Having given Saturn up for dead long ago, American consumers buying cars wearing the red-ringed badge today are purchasing 1.) the deal, 2.) the buying experience, 3.) the customer service after the sale, and 4.) dent- and rust-resistant body panels.This is how it has always been with Saturn: outstanding dealership experience, mediocre vehicles from which to choose. And today’s lame lineup is no exception – the best thing on the lot is the rapidly aging Vue SUV, and that’s no shining star when stacked up to its competition.

That’s about to change. By the end of 2006, Saturn dealers will be inundated by new customers looking at the Sky roadster, the Outlook SUV, the Vue Green Line hybrid, and this new sedan, the 2007 Saturn Aura. The Aura debuted in production form at the 2006 New York Auto Show, and if Saturn can convince people that’s it is as durable as a Camry and as fun to drive as a Volkswagen, it should have no trouble selling every single Aura it builds.

The 2007 Saturn Aura’s styling theme is patterned after Europe’s Opel, a GM division long admired across the Atlantic for its design flair and driving dynamics. Based on same platform as the Chevrolet Malibu Maxx and Pontiac G6, but tuned to deliver the ride and handling of a premium sport sedan, the 2007 Aura is part of a three-pronged revitalization of Saturn that will lean heavily on Opel style and dynamism as it rebuilds it reputation in the U.S. After the Aura’s initial rollout at the end of this summer, an Aura Green Line will debut with a hybrid powertrain that mates a battery pack and electric motors to a 2.4-liter inline four-cylinder engine. We also wouldn’t be surprised to see an Aura Red Line version come to market with about 275 horsepower under the shapely hood.

Speaking of shapely, what sets the 2007 Saturn Aura apart are emerging brand design cues like a chrome bar grille, jeweled headlamps, shiny door handles, and LED taillights. Saturn will sell the Aura in two trim levels, standard XE and uplevel XR, available in your choice of nine colors.