Saturn Dealers Optimistic Despite Possible Closures
An intriguing story from The (Nashville) Tennessean that ran in USA Today highlights just one aspect of the Detroit 3’s current troubles. We reported earlier this week that GM is considering shedding its Saturn brand, like it did Oldsmobile earlier this decade. You’d think Saturn dealers would be a bit upset at the news, but The Tennessean talked to one Tennessee dealer who thinks things will be just fine.
“I believe there would be other automakers interested in taking it over,” said C.M. Gatton, even though he couldn’t think of any company that would.
The problem with a sale is that the entire Saturn lineup is based on GM platforms used throughout its brands. The problem with closing the brand outright was pointed out to The Tennessean by Jim Hossack, from AutoPacific: “The state dealer franchise laws in this country are so restrictive that unless GM goes bankrupt, the cost of deleting a brand would be prohibitive,” he said. “It would probably take at least $2 billion of that bailout money that GM is asking for.”
Iconic Saturn brand could stay on the road beyond GM (USA Today)
