Quote:
Originally Posted by mgescuro
The only reason to keep Saturn alive is the fact that it has the ability to attract and win over an entire generation of buyers that GM has managed to alienate over the past 20-30 years.
Over that period of time, more and more people have become more accustomed to tighter driving cars, more aggressive designs, technology, etc. In effect, European designs.
There will always be a certain proportion of the US that will always buy a "true" American car, American nameplate, American design. But there is now a growing number of people who don't want that, and want a more sophisticated look, design, and driving experience.
And that's where Saturn comes in.
Saturn needs to expand its dealership base. GM needs to market heavily on the coasts, which has become synonymous to a beachhead for imports the past 20-30 years. Saturn needs to be pure European. And it needs to be distanced from Chevrolet. It needs to be the anti-Chevrolet. Complete with famous Saturn customer service.
That in and of itself is Saturn's advantage in this market.
It is GM's fault for not recognizing it!!
Because they don't have a satellite office in San Francisco.
|
Even with an expanded dealer network I am not totally convinced that Saturn would outsell Pontiac. Really Pontiac as a sporty division is just as well equiped to offer what you are asking for. I see your point of needing an anti-chevy for now, but I think the whole point of what GM is trying to do now is to win over these customers that refuse to drive chevy because they see it as low tech american made crap. The goal is to get them to understand chevy is NOT that and if they accomplish that Saturn as the restyled and tuned Chevys doing duty as Anti-Chevy's is pointless.
They do need a division in the long run like pontiac though that offers somthing like a chevy but with a more bad boy and sporting styling and tune.
Saturn is pointless though if GM can convince the coastal sorts GM cars are cool again. No need for a seperate Saturn/Anti-Chevy network then. Would just be a wasted dealer resource then and we all know how the extra dealer problem is hitting the bottom line now.