GM sells Saturn to Penske

[ketchupqueen]

Article (http://autos.yahoo.com/articles/autos_content_landing_pages/1001/gm-to-sell-saturn-brand-to-penske-dealership-chain/;_ylc=X3oDMTE3cmhncjFqBF9TAzI3MTYxNDkEc2VjA2ZwLXRv ZGF5BHNsawNzYXR1cm4tc29sZA--)

Of course my first thought was what that would mean for Saturn owners, parts, tether retrofits, etc.

My second thought was, "I wonder where they will go with the brand?"

I am glad to see they don't intend to start layoffs immediately...

Thoughts?

[Jeanum]

Interesting to see how it all works out, assuming the deal goes through.

[codex57]

I have no clue as to what Penske wants to do with this. If you don't manufacture, why buy the brand?

So far, the only reasonable guess is he's gonna keep using GM stuff until some other manufacturers (like from China or India) build a model up to US specs and then import through Penske/Saturn. Faster that way then starting a new brand.

[ketchupqueen]

If you read the article, he says he's going to keep things running as usual for now, but he's looking around to other manufacturers to make the Saturn brand. :)

[Jeanum]

I also thought Penske could use the Saturn dealer network to sell and service Smartcars, but that's apparently not the plan according to Penske:
http://www.freep.com/article/20090605/BUSINESS01/90605033/1014/GM++Penske+reach+tentative+agreement+for+Saturn+br and I was joking with DH at lunchtime about using the Saturn network to sell and service Teslas. But the Tesla electric roadsters are such limited production models so far, not to mention $100K+ MSRP, and Tesla is seriously cash strapped and struggling to bring the Tesla sedan model to market. A wider dealer network could help Tesla address the recalls they've had so far, I suppose. :p :twocents:

[codex57]

It can take way more than 2 yrs to modify a car for the US market. Kinda depends on what it is.

In any case, it'd have to be a car from a company that doesn't already sell in the US. I just can't think of any company capable of pulling that off that has anything we'd want.

[ketchupqueen]

Other than the big names, I really don't know what's out there. What are some companies we don't have in the U.S.?