Behind The Saturn Shutdown: Roger Penske Explains What Happened

[CheetahDC]

Originally Posted by Quixote88

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...

What about a CTS?

[95MonteCarlo]

Originally Posted by PAULSTS1

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!

No No No....

The question that I was attempting to raise was whether or not this decision by Renault/Nissan could have been brough to Penske's attention sooner. I never said for one second that Renault/Nissan couldnt back out of the deal. What Im wondering out loud is how soon they knew they would back out of this arrangement. If Penske had enough time could he have found a new supplier? Maybe, but we will never know that.

[chevyman1973]

Originally Posted by Rick 2000

I am sorry to see Saturn go , glad to see that we don't will have
1 more Import brand .

Explain to me why we are sad about this? Why would gm lovers want a saturn to compete with gm that is being supplied by a import car maker?

This country needs to get back to the notion that if you dont buy american then you are supporting america!!! I also dont want to hear about well this car is made in the usa, that is crap you have to follow the money trail and that money leads right back to home land, japan, germany, china, ect!

You are either with us or against us! Pick a side!

[chevyman1973]

Originally Posted by westtxsky

Or they could have used the competition to make their cars better rather than sit on their hands and allow the foreign automakers design and build better cars than them.

They shouldnt of had to, the govt should of help protect them from the outside! Thats what japan does it wont allow the us to sell as many cars as we want to there! So what happens the toy hon niss of the world over there stay on top in there country, while exporting and making more cars to sell in another country! Its sad really that we dont protect our own!

What is even sadder is that fact that americans like yourself dont take it upon yourself to fix the problem if the govt wont!

[Quixote88]

Originally Posted by CheetahDC

What about a CTS?

The CTS climbs out of my price range... With destination, the base CTS equipped with the 3.0 is over $37k... I wouldn't pay $20k for the 3.0 in anything. There was a shot of getting a G8 at a pretty good price even had Pontiac survived... It was a Pontiac after all.

I am interested in the Regal... Especially equipped with the 2.0T & 3.6, I'd like to see the car's layout in person. They are offering a manual with the 3.6. If they offer it with the 2.0T as well, that may be the variant I'd buy... Pending pricing of course!

I'm also not ruling out a Camaro! (I did own a 4th gen Camaro) There's still plenty of time. We'll see how I feel about it next year...

[SAngelo]

Originally Posted by Rick 2000

I am sorry to see Saturn go , glad to see that we don't will have
1 more Import brand .

I am so still so saddened by the dissolving of Saturn. I own a 2000 SL2 model and it is a fine little car. i wish Saturn can stay in Gm but they simply just need two brands that produce cars other than Cadillac.

[jalberda]

Originally Posted by chevyman1973

Originally Posted by westtxsky View Post
Or they could have used the competition to make their cars better rather than sit on their hands and allow the foreign automakers design and build better cars than them.

They shouldnt of had to, the govt should of help protect them from the outside!

Wow! Are you really saying that GM should have continued to build crap cars while the government keeps the Japanese out? Would that really have been in the interest of the car-buying public? They would still be forced to drive around in cars like the Chevy Lumina and the Caddy Cimarron.

Of course, the Japanese market is effectively closed. You seem to favor the same for the American market. It seems a bit strange to blame the Japanese for a pursuing strategy you favor yourself.

[jalberda]

Originally Posted by chevyman1973

This country needs to get back to the notion that if you dont buy american then you are supporting america!!!

Uhm, are you sure about this?

[Aura XR]

Originally Posted by FierySolstice

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

+1..

[CorsaTurboC]

Originally Posted by Quixote88

The CTS climbs out of my price range... With destination, the base CTS equipped with the 3.0 is over $37k... I wouldn't pay $20k for the 3.0 in anything. There was a shot of getting a G8 at a pretty good price even had Pontiac survived... It was a Pontiac after all.

I am interested in the Regal... Especially equipped with the 2.0T & 3.6, I'd like to see the car's layout in person. They are offering a manual with the 3.6. If they offer it with the 2.0T as well, that may be the variant I'd buy... Pending pricing of course!

I'm also not ruling out a Camaro! (I did own a 4th gen Camaro) There's still plenty of time. We'll see how I feel about it next year...

I hear 'ya! I still won't give up RWD, though. The price point, platform, fuel economy, and performance of the Camaro appeal to me... If only somebody took the shortened Zeta and and made a sedan or coupe with better sight lines and headroom. I wacked my head getting into one. Bad first impression...

[benroethig]

Originally Posted by throwback

This deal never made sense for Renault. Why compete against yourself in the most competitive car market? (I know, GM has been doing it for years) If you want to sell Renaults in the USA why not use Nissan dealers?

Well, the Exeo would have worked. I'm not too sure of the Rest of SEAT's lineup though.

Originally Posted by regfootball

i'd rather the saturns had been the opels

They tried that, ended up driving way their base in the process.

[PAULSTS1]

Originally Posted by 95MonteCarlo

No No No....

The question that I was attempting to raise was whether or not this decision by Renault/Nissan could have been brough to Penske's attention sooner. I never said for one second that Renault/Nissan couldnt back out of the deal. What Im wondering out loud is how soon they knew they would back out of this arrangement. If Penske had enough time could he have found a new supplier? Maybe, but we will never know that.

Roger Penske is an astute businessman, he was well aware that a Board Approval would be required before contracts would be ratified (final agreement). I realize this because his capital loss was limited to only $1.2 million, of which his business empire will write off 100%.

As for your question as to whether or not they should have "clued him in" what might occur borders on the illegal, it is called "Insider Information." After knowledge speculation and trading executions by those principles involved might have been the basis of scandal and reputation damage!

In closing, I do share the concern for the principals and families which will ultimately be displaced as a result of Saturn's demise; they will join millions of other similarly affected, even though many others were spared the notoriety.

[SierraGS]

Originally Posted by westtxsky

Or they could have used the competition to make their cars better rather than sit on their hands and allow the foreign automakers design and build better cars than them.

Time to put that myth to rest.

The current Malibu and Fusion are better than the Accord, Camry and Altima, so GM and Ford did not "sit on their hands" and allow themselves to be out done in design. GM and Ford also did this with "one hand tied behind their back" with huge legacy and labor cost disadvantage and with no help from most American consumers even when they did make superior cars.

[WWI Flying Ace]

Originally Posted by Perian

Under their novel agreement, Penske would have taken over GM's network of Saturn dealers. The auto maker would have continued producing Saturn vehicles for about two years after which time Renault would take over production.

So what does happen to Saturn now? I haven't been following this for the past couple months, since before the deal fell through. Last I knew, the above quote was the deal. Now that there is no Penske deal, are they still going to make Saturns for a couple years, or is Saturn done making cars and just selling existing stock and the dealers are just on a death watch till they are all gone ala Pontiac?

What a crap year for American car companies.

[CheetahDC]

Originally Posted by Quixote88

The CTS climbs out of my price range... With destination, the base CTS equipped with the 3.0 is over $37k... I wouldn't pay $20k for the 3.0 in anything.

Is the 3.0 that bad in the CTS? It's like 360 pounds lighter than the SRX...

Originally Posted by WWI Flying Ace

So what does happen to Saturn now? I haven't been following this for the past couple months, since before the deal fell through. Last I knew, the above quote was the deal. Now that there is no Penske deal, are they still going to make Saturns for a couple years, or is Saturn done making cars and just selling existing stock and the dealers are just on a death watch till they are all gone ala Pontiac?

What a crap year for American car companies.

I'm pretty sure I heard the last Saturn was made last month, shortly after the deal fell through.

Originally Posted by SierraGS

Time to put that myth to rest.

The current Malibu and Fusion are better than the Accord, Camry and Altima, so GM and Ford did not "sit on their hands" and allow themselves to be out done in design. GM and Ford also did this with "one hand tied behind their back" with huge legacy and labor cost disadvantage and with no help from most American consumers even when they did make superior cars.

What about the previous Malibu and Taurus?