Comments on: Saturn Brand Has a Buyer: Penske Automotive, May Build Electric Cars

By: Adrian

Adrian — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 01:59:26 +0000

By far, the most exciting car news. A car company owned by a race car legend and not a CEO appointed by a socialist-fascist.

By: ThombDbhomb

ThombDbhomb — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 17:35:13 +0000

Pwned!

By: Lwesson

Lwesson — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 15:59:03 +0000

We own a SW2 and a Vue Hy-brid NOT MADE IN MEXICO, thank you. I was attracted by the Saturn effort to go back to the way GM used to make cars. Instead of sharing engines… Saturn had it’s own in house team of engineers, assembly plant and components… butttt GM in it’s infinite wisdom absorbed everything. Instead of Spring Hill, Tennessee as it’s base manufacturing plant and US workers the new Vue went to some Mexican plant. SHAME! Engines, gone to some generic GM power plant, and on and on so that the Saturn Motor Car Company was becoming just another GM car.

Perhaps Penske remembers the concept and his home nation and peoples and will bring Saturn back to Tennessee, reassemble a team of gifted engineers and design artists and have a company named after the ringed planet that puts the GM overlords to further shame if that can be possible.

Per Volt: There was likely an electric in the “oven” for Saturn. If I know the cult of Saturn owners, then Saturn is a perfect company to launch electrics from.

I bet Penske is looking at this and other sites just like Chinese for information/feedback.

Regards!——–Higgins

By: RIck

RIck — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 15:58:51 +0000

Yes, since the EV-1 was part of Saturn, Rojer get all rights to EV-1 technology and also most of Volt since a large part of the Volt is based on the legacy EV-1. Combine this gm tech with the advanced battery tech of South Korea and we have a winner here. Wooot.

By: Betty McCool

Betty McCool — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 15:55:52 +0000

Finally a car guy gets to run a car company. Looking forward to the electric Saturns. No doubt they will give the Volt some additional competition. Hopefully he will hook up with South Korea or China and turn Saturn into a real car company. Another division gets to survive from the death grip of GM.

By: teds

teds — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 15:52:00 +0000

Saturn sold the EV1… So could buying the Saturn give you the right to build and sell the EV1 again?

By: statik

statik — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 15:02:18 +0000

#50 nasaman said:

In their press release Roger Penske says, “Saturn has a passionate customer base and outstanding dealer network. For nearly 20 years Saturn has focused on treating the customer right. We share that philosophy, and we want to build on those strengths.”

Roger is absolutely right! ….of the numerous domestic & imported brands I’ve owned, my Saturn ownership AND buying experiences have easily surpassed all the rest! I’m delighted Penske will be Saturn’s new owner!!! Just be sure to offer the plug-in Vue, Roger!
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Gratz Nasaman…your plug-in Vue may yet live, hehe. At the very least you get to keep Saturn. (=

By: Larry McFall

Larry McFall — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 14:43:08 +0000

I am supprised but pleased that GM has been able to sell off vehicles they don’t need. We will see if Penski produces an Electric Vehicle, Possibly using VOLTEC.

All said and done, I would like to see GM hussle up on the production of the VOLT and, I would like to see GM put more information out on the progress of the VOLT. This would give me confidence that they haven’t retreated into their self serving cocoon.

Good luck to Penski and you just may take the lead in this Electric Vehicle Production Effort.

By: nasaman

nasaman — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 13:20:40 +0000

By: john1701a

john1701a — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 13:17:20 +0000

The Plug-in Prius in the above link #35, which was driven in Seattle got only 51 mpg, and that 51 mpg was blamed on driver habits.

It was unclear if that fuel economy was the ICE only or a composite of EV range and ICE.
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No, it was clear.

They were not plugging those cars in.

The cars were the old model too, not designed to support battery augmentation. The new model is. It’s also much more efficient. Even without a plug, mine is averaging 59 MPG. Check out Google’s mini-fleet. Their plug-in average is 93 MPG.