Saturn Aura Engine

[Winston]

What engine is in the Saturn Aura XR. It is a 3.6L V6 with 252 hp (VVT). The XE has a 3.5L V6 with 224hp. Are both of these engines made by GM? Or is one of them a Honda V6?

Just had to try one of the new graemlins.

 

[Tosh]

Aura seems more attractive with a Honda engine, right? Sorry, but it's not.

 

[JeepZJ4.0]

Both are GM. I believe the 3.6L "High feature" V6 is made in Europe.

 

[Matt_S]

I seem to remember hearing that production of the 3.6L very recently started in either Pontiac or Flint, MI. According to the spec sheet, the 3.6L is made in Melbourne, Australia and St. Catherines, Ontario. They are definitely both GM engines. The 3.5L is based on the old 2.8, 3.1, 3.4L line of 60 degree V6's. The newest version of the 3.5L adds VVT and, in some versions, E85 compatibility. Expect to see a lot more of the 3.6L in the near future. It's already in at least 6 models I can think of (STS, CTS, SRX, G6, Aura, Lacrosse) and will be coming out in the new SUV line in January (GMC Acadia, Saturn Outlook and Buick Enclave).

 

[Winston]

I did find the engine on the GM web site. Yes, the 3.5L engine is an OHV engine, and the 3.6 is a DOHC with VVT and variable intake, all aluminum.

I drove the 3.6L version of the car and the engine is very responsive, the 6 speed transmission is nice, but there was a lot of torque steer. I have not driven a lot of FWD cars, but when I drove the new VW's I could not feel any torque steer. I thought the car mfg's had resolved most of the torque steer issues? All in all I think the car looks nice, the fron dashboard is nice, but there are a couple things that bugged me. The door panels wer just one solid piece of stamped plastic. They were so ugly. I know that is a strange thing to worry about, but I was just surprised that they could be so ugly on a car that otherwise, looked very nice. Also, the carpet looked really cheap. Anyway, it was overall pretty nice. I was particularly impressed with the looks of the dashboard, since GM dashboards are usually sooooo ugly.

 

[Quattro Pete]

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The door panels wer just one solid piece of stamped plastic. They were so ugly. I know that is a strange thing to worry about,

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Not at all. We spend most of our time looking at our cars from the inside. To me personally, interior design is very important. I want to feel good in it. I want to feel good touching every button and every handle. I want to feel that someone has put some effort into designing it and using good quality materials. Unforunately on a lot of domestics, that is still a foreign (no pun intended) concept and a way to cut costs.

 

[XS650]

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but there are a couple things that bugged me. The door panels wer just one solid piece of stamped plastic. They were so ugly. I know that is a strange thing to worry about, but I was just surprised that they could be so ugly on a car that otherwise, looked very nice.

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That killed it for us. We were looking for a new car for wife. She said the Aura interior materials reminded her of a Black and Decker tool box.

 

[dwendt44]

I can't help but wonder how good GMs VVT engines really are.
Given their history with 4 cylinder engines, and the problems they've had with the V-6s over the years, I not sure that I'd buy the VVT engine until it's been around a few years.

 

[HappyHyundai]

wierd, I thought it was made by Opel of Germany.

 

[JHZR2]

Quote:

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I can't help but wonder how good GMs VVT engines really are.
Given their history with 4 cylinder engines, and the problems they've had with the V-6s over the years, I not sure that I'd buy the VVT engine until it's been around a few years.

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Obviously you know nothing about how much of a gem the ecotec engine (particulalrly in saab turbocharged form) is...

JMH

 

[dwendt44]

I know enough about the problems GM has had with it's engines, especially the 'new and improved' versions of their wiz bang technology.

So you're saying it is an aquired technology? Not a GM engineered system?
Who designed the VVT tech. that GM uses?

 

[XS650]

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Obviously you know nothing about how much of a gem the ecotec engine (particulalrly in saab turbocharged form) is...

JMH

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That is counterbalanced by the many bad engines GM has unleashed on the public.

"Even a blind pig finds an acorn now and then"

 

[brianl703]

They had some Europeans who know what they're doing engineer the Ecotec.

 

[tdi-rick]

The Oz factory also supplies either the block or short motor to Alfa Romeo.