Filed under: Car Buying, Marketing/Advertising, Saturn
Saturn dealers may offer "x-ray vision" to shoppers
Yeah, the quotes around "x-ray vision" (there they are again) mean a whole lot. Advertising Age says General Motors is offering its Saturn dealers a new system that will let potential customers see what's underneath a Saturn's skin.
Unlike those old shoe-shop machines, there's no harmful radiation involved. In fact, the system is pretty much just a projector that overlays an image of the car's bones on top of the metal, making the body only seem transparent. The system can be set up to work with different models, so if a customer wants to see the unseen differences between a VUE and the new Outlook, the dealer can just wheel one or the other into the beam. Animation is also possible, and could be used to, for example, show how the Vue Green Line's hybrid engine works.
The technology comes from a company called Obscura Digital, which has worked with numerous other automotive companies. A video of their work with Saturn is available on their site, but is, unfortunately, not able to be embedded here. You'll have to click the link above to view it.
[Souce: Advertising Age]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Joe K. 6:20PM (6/12/2007)
Now, If they are going to be putting this in showrooms too, accompanying the accord and camry test-drives outside the dealership, why advertise on the hood a disadvantage to your class-leader... Camrys have 7 airbags, if Saturn thinks they can go after the safety concerned by emblazoning a weak point, (whether a knee-airbag does anything spectacular or not) right on the hood, they need to rethink it...
Just Because it works at auto shows doesn't mean its a good idea...
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djSyndrome 6:45PM (6/12/2007)
When I purchased my SL2 way back in 1995, the Saturn dealer had a model on the show floor which was cut away to show the different safety features Saturn carried (remember - this was before side guard door beams were even mandated). Next to it was a door panel that was suspended three inches above the ground. I nearly fainted when the none-too-small sales man jumped up on the door panel to illustrate its strength. He bounced up and down for a good minute while giving a speech about Saturn's commitment to safety and low repair costs in case of an accident. The entire time, I was thinking the door was going to cave on him. It never did.
I'm not much of a Saturn fan any longer, but through the dozen or so cars I've bought over the years, this display still sticks out in my mind.
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Billfred 6:54PM (6/12/2007)
It's not a tremendously new concept for Saturn--I remember my high school's auto body class getting a Saturn (this was probably 2000-2002, maybe 2003, and one of those indistinguishable models they had before their new upswing) with several panels cut away and labeled.
Still, doing it in a showroom is interesting.
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HotRodzNKustoms 7:25PM (6/12/2007)
This is a cool idea. I am glad the General is thinking outside the box.
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... 8:00PM (6/12/2007)
"hey look, its the arm of a dead mexican."
seriously though, why will customers, especially gm's target, care what is on the inside of their car? most of them dont have the faintest idea of how cars work.
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F451 9:13PM (6/12/2007)
Actually, I like this idea, I like it a great deal. I will go into a Saturn showroom (for the first time) just to see this, along with how they have implemented it.
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Owen 7:32AM (6/13/2007)
I agree, this might just be interesting enough (assuming it's not too dumbed down) to actually make a trip to the dealer to see.
Azrael4h 9:25PM (6/12/2007)
The point is to showcase something that no one else does. The safety and support structure beneath the skin. It's not new; as said they used cars with cut away panels before, back when we got out '95 SW2. but they can say, "Honda and Toyota are too ashamed to show whats under the skin of their cars". Which is true; you will never see Toyota or Honda daring to show anything other than their bland exterior, even blander and cramped interiors; and that's it. They demand you buy them, and consider themselves doing you a favor by selling you the car.
It's just another reason to like Saturn more.
I've liked Saturn due to the exceptional dealer service, and the car that's gone a quarter million miles while only experiencing minor repairs along the way only helps. I just want a compact wagon again.
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... 10:28PM (6/12/2007)
so many things wrong with your comment, you clearly have no clue what draws a customer. people couldnt care less about what is under their car. how are hondas and toyotas uncomfortable and cramped? how are they ashamed to show their interiors? they have no reason to waste the money on this technology because their customers know they are getting quality and reliability, not because of whats inside. as i said previously, they dont know whats under the hood. how does letting u see the insides of a car create demand?
Joe 10:35PM (6/12/2007)
The Saturn dealership had a cutaway SL2 back in 95, when I bought a Saturn.
Was pretty cool, actually.
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Jellodyne 10:41AM (6/13/2007)
Six airbags there aren't going to do you any good...
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