Saturn S-series
Encyclopedia
The S-Series was part of a family of compact car
Compact car
A compact car , or small family car , is a classification of cars which are larger than a supermini but smaller than or equal to a mid-size car...

s from the Saturn automobile
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...

 company. This was the first series of Saturn vehicles. The automobile platform
Automobile platform
An automobile platform is a shared set of common design, engineering, and production efforts, as well as major components over a number of outwardly distinct models and even types of automobiles, often from different, but related marques...

, the Z-body
GM Z platform
The Z platform or Z-body automobile platform designation was used on two different types of vehicles made by General Motors. The first was the second-generation Chevrolet Corvair from 1965 to 1969, which was a rear-wheel-drive and rear-engine compact car that replaced the previous Y-Body Corvair...

, was developed entirely in-house at Saturn and shared very little with the rest of the General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...

 model line. It implemented a spaceframe design, also seen on some Pontiac
Pontiac
Pontiac was an automobile brand that was established in 1926 as a companion make for General Motors' Oakland. Quickly overtaking its parent in popularity, it supplanted the Oakland brand entirely by 1933 and, for most of its life, became a companion make for Chevrolet. Pontiac was sold in the...

s, which meant that the side panels did not carry load and could use plastic
Plastic
A plastic material is any of a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic organic solids used in the manufacture of industrial products. Plastics are typically polymers of high molecular mass, and may contain other substances to improve performance and/or reduce production costs...

 pieces instead of metal
Metal
A metal , is an element, compound, or alloy that is a good conductor of both electricity and heat. Metals are usually malleable and shiny, that is they reflect most of incident light...

. These polymer
Polymer
A polymer is a large molecule composed of repeating structural units. These subunits are typically connected by covalent chemical bonds...

 panels were dent-resistant—something that has remained a major selling point for Saturn. The S-series was sold from the fall of 1990 through the end of the 2002 model year, with redesigns in 1996/1997 and in 2000/2001.

The S-series debuted with SC (“sports coupe
Coupé
A coupé or coupe is a closed car body style , the precise definition of which varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, and over time...

”) and SL (“sedan level”) models in 1990 as 1991 models. The SW (“sedan wagon”) debuted at the 1992 North American International Auto Show
North American International Auto Show
The North American International Auto Show is an annual auto show held in Detroit, Michigan at Cobo Center, usually in January. It is among the largest auto shows in North America.-History:...

 in Detroit.

Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...

 and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

 were the only two Asian countries to import Saturns. From 1992 to 1996, the first- and second-generation sedans plus the first-generation coupes were sold in Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...

. From 1996 to 2003, the second-generation versions were sold in right-hand drive in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

, and some Toyota Netz dealerships, and former Isuzu
Isuzu
, is a Japanese car, commercial vehicle and heavy truck manufacturing company, headquartered in Tokyo. In 2005, Isuzu became the world's largest manufacturer of medium to heavy duty trucks. It has assembly and manufacturing plants in the Japanese city of Fujisawa, as well as in the prefectures...

 dealerships did offer Saturn products until 2001. All Saturn products were in compliance with Japanese Government regulations concerning exterior dimensions and maximum engine displacement requirements.

Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

 imported all available Saturn models from 1992 onwards.

A change partway through the 1999 model year gave the SC a small suicide door
Suicide door
A suicide door is a car door hinged on the trailing edge, the edge closer to the rear of the vehicle. Such doors are rarely used on vehicles in modern times because of their disadvantages....

 on the driver's side. This type of door had previously been used in extended cab pickup truck
Pickup truck
A pickup truck is a light motor vehicle with an open-top rear cargo area .-Definition:...

s, but was an innovation in coupe design.

The S-series was replaced by the larger Saturn Ion
Saturn ION
The Saturn Ion was a compact car sold by the Saturn marque of American automaker General Motors between the 2003 and 2007 model years. It used the GM Delta platform. The Ion replaced the Saturn S-Series in 2003,...

 in 2003, which was unable to match the S-series' sales numbers before the end of its own production at the end of 2007.

Coupe
Coupé
A coupé or coupe is a closed car body style , the precise definition of which varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, and over time...

s and sedans equipped with the base single overhead cam engine and a manual transmission
Manual transmission
A manual transmission, also known as a manual gearbox or standard transmission is a type of transmission used in motor vehicle applications...

 were among the most fuel-efficient
Fuel economy in automobiles
Fuel usage in automobiles refers to the fuel efficiency relationship between distance traveled by an automobile and the amount of fuel consumed....

 car
Čar
Čar is a village in the municipality of Bujanovac, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the town has a population of 296 people.-References:...

s available in the United States when they were produced, reaching 40 miles per US gallon in EPA
United States Environmental Protection Agency
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress...

 highway tests at the time (this would likely translate to 36 miles per US gallon under current methodologies).

First generation SL/SW

The first generation SL and SW were made from model year 1991 to 1995. The first Saturn to leave the assembly line in the Spring Hill, Tennessee
Spring Hill, Tennessee
Spring Hill is a city in Maury and Williamson counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee, located approximately south of Nashville. The population was 7,715 at the 2000 census...

 factory was on July 30, 1990, the same day that then-CEO of GM, Roger Bonham Smith
Roger Bonham Smith
Roger Bonham Smith was the Chairman and CEO of General Motors Corporation from 1981 to 1990, and is widely known as the main subject of Michael Moore's 1989 documentary film Roger & Me....

, retired. It was maroon with a tan interior.

Originally there were two available trim levels. The SL1 trim level featured a SOHC 1.9 L I4
Straight-4
The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft....

 LK0 engine
Internal combustion engine
The internal combustion engine is an engine in which the combustion of a fuel occurs with an oxidizer in a combustion chamber. In an internal combustion engine, the expansion of the high-temperature and high -pressure gases produced by combustion apply direct force to some component of the engine...

 that was rated at 85 hp, which was rated at 27 mpgU.S. (11.5 km/L) city, 37 mpgU.S. (15.7 km/L) Highway. The SL2 trim level featured a DOHC 1.9 L I4 LL0 engine that was rated at 124 hp, 24 mpgU.S. (10.2 km/L) city, 34 mpgU.S. (14.5 km/L) Highway.

1991-1992 model year Saturns featured the base "SL" available with a manual transmission only, an "SL1", "SL2", and "SC".

For model year 1993, the line expanded to include the SW1 and SW2 wagons, which were mechanically identical to their SL1 and SL2 counterparts. All models received an interior redesign for 1995.
All S-Series cars were offered with either a 5-speed
Speed
In kinematics, the speed of an object is the magnitude of its velocity ; it is thus a scalar quantity. The average speed of an object in an interval of time is the distance traveled by the object divided by the duration of the interval; the instantaneous speed is the limit of the average speed as...

 manual transmission
Manual transmission
A manual transmission, also known as a manual gearbox or standard transmission is a type of transmission used in motor vehicle applications...

 or a 4-speed automatic transmission
Automatic transmission
An automatic transmission is one type of motor vehicle transmission that can automatically change gear ratios as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually...

. The automatic featured a performance setting which gave crisper shifts at a higher RPM, and a setting for traction in which the transmission would stay in 2nd gear from a stop for more controlled take-offs. The Saturn transmissions
Transmission (mechanics)
A machine consists of a power source and a power transmission system, which provides controlled application of the power. Merriam-Webster defines transmission as: an assembly of parts including the speed-changing gears and the propeller shaft by which the power is transmitted from an engine to a...

 in the DOHC-equipped vehicles were geared to enhance acceleration, while the SOHC-equipped model transmissions were geared toward economy.

The base SL1 engine was upgraded to the 100 hp L24 engine for the 1995 model year. The two base engines were mechanically identical, save for the upgrade from TBI to sequential MPFI. The 100HP engine also featured improved fuel economy of 26 mpgU.S. (11.1 km/L) city, 40 mpgU.S. (17 km/L) Highway

The S-Series had a 12.8 US gal (48 l; 11 imp gal) fuel tank, which means that both cars got around 384 miles (618 km) on a single tank based on average of 32 miles per US gallon. Owners of the base model typical report real-world fuel mileage of about 38–41  mpg-US (6.2–5.7 L/100 km; 46–49 mpg-imp) on the highway with the manual trans.

Special edition Saturns

A special Homecoming edition of the SL2 was released for 1994. It had special Pearl White paint (a "silver-tint" pearl, shared with Cadillac models of this year), black Saturn emblems, spoiler
Spoiler (automotive)
A spoiler is an automotive aerodynamic device whose intended design function is to 'spoil' unfavorable air movement across a body of a vehicle in motion. Spoilers on the front of a vehicle are often called air dams, because in addition to directing air flow they also reduce the amount of air...

, 15 inches (38.1 cm) "teardrop" wheels, anti-lock four-wheel disc brakes, grey leather/cloth interior, rear headrests, foglamps, and power locks and window
Window
A window is a transparent or translucent opening in a wall or door that allows the passage of light and, if not closed or sealed, air and sound. Windows are usually glazed or covered in some other transparent or translucent material like float glass. Windows are held in place by frames, which...

s. Options included a sunroof, CD player, and the 4-speed automatic with traction control. Approximately 3,500 Homecoming cars were produced.

In 1998 and 1999, prospective buyers of a red or white SC2 had the option of purchasing the "Black Top Coupe Package" for $225.00 (US). The models were referred to as the "Red Hot Coupe" or "White Hot Coupe", based on the exterior color. The package came with a black roof panel, black outside rear view mirrors, black emblems, white face gauges and black accented teardrop wheels. These are extremely rare.

Production Numbers on these limited editions:

Model year 1998:
White - 213
Red - 657

Model year 1999:
White - 285
Red - 284

In 1999, a second Homecoming Edition was produced in a special "Mint Color" with tan leather interior, special off-white gauge faceplates, and black Saturn badges to commemorate the 2nd Homecoming visit to the Spring Hill, Tennessee manufacturing facility. The 1999 Homecoming Edition also had the same features offered as the 1994 Homecoming Edition. There were 4,000 of the 1999 Homecoming Edition produced.

In 2001, a special Yellow Sport Coupe model SC2 was also built. The model was dubbed the "Bumblebee Edition", of which 99 were produced with a certificate of authenticity. The "Bumblebee Edition" included embroidered headrests, black leather interior with yellow leather inserts on the seats and door panels, black roof and mirrors, number designation inside fuel filler door and certificate of authenticity. These are not to be confused with the regular issue Yellow Sport Coupe.

2001 also saw a "10th Anniversary Edition" SL sedan model. 1,000 of these vehicles were made, all in SL2 trim, with "SILVER" finish (http://www.carpictures.com/Saturn/SL2-10th-Anniversary-Limited-Edition-silver-2001-03ANK351165841). The car commemorated the 10th anniversary of the Saturn SL's production. Included features were black leather interior with grey accents, black Saturn badges, white gauge faces, and restyled 15" premium alloy "Teardrop II" wheels. Options included ABS, side curtain airbags, fog lights, and embroidered "Saturn 10th Anniversary" floor mats. Another Limited SL for 2001 was the "Bright Red" sedan. Approximately 664 were built. See link (http://www.carpictures.com/Saturn/SL2-bright-red-2001-02A79480640803)

In addition to the above mentioned "Special Edition" Saturns; there was also the 1999 (and possibly 2000) Saturn SWP "Postal" Station Wagon that were produced (450 in 1999), intended to be marketed to rural route mail carriers. These Station Wagons were Right Hand Drive vehicles. There were also a limited number of Saturns that were exported to Japan as Right Hand Drive vehicles circa between 1996-2000.

First generation SC/SC2

The first generation SC was made from model year 1991 to 1996. Originally only one trim level, SC, was available, with a DOHC 1.9 L I4 LL0 engine that was rated at 124 hp. For 1993, the original SC trim level was renamed SC2, and an SC1 trim level was introduced. The first generation SC2 received a minor refresh for 1995. The lower front bumper, trunk lid reflector, and interior were redesigned.

First generation SC1

Introduced for model year 1993, the SC1 was created as a base-level coupe
Coupé
A coupé or coupe is a closed car body style , the precise definition of which varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, and over time...

. The SC1 featured an SOHC 1.9 L I4 LK0 engine that rated at 85 hp. The SC1 engine was later upgraded to the 100 hp L24 engine for the 1995 model year. The first generation SC1 was notably different from the up-level SC2, with a completely different front fascia lacking the pop-up headlights (but identical to the 1991-95 SL/SL1/SL2 fascia), and a slightly different rear end lacking a trunk lid reflector. The SC1 also lacked the rear stabilizer bar.

Second generation SL/SW

The second generation SL and SW were made from model year 1996 to 2002, with a refresh for the 2000 model year. The redesign resulted in a more curvaceous look for the SL/SW, which gave a slight increase in interior room and doorway size as well as an updated appearance. Mechanically, very little was changed from the previous model, though 1996 was the first year for the OBDII PCM
Engine control unit
An engine control unit is a type of electronic control unit that determines the amount of fuel, ignition timing and other parameters an internal combustion engine needs to keep running...

.

1999 models received improvements to both SOHC and DOHC engines that did not affect power output, but did smooth out some of the harshness associated with them. These changes included revised pistons, connecting rods, crankshaft counterweights, etc. Fuel economy of these refined models also saw a measurable improvement.

The face-lifted 2000-2002 model features a redesigned interior and exterior polymer panels, resulting in an addition of 1.2 inches (3 cm) to overall length, though it was virtually unchanged mechanically.

Second generation SC

The second generation SC was made from model year 1997 to 2002, with a refresh for the 2001 model year. The second generation SC also moved to the longer wheelbase of the SL/SW models, resulting in an equal wheelbase across all models. The redesign resulted in a more curved look for the SC, which gave a slight increase in interior room and doorway size as well as an updated appearance. Mechanically, very little was changed from the previous model. For the 1999 model year, a small rear-hinged third door was added to the driver's side. Although the third door allows passengers to enter and exit the rear seat without sliding the driver's seat forward, it was intended to provide easier access to the rear seat for parcels as the door's latch is on its front edge, and is thus inaccessible unless the front door is open. This prohibits a user from opening (or closing) the rear door if the front door is not open.

The 2000 model kept the same exterior but featured the redesigned interior of the SL and SW. The facelifted 2001-02 model adopted minor exterior styling revisions.

Theft

The 1995 Saturn SL was the most stolen vehicle in 2003, while the 1994 SL took third place in CCC Information Services's 2003 most stolen vehicle report. According to the Lynnwood, Washington police department, when use of the key wears on the door and ignition mechanisms, a filed blank key can be used to open the door and start the engine.

2003

Production of the S-Series ended after model year 2002. The car was replaced by one based on the GM Delta platform
GM Delta platform
Delta was General Motors' compact front-wheel drive automobile and crossover SUV platform, a successor to the GM T platform; it also replaced GM J platform and the Z platform used by the Saturn S-Series. The platform debuted in the 2003 Saturn Ion. Vehicles of this platform generally carry the...

, the Saturn Ion
Saturn ION
The Saturn Ion was a compact car sold by the Saturn marque of American automaker General Motors between the 2003 and 2007 model years. It used the GM Delta platform. The Ion replaced the Saturn S-Series in 2003,...

. This also marked the end of Saturn's use of mostly in-house designs, as unlike the S-Series, the Ion shared its platform and engine with other GM models such as the Chevrolet Cobalt
Chevrolet Cobalt
The Chevrolet Cobalt is a compact car introduced by Chevrolet in 2004 for the 2005 model year. The Cobalt replaced both the Cavalier and the Prizm as Chevrolet's compact car....

, Chevrolet HHR
Chevrolet HHR
The Chevrolet HHR was a retro-styled station wagon launched by the Chevrolet division of American automaker General Motors at the 2005 Los Angeles Auto Show as a 2006 model — and designed by Bryan Nesbitt. Smaller than the Equinox, the HHR shared the GM Delta platform with the Chevrolet...

, Pontiac G5
Pontiac G5
The Pontiac G5 is a rebadged Chevrolet Cobalt compact car that was marketed by the Pontiac division of General Motors. It was first introduced in 2004 for the 2005 model year. For 2005 and early 2006, this car was known as the Pontiac Pursuit in the Canadian market, and G5 Pursuit during mid-2006. ...

 and its eventual successor, the Saturn Astra.

Production numbers

Listed below is a rough estimate on the numbers of S-Series produced from 1991-2002. This information is referenced from "The Encyclopedia of American Cars" written by Auto Editors of Consumer Guide, Copyright 2002.
1991- 48,629 built 1992- 169,959 built 1993- 244,621 built
Introduction of Wagon Model/SC Designation for Sport Coupe changes to SC1/SC2
approx. 10,000 SC SC SC1/SC2
approx. 38,629 SL/SL1/SL2 SL/SL1/SL2 SL/SL1/SL2 SW1/SW2
1994- 267,518 built 1995- 302,988 built 1996- 294,198 built
SC1/SC2 SC1/SC2- 62,434 SC1/SC2
SL/SL1/SL2
SW1/SW2
SL/SL1/SL2- 221,102
SW1/SW2- 19,452
SL/SL1/SL2
SW1/SW2
1997- 314,992 built 1998- 219,765 built 1999- 275,633 built
SC1/SC2- 70,711 SC1/SC2- 38,591 SC1/SC2- 52,965
SL/SL1/SL2- 213,182
SW1/SW2- 31,099
SL/SL1/SL2- 160,759
SW1/SW2- 20,415
SL/SL1/SL2- 203,578
SW1/SW2- 19,090
2000- 169,866 built 2001- 117,842 built 2002- Figures not available from referenced material at time of publication
SC1- 8,517
SC2- 8,724
SC1- 23,584
SC2- 17,414
SL/SL1- 74,085
SL2- 68,907
SW2- 9,633
SL/SL1/SL2- 73,428
SW2- 3,416
Figures not available from referenced material at time of publication
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