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Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: So. Cal.
Posts: 11,249
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No more Saturn
Fox is reporting that GM is closing Saturn - now that I am finally warming to their looks...
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David 1972 911T/S MFI Survivor |
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I thought Roger Penske had bought Saturn and was to continue building cars.
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1979 911SC "Frankencab" Dave |
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 5,179
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I'm not gonna lie, I'm so strung out right now, when I read the title, I thought you meant the planet.
I need some sleep.
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The Unsettler
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That sucks.
Why not keep GM as the umbrella company and instead of making 3 cars under 3 different marques consolidate the lines. Do we really need Yukons, Tahoes and Escalades?
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"I want my two dollars" "Goodbye and thanks for the fish" "Proud Member and Supporter of the YWL" "Brandon Won" |
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Looks like the deal fell apart.
GM had agreed to keep making Saturns for 2 more years. After that, Penske would need to find another supplier. Penske never intended to build Saturns or any other cars, they do not want to be in the auto manufacturing business. The news stories say that Penske could not line up another automaker to supply cars after the Saturn factories shut down. Maybe that is so. Or, perhaps as Penske talked to other automakers, they realized they didn't really need Saturn. After all, Penske already owns 160 US dealerships which probably covers most of the major urban areas, and there are plenty of dealerships for sale if they needed to fill in some gaps. So they don't need the Saturn dealerships. They just need a car supplier, and Saturn doesn't give them that as GM wouldn't commit to continuing production for more than a couple of years more. I doubt Penske is done talking to Tata, Geely, etc.
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1989 3.2 Carrera coupe; 1988 Westy Vanagon, Zetec; 1986 E28 M30; 1994 W124; 2004 S211 What? Uh . . . “he” and “him”? |
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And here I was so sure the taxpayers were gonna get their investment back. Never saw this coming.
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2022 BMW 530i 2021 MB GLA250 2020 BMW R1250GS |
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Penske was going to pay GM a pittance for the Saturn dealer network, brand, and spares. Reportedly about 200MM, possibly less. And GM would have been obligated to keep the Saturn plants going, not sure if they actually make any money on the cars. Now GM has to close that plant with whatever costs that involves, but they would have had to do that in 2 years anyway.
Bottomline, the deal happening or falling apart is pretty much irrelevant to GM's future profitability. It is bad news for Saturn employees, unfortunately. The assembly workers will lose their jobs about 2 years earlier than they were going to. The dealership employees are also toast now.
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1989 3.2 Carrera coupe; 1988 Westy Vanagon, Zetec; 1986 E28 M30; 1994 W124; 2004 S211 What? Uh . . . “he” and “him”? |
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Non Compos Mentis
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Off the grid- Almost
Posts: 10,598
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I've driven Saturns. Very little. I won't be sorry to see them go.
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Dog-faced pony soldier
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Their "no haggle" approach was good. The Sky Redline was moderately cool and had potential. Everything else about them seemed characteristically GM - not well thought through and ultimately unnnecessary and done better by Japan.
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A car, a 911, a motorbike and a few surfboards Black Cars Matter |
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I hear Jupiter is in trouble as well. And don't get me started about Uranus...
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Cogito Ergo Sum
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The Sky redline was no different than the Solstice GXP. Just a different skin. I never have driven one but I haven't heard of anything it does spectacularly. I have heard of transmission issues though...
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Hell Belcho
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Oz
Posts: 9,250
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I had one of the first SL models as a company car. It was a great little econobox. I got a consistent 39MPG in that thing.
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Saved by the buoyancy of citrus. |
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Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Higgs Field
Posts: 22,633
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Quote:
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Jeff '72 911T 3.0 MFI '93 Ducati 900 Super Sport "God invented whiskey so the Irish wouldn't rule the world" |
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Dog-faced pony soldier
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Quote:
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A car, a 911, a motorbike and a few surfboards Black Cars Matter |
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Did you get the memo?
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Wichita, KS
Posts: 32,541
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They only got decent when they started rebadging Opel products as Saturns. The early ones were absolute crap, some of the worst cars I've ever driven. Good riddance.
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‘07 Mazda RX8-8 Past: 911T, 911SC, Carrera, 951s, 955, 996s, 987s, 986s, 997s, BMW 5x, C36, C63, XJR, S8, Maserati Coupe, GT500, etc |
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Minneapolis
Posts: 7,482
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Minneapolis
Posts: 7,482
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Cogito Ergo Sum
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They may run forever. Doesn't change their suck factor. Similar to a Yugo or a Lada.
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Registered
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Minneapolis
Posts: 7,482
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Maybe, but suck is a relative term.
In the rust-belt the plastic body is a big plus..... ever seen a 15 year old Honda Civic from Boston or Chicago? They get great gas mileage, four wheel discs, IRS, timing chain (not belt), and the list goes on. BUT, not silky smooth or 'fun' to drive from the enthusiast's perspective For their intended use (and users) they were great, and still are |
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Join Date: Oct 1999
Posts: 8,673
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The SKY is an Opel, too.
Actually they're both Lotuses. |
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