Saturn dealers are planning to spin off from General Motors into a new company that will seek to sell third-party vehicles under the Saturn brand, according to an Arizona dealer.
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GM said in its latest viability plan submitted to the US government last night Saturn would operate to the end of the current planned life cycle of its products and, if not spun off or sold, possibly to a dealer consortium, would be axed.
Saturn dealers would continue to buy vehicles from GM for as long as they are produced, Dan Januska, the owner of Saturn of Scottsdale, told Dow Jones.
“It’s a good distribution network. If someone comes up with an offer, we’re very open to that.” GM chief executive officer Rick Wagoner told a press conference.
Under the new plan, Januska told the news agency, Saturn dealers would be open to selling vehicles made by Indian or Chinese manufacturers that would be sold as Saturns.
“There are not a whole lot of alternatives,” said Januska, who is on the Saturn Dealer Council.
“Someone is going to see the value of us and I don’t know who it will be.”
Saturn spokesman Steve Janisse declined to comment.
