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Saturn sold to Penske

Originally posted by: Knavish
Article at CNN.com

I wonder if they're going to do something cool like design a new car, or if they will perhaps start importing something made by an Indian or Chinese company...
Click to expand...

I thought I read somewhere that they were considering trying to import cars from Samsung Automotive (which is apparently related/owned by Renault/Nissan). But who knows. If Magna is successful in moving Opel manufacturing to Canada...that might be a perfect rebadge fit for Saturn.
 
More on this story on Yahoo

With GM in trouble and trying to spin off the Saturn brand those of us who own Saturns have been twisting in the wind for a while. I don't know what this will mean for the Astra model I own though. It started selling in the US in 2008 and hasn't sold well. They didn't bring any more over as 2009's and AFAIK there aren't going to be any 2010 US Astra's sold. It's a shame. It's a great car for the money. Unfortunately, the General put absolutely nothing behind the Astra marketing wise. I had never even heard of the model until I started researching hatchbacks to replace my troublesome GTI.


The good news is the dealerships will remain open so we'll have somewhere to take our car for repairs. With the Astra coming from Belgium non-Saturn GM dealerships don't have the training/tools to work on them. Several owners on another forum have had their local Saturn dealer close and when local GM dealers refused to work on it wound up with a 75 mile trip to the next closest one.
 
Originally posted by: Robor
More on this story on Yahoo

With GM in trouble and trying to spin off the Saturn brand those of us who own Saturns have been twisting in the wind for a while. I don't know what this will mean for the Astra model I own though. It started selling in the US in 2008 and hasn't sold well. They didn't bring any more over as 2009's and AFAIK there aren't going to be any 2010 US Astra's sold. It's a shame. It's a great car for the money. Unfortunately, the General put absolutely nothing behind the Astra marketing wise. I had never even heard of the model until I started researching hatchbacks to replace my troublesome GTI.


The good news is the dealerships will remain open so we'll have somewhere to take our car for repairs. With the Astra coming from Belgium non-Saturn GM dealerships don't have the training/tools to work on them. Several owners on another forum have had their local Saturn dealer close and when local GM dealers refused to work on it wound up with a 75 mile trip to the next closest one.
Click to expand...

I agree with the Astra. One thing I found interesting is that Buick is supposed to get some varient in of the Astra in the 2011 model year (assuming the article was correct and all goes well). Perhaps an attempt to compete w/ the small Euro roadsters?
 
Originally posted by: Knavish
Another interesting tidbit:

Penske is the sole distributor of the Smart in the US: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13593486/

I bet we'll see a Saturn Smart pretty soon. Perhaps he'll keep importing Opels as well...
Click to expand...

Doesn't look like it... LINK

From the link...

The deal gives Penske the rights to the 19-year old brand including its five different models. GM would continue production of only the three highest-selling models, including the Aura sedan, and the Vue and Outlook cross-over SUVs, for the next two years. The Saturn Sky and Astra models will be discontinued.
Click to expand...

Oh well, I guess on the bright side I'll continue to have a car that people can't figure out who makes it.
 
Originally posted by: PricklyPete
Originally posted by: Knavish
Article at CNN.com

I wonder if they're going to do something cool like design a new car, or if they will perhaps start importing something made by an Indian or Chinese company...
Click to expand...

I thought I read somewhere that they were considering trying to import cars from Samsung Automotive (which is apparently related/owned by Renault/Nissan). But who knows. If Magna is successful in moving Opel manufacturing to Canada...that might be a perfect rebadge fit for Saturn.
Click to expand...

That was one of the rumors. Renault owns 70% of Samsung Automotive. Renault also owns a little over 50% of Nissan. Samsung's are all based off of Nissans.

The idea is that it's too expensive to build cars France or Japan, while South Korea remains quite affordable.
 
Nissan was supposed to get a Dodge Ram based Titan from Chrysler to replace the Nissan built Titan.

Does anyone know if that is still going to happen?
 
Brilliant move imo.

Now we'll see what Penske does. He has several options, but Saturn is already well ahead of GM by itself.

Saturn could become a hybrid company ala Smart Cars, it could become more sporty, but whatever it does, I think it will have to be a bit niche at first--one thing or the other. And there's going to have to be some reevaluation, like move the factories in the U.S. to the South, tell the UAW to eat shit, get some more inspired artists and concept designers in who aren't stuck in the mindset of designing cars for little retards who couldn't give a damn about quality.
 
Originally posted by: TehMac
Brilliant move imo.

Now we'll see what Penske does. He has several options, but Saturn is already well ahead of GM by itself.

Saturn could become a hybrid company ala Smart Cars, it could become more sporty, but whatever it does, I think it will have to be a bit niche at first--one thing or the other. And there's going to have to be some reevaluation, like move the factories in the U.S. to the South, tell the UAW to eat shit, get some more inspired artists and concept designers in who aren't stuck in the mindset of designing cars for little retards who couldn't give a damn about quality.
Click to expand...

Saturn has one factory and I'll let you guess where it is.
 
Originally posted by: Strk
Originally posted by: TehMac
Brilliant move imo.

Now we'll see what Penske does. He has several options, but Saturn is already well ahead of GM by itself.

Saturn could become a hybrid company ala Smart Cars, it could become more sporty, but whatever it does, I think it will have to be a bit niche at first--one thing or the other. And there's going to have to be some reevaluation, like move the factories in the U.S. to the South, tell the UAW to eat shit, get some more inspired artists and concept designers in who aren't stuck in the mindset of designing cars for little retards who couldn't give a damn about quality.
Click to expand...

Saturn has one factory and I'll let you guess where it is.
Click to expand...

While true (Spring Hill, TN has the only Saturn ONLY plant that I know of), Saturns are made at various GM factories throughout the US.
 
WTF are they gonna do with it? They need to actually make a car to be able to sell it as saturn...

GM is not gonna keep on cranking out saturns or shipping opels stateside and then have penske sell them on their behalf. Had that been a successful business model, GM wouldn't be selling the brand.
 
Originally posted by: Engineer
Originally posted by: Strk
Originally posted by: TehMac
Brilliant move imo.

Now we'll see what Penske does. He has several options, but Saturn is already well ahead of GM by itself.

Saturn could become a hybrid company ala Smart Cars, it could become more sporty, but whatever it does, I think it will have to be a bit niche at first--one thing or the other. And there's going to have to be some reevaluation, like move the factories in the U.S. to the South, tell the UAW to eat shit, get some more inspired artists and concept designers in who aren't stuck in the mindset of designing cars for little retards who couldn't give a damn about quality.
Click to expand...

Saturn has one factory and I'll let you guess where it is.
Click to expand...

While true (Spring Hill, TN has the only Saturn ONLY plant that I know of), Saturns are made at various GM factories throughout the US.
Click to expand...

And as far as I know, it makes a Chevy.
 
Originally posted by: Strk
Originally posted by: Engineer
Originally posted by: Strk
Originally posted by: TehMac
Brilliant move imo.

Now we'll see what Penske does. He has several options, but Saturn is already well ahead of GM by itself.

Saturn could become a hybrid company ala Smart Cars, it could become more sporty, but whatever it does, I think it will have to be a bit niche at first--one thing or the other. And there's going to have to be some reevaluation, like move the factories in the U.S. to the South, tell the UAW to eat shit, get some more inspired artists and concept designers in who aren't stuck in the mindset of designing cars for little retards who couldn't give a damn about quality.
Click to expand...

Saturn has one factory and I'll let you guess where it is.
Click to expand...

While true (Spring Hill, TN has the only Saturn ONLY plant that I know of), Saturns are made at various GM factories throughout the US.
Click to expand...

And as far as I know, it makes a Chevy.
Click to expand...

Looks like it makes the Saturn Vue and the Chevy Traverse (which is strange considering that the Outlook and the Traverse are the same platform but the Outlook isn't made in Tennessee, lol).

 
They should scrap the shit, sell what Saturns they have now, and redesign.

Maybe make a few nice looking cars.
 
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