Would it really? The Camaro concept itself seems like it has received a great reaction form the public including non GM loyalists. I don't think a Saturn version would do anything to improve Camaro sales. It would only waste Camaro money and decrease Camaro sales. Speaking of which, why haven't the "Camaro only whiners" invaded this thread yet?

 

The problem with Pontiac and Buick is that they have too much of a negative stigma. While I think these perceptions in many ways are unwarranted and wrong, the fact is that it would take way to much money in advertising to try to sway peoples opinions. Its just easier and more cost efficient to spend that money on the brands that dont have to first overcome decades of negative stereotypes and bad press.

Sometime I think people have too much of an emotional attachment to old brands that don't sell. While those brands are an important part of our history and automotive heritage and deserve respect, in many ways they have ceased to be the great cars they once were and over the decades have become something totally different.


The one main reason why top CEO's and business leaders get canned (besides fraud) is not that they're dumb or incompetent, only that they become too emotionally attached to a certain business-model and are unwilling to make the hard decisions to correct a systemic problem. So its often that new CEO who has no emotional attachment to an old (non-performing) business-model of the past that can find the solution. The new CEO can look and the numbers objectively and make the hard choices that have to be made in order to survive in the short term and then hopefully be able to grow the business again in the future.

Bob Lutz said recently that no brands are going to get canned and I believe him. I do think that over the next 5-10 years as Saturn's lineup expands and becomes complete, there could be the possibility to see Pontiac/Buick dealers converted over to become Saturn dealers. This migration/conversion would insure that no dealers would lose their dealership (unlike Oldsmobile dealers) only that the brand-name would change and their service contract with GM would be unharmed.

 

I think I would actually be alittle pissed if this happened.

 

Good point.

 

That is a very interesting idea....

Way to think outside the box!

However while I think this could be a cool idea I'm against it for the same two reasons I'm against the Firebird coming back

#1 the Camaro is going to have enough competition in 2009 to have another GM vehicle directly canalizing/stealing sales

#2 I don’t want anything extra taking development funds form the Camaro. The firebird took so much money away from the Camaro....I can only think how much cooler the Camaro could have been if it had the firebirds funds.

 

I agree 100%, while I think a Saturn RWD coupe would be cool but I would not want it offered if in anyway it would hinder the return of the Camaro and the proper amount of money needed to advertise it correctly.

Maybe a Saturn version would only be offered in a v6 and/or v6/hybrid while the Camaro would be the only version to have both a v6 and v8 option.