General Motors continues to falter; may discontinue Saturn
Saturn’s slogan is now “Rethink”, but it’s beginning to look like the GM-owned automaker is taking that sentiment in a completely different direction. After making an effort to rebrand the Saturn line and produce a variety of attractive vehicles, General Motors might pull the plug on the 23-year-old auto line. With rumors of bankruptcies and dealers going out of business (none of which were true), Saturn’s reputation has been taking some serious hits lately. It’s also no help that the US automotive industry is suffering and relying on the government for a bailout, so GM is going to strongly consider shutting down Saturn while it forms plans this week in terms of an impending reorg. We imagine it’s not going to be a tough decision since Saturn hasn’t been profitable for GM at all. Along with axing the celestial brand, the automotive giant is considering selling off the Saab line and turning Pontiac into a “niche” brand, much like Saturn is now. So, after several years of producing what seems to be like one or two models, Saturn now offers several decent vehicles: Astra, Outlook, Sky, Vue and Aura. Still, it has failed to gain any real popularity and is likely going to disappear forever. Is anyone actually going to miss it?
Thanks, Alex R!
I’ll miss it.
My family has owned five Saturns (two of which we currently own) and they have been outstanding vehicles. I was hoping that my first new car purchase would be a Saturn, but I guess it won’t happen.
Either make your own blog or stop reading BG if you don’t agree with what’s posted.
If not, stfu.
Maxpayne, if the article isn’t of interest to you, don’t read it. I don’t see how that’s difficult for you. Bgr wants to increase readership. That’s kind of the point. But its not like there are a dozen new phones released every day, and some people have interests beyond cell phones, believe it or not. So how about you shut the fuck up. Thank you.
Produces Saturn the same car as Opel / Vauxhall?
The very first car we had as students was a second hand opel vectra. We drove through the whole of Europe with it untill one day it just stopped in the middel of a crossroad… It was fifteen yers old.
Very good memories of that car even though Opel in the Netherlands has the image of a ‘poor mans car’.
I would never drive in one now though. As soon as you drive a german car you are hooked.
GM did a very bad job though as far as I can tell. It can’t just be the economy it must alo be terrible mismanagement.
@MaxPayne79 This isn’t about posting depressing news or talking about tough times and recession. There is a lot of negative news out there right now because there is a recession going on. If I write one economic/recession story I have to post them all? This isn’t just run-of-the-mill recession news, this is about an ENTIRE LINE of cars, which is 23-years-old, having the likelihood of being completely shut down.
What has this got to do with mobile devices?
@Marc Flores:
Some people dont get it. Thanks for the story.
is the american a reliable car?????? have u driven a toyota or a honda?? do it and rethink.
It would be sad to see Saturn go by the wayside. I’ve owned over 6 Saturns in the past 12 years, and never been disatisfied. They have great cars, and customer service and sales teams. I did dislike in the recent years of them straying from their ‘unique’ models, and carrying duplicate models to other GMs – such as the Relay (mini van also taken after the Chevy Venture and and Buick one I can’t recall) and again recently with the Outlook SUV which similars the GMC version as well. Aside from that they have kept new models coming, and changing the names as they evolved – such as the SL, ION, and the Aura and Astra. Their Sky convertible is one of the most popular on the market, however another duplicate with the Pontiac Soltice exists. I know handfulls of owners reach the 200K mile mark with little or no maintenance out of the normal scheduled types. Not many mfg’s can be boastfull about having a model from 1993 that runs great, and has no rust – due to their mostly plastic design bodies. But as the Big 3 continue to have issues, it’s only expected that you have to trim the fat somewhere, and Saturn is much smaller piece of the pie.
Saturn has stepped it up with the new redesigns and is a force to be reckoned with.
GM needs to understand this and instead ax Buick.
Better yet, GM should move the Volt and Corvette over to Saturn and dump the horrendously boring Chevrolet (have they made ANY attractive, innovative automobiles in the past 30 years? The 57 Chevy Nomad is still their high point!). When you look up the word generic in the dictionary, you see a picture of a Chevrolet Impala.
I like the Saturn Sky ;_;
You can get one with a turbo and it’s really cheap
(But I still can’t get one ’cause I’m in the poor side of the slump)
I am sad to see both go. Saturn has put out sturdy, reliable vehicles for years. What hurt them is the cost to redesign their cars and, subsequently, their image. I actually think they simply made the look and concept too European for American buyers. The average consumer likes their cars to look like a block on wheels and have a huge engine (ie. F150s everywhere you look).
As for Sprint, I’m on a SERO plan and can’t find anything that tops that. And, get your flame ready, I still haven’t found a phone that does everything as well as my Treo 700p in both form and function.
Ja wohl, mein heir! Forgot this was a free country with at least some concept on open discourse.
Couple quotes off Saturn’s page on Wikipedia, which pretty much sums it up:
“Saturns are now virtually identical to certain Opel models. For example, the 2008 Saturn Vue is a rebadged Opel Antara, while the Opel GT is based on the Saturn Sky. The Opel Astra is imported as the Saturn Astra (replacing the Ion as the entry-level car), and the Saturn Aura is similar to the Opel Vectra. The Saturn Astra is built in Antwerp, Belgium.”
“In US Congressional hearings on December 2nd, 2008, General Motors announced its intentions to only focus on four core brands (Chevrolet, GMC, Buick, Cadillac), with the sale, consolidation, or closure of Saturn and the remaining brands (Hummer, Saab, Pontiac).”
@ ddors : Please go take a Constructive Criticism evening course at ur local high school and then come back to the table, thanx.
@ tmo4life : First of all, I don’t think BGR has a problem with readership since where ever i go, some one mentions them in one regard or another. And you’re fishing for justification to support ur pro BGR stance even though you have no proof for ur claims and so u need to stop that. And Second of all, if i want to read about cars, i’ll go to a car blog thank you very much. I read over 20 blogs because i have many many interests and hobbies and to this day, some of my interests still don’t have a home at the blogosphere world. In fact ur quote “some people have interests beyond cell phones, believe it or not” supports my argument in that, that there are a million blogs on million different subjects because people have a million different interests. I come to BGR to see unofficial news on the cellular mobile world. If i wanna read about cold, hard tear-downs of units then i’ll go somewhere else. If I wanna read industry standard biased reviews, once again, i’ll go somewhere else. If i wanna read about the new redesigned bmw 3-series, then I’ll go to where it’s appropriate to go. And it won’t be a mobile blog. That’s why there are a million different blogs because people like their interests separated in order to maximize the potential for knowledge via information. But i guess u know that already since u mentioned it. Thanx for supporting my argument
@ nagnag : right on brother.
@ Marc Flores : I know what ur getting at, i mean i’m not ignorant and it is very unfortunate that it’s happening but, there are far far worse things happening around the world than a line of cars going out of business. Or that doesn’t apply because it’s out side of the US?
Look, i don’t really give a shit man. I just commented on it cause i thought it was weird. But then u got all excited so i thought let’s take this somewhere. But maybe u have to post GM news cause it looks like it’s part of ur advertising money along with LG, yahoo, and bunch of others so…whatever mate. I’m done.
definitely keep saturn ESP because it’s turned around and doing so great! better to keep saturn than GMC.
I agree with HillBill. The overlapping brands within the Big Three automakers is so confusing, and a hold over from when the US had many, many small car companies that were gradually bought up by the conglomerates.
My dad drives a Saturn and it’s fantastic. Cheap, well made, drives well — an honest competitor to Honda.
Too bad GM never misses an opportunity to miss an opportunity.
as a Saturn Sales Representative, I have felt extremely privileged to sell these vehicles. I have always found that Saturn owners were the best embassadors for the brand as it was originally started to fight the import’s, way back in the 1990’s. If GM is thinking of canning a vehicle line, it shouldn’t be this line, it offers two outstanding hybrid lines, has 5 fabulous models, most of them integrated with the opel line of europein some way. It is unfortunate that the vehicle line has not ” taken off ” as some would have thought. A shoulder shrug, oh well, by most, it’s too bad, it is a great line, good gas mileage, and reasonable price. I would much rather have a niche brand a Saturn, not a pontiac. I am from Canada,get rid of Cadillac, we don’t sell much of them up here, way too expensive. With the recession, keep the ” cheerful and cheap ” with great style.
I am really disappointed that GM is considering the Saturn model!!! I bought my first Saturn in 1995 and would still be driving it but it was totaled in a rear-end crash. Because of its superior workmanship, my life was possibly saved! I was sandwiched between two cars and just sustained bruises on my legs from contact under the dash due to the impact. We have owned no other model car since; we are on our 5th Saturn and have absolutely loved them!!! I drive the Vue now and will never buy another “car”, I love the easy in and out of the seat areas and being higher above the road for vision. The gas mileage has always been superior; always a high priority for me when purchasing a vehicle. Please don’t scrap the Saturn; I don’t know what I will do when I’m ready to buy a new one!!!!
Saturn can go but so should GMC….
The Astra and the Sky SHOULD become Cheverolet branded. The Astra is a HUGE step in the right direction for the GM cars that mostly are too big and use too much gas… I have had small hatchback cars for years, they are very practical.
I still own a 96 Saturn SL2. 200,000 miles. Synthetic oil is the only way to go.Because it’s mostly plastic, it’s light, easy on tires, fuel efficient, and NO RUST. It only has one major drawback. It helps to live near a dealer for repairs because the average repair shop is lost trouble shooting electrical/computer problems.
Alex R. said it wasn’t true about Saturn dealerships going out of business. It is true. Ours in Elk Grove, Calif. did.
My first brand new car is a ‘96 SL2 and still running with 96k miles on it and running smooth. Man!!! I love my Saturns. Then, I went out and bought the 2003 SUV Saturn VUE.
I was wondering why the maintenance shop at the Saturn dealership was closed. American made cars are VERY UGLY…but the Saturn had a little glam about’em.
I’ve owned 3 saturns – all S-series – and they’ve been great – best cars I’ve ever owned. The models since then – Ions, etc. – were in my opinion a dumb departure from the Saturn ‘formula’ of the unique, all self-built components of a Saturn. Now, they’re nothing more than a Chevy with plastic panels….I really don’t care if they continue or not