Roger is buying Saturn and is contracting with GM to build it...FOR NOW. He is searching other companies to build it in the future. Anyone want to bet that the Saturn will be THE car in the future. Roger Penske is not only one of the smartest guys around....he's also a helluva businessman.
Wouldn't surprise me in the least. Everything he does is first class. I've been to some of his dealerships. You could eat off the floor in the mechanic's stalls. He insists on professionalism from his employees, and gets it.
Unfortunately unless sales are good the cars will probably be made in China, India or some other country. Hopefully that's not the case but I think that is the future of the auto industry. http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2009-06-05-Saturn-sale_N.htm 'We will have a supply of vehicles for at least two years with existing brands, and we have been in discussions during this diligence period with a number of manufacturers on a worldwide basis," Penske said Friday morning. "We would expect to have a lineup going forward, which would be manufactured by a worldwide partner." Penske said he expects the vehicles to be manufactured in the United States if sales are sufficient."
I don't care if he builds the cars in Bangladesh. Penske is a very bright guy, has tons of car/race experience and is a stellar businessman. He also has a knack for finding the best talented people and uses them well. Look for Saturn to be one of the top contenders in fuel efficiency, quality build and sales in the future. I also look for him to build a sport model that will blow the doors off most anything out there. I can think of no better guy in the world to run a car company than Roger Penske.
NAFTA sent some factories down there!..I've also been told that several of those factories have allready left for China and India.Just like America,Mexico needs more jobs too...And then it IS Penske.Too bad he wasn't willing to take over Pontiac.Penske Pontiacs would've been exquisite things.
Yeah...Penske Pontiacs would have been cool, Tara. But one has to look to the future in a new venture...smaller engines and better mileage. I think, as I said above, Penske may turn Saturn into a car we won't recognize as a Saturn.
Changing saturn would be good, I've hated um for all these years. Better yet let saturn die save Pontiac!!!! JMO
I could forsee Penske making a good go of Saturn, then when things get rolling, buying the 'Pontiac' nameplate from GM for an upmarket label. He'd probably create his own, though.
I think it's a good deal for the 13,000 employees and 350 dealers. That's one GM brand that should stay.
It's my hope that Roger will stick with this one for the long haul. If he does it will become a STELLAR car.
