Saturns Get Refined Powerplants

Fri., Feb. 12, 1999

The big news for ‘99 - in addition to quieter, smoother and more fuel-efficient engines is the brand-new three-door coupe.

Because it can only be opened when the driver’s-side door is opened, the new access can’t be counted as a true door, but that’s okay it adds plenty of utility. Just open the doorlet, and toss in those groceries…or the cleaning…or the laptop it’s a nifty idea.

And Saturn execs say it was never in tended for loading passengers (just as well because the rear seats aren’t truly habitable), which is why they put the extra hatch on the street side.

Now, a word about those powerplants. All the Saturn engines receive new crankshafts, pistons, rods, cams and timing chains, along with a slug of other refinements, all of which add up to the best-running Saturn engines ever.

They’re no more powerful than before both engines measure 1.9 liters, but the single-overhead-cam edition puts out 100 hp, while the double-overhead-cam mill goes 124-hp but they are far more refined and easy to live with than Saturn engines of yore.

The windshield fluid reservoir has grown to a full gallon one of those changes that seem minor unless you’re the one that’s been stuck with a cup or two of extra fluid in the jug you brought home from the parts store and rear disc brakes have been swapped for drums in SL2 models equipped with ABS.

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