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Saturn L-Series
MyWikiBiz, Author Your Legacy — Sunday March 21, 2010
| Saturn L-Series | |
|---|---|
| Image:00-02 Saturn L-Series.jpg | |
| Manufacturer | Saturn Corporation |
| Parent company | General Motors |
| Production | 2000-2005 406,300 produced |
| Assembly | Wilmington, Delaware |
| Successor | Saturn Aura |
| Class | Mid-size |
| Body style(s) | 4-door sedan 4-door station wagon |
| Layout | FF layout |
| Platform | GM2900 platform |
| Engine(s) | 2.2 L L61 Ecotec I4 3.0 L L81 V6 |
| Transmission(s) | 5-speed manual 4-speed 4T40-E automatic (I4) 4-speed 4T45-E automatic (V6) |
| Wheelbase | 106.5 in (2705 mm) |
| Length | 190.4 in (4836 mm) |
| Width | 2003-05: 68.5 in (1740 mm) 2000-02: 69.0 in (1753 mm) |
| Height | Sedan: 56.4 in (1433 mm) Wagon: 57.3 in (1455 mm) |
| Fuel capacity | 15.7 US gallons (59.4 L/13.1 imp gal) |
| Related | Opel Vectra Saab 9-3 |
The Saturn L-Series was a line of automobiles sold by General Motors' Saturn marque.
The L-Series mid-size sedans and station wagons were introduced in 2000. They were based on the Opel Vectra B and manufactured at a GM plant in Wilmington, Delaware. The L-Series was available with I4 and V6 engines with either 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmissions.
Poor sales of the L-Series caused GM to cancel the line for 2005. The first L-series car was built in May 1999, and the last one rolled off the Wilmington line on June 17, 2004, after a short run of 2005 models. About 406,300 L-series cars were built in this period. The plant was then retooled to build the Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky roadsters.
The replacement for the L-Series, the Saturn Aura, arrived in August 2006 for the 2007 model year. The Aura is built on the Epsilon platform, also shared by the Pontiac G6 and the Opel Vectra C.
[edit] The name game
The L-Series cars were originally designated the LS (for sedan) and LW (for wagon). However, this caused great confusion and anger from both Toyota and Ford, who both sold LS-series cars (the Lexus LS and the Lincoln LS). The vehicles were then renamed L-Series for 2001. (Some have also suggested that the name changes were a result of customer complaints over Saturn's "SL" and "LS" series cars, which were both on sale at the same time.)
[edit] Model History
- 2000: The L-Series consisted of 5 models: The LS, LS1, LS2, LW1 and LW2.
- 2002: The L-Series received new model designations: L100, L200, and L300, LW200, and LW300.
- 2003: Along with a facelift, front and rear, the L-Series wagons lost their "LW" designations and were called L200 and L300, along with their sedan line mates. The L100 sedan was canceled.
- 2004: The L200 was canceled. The L-Series was officially renamed "L300" and sedan and wagon body styles remained.
- 2005: The only option for the L300 was a power moonroof, as all other options were dropped to reduce production complexity. The last L300 rolled off the Wilmington Assembly line on June 17, 2004.
 2003-2005 Saturn L300 sedan |
 2003-2005 Saturn L300 wagon |
| Saturn, a division of General Motors, automobile timeline, 1990s–present | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | 1990s | 2000s | ||||||||||||||||||
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | |
| Compact | S-Series | S-Series | ION | Astra | ||||||||||||||||
| Mid-size | L-Series | Aura | ||||||||||||||||||
| Crossover | VUE | VUE | ||||||||||||||||||
| Outlook | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Minivan | Relay | |||||||||||||||||||
| Roadster | Sky | |||||||||||||||||||
