One of the provisions of GMs restructuring plan was to reduce its brands and focus on its core. As we heard yesterday, Saab was set free to attempt restructuring in Sweden's courts. Hummer will be terminated or sold by the end of March, and Pontiac will be reduced to a niche brand.

Saturn too shall soon be shed. In a letter to dealers, GM proposed that Saturn dealerships could spinoff into an independent entity. They could then be free to source vehicles either from GM or other automakers.

So where does this leave the plug-in Saturn VUE program? We've been hearing about the car for some time and look forward to a nicely-styled SUV that could travel the equivalent of 10 miles electric range using a plug-in parallel hybrid drivetrain, have plug-in rechargeable lithium ion batteries, and get MPG estimates high in the double digits.

GM spokesperson Rob Peterson advised GM-Volt.com the following:
Saturn will remain in operations for the next several years through the planned lifecycle of it's existing product line. As our viability plan showcased, we're very committed to the electrification of the automobile and continue to develop several hybrid systems and vehicles including the Saturn Vue Plug-in Hybrid.

Plug-in Vue is currently set for 2011. We announced that the Vue launch was moved to 2011 earlier this year.

 

It's kind of hard to believe a new VUE will be sent to Saturn dealers just as they are closing down, as described, but it is good news that the electric VUE will be built and sold under one brand or another.

 

Both Saturn dealers near me have closed down closest is a hour away. Not sure how many will be left to sell the Vue

 

Buick plug-in Vue?

 

Only *** 647 Day's to go ***

 

30mi all electric range....what is the top elect speed?

Chevy - Vue....it has my vote.

NPNS....

 

Um, how soon until Statik comes on and splashes this with cold water of reality? Let me save him the trouble and do the translation:

"I am talking to Saturn dealers. Here is me talking some more about exiting products that will never be built. That will keep a few of you, the guilible, from starting a few italian fires and taking the insurance money to Jamaica. Did I mention that you are totally and completely screwed? I shouldn't have said that. Did I mention that I still got my bonus in 2008? I shouldn't have said that either."

 

Um, where is Q4? Isn't there some legal aspects to delivering annual reports?

Buehler? Buehler?

 

As a stand alone, Saturn will qualify for the 200,000 manufacturer incentive, so will get the full $7,500 tax credit. Got to be good for the plug in Vue.

More importantly, it is filling a niche no main manufacturer is filling. Plus, of course, nasaman wants one. 199,999 left for everyone else.

NPNS

 

I just can't believe anything at this point . To all the saturn owners good luck getting parts to fix your cars in three to five years . Very sad day! I wish all the workers the very best and hope you can land on your feet .

 

Augmenting that midsize FULL hybrid with a 6-cylinder engine never made sense anyway.

The hybrid Vue needed to be competitive on its own first, rather than just offering MPG close to the non-hybrid version with the 4-cylinder engine but at a considerably higher cost.

 

The Saturn Plug-in Vue might end up in the same cul-de-sac as the Chrysler hybrids, canceled within months of their debut. I expect the Vue might have sister vehicles within the GM line, and if so the drivetrain might appear as a Buick. They could rebadge the Vue as the Buick Electra.

 

The related posts show just how important this plug in Vue has been to GM.
Saturn says, We will get it to you in 2009'ish, no, make that 2010, hmmm, on the other hand, 2011 sounds a bit more realistic...
Now Lutz is flying off into retirement, and Saturn is going down the tubes so 2011 is looking a bit shakey now, as well...
Are GM's 4th quarter results published yet?
Van, just read your post, and I think that that is the very best thing that could happen. If GM survives, it will need vehicles like the Vue hybrid and the Electra is the perfect name. I owned 1971(?) Electra for a while, what a behemoth! But I did manage to get it to drift. Unfortunately there was a Billings police cruiser behind me when I broke it loose... It performed pretty well airborne over the Poly canal bridge too.

 

You may find this blog entry I wrote back on 8-19-2004 interesting...

Ever Changing Story.

I'm really getting tired of the stories GM is feeding us. A few years ago, they totally condemned hybrids claiming they were nothing but a "stop gap" fix. Then exactly one year later, they announced they wouldn't only be supporting hybrids but that they would also be the first automaker to delivery one million of them. They even got specific, stating that would be in 2007 and the year before their Saturn Vue would be offered as a FULL hybrid. Then the story changed, again. Last year they downgraded the Vue to just an ASSIST hybrid. Now, once again, the situation worsens. Their not-really-a-hybrid Silverado, that offers a 0 MPG (yes, zero) improvement on the highway, will only be available next year in 6 states. That's it! It makes me discount their credibility to "disappointing" at best. Supposedly, they will be improving that 0 MPG later by introducing a cylinder reduction feature. But I won't believe it until I see it. And I won't believe the improvement until I see actual real-world data. Whatever the case, it still doesn't count as a hybrid. No propulsion is provided by an electric motor at all. All they are doing is refining the engine-only design. I wonder if the story will change again. Hmm?

Obviously, they've changed the story quite a few times since then. Heck, they still haven't delivered the FULL hybrid Vue.

 

What a good business opportunity for BYD , it has been announced that GM will close out Saturn dealers and set them free , but before that happens they will get to sell some real nice Hybrids . The staff and mechanics will become familiar with real Hybrids and get to know and understand the electronics.
BYD could come in here with their high quality Hybrid that will sell in the low $20, 000. range and have a network already set up.

A perfect fit , time for BYD to do some serious talking to Saturn Principles about selling reasonably priced Hybrids.

Ditch the amber rear turn signals and replace them with red , Change the speedometer to miles per hour from kilometers and print up English stickers and on board car labels .

They have already been crash tested and passed with flying colors .
Time to do some serious marketing BYD , The network is there for your taking. Go get it , business is business . It is a win , win situation for everybody .

 

What to do, what to do. Should they re-brand the plug-in Vue and launch it under the new core brands?

Should they just drop the project because it will cause too much confusion with Voltech?

One thing I am sure of is that they should not launch under the Saturn name. I would just stop talking about Saturn all together. Tell customers that Saturn vehicles will be covered for the full warrantee and that there will be no issues at all. It's safe to buy every last car they produce. Just don't introduce any new models. That would just be a waste of money and marketing effort.

My gut feeling is that the Vue plug-in technology will be cheaper than Voltech. This is due to the battery not having to fully power the electric motor at high speeds. They can have the motor kick in at 45 mph for example and that would cut down on the battery pack demands.

Thus, it might be good to market the Vue plug-in technology as a poor man's Voltech. Unfortunately, the Vue technology might outperform Voltech initially and also be less expensive. This would not be good for GM.

It's just too much to deal with. I say just dump the Vue project and tell everyone that they decided to upgrade the project to use the superior Voltech drive train. That would be a direct slap in the face to Toyota (who is going to use technology similar to the plug-in Vue) and remove all of the complication. Go serial hybrid and pure BEV. The standard hybrids are selling poorly and are unlikely to help GM get better with electrification or help the balance sheet.

It's tough to dump a project after so much work but I think it might be best to focus and stand behind their best technologies. Focus people.

 

Hi Ziv, don't get me started. I drove a 1957 Chevy Bel air sport coupe very fast and nearly killed myself a time or two. Ah sweet bird of youth. Or as Mr. Updike might put it, "each moment of time is like a thief, taking more away than it brings."

 

Turn the VUE into a re-born Buick Rendezvous.

 

Keith #14,

Personally I've been wondering for a while now when BYD would swoop in and buy up one of the American Car company divisions. I have to agree that Saturn would be a great choice for them at this point. The main problem I see with that though is that Saturn in my mind is %100 American (I'm sure the cars are made in Mexico but this is just my perception) and if I knew that the cars came from China I don't think I'd be too interested.

Then again, if BYD can deliver on half the stated AER with a car that performs on par with even my 86 VW Vanagon at the price they are stating I would probably be first in line to at least test drive. But I sure wouldn't want to be an early adopter of a new chinese car company. Kinda like buying a Saturn right now, cause you know you are screwed long term but the question is how long you can go before that first part breaks.

 

Sad story about Saturn. They had a vision. Gm lose an wonderful opportunity to do "A Different Kind of Company, A Different Kind of Car" as well to re-invent and spread a new labor work force relationship. Later Saturn become just another GM's division and lost its soul. Spring Hill, Tennessee was no longer the "Saturn home". So it was the signal of the Saturn's end...

In the beginning of the 90's, we had Passport dealership (in Canada) before they become Saturn dealers. May be they reverted back to something like that? Will GM allows them to sell cars from others manufacturer (than GM subsidiaries) thru this channel?

Source Wikipedia:
General Motors Canada changed its branding strategy in 1991, disbanding Passport. Isuzu was grouped together with Saab and GM's new, import-fighting Saturn division to form Saturn-Saab-Isuzu dealerships

ps: I'm still a 95' SW1 owner. my son drives it daily.

 

@jeffj

You're right. These company line statements are totally meaningless.

What else are they going to put out there, other than positive statements. I give this car .01% chance of ever seeing daylight. Too bad, because I really like the idea of this car.

 

The standard hybrids are selling poorly
___________________________

8,121 sales of Prius here last month, despite the ailing economy and the fact that it is at the end of it's model life. The new Insight is seeing strong initial sales (5,000) after the recent debut in Japan.

Don't generalize by lumping all hybrids together.

 

I say just dump the Vue project and tell everyone that they decided to upgrade the project to use the superior Voltech drive train. That would be a direct slap in the face to Toyota (who is going to use technology similar to the plug-in Vue) and remove all of the complication.
_______________________________

Only enthusiasts argue complexity, which is relative anyway.

Consumers have chosen FULL hybrids.

Debates about traditional diesel and ASSIST being better due to "less complexity" haven't made a difference based on actual sales. The wallet speaks louder than claims online.

 

The plug-in Vue died that day they announced they were putting everything on hold. The part about, 'moved to 2011', translates to we are doing absolutely nothing at all on the project, it is still born.

You know the whole thing is in trouble when the GM PR guy (Rob Peterson) is having trouble even being optimistic about the brand, and unknowingly answers the question, even though he is using words like 'committed, developing, viability plan'

I mean the truth is right in the first sentence of his quote, "Saturn will remain in operations for the next several years through the planned lifecycle of it’s existing product line"

Is the Saturn 'plug-in' a existing product line? No.

In what universe does that translate to Saturn will become a viable entity, have cash to develop and market new product and be a ongoing concern past 'remaining in operation for several years'

Saturn was set up to be more easily severed if it was a flop, it is now officially by their own admission a flop...and even GM wants it gone, there is not even 'plan' to retain Saturn.

/sadly however, I would prefer this over a Volt, lol (some things are not meant to be)

 

Sorry I fronted that idea last post (that and the global success of Buick).

Now Chery has bruited their Volt killer:

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=am5CV7UjemZo&refer=news

The only factual error I can find in the Bloomberg article is that China is now the world's largest automobile market, ahead of the US, not the other way around.

The problem with plug electric drive penetration in US vehicle production is that it's very weak so far (excepting Ford with their excellent small SUV full hybrid and currently launching sedan full hybrid in their below the radar march towards plug in), while BYD F3 DMs are already on the roads and have the bottom end of the market covered, Tesla Roadsters are alreday on the roads and have the top end of the market covered. Where's GM with the middle of the market? At least two years behind. Get them on the road NOW, GM. They're ready.

GM saying that stand behind future plug in Saturn Vues after repeatedly changing timetables (tomorrow's always a day away), watering down the hybrid offerings and muddying the market with multiple levels of hybrid offerings on the same model, while pulling the rug from under Saturn NOW, is at best sending mixed messages and seems more like the typical forked tongue of GM PR. GM seems committed to shooting themselves in their feet repeatedly in their marketing and PR. What's up with that?