It was revealed last week that Roger Penske is interested in buying the Saturn brand from GM, but it appears as though Mr. Penske could face some competition from Renault. According to a new report, Renault is actively pursuing acquiring the Saturn brand from GM.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Renault is one of several automakers currently showing interest in the Saturn nameplate. Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn has attempted to partner with U.S. automakers in the past (GM and Chrysler ) but to no avail. Purchasing Saturn could give Renault that U.S. foothold Ghosn so desperately desires.
Renault, the parent company of Nissan , could use the Saturn brand and its dealer network to distribute Renault and Samsung – the automaker’s South Korean division — vehicle in the U.S. Saturn-badged vehicles would initially be produced outside of North America, but production could move here if demand warranted. Nissan already has its headquarters in Nashville, Tennessee, not far from Saturn’s former Spring Hill manufacturing plant.
It remains unclear if there is a clear frontrunner for the Saturn brand, but it looks as though the 20-year old division will indeed live on.
