Renault may take over Saturn

[blue_onyx]

"General Motors is in talks about potentially turning its Saturn division over to Renault, according to a report Wednesday in The Wall Street Journal. The newspaper also said that Chinese automaker Geely, which has been described as a suitor for Ford's Volvo brand, may have submitted a bid for GM's Saab brand.

When contacted by Inside Line, GM spokesman Tom Wilkinson said in an e-mail on Wednesday that "any such discussions would be covered by non-disclosure agreements, so we are declining to comment."

The Wall Street Journal says that Renault would use the Saturn brand "as a launching pad for growth in North America," according to two unnamed sources. Under a deal with Renault, the French automaker would use the Saturn dealership network to sell its own vehicles, including those made by Renault or Samsung, and sell them as Saturns. Renault controls Japan's Nissan Motor and South Korea's Samsung Motors."

More http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=147531



I just hope Saturn finds a home with someone.

[phantom power]

1. Maybe they can go independent.

[TheCoxwain]

2. I love the cars made by Renault .. they are nice and stylish

[ColbertWatcher]

3. B-b-but ... they're FRENCH! n/t

[Hardrada]

7. Appeasement Autos! Collaborationist Cars!

[ColbertWatcher]

16. Mon deux! n/t

[Hardrada]

24. Mon trois!

[flvegan]

4. Renault? Their American car track record has been Le Crap.

[Hardrada]

5. Remember the Renault Dauphine?

My brother remembers that those even got rust on the roof!

[snooper2]

8. So does every Dodge

car and truck manufactured from 1987-1994

Oh, and don't forget about the clear coats coming off also after a year :rofl:

[TheCowsCameHome]

10. That's nothing - even the glass rusted out on those babies.

Not noted for being rugged to say the least.

[dipsydoodle]

11. One of my pals had one

in 1963. Do you need to go back that far ?

[TahitiNut]

17. I drove a Renault Quatre when I worked in France in the late 70s.

"Exciting" is only one of the words I'd use to describe negotiating the streets of Paris in that.

[DainBramaged]

20. Le Crap car

3 lug nuts. My beloved ex almost bought one. She chickened out when I explained that Renault was departing the USA.

[Wiley50]

22. Oh Boy! ... Le Ion... Le Vue...n/t

[Ian David]

6. We can't even put a man on the moon again, but the French are taking over Saturn?

Oh.

Nevermind.

[TahitiNut]

9. (Oops! Nevermind.)

Citroen.

:dunce:

[HopeHoops]

12. You KNOW things are bad when...

... crappy little rust-bucket European car makers (we didn't know still existed) are positioned to take over assets of the Big 3!

[JVS]

13. This is odd. Renault already has significant ties to Nissan. Picking up Saturn...

might give them a connection in the US, but they could do so through Nissan anyway.
To see how close this connection is, read this
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlos_Ghosn

and this

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renault-Nissan#The_Renault_Nissan_Alliance_.281999.E2.80.93_.29

[frazzled]

14. Step away from Renault

We had one back in the late 80s or early 90s (a station wagon, can't remember the model name). It was beautifully designed and pleasant to be in--but it was a total piece of mechanical s-h-i-t. Utter garbage.

Fortunately, while we were gone in Europe for a month, the person housesitting for us left it parked on the street. The neighbors watched one evening in horror as an 85-year-old-man careened his car right into it. They were afraid to tell us until we got back. We were ecstatic! The car was declared a total, and we used the insurance settlement for a down-payment on a Toyota Camry that we drove for over 12 years.

[JVS]

15. They're essentially Nissans now.

In Europe you can see a lot of Versas badged as Renaults, with a similar budget model being the 7500 euro Dacia (a Romanian brand now owned by Renault)

[madrchsod]

18. really good idea for renault..i hope the deal goes down.

[DainBramaged]

21. They seem to be doing OK with Nissan here!

Why not let another Foreign take over occur.

[tomreedtoon]

19. Do we get to pronounce their name Ren-NAULTT now?

Instead of Ren-NO.

[Hardrada]

23. Renno as in Captain Renault of Casablanca

who is "Shocked, absolutely shocked" at the pending deal.

Cue Claude Rains!