Quote:
Originally Posted by FierySolstice
The "new" Saturns should of took on the Opel name instead. Saturn still has its heritage as the small, plastic, dent resistent cars. Nothing like the ones they have today. Plus this Mercury thing is not the same. The next Aura is supposed to be a completely different car than the Insignia.
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Its funny you bring this up and point out "what's in a name"
A buddy of mine who knows a thing or two about cars (or at least he thinks he does) was talking to me about the GM/Chrysler merger proposal, etc. He brought up Saturn and wondered how it would fit in a "new GM Chrysler Motors", etc.
A few minutes into the conversation he kept talking about how Saturn was at "the low-end of the market for bargain buyers" or was great for parents with their "polymer panels" etc.
I obviously corrected him: Saturn is now positioned someplace between Pontiac and Buick; and Saturn's do NOT have polymer panels any longer.
But the point was made. Even after 2 or 3 years of the "new, relaunched Saturn" the image that people have of the car - whether it's their market position or the types of cars they sell - has remained intact. After hundreds of millions in advertising and
over $3 billion in launching a slate of new products for Saturn, people still don't understand what the new products or values of Saturn are - and that's not just sad, its depressing.
But the larger point is made: If someone who knows a few things about cars doesn't know or understand Saturns new direction - if these points in the repositioning or product image haven't been established - then how can the wider car buying public truly "GET" what the new Saturn is about?
Just an observation on my part - and may point to what kind of troubles the brand may experience in the near future.