Saturn Flextreme Cars

Saturn Flextreme Cars........

When attending a major event such as a car show, especially when you are the guest at as I was one of General Motors, you can be certain that you'll see more new model releases and concepts than you can shake a stick at. But that is a good thing - having access to some of the cutting edge industry information is an invaluable experience.

One concept that was featured at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show (NAIAS) was a Saturn concept, the Flextreme, a vehicle which defies easy categorization. It was one of several GM vehicles management ROLLED out, a car that received plenty of reactions from the audience.

I only wish that my response was half as vocal as some of the other media folks present; I sat there in stunned silence when it was unveiled!

The Flextreme is a concept plug-in hybrid, representing a possible new styling direction for Saturn. I'm not sure if GM will pull it off, but having a dedicated plug-in hybrid is the direction GM is heading. They're hoping to have a plug-in VUE (also ROLLED out at the NAIAS) and the company is working fast on bringing the Chevrolet Volt to market.

The Flextreme's proposed 34 mile all-electric, Emissions-free range does not sound like much, but for the person commuting to work, it should cover the vast majority of commutes. I can imagine that when someone pulls up at their place of business, electrical outlets will be available to recharge the Flextreme during the 9-10 hours the person is at work. Once home, they can recharge their car again.

GM is also looking at placing a 1.3L diesel engine in the vehicle which would help extend the driving range of the Flextreme and recharge the battery. The automaker says it would only take about three hours to fully recharge a battery tapped out Flextreme.

By:Samsul