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Need a new sedan? Tired of the same old offerings? Arriving atdealerships early this year are three brand-new models in threedifferent price ranges: the $11,995 Saturn ION, the $32,495 Saab 9-3 Vector,and the Mercedes-Benz Maybach for about $300,000.
Saturn's economical and fuel-efficient compact ION lineupconsists of two models: a basic four-door workhorse and a four-doorcoupe with two rear-hinged side doors for easy access to the backseats. Both are powered by General Motors' Ecotec 2.2-liter,four-cylinder inline engine, with 140 horsepower, and mated to asmooth five-speed manual transmission. Longer, wider and tallerthan the S-Series Saturns they replace, the IONs provide almost 15cubic feet of trunk space, the most cargo room of any in theircategory.
If you want to stand out from the crowd, Saab has gone sporty with itshigh-performance 9-3 VectorSports Sedan. Debuting a car built around the individualist driver,Saab has designed a cockpit-like front cabin, with bodywork thatincludes discreet front and rear spoilers and side skirts, yetstill retains Saab's conservative styling. A turbo-charged,2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine is under the hood, along with asix-speed manual transmission and 210 horsepower. Standardequipment includes tire pressure monitors; sport seats; a 330-watt,13-speaker sound system and 17-inch tires.
To truly stand out from the crowd, however, there's only oneway to go. The luxurious Maybach (pronounced MY-bock), a brand namethat has been resurrected by Mercedes-Benz after 60 years, ispractically hand-built to order. A serious, spacious sedan thatstretches almost 20 feet, it has a twin-turbocharged 5.5-liter, V12engine that produces 543 horsepower. The trunk capacity of thisfour-seater is 20 cubic feet. Reclining rear seats can be adjustedby each passenger, as can the two rear TV screens and DVDplayer.
Editor and consultant Jill Amadio has been reporting on theautomotive industry for 25 years.
