Everything at GM is undecided at this point. At least almost everything. GM has decided that the progress made on the 2-mode plugin hybrid powertrain and is simply too much to lose.
Though Saturn support will be ending, the engineering behind the planned Saturn VUE plug-in hybrid will live. The vehicle was set to debut in early 2011 and still will.
What will change is the nameplate. GM must figure out what brand will be best suited for the new plug-in hybrid crossover. Candidates now include Chevrolet, Buick, Cadillac, and GMC.
Both Chevrolet with the Equinox, and GMC with the Terrain could become the recipients of the Saturn Vue plug-in powertrain.
According to GM's vice chairman of global product development Tom Stephens, "It doesn't just go away because Saturn goes away. We are going to plug it in. You have to stay tuned to which brand we are going to put it in. The good news is that the introduction of this technology will not be delayed. It is going to be on time."
The only change at this point is that GM will not launch a Saturn 2 mode hybrid this summer as they had planned. Instead, they will launch both the 2 mode hybrid and the plug-in version together in 2011.
Whether it's a Chevy product or part of the GMC lineup doesn't really matter. What does matter is that this technology that GM has worked hard on will come to market on time.
Source: Automotive News
