To push out the remaining Saturn inventory, General Motors Co. is launching a new marketing campaign and a set of incentives. GM hopes to be able to wind down the brand within three months, according to Susan Docherty, GM’s vice president of U.S. sales, during a sales conference call.

As of the end of October, there are 9,400 Saturn units in stock. Docherty said that she does not anticipate any hurdles to selling the remaining inventory quickly. Reportedly, Saturn sales came to a halt last month after a deal to sell the brand to Penske Automotive Group failed to prosper. In fact, at the Motor City Auto Center in Bakersfield , Calif. , 21 new Saturns were sold in September. In October, only seven units were sold. General Manager John Pitre has 51 Saturns in stock that under the current rate will be sold out in at least five months. However, he is in no rush to move the inventory. Pitre said that it will possibly take six more months before he is able to secure another franchise for the facility. That’s why the dealers are in a holding pattern. By next week, the print campaign will begin. The incentive program however, has begun and will run through the end of the month. Consumers can choose either $4,000 off of any 2008 or 2009 Saturn or 0 percent financing for 72 months.

(more…)

Tags:car news, Saturn, saturn marketing campaign, saturn news
1 Comment »

After negotiations for Penske Automotive to take over Saturn fell through, dealers have varying ways of dealing with it. Some say that they will look for other franchises while others say they’ll wait and see whether Penske revives the deal.

One of those interviewed, George Nahas, who owns Saturn stores in Alabama and Florida, said that he supposes he will now be selling the competition. He said that he has been approached by import brands to carry their products. Unlike most dealers, Nahas has had similar experience when GM shut down his Oldmobile dealership in 2000. He’s disappointed with GM’s plan to abandon Saturn but he says that at least now, it’s clear and he can act accordingly. GM had previously said that it would wind the Saturn brand and its 350-franchise dealer network and will announce its plan soon. Penske reportedly failed to secure a source of vehicles to keep the brand afloat.

Tags:car news, Saturn, saturn dealers, saturn news
No Comments »

Saturn dealers throughout the US were saddened after Penske Automotive Group pulled out of negotiations to acquire Saturn, a segment of General Motors. Saturn’s fate is gloomy as GM said that the brand will be discontinued.

The termination of the talks has taken the dealers by surprise since it was expected that a deal would be entered this week and that Saturn will be revived under Penske’s management. After months of hard work by Saturn’s employees and retailers, Penske actually decided to stop negotiations “because of the inability to source new products beyond what it had asked GM to build on contract.” To clarify what happened, General Motors released a statement. GM said that PAG’s decision was not based on interactions with GM or Saturn retailers. Continued after the jump!

(more…)

Tags:penske saturn deal, Saturn, saturn news, saturn phase out
No Comments »

As earlier reported, Roger Penske, the former racecar driver and owner of the second largest dealership in the US, has become the new owner of GM’s Saturn brand. In an interview, Penske revealed that he plans to focus on making electric vehicles as the main goal of Saturn brand under his proprietorship.

He also silenced speculations that Saturn dealers may be forced to vend cars with the Smart brand, saying that Saturn showrooms will certainly not sell this brand. The new Saturn owner said that the government’s focus on funding alternative-powered cars may thrust him to really focus on EVs under Saturn. The agreement with GM provides for the continued production of the Aura, Outlook and Vue for Saturn at least for the succeeding three years, after which Penske can negotiate with GM to continue production models. The new owner also seeks to fill the lineup of Saturn since the Astra hatch and Sky roadster will be lost to him. It is his intention to go global in search for products that can be brought to the US with an estimated 12-18 months before those cars will hit dealerships. He also denied talks about deals to import cars made by Renault and Samsung by pointing out that he has been in discussion with a number of car manufacturers. Penske promised to be transparent about partnerships they make and also about fuel-efficient vehicles that will serve the current customer base. This will include a full model range with SUVs, coupes and sedans that will come within the price range available for Saturn.

(more…)

Tags:car news, saturn news
No Comments »

There are reports emerging saying that a deal has been reached, Roger Penske, ex-racing driver and owner of the second largest dealership in the US, has agreed to purchase the Saturn brand from GM. The purchase will be saving lots of dealerships and as many as 13,000 positions in the ailing brand.

Penske said that he will be giving the 350 franchises a new franchise deal. The aim of Penske is to provide every retailer a change to move forward, saying that the Saturn network is one of the best in the industry. Penske Automotive will be the sole proprietor of Saturn and Penske is currently in league with some global manufacturers discussing plans to boost the line-up of Saturn. If the deal with Penske moves according to plan GM would have succeeded in selling two of its brands just several days after it filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Beside the Saturn brand GM is also trying to sell Hummer. It announced last Tuesday that they have struck an initial agreement with Sichuan Tengzhong Heaven Industrial Machinery Corporation, a Chinese company, concerning the sale of their Hummer brand.

Tags:penske buys saturn, penske news, penske saturn deal, saturn news
1 Comment »

To assist General Motors in its fiscal future they have decided to shelve Saturn, but this won’t in any way boost the green image of the carmaker. It has been reported that the ‘different kind of car company’ image has brought in almost one-fourth fo all hybrid sales by the carmaker.

Currently, Saturn offers both the Aura sedan and the Vue compact SUV in mild hybrid or ‘Green Line’ variety. Even though other sections of GM come with similar products, the eco-driven models of Saturn take the upper hand in sales. Saturn sold about 3,500 units from GM’s total hybrid sale of 11,454 units. The rest were full-sized hybrid SUVs and pickup trucks. Together with the planned demise of Saturn the Saturn Vue 2-Mode will not reach production. Even though initial pre-production models are currently going through testing, the SUV, which is utilizing a smaller version of the advanced hybrid transmission of GM, will not reach customers. GM may instead shift the technology to its other products, most probably those that has the same Vue platform.

(more…)

Tags:car news, saturn hybrid sales neqws, saturn hybrid sales news, saturn news
No Comments »

Just to be clear in you mind GREEN is the growing trends in the automobile market for the future. Rick Bottom Design reveals a new concept, the Saturn VUE Hybrid, an intelligent eco-friendly vehicle which can be supplied with petrol or propane.

The new model features an LPG injection system, solar panels, a free flow exhaust and air filter. At the interior the car received upholstery completely made in leather, various monitors, amps and speakers. Other changes include a water based paint for the body kit.

(more…)

Tags:2008 sema show news, r.bottom design saturn vue hybrid rick bottom, rick bottom design saturn vue hybrid rick bottom, saturn at 2008 sema, saturn at sema, saturn news, saturn sema, saturn vue hybrid news, saturn vue hybrid r.botom, saturn vue hybrid rick bottom, saturn vue hybrid rick bottom photo, saturn vue hybrid rick bottom sema, saturn vue hybrid rick bottom sema show, sema news, sema saturn vue hybrid rick bottom, sema show, sema show saturn vue hybrid rick bottom, tuning news
No Comments »