Officials with General Motors have recently announced that the automaker is currently manufacturing its last line of Saturn and Hummer vehicles.

After not producing any cars since October, GM will assemble 1,037 Saturn models over the next few weeks to utilize existing material, General Motors spokeswoman Kim Carpenter said on Tuesday, according to Auto Week.

When participating dealerships begin to close their doors in the next few months, the market for used Saturn models may start to pick up. One of the most impressive and popular Saturn lines produced over the last decade is the 2007 Saturn Outlook.

The ’07 Outlook is an oversized crossover wagon that is capable of seating eight passengers, making it one of the more popular family vehicles in its class. It is available with two second-row seating options – a 60/40 split bench seat that accommodates three passengers or two individual captain’s chairs, according to Edmunds.com. Outlook models equipped with the split bench seat can be folded down, creating a class-leading 117 cubic feet of cargo room.

Meanwhile, Saturn’s bellwether SUV is stacked with standard safety features, including OnStar, rollover-sensing stability control, antilock disc brakes, front seat side impact airbags and full-length side-curtain airbags capable of protecting all three rows.

Under the hood, the 2007 Outlook is powered by a 3.6-liter six-cylinder gas engine, which creates 270 horsepower and 251 pound-feet of torque. The V6 is paired with a six-speed automatic transmission that comes with either front- or all-wheel drive.

The ’07 Outlook “handles with more confidence than you’d expect from a vehicle weighing more than 4,700 pounds,” says the news source. Its ride is “smooth at almost every rev range and delivers enough power to handle most performance demands with ease.”

Saturn’s base model wagon comes with a variety of standard features, including full power accessories, cruise control and an MP3 player. The luxury model Outlook is available with a navigation system, xenon headlights, a premium audio system, leather upholstery and a rear-seat DVD player.

The 2007 Saturn Outlook is not the most powerful or luxurious SUV ever produced, but it is one of the more versatile, complete and moderately priced crossovers on the road today.

People in the market for used Saturn models in New York may want to check out the 2007 Saturn Vue, a popular, practical and compact sports utility vehicle that isn’t in production anymore.

The Vue is rather comparable to the Chevrolet Equinox and the Pontiac Torrent, two other General Motors-owned car lines. The conventional ’07 models are available with a 143-horsepower 4-cylinder engine or a Honda-built 250-horsepower V6, according to Consumer Guide Automotive.

The big news for Saturn enthusiasts is that the 2007 Vue is available as a gas/electric hybrid. The Green Line combines a 4-cylinder gas engine with a battery-powered electric motor that generates 170-horsepower.

Moreover, the system self-charges the battery, eliminating the need to plug in any cables at the end of the day.

The Green Line has a fuel economy of 27 miles per gallon in the city and 32 mpg on the highway. While the hybrid Vue does not get the best mileage, it is significantly less expensive than other SUV’s in its class.

Car rental companies sometimes suffer from the same beliefs as some car owners: if there’s nothing wrong with the car, why worry about maintaining it?

Enterprise recently learned the potential downfalls of such a belief when it delivered a Saturn Outlook to a local dealership with 30,000 miles on it and reportedly only one oil change, according to a Jalopnik report.

The engine, which may cost thousands of dollars, needs to be replaced according to the news provider, providing a sobering image for those considering skimping on routine maintenance to save some money.

Prices for routine maintenance for used cars on the other hand, may cost a fraction of that. For example, a 60,000 mile service on a 2004 Ford Explorer costs around $350 to $600 in New York or Los Angeles according to Consumer Reports.

While the Outlook may be a somewhat unique case of auto negligence, the economic downturn may lead to more people ignoring the check engine light.

Used car buyers who want to make sure they are not buying a car from such an owner may want to consider an inspection that, if done by a qualified person, can turn up such information prior to purchase.

Find Used Saturn Cars with New Jersey State Auto

With Saturn‘s future up in the air, fans of the company’s cars may find it easier to find used Saturn cars than some of their newer brethren.

Saturn’s corporate parent General Motors is in the midst of trying to find a business plan that will allow it to avoid bankruptcy, and it has suggested that it is willing to sell or phase out Saturn, according to an Associated Press report.

Bids on the company will continue until June 1, general manager Jill Lajdziak told the news provider, and GM hopes the sale can be completed this year

The company built its reputation in the 1990s as a unique part of General Motors that initially did product development in-house and used parts not found in other GM vehicles.

Used versions of Saturn models are available, and have received some positive reviews from Edmunds.com

The 2007 Aura sedan, for example, was described as “handsome and athletic” by the site, and it received praise by the editors for the interior fit and finish.

Find Used Saturn Cars with New Jersey State Auto

Earlier this week General Motors announced that it would be discontinuing the Saturn line of cars after the current product cycle. But reports say Saturns could possibly continue production past the 2011 end date set by GM.

According to the Detroit News, Saturn officials, dealers and consultants are looking into ways that they could team up with another manufacturer to continue the Saturn line as an independent entity.

It is also possible that the brand could be sold to another company which could give possibly give a foreign automaker an inside track to American car buyers.

GM announced this week that it would be cutting back on a number of its product lines in the next few years as the automakers attempt to cut costs. In addition to losing Saturn GM will also cut out most of its Pontiac line of vehicles and could potentially sell the Hummer line to another company.

But it appears that buyers of used Saturns won’t need to worry about the future of their cars. In a letter to car owners this week, which was posted on Consumerist.com, Saturn assured owners that GM would continue to cover warranties and that parts for the cars will continue to be available.

Find New York Used Cars with New Jersey State Auto.