General Motors’ Saturn brand may have already found a long-term partner to keep the marque alive, but it remains to be seen if the ailing automaker will be able to even hang on until the end of 2009. With so much uncertainty surrounding the brand, many shoppers are avoiding Saturn dealerships altogether, causing a large number of store closings.
According to Automotive News, Saturn had 420 dealerships as of January 1st, 2009. That number slipped to 405 by mid-February and now totals just 380. As many as six more stores could close by April 15th.
GM has committed to supplying Saturn vehicles through the 2012 model year, but will either spin off or close the division after that time. As such, those within Saturn are working at a fevered pace to keep the brand open for business.
“We’re in warp speed for this study phase,” Saturn spokesman Steve Janisse told Automotive News. “Once we make the announcement that this is the plan, we’ll continue to work at warp speed.”
Todd Ingersoll, a Saturn store owner, claims that Saturn has found a long-term partner, but GM has yet to confirm that report. However, Janisse says an announcement on the future of the Saturn brand is forthcoming, so we should learn more in the coming weeks.
04/13, 1:27 PM
posted by:
TMoneYNYY
If only Saturn vehicles could travel at warp speed, they might have a chance. R.I.P. Saturn… you will be… remembered awkwardly?
04/13, 1:31 PM
posted by:
Borat
“GM has committed to supplying Saturn vehicles through the 2012 model year” if GM will go into bankruptcy those commitments will be worth less then toilet paper (for a single use).
04/13, 1:45 PM
posted by:
idrinorbarsaku
toilet paper is getting expensive now-a-days!
04/13, 2:08 PM
posted by:
JakeK66
I heard some Saturn dealers over in Kansas City already are turning into used car dealerships.
04/13, 2:25 PM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
Speaking of toiletries, what a waste. Just imagine if GM hadn’t flushed 20 years of funds down the Saturn toilet bowl. Weren’t they working on a little project called the EV1 at roughly the same point in their history?
04/13, 2:55 PM
posted by:
MercMark
I’d rather they die than go Chinese
04/13, 3:01 PM
posted by:
beemerdude
This story is way over blown. Here in Southern Calif., lots of dealerships – of all lines, including Mazda, Honda, etc. – have closed.
I don’t think the numbers of Saturn dealers that have shut their doors is that much greater than the entire industry as a whole lately.
04/13, 3:30 PM
posted by:
carstuff
correct beemer. 10% closings over the last 4 months is probably about right.
GM may go into bankruptcy court but the chances of it going into liquidation is probably about 20%.
04/13, 3:39 PM
posted by:
cereal
oh saturn…
we had such high hopes for you. maybe.
-eat your cereal
04/13, 3:41 PM
posted by:
sprockkets
What is the point of Saturn anymore? Just another name for Opel Astra’s and the rebadged Malibu, which is a rebadged Open anyhow?
Stupid GM.
04/13, 3:43 PM
posted by:
SeniorChief
@ TMoneYNYY: what exactly are we remembering?
04/13, 4:46 PM
posted by:
mayer_ray_nagin
GM management were apparently expecting Saturn dealer management to sit around twiddling their thumbs waiting for their demise just like everyone in GM Senior management has done for 30 years.
04/13, 6:55 PM
posted by:
Madcapp
My local automall dealer dumped Audi to pick up Saturn in the late 80’s. That was understandable in the wake of the Audi 5000, but look at those 2 brands now.
04/13, 10:11 PM
posted by:
jdasch1
GM made its Saturn dealers remodel for the customer experience and image…..now they are dead. Saturn was on a roll with the EV-1…now its dead. Now electric cars are coming soon with no experienced dealers to sell them for GM. GM can’t be trusted until they flush out ALL of the old management and hire from the outside….no lifers! Get rid of the cronieism. Liquidation is probably the best option now that I think about it. I feel bad for all of the hard working dealership employees that made their training and career decisions with GM….the retraining is painful!!
04/15, 2:54 AM
posted by:
Kanucko
I really hope they take on Saturns styling in the Chevy lineup. I think most of the chevy’s grills are awful. The Malibu is sorta okay…but virtually everything in Saturns lineup is visually superior in the styling dept.
Including all the stupid cross over vehicles that are coming out for GMC/Chevy. Lame ! GM ! this is why you suck !