The impressive Saturn Ion

Anthony Fontanelle
August 13, 2007

During the 2002 New York International Auto Show, Saturn launched a new breed of sports compact – the Ion. Named after a particle accelerator capable of creating the highest energy that could cause great motion, Saturn Ion set a new pace for Saturn’s fleet of cars. There are two Ion siblings in Saturn's lineup – the Sedan and Quad Coupe, both patterned after the new Delta global small-car platform. The Ion sedans went out in late 2002 ,while the Quad Coupe on the other went on sale by April 2003.

In 2004, Saturn launched its Red Line series of performance-tuned vehicles to boost its goal of providing the automobile market with competent of cars. Instead of carrying the usual 140-horsepower (HP) engine, the Ion Red Line Quad Coupe is powered by a supercharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder machine that revs up to 250 HP. Ion's suspension was also tweaked to enable owners better handling of twists and turns on the road.

The Ion features a set of Saturn parts that boosts its stock in the automotive market. An important Saturn ion part that cuts the car above most of its competitors is the set of automatic headlamps, which adapts to different lighting conditions on the road. Other safety features of the Ion are the car's steel space frame, five-star safety rating, front/side airbags, and seatbelt pretentioners and load limiters for the Sedan. Another unique Saturn Ion part is the set of dual rear access doors. Rear quad doors and flexible seating provide four-door car flexibility for the Coupe. Other comfort features of the Ion include fold-flat front passenger seat, CD/MP3 player and XM satellite radio, auxiliary input jack, LCD message center, and theater seating. Performance-wise, Ions are equipped with anti-lock brakes and traction control, sport-tuned suspension, dent-resistant side panels, and 16-inch alloy wheels.

Impressive looks are not enough in the bustling world of automobiles. Luckily enough, Saturn Ion is quite capable of keeping up with the stiff competition.

Source:  Amazines.com