Behind The Saturn Shutdown: Roger Penske Explains What Happened

[61BelAir]

I'm suprised Penske didn't go to a Chinese manufacturer. I'm sure one of them would have jumped at the chance to provide vehicles for the North American market.

[dindak]

I'd rather see Saturn gone than competing with GM.

GM now needs to do everything it can to get Saturn owners into a Chevy or a Buick next car around.

[dindak]

Originally Posted by 61BelAir

I'm suprised Penske didn't go to a Chinese manufacturer. I'm sure one of them would have jumped at the chance to provide vehicles for the North American market.

I'm not. Chinese cars are not ready for the western world yet.

[hunchman]

Originally Posted by dindak

I'm not. Chinese cars are not ready for the western world yet.

Is that why it's so hard to find products made in china in the western world?

[95MonteCarlo]

Well I for one think that this is just another case of Ghosn being a complete horses' behind.


Every time he gets involved with something it’s all about how great he is, how brilliant his decisions are, and how profitable it will be. He even makes money when he passes gas. Enough Ghosn bashing, here’s my point. Renault/Nissan was unethical in leading Penske on for as long as they did. It almost seems like they did it to help kill Saturn, I just find it very curious that they would pull out of the deal right before things got finalized.

[87silver]

Good 'ol Renault... To think, we may have been so close to bringing a second gen Saturn "Le Car" to the market

[regfootball]

i'd rather the saturns had been the opels

[CheetahDC]

Originally Posted by 87silver

Good 'ol Renault... To think, we may have been so close to bringing a second gen Saturn "Le Car" to the market

Would have been no worse than a modern Nissan, since they share platforms, engines, and engineering these days.

[PAULSTS1]

Originally Posted by 95MonteCarlo

Well I for one think that this is just another case of Ghosn being a complete horses' behind.

Every time he gets involved with something it’s all about how great he is, how brilliant his decisions are, and how profitable it will be. He even makes money when he passes gas. Enough Ghosn bashing, here’s my point. Renault/Nissan was unethical in leading Penske on for as long as they did. It almost seems like they did it to help kill Saturn, I just find it very curious that they would pull out of the deal right before things got finalized.

What are you saying, that one can't change their mind? So if you get engaged you'll marry her even though you find out unsavory things about her?

Sometimes we all need a reality check; we all reconsider things especially something for several years into an uncertain future. Sometimes we have to let go, if a fit did not work out for someone else (GM) maybe it is troubled? In business this happens all the time, and when attempting to get any Board to agree, if its not money today, they usually decline, especially in this economy!

[Quixote88]

Originally Posted by dindak

GM now needs to do everything it can to get Saturn owners into a Chevy or a Buick next car around.

Good luck with that... I'm thinking Honda will pick up an extra 100k+ sales per year. The "original" and long term Saturn owners continued to purchase Saturns for two reasons: 1. The "Saturn Experience." 2. They liked having the quirky/odd little car from "A different kind of company." Neither of which they will get from Chevrolet or Buick.

The "new" generation of Saturn owners: Aura, Sky, Outlook, New Vue, Astra, are looking for something more than a plebian Chevrolet. Unless the Regal and Encore are priced similarly to the Aura and Vue, GM will lose most of these customers. I say Honda will benefit because in most of the "in house" surveys that Saturn conducted over the past decade, the most shopped against brand for Saturn was Honda. The Accord and CR-V are heavy competition regardless of how great the Malibu and Equinox are.

GM better come up with something more than a free oil change coupon to keep Saturn customers...

[LARSONEM]

I too feel sorry for the employees and the dealership owners. In our area there are two Saturn dealers. New and modern facilities. The owner, well she gets on TV and says they are here to serve their guests and their dealership focus is for the long term. I don't know how she thinks she is going to do it. Then there is the sadder story. The two local Pontiac dealers who modernized their facility to be BPG stores. And even sadder yet, the 3 large Oldsmobile dealers who no longer exists. The one converted to Chrysler and it isn't even there now either. Shattered dreams - shattered lives. Life sucks sometimes.

[FierySolstice]

Originally Posted by prototype66

That whole plan stunk from the get go! I still say Seat would have been a perfect Saturn, i mean he already has a franchise agreement with them anyway!. I really feel bad for all the Saturn employees! They got all their hopes up then dumped it right in the river, that really sucks!

VW owns Seat, no what that would of happened either.

[FierySolstice]

Originally Posted by dindak

I'd rather see Saturn gone than competing with GM.

GM now needs to do everything it can to get Saturn owners into a Chevy or a Buick next car around.

Aura driver here, not going to a Chevy or Buick next, sorry!

[Rocket 88]

Originally Posted by Quixote88

Good luck with that... I'm thinking Honda will pick up an extra 100k+ sales per year. The "original" and long term Saturn owners continued to purchase Saturns for two reasons: 1. The "Saturn Experience." 2. They liked having the quirky/odd little car from "A different kind of company." Neither of which they will get from Chevrolet or Buick.

The "new" generation of Saturn owners: Aura, Sky, Outlook, New Vue, Astra, are looking for something more than a plebian Chevrolet. Unless the Regal and Encore are priced similarly to the Aura and Vue, GM will lose most of these customers. I say Honda will benefit because in most of the "in house" surveys that Saturn conducted over the past decade, the most shopped against brand for Saturn was Honda. The Accord and CR-V are heavy competition regardless of how great the Malibu and Equinox are.

GM better come up with something more than a free oil change coupon to keep Saturn customers...

Completely agree... except I'd buy a Chevrolet or Buick. I was a GM buyer before I went to Saturn.

[Quixote88]

Originally Posted by Rocket 88

Completely agree... except I'd buy a Chevrolet or Buick. I was a GM buyer before I went to Saturn.

I'm in the same boat, but I fear most Saturn owners are not...
Ironically, the car I was looking at to replace my Aura was the G8... That's no longer an option either. (I have another year+ on my lease) Now it seems the Regal may be my best option...