2007 Saturn Aura Concept Car

This is your daughter's Oldsmobile. GM's pricing hierarchy of a division for each purse and purpose is long gone, but with the Aura sedan concept and Sky roadster, Saturn is taking Oldsmobile's place in the Chevy, Pontiac, Olds, et al. lineup. Designed to show Saturn's new direction, the Aura (it even sounds like "Aurora") rides on the same 112.3-inch-wheelbase version of the Epsilon platform that underpins the Malibu Maxx and Pontiac G6. It'll be the only Epsilon offered at launch with the 3.6-liter twin-cam high-feature V-6 also available in the Buick LaCrosse. The Aura will come with a 170-horse, 2.4-liter four, but just a six-speed automotic will be offered with the six.

GM sees the Acura TL as the Aura's main competitor, while the Pontiac targets the Honda Accord and Mazda6 and the Malibu is after the Toyota Camry. Styling is based on the Opel Vectra, with sculpted surfaces and flowing horizontal lines, projector-beam trapezoidal headlamps, and a panoramic sunroof, like the G6's. The concept's interior is elegant, with snakeskin-like Rustica leather seats in navy and dark saddle and much attention to lighting, including a backlit instrument cluster, center vent switches, and window and door switches, theater dimming, ambient overhead lighting, and illuminated door handles.