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But, GM admits, Saturn has "performed below expectations." So GM has accelerated discussions with Saturn dealers about where to go from here.
Why keep it: Saturn still offers a unique "No haggle, no hassle" retail experience, and customers still like that. Also, with cars shared with Europe's Opel brand, Saturns finally look good and are enjoyable to drive.
GM has also made a huge investment in upgrading Saturn dealerships to create a cozy but concerned ambiance like that of Whole Foods or Banana Republic. Unfortunately, recent cuts to GM's marketing budget have left little with which to trumpet the changes.
Why dump it: Underneath it all, a Saturn Aura is a slightly smaller Chevrolet Malibu, a Saturn Outlook is a GMC Acadia, and a Saturn Sky is a Pontiac Solstice. Not that those are bad cars, but that puts a whole lot of weight on the dealership experience to justify a separate brand. Saturn has become, once again, a big marketing experiment and, so far, it doesn't seem to be working.
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