What happended to the 200 series?

Just discovered that Saturn no longer offers the LW-200.
Any links to press mentioning this? Sort of tanks my re-sale value.

I have a 2001 LW-200 with the standard transmission and Leather. WE love
it, but kinda sucks being one of the only ones out there with such a car
(for maintenance).

 

Here's an article from the Wilmington News-Journal:


By LULADEY B. TADESSE
Staff reporter
05/21/2004

General Motors Corp. will lay off 872 workers at the Saturn plant near
Newport next month, nearly three-quarters of its assembly line work force.

GM said the "permanent reduction" of workers will begin as early as June 7,
according to a letter the company filed with the state Department of Labor.
On Thursday, GM officials called the layoffs "indefinite" and said they
will take place in mid-June.

Some workers could be called back to make the Pontiac Solstice, scheduled
for production at the plant next summer, and an unnamed Saturn sports car
the following year, said Dan Flores, spokesman for GM Manufacturing. But he
did not disclose how many might be called back or when.

David Myers, president of United Auto Workers Local 435, did not return
phone calls Thursday.

Laid-off employees receive unemployment benefits and pay equal to 83
percent to 95 percent of their base wages for up to 42 weeks, after which
they join the company's jobs bank. Employees in the jobs bank are paid
their full salary. The average wage of an assembly line worker at the plant
is $26 an hour.

Workers in the jobs bank are eligible for transfer to other GM plants. If
an employee refuses four transfer offers, he or she is no longer employed
by the company. Workers can remain in the jobs bank until the union
contract expires in the fall of 2007.

The layoffs come as GM moves to discontinue the Saturn L-series sedan and
wagon this summer, a year earlier than planned. Last year, the plant was
shut down for 12 weeks because of weak sales. Also last year, the plant
laid off 400 workers as it went to one shift. Some of those workers have
since been transferred to other GM plants, including in Baltimore.

The Newport-area plant now employs 1,200 assembly workers and 645 others,
including about 500 already in the jobs bank.

"Ultimately, we couldn't justify continuing the product because the market
didn't want the product," Flores said.

The end of the L-series and the upcoming idling of the plant for more than
10 months is expected to have an impact beyond plant employees. The Saturn
plant contributed about $315 million to the state's economy in direct and
indirect jobs last year, according to the Delaware Economic Development
Office.

Five companies supply the plant and employ a total of about 260 workers.
Some already are laying off workers because of the discontinuation of the
L-series. One supplier, Johnson Controls Inc. in New Castle, plans to lay
off its 42 employees by July and shut down.

Still, state officials and some workers remain optimistic about the future
of the Newport-area plant because GM is investing nearly $50 million to
prepare the plant for a set of niche cars based on a new platform called
Kappa. Besides the Solstice, the company has said it will build the new
Saturn sports car at the plant in 2006.

"We have been left with a strong sense that they are going to bring back
workers for the Solstice and more workers for the following model," said
Judy McKinney Cherry, of the Delaware Economic Development Office.

Earl Benningfield of Smyrna was among the 400 plant workers laid off last
year. He has transferred to a GM plant in Baltimore, but hopes to return to
work at the Delaware plant.

"They are getting new products," Benningfield said. "I think it is very
promising to Wilmington."

Reach Luladey B. Tadesse at 324-2789 or .

 

the L series was refined to only a 300 designation (er - I believe in 2003,
someone correct me here if Im wrong). It is now L300 sedan and L300 wagon
only. There is a level 1 2 and 3.

marx404

 

The older LW200 designation has been replaced by "L 300 Series 1 Wagon" -
how's that for GM simplification?? If you liked your old one, these have
been upgraded with rear discs and side curtain airbags, which is nice. The
downside is that it has NO options. You can no longer get leather or a
manual in the 4 cyl. configuration, but otherwise, it is well loaded and a
GREAT value. Unfortunately, the demand is so poor that it loses half of its
value when you drive it off the lot. I don't think you can get more car for
your money, but plan on driving it into the ground.

 

Seems like a good value to me also if you drive your cars into the
ground. All safety equipment included such as side air bags, ABS and
traction control.

They are also discontinueing it this summer. No one is buying them.

Too bad,

Dave