The Saturn Ion is the focus of todays NorCal Spotlight.

The Saturn ION was originally manufactured by American automaker, General Motors operating under the “Saturn” name. The ION replaced the Saturn S-Series in 2003.

The first ever ION had a 140 hp DOHC Ecotec I4 engine and featured a unique instrument panel display. Instead of having them behind the steering wheel, the control panel was actually right in the center of the dashboard. The ION was available in two trims, sedan and coupe. The coupe was the first four-door coupe ever produced in the automobile world and was dubbed the “quad coupe” since it featured two added small doors in the rear. The car was available with a 5-speed manual transmission or an optional 5-speed automatic transmission.

The unique automatic transmission lacked an overdrive gear that allowed for five forward gears to be bundled in the small transmission. This compactly designed transmission allowed for closer gear ratios, better acceleration, and increased fuel efficiency. As an added bonus, the transmission was dubbed “fill-for-life” by GM, which simply meant that it was designed to last for life. In other words, no service would ever be required on it.

Saturn Redline 4 door Coupe

In 2004, Saturn released the Red Line version of the ION. This version featured a supercharged engine boasting 205hp, a tighter shifting manual transmission, sturdier springs with lowered ride height, Recaro racing seats, and a custom ground effects package along with other goodies to enhance the overall sportiness of the car.

Along with the release of the Red Line, Saturn also introduced a “Special Edition” coupe in very limited quantities. This version of the ION added two-toned leather, special chromed exhaust pipes, automatic dimming rear-view mirrors, and a handful of other commodities designed to appeal to a broader audience and enhance the overall appeal of the vehicle.

About a year after all of these developments, the raved automatic transmission was deemed defective by GM and was replaced with a standard 4 speed automatic transmission. Also, by the end of 2006 and the beginning of 2007, the Ion started featuring a newly improved engine that featured up to 170 hp for the 2.4 L Ecotec model.

As it stands today, the Saturn ION has been discontinued. There where multiple rumors about the ION receiving a redesign for the 2008 model year and some pictures where even scattered throughout the web but GM officially shut down those hopes March 2007. GM replaced the Saturn ION with the Saturn Astra hatchback, a vehicle designed by GM’s European subsidiary, Opel.