Penske Drops Bid, GM to End Saturn
Senior Member
Joined: 08-16-2009
Posts: 751
From: South
Pontiac has a great performance model in the G8 GT/GXP models, the problem is they came along with a great platform for the market at the wrong time. Pontiac G8 GT (361 hp) and GXP's (400 hp) destroy GTO's in looks and performance both.
Senior Member
Joined: 10-02-2005
Posts: 1,245
From: VA
Just more examples of GM taking a good idea and finding ways to mess it all up!
That's been their history for a long time.
No wonder they are where they are now and, unfortunately I don't see much hope for them going forward.
That's been their history for a long time.
No wonder they are where they are now and, unfortunately I don't see much hope for them going forward.
Senior Member
Joined: 06-29-2008
Posts: 839
From: Crystal Lake
Also the G8 Does look better but the interior of the GTO's was better.
The market consist of one question.. What Sells and produce's the most profit.
Senior Member
Joined: 09-25-2009
Posts: 159
From: Palm Desert, CA
I have a '96 SL2. Incredible mileage, runs great. The plug wires failed, which gave a misfire code, and the car has eaten two alternators in 60K miles. GM doesn't make the wires or the alternator. I would buy another, if I could ever wear this one out. Oh yeah, I did brakes and now the rotors are warped..."Made in China" is why, I'll never make that mistake again.
Senior Member
Joined: 11-15-2008
Posts: 1,599
From: Newburgh, NY
Right; And has the general public ever heard of an HHR SS or Cobalt SS? No. Imagine how the younger public would react to fuel efficient, modern day musclecars if they knew about them. Ford did this with the Mustang in 1964 and it was a huge success. There are very few regular advertisements for the new Camaro either. They're still promoting pickups and SUVs on normal, primetime TV.
Senior Member
Joined: 08-16-2009
Posts: 751
From: South
Exactly, went to a local cruise in tonight with the HHR SS, and people would come look at the body and interior then get to the engine where it says ecotec turbocharged and they were like whoa, this thing is turbocharged!
Banned
Joined: 10-24-2006
Posts: 1,761
From: The Show-Me State
My friend who sold me the HHR a few years ago told me he's glad to see Saturn go away. They essentially got the Cobalt, new Malibu, and new Equinox two years before Chevrolet, GM's #1 nameplate, had a chance to move the metal.
Senior Member
Joined: 07-17-2006
Posts: 6,053
From: Dallas, GA
If they had of kept Saturn as an "Import Fighter" as they originally set them up for, they might have suceeded, maybe. Kinda like what Toyota did with Scion. But it ended up getting all bloated and looking like every other car on the road. They never should have had SUVs and vans.
Pontiac on the other hand, died many years ago. Everything they had was a rebadge.
Pontiac on the other hand, died many years ago. Everything they had was a rebadge.
Banned
Joined: 10-24-2006
Posts: 1,761
From: The Show-Me State
If they had of kept Saturn as an "Import Fighter" as they originally set them up for, they might have suceeded, maybe. Kinda like what Toyota did with Scion. But it ended up getting all bloated and looking like every other car on the road. They never should have had SUVs and vans.
Pontiac on the other hand, died many years ago. Everything they had was a rebadge.
Pontiac on the other hand, died many years ago. Everything they had was a rebadge.
Pontiac was alive and kicking quite well until the product line stagnated and cars became unprofitable for GM. It's the perfect example of funding product development. You can have a best-selling nameplate, but if you go 7-10 years between development cycles, you'll never compete with peers that go 4-5 years max on new product.
Member
Joined: 10-02-2009
Posts: 62
From: Ohio
Owned a 92 SC1, sold it to a neighbor, who in turned has given it to his daughter through out high school, now his son has it in 12th grade. Never any major mechanical/drive train issues. I was so impressed with the SC1 I bought a 04 Saturn Ion QC (traded this in on my HHR SS) with no major problems what so ever, we only bought a new car to have a warranty because we travel a lot. Only thing ever replaced on the Ion QC in 5 yrs I owned it was the ****ty GM rotors. The finance manager where we bought our HHR SS at bought the Ion QC and uses it for a 3 hour commute round trip every day and still has not had any issues with it to date.
So after 10 yrs of telling our in-laws (huge GMC Buick Pontiac owners) how good Saturn quality was and them seeing it by the Saturn vehicles we had bought, they bought a new Vue XR 2 years ago, thye have not had any major problems with it and now say its the best GM vehicle they have owned.
In my opinion the dropping of Pontiac and Saturn are huge mistakes, both those brands made very nice body styles. They needed to get rid of the GMC, since they are just hopped up models of Chevy any ways.
So after 10 yrs of telling our in-laws (huge GMC Buick Pontiac owners) how good Saturn quality was and them seeing it by the Saturn vehicles we had bought, they bought a new Vue XR 2 years ago, thye have not had any major problems with it and now say its the best GM vehicle they have owned.
In my opinion the dropping of Pontiac and Saturn are huge mistakes, both those brands made very nice body styles. They needed to get rid of the GMC, since they are just hopped up models of Chevy any ways.