(autoinsidernews) - Following the summer launch of the Saturn Aura, General Motors unveiled the 2007 Saturn Aura Green Line hybrid at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The Aura Green Line is the first of four hybrids that General Motors will release in 2007. The 2007 Aura Green Line features a mild hybrid system meaning it can never run solely on battery power. While this means the Aura Green Line does not see as much of a boost in fuel economy as a car like the Toyota Prius, it also means that the hybrid premium is lower than full hybrids, reports Trend.
The Aura Green Line uses the same hybrid system as the current Vue Green Line, which combines a 2.4L VVT Ecotec engine and an electric motor/generator to produce 164-hp and 159 lb.-fts. of torque. Since the hybrid system in the Aura Green Line cannot run on battery power alone, it conserves fuel by shutting off the engine when stopped and during deceleration, and restarts the engine as soon as the brake pedal is released.
The 2007 Saturn Aura Green Line will be available starting in spring 2007, and will have a base price below $23,000. GM didn't proved details about the car's fuel economy, but did say it will deliver at least a 25 percent improvement in fuel economy over the non-hybrid Aura XE.