Penske to Rescue Saturn?

The word is out that Roger Penske is interested in purchasing the rights to Saturn! As a former GM dealer, I'm amazed at some of the decisions that GM and/or the government is making in order to make GM viable. Can you remember when thousands of Saturn owners would go to Spring Hill Tennessee for the reunions? Saturn was a "different kind of car company" and their clients were among the most loyal of any auto maker. GM took what really wasn't a truly outstanding product and sold them through a dealer body that had to adhere to some of the highest standards in the industry. Clients could feel comfortable walking into a Saturn dealership and not be attacked by a devious sales person. The price on the window was the actual price you would pay at any other Saturn store. Saturn was the exception to the stereotypical sleazy car dealership and Americans embraced the concept in droves! What the heck happened? Believe it or not one of the primary problems was sibling rivalry. Chevy, Pontiac, Buick and Oldsmobile all got bent out of shape at the attention that Saturn was getting and that included "exclusive" product from the corporation. Somebody was always whining "why does Saturn get the hot products?" The situation reminded me of the "BRADY BUNCH" television episode that has been seen over and over: "Marsha, Marsha, Marsha!" Remember that one? The result was that in order to please all of the other divisions, Saturn went into product withdrawals as the corporation ignored the responsibility of supplying Saturn with fresh and exciting new vehicles. Saturn got stale. It started Saturn's downward trend which spiralled until the recent revamped product line which is today among the best new vehicles offered by any manufacturer! So just when the product pipeline is filled with cars and crossovers that are critically acclaimed to be among the best built today, GM decides to pull the plug! Roger Penske sees the potential of a dealer body with integrity that can compete with anyone in the USA. If he can pull it off, this just might be a text book case that will be of historic proportions. I think he can make it happen! Time will tell.