GMI Exclusive: 2010 Saturn Aura on "Hold"

[esad]

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE let this be a sign they are axing Saturn. GM's leech has got to go.

[FierySolstice]

Originally Posted by esad

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE let this be a sign they are axing Saturn. GM's leech has got to go.

Hmmm... I thought that was SAAB?!?!?

[fan]

Originally Posted by Saturn69

So many panic monkeys, so little information. Oy vey.

Originally Posted by Saturn69

GMC is the only rebadge on your list. The others share platforms. BIG difference. If they kill Saturn, I'm going to Honda or VW.

.......

[Tstag]

Interesting, I'm struggling to believe this is the end of Saturn as this car was also destined for Europe and really Saturn is just a way for Opel to make more money. It's just a satellite company these days for GM's European arm.

I'm much more concerned that GM is actually in cash conservation mode and is struggling for liquitity. This model is good on MPG. So why suspend it? Why invest in all that tooling and not use it?

Can GM really make it to the end of the year whilst putting a model like this into production? Maybe GM need to raise some cash first.....

[windvale]

Originally Posted by obriend

Are Saturns dealers weaker then Buick dealers? How many Saturn dealers are profitable vs. Buick/Pontiac/GMC?

Wasn't there a post on here recently that the average Buick dealer sells three Buicks a month ? GM needs to get a grip and move on already...

[throwback]

I haven't read through all the posts, but perhaps GM is reviewing EVERY division not just BPG. I would think that Chevrolet, Cadillac and Opel would be excluded from the review.

[fan]

Well, puting Aura on hold doesn't mean that Saturn will be killed. It means there are some technical or organisational reasons. Dealers (who are the first to find out about something bad) and media would make a lot of noise before getting to the point of stopping production for a model.

But let this not stand in our way of doing some brand management while we are at it.


Mmm...I still think that instead of killing Pontiac (it it comes to that) better try giving it some Saturns first.
All right then. I think I'm done for today.

[GermanCarGuy]

I am really wondering about this rumors. To my knowledge, here in Germany the Opel Insignia (counterpart to the all-new Aura) will go on sale later this year. Fuel-efficiency concerns much more likely would be a reason here, to postpone the introduction of a certain model, since we are paying 9$/Gallon (translated into American numbers). But this definitely won't happen with the Insignia. Opels delivers excellent fuel-efficiency since many decades.

[kmacleod]

Originally Posted by FenwickHockey65

Anybody else think that this is getting out of hand? I mean the whole, "OMGZZ THEY SHOULD GIVE THE AURA TO PONTIAC AND THE G6 TO BUICK AND THE LUCERNE TO CHEVY AND THE HHR TO GMC AND THE YUKON XL DENALI TO SAAB BLAH BLAH BLAHHH!!!111!!"
The Aura is NOT going to be a Pontiac, nor will it go to Buick when they've got the new LaCrosse on the way. I think we need to give GM the credit they deserve, they're not that stupid, and they won't move cars from one brand to the next, that just causes confusion with buyers. If the 2010 Aura's on hold, there's either a problem with it or they're tweaking something. Just because a car goes on hold doesn't mean the entire brand is going down. For all we know, they may just be considering giving the Aura to another assembly plant so that Fairfax can focus on the Malibu (which, as GM's volume selling Epsilon, is more important than the Aura).

Who knows? GM might move the AURA to Lake Orion................

Ken

[1957wildcat]

It's stated elsewhere by someone in-the-know that the hold is because Pontiac and GMC will be axed and Saturn will be joined with Buick - and GM doesn't want two similar Epsilon II's (the Buick LaCrosse/Invicta and the Saturn Aura) in the same showroom.

[Vittorio]

Originally Posted by 1957wildcat

It's stated elsewhere by someone in-the-know that the hold is because Pontiac and GMC will be axed and Saturn will be joined with Buick - and GM doesn't want two similar Epsilon II's (the Buick LaCrosse/Invicta and the Saturn Aura) in the same showroom.

If that is true I am glad GM has listened to me about cutting Pontiac and GMC. It also makes sense that the Invicta and Aura would kinda compete with one another if they are in the same showroom, so I am glad they are working on that. Although, I hope both cars make it here.

All of this hypothetical stuff, though, is making me very uneasy.

[PURPLEIMPALA]

Originally Posted by SierraGS

The 2010 Aura should become the 2010 Buick Regal (you only have to squint a little to see a Buick grille on the Insignia pictured)

Now you don't even need to squint.

[zete]

Originally Posted by 1957wildcat

It's stated elsewhere by someone in-the-know that the hold is because Pontiac and GMC will be axed and Saturn will be joined with Buick - and GM doesn't want two similar Epsilon II's (the Buick LaCrosse/Invicta and the Saturn Aura) in the same showroom.

Axing Pontiac and GMC is silly.

GMC should just become the top tier badge for all Chevy trucks -- the "professional grade" trucks (i.e., top of the line) ala "SS" for many of Chevrolet cars.

Pontiac should just be imported Holdens. Make it simple, provide Holden a North American outlet. Pontiac by Holden for a while, and then maybe just switch it all to Holden. My preference would be a Saab-Saturn-Holden dealership wherein they sell only imports (Saturn = Opel).

This also reduces a whopping quantity of overlap with the minimal amount of disruption. The Outlook and Acadia disappear, though I'd prefer if one of those became the Traverse as they both would work better as a Chevrolet. That also frees up a slot for a Lambda II Cadillac, the Enclave, and the Traverse. A reasonable number of vehicles on that platform: 2 luxury entries and one people mover.

And for those who think importing Holdens would be expensive, as the G8 has shown, you can do that for a niche brand and a niche car. RWD cars for most people are niche cars.

Plus, Saturn can fill the gap GM has historically had by simply importing the various cars as is. If a car is suddenly uber successful, then simply make it here, too. Use global platforms so that you can build globally -- for a change!

Buick should be safe as GM needs two luxury divisions, one American luxury and more understated with a gentler ride and the other chest thumping American style with world beating handling, performance, etc. Buick for the former, Cadillac for the latter.

This then provides GM with 5 "brands" if you will:

• Chevrolet (with GMC as the professional grade trim level for their trucks)
• Saab-Saturn-Holden/Pontiac (the import division, importing GM cars that have a niche play in North America)
• Hummer (over the top luxury SUVs for those that want them)
• Buick (American understated luxury)
• Cadillac (Standard of the World, in your face styling and luxury, and priced that way)

It does require a restructuring of the dealerships:

Chevrolet
Saab-Saturn-Holden/Pontiac
Buick-Hummer-Cadillac

As can be seen, I'd throw Hummer in with Cadillac and Buick. To be honest, Hummer is a niche luxury brand, treat the customers that way. Same with Buick, not everyone in North America wants to pay for a Cadillac nor does everyone want a hard, European sports suspension. Have both, they wont' steal sales from one another as they complement one another. Keeping Hummer, to me, is a no brainer. Sure it sucks fuel, but someone who buys a Hummer really shouldn't care how much fuel it sucks on a daily basis. If they do, why'd they buy the thing in the first place?

[SierraGS]

Originally Posted by DuSpinnst

You do know the next gen Buick LaCrosse if the production version of the Insignia. So you want Buick to have TWO mid-size cars, or did you just not know about the other one?

Are you aware that you rarely get facts correct?

The Insignia (Aura/Regal?) has the following specs opposed to the Invicta (Lacrosse)

WB Length Width
107.8 190.2 71.1 Insignia
114.5 194.2 73.8 Invicta

which is similar (except for length which is being shortened on many cars)

WB Length Width
112.3 190.0 70.3 2008 Aura
115.5 204.0 74.0 2008 Lucerne

Looks like the Insignia is the basis for the next Aura/China Regal

WB Length Width
107.8 190.2 71.1 Insignia
112.3 190.0 70.3 2008 Aura

and the Invicta will ultimately replace the Lucerne

WB Length Width
114.5 194.2 73.8 Invicta
115.5 204.0 74.0 2008 Lucerne

This gives Buick the same line it has.

I also do not say that GM should 'give' the Aura to Buick (if you read the entire post).

"As much as I like the Aura, GM is doing the right thing here and IMO what GM should do with the Saturn brand from now until 2012.

The 2010 Aura should become the 2010 Buick Regal (THIS IS WHERE YOU STOPPED READING.)

I stated it this way because I do not think the Saturn brand is quite where it needs to be in order to properly equip the Insignia which is being moved up market (closer to where Buick currently is) and the 2010 Aura's price would hurt sales, but in 2 years (if GM markets it right) the Saturn brand would be able to handle it, in the interim the Estate (Wagon) vesion of the new Insignia could be offered and since it offers versatilty more like an midsize crossover than a sedan and the higher price would be easier to market.

What of the 2010-2012 Aura?

Keep the name but apply it to the Estate (Wagon) version of the Insignia and sell it as the Aura Avant, marketed as the high MPG 5-passenger (CUV, MPV?) companion to the 7-passenger Zafira. This will play into Saturn's focus on being an efficient "european" brand and give Saturn a mid-size entrant, and remember as much as we make a fuss about how small cars are popular in Europe, so are Wagons and they make an attractive alternative to someone who only needs a little more utility than a sedan offers."

I do wish some of you would give my posts the same respect as I do yours, and read the entire post before you reply, and please bear in mind I am no writer (never liked english in school) so if my posts are hard to grasp sometimes I apoligize.

The rest of my post named quite a few Opel models that should be Saturns in order to solidify the brand as what it originally was, an efficient small car brand.

After a few years Saturn would bring back the Aura Sedan since by then the brand would be ready to move "up market" as GM is doing with Opel, and the result in 3-5 years would be the Opel and Saturn lines matching vehicle for vehicle and aimed at the same demographic in the U.S. and Europe.

[zete]

Originally Posted by SierraGS

:
What of the 2010-2012 Aura?

Keep the name but apply it to the Estate (Wagon) version of the Insignia and sell it as the Aura Avant, marketed as the high MPG 5-passenger (CUV, MPV?) companion to the 7-passenger Zafira. This will play into Saturn's focus on being an efficient "european" brand and give Saturn a mid-size entrant, and remember as much as we make a fuss about how small cars are popular in Europe, so are Wagons and they make an attractive alternative to someone who only needs a little more utility than a sedan offers."

I do wish some of you would give my posts the same respect as I do yours, and read the entire post before you reply.

The rest of my post named quite a few Opel models that should be Saturns in order to solidify the brand as what it originally was, an efficient small car brand.

After a few years Saturn would bring back the Aura Sedan since by then the brand would be ready to move "up market" as GM is doing with Opel, and the result in 3-5 years would be the Opel and Saturn lines matching vehicle for vehicle and aimed at the same demographic in the U.S. and Europe.

Saturn should be Opel. It just makes sense. Do with Saturn/Opel in North America what Toyota and Honda did when they burst onto the North American market: a few good products that excel at a particular task, as you've stated.

It's why I'd lump Saab and Holden in that mix, with Pontiac disappearing or being labeled as a "Pontiac by Holden" to ease the transition. An all import division. I never did understand Saturn-Saab dealerships.

The sooner GM simplifies their structure and leverages their global manufacturing to bring us cars we'd all like to see the better.

In the end it's the "Saturn" and "Pontiac" names that people are fixated on. I propose just saying: "Saturn by Opel" and "Pontiac by Holden" so that they can transition to full on import brands with unique characteristics and identities, something badge engineered cars never could do.