Saturn kicking butt and taking conquests
Saturn has gone from "A different kind of car company" to a much better car company faster than anybody has the right to expect, and all the new products being introduced are starting to result in improved sales numbers. Within one year, the Sky, Aura, and Outlook were introduced, and the Aura provided the cherry on top when it won the 2007 North American car of the year award at the Detroit Auto Show. Once the new hot to trot Astra replaces the asthetically-challenged Ion, the Sky will be the oldest product in Saturn's lineup.
The resulting numbers for Saturn have been very impressive indeed, with a 20-percent bump in 1st quarter 2007 sales versus Q1 2006, and now people that previously didn't give Saturn a thought are buying into GM's newest lineup. In a recent interview with The Car Connection, Saturn General Manager Jill Lajdziak pointed out that Sky owners have an average family income of over $100,000, while the typical Aura customer is pulling in $79,000 per annum. Those numbers are in stark contrast to the overall lineup, which stands at $63,000 per year. Lajdziak is looking for more success in the second quarter, and with the vastly better-looking than the original Vue coming out very shortly, the news is only getting better for Saturn.
Saturn still has a long way to go in winning over customers, as Aura and Outlook sales haven't exactly been setting the world on fire. After driving the Aura, we'd guess that the biggest obsticle for the COTY is a lack of customer awareness, and additional marketing dollars should help a lot. We've long thought that the Opelization of the Saturn lineup was a great idea, and now it looks like it's actually panning out for GM.
[Source: The Car Connection]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Paul Y 7:09AM (4/24/2007)
Funny thing: the other day, my parents were telling me that they saw a Sky, and couldn't figure out what it was at first, then were astonished (in an entirely positive way) to realize it was a Saturn. As an example of poor brand awareness, this is about as good a reaction as a company can want, I think.
The Astra intrigues me, and should be available for me to at least look at by the time I car-shop next.
It's about damn time that they sell appealing products, and it's refreshing to hear something positive about a GM division, honestly. I don't want GM to fail in the marketplace, but they have been doing so much wrong for such a long time that it seems almost inevitable. At least there's some good news.
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Avinash machado 7:15AM (4/24/2007)
Good to know Saturn is on the upswing. However they are now the American Vauxhall.
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Chris G. 7:22AM (4/24/2007)
Well Vauxhall and Opel are still better than what was being produced before.
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jgp 7:24AM (4/24/2007)
#1 - Yeah, my mom had the same reaction to the Sky a few weeks ago. "I saw this really cool-looking car the other day, and then I got close to it and thought I saw the Saturn logo. That can't be right, can it?"
Also, I've been seeing a whole bunch of Auras around town in the last month or so. I go from seeing almost none, to seeing a bunch of Aura XEs (yes, mostly XEs...I don't think I've seen many XRs). Maybe the marketing is finally kicking in.
IMO, the Aura's only real problem is that the underpowered XE looks sleeker and cleaner than the XR with the superior engine (which should be the base engine, IMO).
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Andy MF 7:28AM (4/24/2007)
#2, and the "American Opel" as well...
Interesting how more Americans are increasingly taking a liking to European cars. From what I've read in the comments on Autoblog, many want Ford Europe's cars.
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dpeppers 7:31AM (4/24/2007)
At the expense of the other GM franchises.....as it always has been. saturn has never turned a dime for GM.
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bernie 7:40AM (4/24/2007)
Sounds like all that money they paid to win North American Car of the Year over several more worthy competitors is starting to reap dividends.
The Aura is a very good car, but NACOY should be awarded to exceptional cars. It's reputation has taken a hit.
The Sky looks like a high end kit car. I give it another 2-3 years on the market.
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Dave 7:42AM (4/24/2007)
"If you build it, they will come."
jgp - 225 hp is not "underpowered" for a family sedan. The 6 speed trans would be a better upgrade for the base model than 3 more camshafts.
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Ralph 8:03AM (4/24/2007)
Part of the brand identity problem is that the grill of an Aura looks as though it was a Honda. It was an obvious effort to copy the Honda apperance, but it means that people who see an Aura think it's another Honda. GM loses because it didn't have the courage to make the Saturn product a Saturn brand.
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renegade 8:05AM (4/24/2007)
bernie-
who do you write the check to to win NACOTY, if it is as you suggest? 49 individual jurors? Some portion of them?
Seems like it would be cheaper to buy one publication's COTY award...wonder which one comes to mind...
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Puffy C 8:01AM (4/24/2007)
It's amazing what good product can do to sales. Who would have figured?
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Petey 8:04AM (4/24/2007)
Its ironic that GM's "Import Fighter" is relying on Imports to fight the Imports that are very often made right here in the USA.
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jgp 8:04AM (4/24/2007)
#8 - My apologies, underpowered was a poor choice of words. "Unrefined" is more suitable. I'm going to quote Mark Wan's review of the Aura ( http://www.autozine.org/html/GM/Aura.html ) here:
"Nevertheless, like many push-rod engines, it [the XE's 3.5] sounds coarse at high rev, lacking the smoothness and eagerness of twin-cam engines. Besides, the outdated 4-speed automatic transmission it mated leaves a lot to be desired. A better choice is GM's all-aluminum 3.6-liter DOHC CVVT V6. On paper, its 252hp / 251lbft output seems not much more than the push-rod V6, but in terms of smoothness, rev happiness and sound quality it is in another league."
The Aura is supposed to be a more upscale model. A course, unrefined engine like the 3.5 only hurts it. Though you're right about the transmission...
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MikeW 8:15AM (4/24/2007)
The 3.5 definately needs GM 6T70 6 speed automatic.
The new malibu is getting the 6T40 and the 2.4, so when is that 'base' powertrain coming to the aura?
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ryann 8:46AM (4/24/2007)
Without a manual transmission, I'm not even going to look.
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ClutchCargo 8:59AM (4/24/2007)
I really like Saturn's Opel like styling. Just a few minor details and they could actually pass for an Opel. Most people would never see the difference. Once you have been in the German car you can see where GM US cut costs. I have not driven the 3.5 4 speed combo. If it drives anything like a Malibu then that is a disappointment. We have Malibu's in our fleet. After about 20000 miles each of them has become kind of noisy and the drive train has some slop in it. Hopefully quality will be there at Saturn.
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Dave T. 9:12AM (4/24/2007)
Didn't we just read (didn't you guys post or was it GMIN?) that the Aura and OUtlook have been disappointments for Saturn? The Acadia is more than doubling Outlook sales and the Aura isn't selling that well either. Anyone else remember this?
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Drewboy 9:22AM (4/24/2007)
Ever since Saturn started, I never thought I'd want one. Now, I'll take any of these newer ones. Just still not the Ion.
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NeoteriX 9:22AM (4/24/2007)
If this is true, it seems like all the more reason why Ford should stop dicking around and start bringing its Euro models over.
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Be Oh Be 9:27AM (4/24/2007)
#12
The Aura is made in the United States - in Kansas actually. (where the 2008 Malibu is going to be made too).
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