GM's Saturn unit unveils new small car, the Ion

NEW YORK, March 27 Reuters Nearly 12 years after the first Saturn went on sale, the General Motors Corp. division will unveil on Wednesday its first completely redesigned small car with new features the automaker is counting on to end a seven-year slide in sales.

Saturn, known for innovative touches, has injected some stylish and sporty options in its new small car, renamed Ion instead of the more generic S Series, in an effort to attract younger buyers.

The Ion's roof rails (the arc over the windows) and interior trim available in optional leopard skin, cracked glass or blue bubble patterns may appeal to drivers whose tastes run toward the exotic. Brushed aluminum and carbon fiber optional roof rails and trim will also be available when the Ion goes on sale in the fall.

Saturn has also moved the instrument cluster -- the speedometer, odometer and other gauges -- on the Ion to the center of the vehicle, which officials said makes it easier for drivers to keep their eyes on the road for greater safety.

Because drivers will no longer have to peer through the steering wheel to check their speed, Saturn made the wheel smaller, allowing easier movement in and out of the seat. But whether drivers will like turning their heads to check their gauges is another question.

Another unusual touch is a four-door coupe. Saturn ended production of its two-door cars about three years ago when it began offering a three-door coupe, with a small rearward-opening door on the driver's side to allow convenient access to the rear seats. The Ion will be offered as a four-door sedan or what the company calls the ``quad coupe'', with a small rear-access door on each side.

Pricing on the Saturn, which comes standard with a five-speed transmission, will be announced at a later date.

GM launched Saturn in September 1990 as its import fighter against Toyota Motor Corp., Honda Motor Co. and Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. The S Series was its first offering.

Supported by such innovations as plastic door panels to avoid parking lot dents, no-haggle set prices and friendly customer service, the S Series was a hit, and U.S. sales climbed to peak of more than 286,000 in 1994.

But as GM struggled with record losses through the first half of the decade, it failed to invest in a follow-up to the S-Series, and sales steadily declined to 162,000 last year.

Now that GM has regained its footing, it has expanded the Saturn lineup, adding the L-Series mid-size car nearly three years ago, the Vue small sport utility, which went on sale last winter, and now the Ion small car.

The additional vehicles lead Saturn chief Jill Lajdziak to predict that U.S. sales for the division will grow 25 percent this year from a total of 260,731 last year.

``This is our year. It's a huge growth year for us,'' she said.