Hybrids Aura and PriusArticle: hybrids Aura versus Prius. The number one and two car makers in the world take their battle to the hottest car market on the planet! General Motors has never really backed down from any challenge especially if it comes from Toyota Motor Corporation which as we all know is hot on the heels of the world's number 1 automaker. Toyota has recently beat GM in what is now becoming a see saw battle for the top position.
A green version of the Saturn Aura sedan will be in local showrooms very soon and will carry a price tag of $22,695 approximately $1000 less than Toyota's trend setting Prius hybrid.
The Aura will be the very first alternative fueled sedan that will be sold in the United States produced by this American automaker. And similar to the Prius, the Aura will also get tax incentives. Aura buyers will be able to take advantage of the $1,300 tax break as part of the federal government's drive to attract more drivers to purchase hybrid cars. According to Saturn General Manager Jill Lajdziak the tax credit given by the government makes true fuel savings available to more people than ever before.
The Generals announcement came at the eve of the President Bush's visit at the Fairfax Assembly Plant in Kansas City, Kan., where both versions of the Aura are made. The automaker has also set 2010 goal to start retail production on an all electric car called the Chevrolet Volt which is scheduled to come out with other new releases that employ different types of technology. The Aura will go up against the Prius which is one of the most popular cars in the US with 107,000 units sold last year.
Tax credit advantage
However, beginning in April Prius buyers will be eligible onlyfor $787 federal tax credit which means that GM will have theadvantage since its Aura hybrid will have $1,300 hybrids tax credit. This federal tax credit gradually declines as more and more of a particular model is sold. GM lists the Aura Green Line's EPA fuel economy rating obtaining 32 miles per gallon in the cityand 40 mpg on the highway. These numbers are expected to increase as the aura hits the market. Sources say that the miles per gallon will be very close to what the Prius is achieving in real world testing which is 45-50 mpg. Despite the fact that gas-electric vehicles cost several thousand dollars more than conventional models; they have become popular with buyers as fuel prices rise and are not expected to sink below $3.50 a gallon ever again!
The battle for top market share is expected to continue for the next decade. The benefits to consumers will be two fold. First the competition will force prices down as low as possible. Second new technology will be put in service as a sales tool. This is a big motivator to the car makers and the research and development departments. GM has attributed a great part of its revitalization on the Aura Which has obtained many favorable reviews. The automaker has beenAble to sell near 10,000 Auras in the first two months of 2008 which Is a great start for General Motors hybrid program and the new green model from Saturn. Nothing pushes technology forward like the spirit of competition tied to a potential windfall of enormous profits. The company that produces the most reliable and fuel efficient hybred at the lowest price point will emerge the winner of this battle for the economical car purchasing consumer. About the author: Noah Scott is a 31 year old native of New Jersey, writer and a big car fan. Having grown up with both parents being automotive enthusiasts, he works for a consultancy firm and regularly contributes articles to car magazines and industry publications.
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GM is planning to go head-to-head with Toyota in targeting fuel economy conscious consumers. The United States number one automaker will now sell the cheapest hybrid, the Saturn Aura on the US market, as announced by GM recently.
