Saturn Demise Might Be Saddest Of All
05-01-2009, 02:38 PM
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Saturn Demise Might Be Saddest Of All Saturn Demise Might Be Saddest Of All
Chuck Murray, Contributing Editor -- Design News, April 30, 2009
The demise of Pontiac has grabbed auto industry headlines over the past few days, but little has been said about GM’s abrupt change in plans for its Saturn Corp. Yesterday, the giant automaker said it no longer plans to build Saturns through the end of 2011. Instead, it will phase out Saturn at the end of the 2009 model year.
That’s sad. Those who recall the history of Saturn know that it grew out of GM’s desire to prove that an American automaker could produce small, reliable, affordable vehicles that could compete with those of foreign automakers. Early on, GM did its best to make that happen. It searched the world for the best ideas, poured money into advanced technology, built gigantic new manufacturing facilities, changed the sales experience, adopted new management practices, and essentially built a wall between Saturn and the rest of the company. In its commercials, Saturn called itself, “a different kind of car company.”
Read more: http://www.designnews.com/blog/Elect...est_Of_All.php
Chuck Murray, Contributing Editor -- Design News, April 30, 2009
The demise of Pontiac has grabbed auto industry headlines over the past few days, but little has been said about GM’s abrupt change in plans for its Saturn Corp. Yesterday, the giant automaker said it no longer plans to build Saturns through the end of 2011. Instead, it will phase out Saturn at the end of the 2009 model year.
That’s sad. Those who recall the history of Saturn know that it grew out of GM’s desire to prove that an American automaker could produce small, reliable, affordable vehicles that could compete with those of foreign automakers. Early on, GM did its best to make that happen. It searched the world for the best ideas, poured money into advanced technology, built gigantic new manufacturing facilities, changed the sales experience, adopted new management practices, and essentially built a wall between Saturn and the rest of the company. In its commercials, Saturn called itself, “a different kind of car company.”
Read more: http://www.designnews.com/blog/Elect...est_Of_All.php
Last edited by phirepower; 05-01-2009 at 02:44 PM.
05-01-2009, 02:46 PM
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They are very reliable cars, I think it was foolish of GM to try and re-market them against luxury Toyota's. Oh well, the SKY certainly had potential...
05-01-2009, 03:40 PM
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This is definitely a microcosm of US Strategic Culture...why change when we can just make another system and leave that which is fucked up still fucked up. Reminds me a lot of US industrial production during WWII.
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05-04-2009, 03:40 PM
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Saturn Demise Might Be Saddest Of All
Chuck Murray, Contributing Editor -- Design News, April 30, 2009
The demise of Pontiac has grabbed auto industry headlines over the past few days, but little has been said about GM’s abrupt change in plans for its Saturn Corp. Yesterday, the giant automaker said it no longer plans to build Saturns through the end of 2011. Instead, it will phase out Saturn at the end of the 2009 model year.
That’s sad. Those who recall the history of Saturn know that it grew out of GM’s desire to prove that an American automaker could produce small, reliable, affordable vehicles that could compete with those of foreign automakers. Early on, GM did its best to make that happen. It searched the world for the best ideas, poured money into advanced technology, built gigantic new manufacturing facilities, changed the sales experience, adopted new management practices, and essentially built a wall between Saturn and the rest of the company. In its commercials, Saturn called itself, “a different kind of car company.”
Read more: http://www.designnews.com/blog/Elect...est_Of_All.php
Chuck Murray, Contributing Editor -- Design News, April 30, 2009
The demise of Pontiac has grabbed auto industry headlines over the past few days, but little has been said about GM’s abrupt change in plans for its Saturn Corp. Yesterday, the giant automaker said it no longer plans to build Saturns through the end of 2011. Instead, it will phase out Saturn at the end of the 2009 model year.
That’s sad. Those who recall the history of Saturn know that it grew out of GM’s desire to prove that an American automaker could produce small, reliable, affordable vehicles that could compete with those of foreign automakers. Early on, GM did its best to make that happen. It searched the world for the best ideas, poured money into advanced technology, built gigantic new manufacturing facilities, changed the sales experience, adopted new management practices, and essentially built a wall between Saturn and the rest of the company. In its commercials, Saturn called itself, “a different kind of car company.”
Read more: http://www.designnews.com/blog/Elect...est_Of_All.php
05-04-2009, 06:06 PM
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See, I've seen the opposite. I know 5-6 people directly that have had nothing but problems. All stupid, minor issues, but issues nonetheless.
Gas cap SES light (when gas cap is fine), coil spring broke, power window motors failed, electrical issues, poor panel fitment, yada yada.
Nothing critical, but issues I don't see on the same age Toyota/Honda cars. I like where Saturn has gone lately, the quality is finally there, but it's the Daewoo style construction of the past that doomed that brand. It's too bad, because the company they are now really should have had a future.
Gas cap SES light (when gas cap is fine), coil spring broke, power window motors failed, electrical issues, poor panel fitment, yada yada.
Nothing critical, but issues I don't see on the same age Toyota/Honda cars. I like where Saturn has gone lately, the quality is finally there, but it's the Daewoo style construction of the past that doomed that brand. It's too bad, because the company they are now really should have had a future.
05-04-2009, 08:18 PM
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The saddest part about this is the Oldsmobile lineup bit the bullet so this brand could spread its wings, and now it looks like maybe the wrong brand was axedi in 04. Especially since the Old's brand was outselling Buick and Saturn combined at the time.
Didn't turn a Profit in 20 years 
06-03-2009, 05:11 PM
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[QUOTE=wabmorgan;11542552]The saddest thing about Saturn is in it's 20 year history... Saturn NEVER turned a profit.
Dealers made money - The car never had an identity. Began as a plastic 4 door. Then added a two doors, than a mid size, suv, van etc etc. Even changed a recognizable name. Tried to become a full line mfg. When you keep building new plants to build new models how do you make money?
VW's bug was a simple little car. Each year VW made simple little changes and built a better bug. That's what Saturn could have been.
We have a favorite beer for a reason. In the American auto industry we've lost brand loyalty because we kept changing the vehicle.
Dealers made money - The car never had an identity. Began as a plastic 4 door. Then added a two doors, than a mid size, suv, van etc etc. Even changed a recognizable name. Tried to become a full line mfg. When you keep building new plants to build new models how do you make money?
VW's bug was a simple little car. Each year VW made simple little changes and built a better bug. That's what Saturn could have been.
We have a favorite beer for a reason. In the American auto industry we've lost brand loyalty because we kept changing the vehicle.
06-05-2009, 07:10 AM
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I work for Saturn and the worst thing that happened to the company is when GM used thier global platforms into saturn. It was just fine when we had the s- cars, L- cars, and vues. Now everything we have except the outlook is a rebadged opel car.
