Why Hummer and Saturn won't last at GM either
By Michael Bettencourt
We've given you the goods already on why Saab's future as a brand under GM is shaky at best, so now it's time to touch on why Hummer and Saturn likely won't survive either, at least as a GM entity. Hummer has officially been on the shopping block for the past six months, although it hasn't exactly been a seller's market for car companies this year.
The problem with the brand is that it somehow became a poster child for the evils of the environmentally unconscionable, argued Bob Lutz, GM's (current) car czar, a perception that couldn't be shaken despite the best efforts of Canadian Martin Walsh, who until recently headed up the brand in Detroit.
Saturn was a different story, with highly lauded products, and a modern vehicle fleet, but couldn't muster up enough sales or recognition from its 400 or so North American dealers to make it work. "We certainly spent the money on Saturn products," lamented Lutz, noting that the Sky roadster that debuted for 2006 was the oldest vehicle in that brand's lineup
Although no timing was set, it's clear that Lutz want something done sooner rather than later. "It's got to be soon, because we have to get rid of things that aren't paying for themselves."
Posted by: brian hanson | 2009-01-13 10:04:48 AM
Even in better economic times of the recent past, anyone with a few moments of sober consideration would have realized that Saab, Jaguar, Hummer, Aston Martin, etc., were not good investments. In large measure, GM and Ford have not been well-served by their respective boards of directors nor by salaried executives. The first step for these two automakers in re-inventing themselves should be a clean sweep of so-called decision makers.
Posted by: G.M. worker | 2009-01-18 5:51:18 PM
How can that happen when they own the company
Posted by: goodtireguy | 2009-01-19 7:18:13 PM
I'm batting a thousand here! My Jaguar is now a Tata and my Saturn will be an orphan. GM will honor the warranty right?
Posted by: saturn wife | 2009-01-20 9:03:00 AM
As the wife of a Saturn guy , I am disgusted at GM. When Saturn first came out, they were a separate entity, but then GM saw it was doing well, and went from backing them up, to taking it over. And then proceeded to ruin them. Put GM engines, drive trains etc (as in, thier crappy Sunfire), took away the amazing Polymer bodies, and wrecked the gas milage....we get 5o miles per gallon still on our S-series cars from 1992-2002....that Ion was the beginning of the Saturn decline in quality....they sold well to start, but real fans knew the difference right away. GM ruined an excellent vehicle, and all the dealership owners and staff lamant the day, and now face unemployment because of the highly paid, but highylu uninformed corporate big wigs who saw dollars, not "sense".
oh, they have to honor the warranties, but have fun finding the proper service guys later! (we won't even mention the parts problem that will be coming further down the road!!!)