What was the future of the Saturn car?
Indeed, battles over Saturn’s future would continue throughout its life. The anti-Saturn executives were later joined by a new leadership team at the United Auto Workers union, which frowned on the flexible work rules adopted by their predecessors.
Why did General Motors decide to scrap the Saturn brand?
General Motors’ decision earlier this month to scrap its Saturn brand triggered frequent retellings of the many ways in which GM missed an opportunity to recast itself and the auto industry. But other manufacturers did adopt some of Saturn’s innovations, according to Wharton faculty.
Why did Saturn have an exclusive parts supply chain?
The exclusive market areas combined with the efficient parts supply chain also allowed Saturn dealers to pay the same price for repair parts. Other GM dealers had to compete with one another to keep their supply bins full, and they often had to buy parts from their rivals.
When did Saturn return to the master contract?
And in 2003, as Saturn became more and more like the rest of GM, workers at Spring Hill voted to return to the GM master contract. Hrebiniak says that “Saturn fell prey to the culture of GM…. It was buried in GM’s old culture of inertia.
When did GM stop production of the Saturn?
Saturn stopped production in October and is expected to close down completely later this year. Apparently GM and the UAW really didn’t want a “different kind of company” or a “different kind of car.”
Are there any Saturn dealerships left in Canada?
By the end of 2009, GM closed all of its 46 Saturn dealerships in Canada, even those Saturn dealerships also selling Saab vehicles. GM and Penske decided that they could no longer make a business case to distribute Saturn vehicles in Canada after the sale of the brand.
Is it safe to buy a Saturn when it is discontinued?
This source also cautions against purchasing a vehicle from a discontinued brand because of the lack of rebates and the limited trade-in value these models will have. If you do purchase a Saturn that still has a valid warranty, GM will honor any claims and provide the required maintenance and repairs.
Why was the Saturn plant in Spring Hill closed?
Saturn was believed to have had a disagreement with GM and were not very accepting of the company closing. In 2004, GM and the United Auto Workers dissolved their unique labor contract for the Spring Hill manufacturing plant, allowing Saturn operations to be integrated with the rest of GM.