Saturn's fate is sealed. The brand will die alongside Pontiac and seems to have a plot next to Oldsmobile lined up. Here are the most significant moments in Saturn's brief history:

The new Opel Insignia, and its badge-engineered Vauxhall Insignia twin, are the first expression of General Motors' new Global Mid-Size architecture, likely to be the base for a larger Saturn in the next few years. Presented statically at Opel's new Design Center in Rüsselsheim, Germany, the car is far more convincing than earlier GM Europe designs. It is sized to compete with the Ford Mondeo and Volkswagen Passat, but comes across as a more substantial vehicle, in part because the overall tire diameter, kept the same whether the wheels are 16-, 17-, 18- or 20-inch, is the biggest in the class.

Saturn's romance with Europe's Opel brand continues with the introduction of the Flextreme concept. The American division's diesel/electric plug-in hybrid show car is a rebadged Opel Flextreme, a concept introduced at the Frankfurt show this past September.

After seeing what GM's new Two-Mode hybrid system can do in the company's full-size SUVs, we named it our 2008 Technology of the Year. Now, the 2009 Vue Green Line Two-Mode is the first application of Two-Mode technology in a front-wheel-drive vehicle.

Some may say that the new Saturn Astra is a big improvement over its predecessor, the Saturn Ion. We say, how could it not be? The hapless Ion was a strong contender for America's worst small car and the most recent example of our storied incompetence in that arena.

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Saturn has been busy filling their lots with new cars lately. Last year, they released three brand-new models: the Sky, Aura, and Outlook. For 2008, those cars are joined by the Vue and the Astra, which are also both all new. This makes the Saturn lineup the freshest fleet around.

During a recent 10K training run, my buddy Jim, who prefers his cars to come from Germany, his wine from France, and his running shoes from Japan, still was incredulous as he recounted driving a V-6-powered Saturn Aura rental in San Francisco. "Joe," he said, panting for breath, "that car was actually pretty good. I couldn't believe it. A Saturn!"

During a recent 10K training run, my buddy Jim, who prefers his cars to come from Germany, his wine from France, and his running shoes from Japan, still was incredulous as he recounted driving a V-6-powered Saturn Aura rental in San Francisco. "Joe," he said, panting for breath, "that car was actually pretty good. I couldn't believe it. A Saturn!"

In the past, a gorgeous Opel concept would have gotten us only mildly excited. Now that Saturn has been completely Opelized, this coupe has us running around screaming nonsensical things to the sidewalk walkers outside our windows. Called the Gran Turismo concept, it has a greenhouse that is very Infiniti G35, while the rest of it is fresh and beautiful while carrying over some styling cues from the current Vectra. And just look at those exhaust outlets-they're as big as the taillights. The car's turbocharged, 300 horsepower V-6 must be putting out some pretty intense fumes. The interior looks great too, and only a few shiny bits are far-fetched for production.

In the past, a gorgeous Opel concept would have gotten us only mildly excited. Now that Saturn has been completely Opelized, this coupe has us running around screaming nonsensical things to the sidewalk walkers outside our windows. Called the Gran Turismo concept, it has a greenhouse that is very Infiniti G35, while the rest of it is fresh and beautiful while carrying over some styling cues from the current Vectra. And just look at those exhaust outlets-they're as big as the taillights. The car's turbocharged, 300 horsepower V-6 must be putting out some pretty intense fumes. The interior looks great too, and only a few shiny bits are far-fetched for production.

The 2008 Saturn Vue hasn't even gone on sale yet, and already two new models are being unveiled. Each of them represents an opposite extreme, just as its predecessor did. The Vue Red Line sits at the fun end of the spectrum, using a 250-horsepower version of the same 3.6-liter V-6 found in the Cadillac CTS, Buick Enclave, and a number of other GM models. It is distinguished from a regular XR model by a lowered suspension, eighteen-inch wheels, chrome exhaust tips, and a larger, lower front air opening. Inside, modifications include leather sport seats and a unique instrument cluster. The Red Line uses a six-speed automatic and is available in front- or all-wheel-drive form.

Palo Alto, California With its new GMC Acadia and Saturn Outlook twins--along with the forthcoming Buick Enclave--GM is right on target in the family-size-crossover category, a segment that's skyrocketing now that fuel economy, the efficient use of space, and some semblance of behind-the-wheel fun are fashionable again. These vehicles effectively will replace GM's minivan lineup, since the company has all but confirmed that it plans to ditch its uncompetitive minivan platform once and for all.

Saturn's Astra is significant because it represents one thing: Change. GM's fuzziest, cutest, and most user-friendly brand (Showroom as living room! Fixed price tags! Warm Cosby sweaters!) has long suffered from a lack of product. Traditionally, Saturns have been boring, dull, crappy, boring, boring, and, well, boring. The GM division was created as a front-line effort in the battle to regain ground lost to the Japanese; unfortunately, however, its product line never quite lived up to the hype.

One of our top three most significant Chicago show debuts. Saturn's Astra is significant because it represents one thing: Change. GM's fuzziest, cutest, and most user-friendly brand (Showroom as living room! Fixed price tags! Warm Cosby sweaters!) has long suffered from a lack of product. Traditionally, Saturns have been boring, dull, crappy, boring, boring, and, well, boring. The GM division was created as a front-line effort in the battle to regain ground lost to the Japanese; unfortunately, however, its product line never quite lived up to the hype.

One of our top three most significant Chicago show debuts. Saturn's Astra is significant because it represents one thing: Change. GM's fuzziest, cutest, and most user-friendly brand (Showroom as living room! Fixed price tags! Warm Cosby sweaters!) has long suffered from a lack of product. Traditionally, Saturns have been boring, dull, crappy, boring, boring, and, well, boring. The GM division was created as a front-line effort in the battle to regain ground lost to the Japanese; unfortunately, however, its product line never quite lived up to the hype.

Saturn is adding a second hybrid model to sit alongside the Vue Green Line hybrid in its newly Euro-centric lineup. That car, the Aura Green Line, uses the same mild hybrid system as the current Vue Green Line. That means a 2.4-liter Ecotec with variable valve timing assisted by an electric motor, which together pump out 164 hp and 159 lb-ft of torque. The combination, Saturn claims, is good for a twenty-five percent increase in fuel economy over a regular Aura XE. Unlike competing models from Nissan and Toyota, the Aura cannot run on electricity alone; the engine turns off only when the car is stopped. But to it's credit, Saturn's system is simpler and weighs less. The Aura Green Line should command a premium of just under $2500 when the car goes on sale in the spring of 2007.

Saturn is adding a second hybrid model to sit alongside the Vue Green Line hybrid in its newly Euro-centric lineup. That car, the Aura Green Line, uses the same mild hybrid system as the current Vue Green Line. That means a 2.4-liter Ecotec with variable valve timing assisted by an electric motor, which together pump out 164 hp and 159 lb-ft of torque. The combination, Saturn claims, is good for a twenty-five percent increase in fuel economy over a regular Aura XE. Unlike competing models from Nissan and Toyota, the Aura cannot run on electricity alone; the engine turns off only when the car is stopped. But to it's credit, Saturn's system is simpler and weighs less. The Aura Green Line should command a premium of just under $2500 when the car goes on sale in the spring of 2007.

Saturn is adding a second hybrid model to sit alongside the Vue Green Line hybrid in its newly Euro-centric lineup. That car, the Aura Green Line, uses the same mild hybrid system as the current Vue Green Line. That means a 2.4-liter Ecotec with variable valve timing assisted by an electric motor, which together pump out 164 hp and 159 lb-ft of torque. The combination, Saturn claims, is good for a twenty-five percent increase in fuel economy over a regular Aura XE. Unlike competing models from Nissan and Toyota, the Aura cannot run on electricity alone; the engine turns off only when the car is stopped. But to it's credit, Saturn's system is simpler and weighs less. The Aura Green Line should command a premium of just under $2500 when the car goes on sale in the spring of 2007.

Saturn is adding a second hybrid model to sit alongside the Vue Green Line hybrid in its newly Euro-centric lineup. That car, the Aura Green Line, uses the same mild hybrid system as the current Vue Green Line. That means a 2.4-liter Ecotec with variable valve timing assisted by an electric motor, which together pump out 164 hp and 159 lb-ft of torque. The combination, Saturn claims, is good for a twenty-five percent increase in fuel economy over a regular Aura XE. Unlike competing models from Nissan and Toyota, the Aura cannot run on electricity alone; the engine turns off only when the car is stopped. But to it's credit, Saturn's system is simpler and weighs less. The Aura Green Line should command a premium of just under $2500 when the car goes on sale in the spring of 2007.

Significance: Other than the fact that the outgoing model looks like a middle school science project? This good-looking ute will soon be available as a mild or two-mode hybrid, with promises that a plug-in version is in the works. On the other end of the spectrum, the Red Line model should be a decent performer.

Significance: Other than the fact that the outgoing model looks like a middle school science project? This good-looking ute will soon be available as a mild or two-mode hybrid, with promises that a plug-in version is in the works. On the other end of the spectrum, the Red Line model should be a decent performer.

Significance: Other than the fact that the outgoing model looks like a middle school science project? This good-looking ute will soon be available as a mild or two-mode hybrid, with promises that a plug-in version is in the works. On the other end of the spectrum, the Red Line model should be a decent performer.

Saturn's onslaught of new products continues with the new 2008 Saturn Vue. With the addition of this vehicle, only the lowly Ion carries the torch for old-school Saturn-think (at least, until the Astra arrives.) Like the Aura and Sky, the Vue shares its platform and looks with an Opel; in this case it's the Antara that debuted at the Paris show in September.