lockers and destination charges added, the retail price zooms at $ 30, 475. With the buyer’s market trend, the beast can be afforded at $26k and after that just drive it away.