Saturn Has A "Few" Possible Buyers. Or Not.

Robert Farago
by Robert Farago

Saturn spokesman Steve Janisse must rue the day Automotive News [AN, sub] picked-up the phone. Hey, Steve! Wassup with the whole selling the brand thing? How’s that going anyway? “There is interest from investors in doing a spinoff, and there are other entities interested in just buying it.” So far, so spinmeisterly. And then, the gotcha (sans quotes) “He said he does not know whether the interested parties are other automakers.” So, are we to believe that GM’s got buyers for Saturn but doesn’t want to tell Janisse? I don’t think so. Anyway, AN reveals that GM’s spending lots of taxpayer money to hire someone to find a mark willing to rethink the idea of losing billions of dollars in the car biz. “GM has hired Steve Girsky, formerly senior auto analyst for Morgan Stanley, to help advise on any possible Saturn deals … ‘He has extensive knowledge of the financial side of the equation and so he’s helping evaluate the different options,’ Janisse said. ‘But he’s also there to build the business plans for the options.'” Good luck with that.

Robert Farago
Robert Farago

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  • RetardedSparks RetardedSparks on Mar 06, 2009

    As is obvious from Europe, there is no such thing as a deal right now that isn't government financed, one way or the other. So the US taxpayers are buying Saturn, like the Germans are buying Opel and the Swedish Saab and Volvo. There is just no other source of funds. And another thing - if any non-Asian (Chinese or Indian, specifically) company bought Saturn there is no chance they will keep the brand. Fiat will not sell their cars as Saturns in the US. If Opel/Saab team up and buy (or get as part of an Opel spin-off deal) the dealer network they will not be "Saturns". And even if a Chinese company did keep the name (after all, nobody is going to buy a BFD or Bu Yah or whatever), you are now servicing GM Saturns and Chinese Saturns in the same shop, with completely incompatible parts and totally separate supply chains? Jeesh.

  • Superbadd75 Superbadd75 on Mar 06, 2009

    see ya Saturn. they never turned out to be that different car company anyhow. i never saw the value in buying a car with GM mechanicals and a plastic body at straight up sticker price just because the dealership personnel were a little nicer. GM needs to dump brands to survive, and who cares if they have a buyer? some of their methods of doing it seem a little, er, strange, like telling Saab and Opel that they're on their own now (that's pretty damn funny... shitty, but funny). Hummer, Saab, GMC, Saturn, and possibly Pontiac all need to head off into the sunset, with or without new homes. GM needs to do what's best for the future, and Saturn isn't getting the play they need to get in order to be viable for the future. so, uh, sorry Saturn. pack up your crap and get the hell out.

  • VanillaDude VanillaDude on Mar 06, 2009

    We have had five Saturns. We still have two of them. We live in a small city without a Carmax. Saturn is the best we have regarding dealers. I'd consider Saturn again without hesitation. If Saturn goes independant, and offers good cars, we'd buy them.

  • FromBrazil FromBrazil on Mar 06, 2009

    Mr. Farago Fiat ain't on the ropes. The Italian government will take the hit in Europe and Fiat will take the money they make in Brazil and elsewhere and do as they damn well please. Them the facts.

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