America’s Greening “Party” in the Auto Industry
Is GM listening?
America’s auto industry lack of proactively staying on top or leader to the car industry is finally coming to a head… just like environmentalists have been saying will happen for years… decades. Our dependency on oil and vice of immediate gratification has effected yet another part of American lives… BUT as all this is happening a New Generation (I call it new only because it is only now finally getting the power to be significant) is making some drastic changes in the way we do business, and I have to say it makes me feel good about our future.
We Don't Have to Keep Doing This...There are Better Options!
Some are fighting this change tooth and nail (most likely these are the ones who have flourished of bad business tactics for years) and some are creating innovative ways to “grow” America back to the diplomatic leader it once was.
Is it Possible?
For instance, here’s is a news story going on right now regarding GM and the eliminating (or selling, I hope!) of some of their other car brands like Saturn. (Yes they are selling other brands, although I currently own a Saturn, so this one really stuck out to me)
It’s been in the news, it’s affecting our economy…our government… our daily lives… Due to GM’s bad business, they are trying to eliminate one of their most environmentally friendly model, Saturn. WHAT?!? Sure, they are eliminating Hummer too, but are they not in this predicament because they failed to think about the future, so in a time when the general population is becoming and growing more socially and environmentally conscience, why would they phase out Saturn, the brand originally devoted to reach socially and environmentally friendly individuals? Not to worry, why would years of bad business change now?
They were starting to move in the right direction...
Now enter possible buyers… and there have been some. In fact, Scott Davies, owner of Saturn of Wichita, said “The question is who is going to end up with Saturn..We are a very attractive brand.”
Just recently Penske, from Penske racing has introduced a plan to buy Saturn. Penske is the sole distributor of Smart Cars here in America, which seems promising, although makes me wonder… First, who drives Smart Cars in America? Sure we should, but the day I see one of my fellow Texan men climb into a Smart Car, is the day I pigs fly…
I don't see a Texan fitting his Cowboy Hat in this...
Second (and MOST importantly) will this leverage Penske to have a monopoly on the Smart Car market… what about the fiat, the Renault, etc…. which brings me to the first possible buyer, Black Oak Partners (Telesto).
Black Oak said it hopes to initially have GM manufacture Saturn cars but eventually outsource production to global manufacturers that would build smaller, fuel-efficient cars and sell them through Saturn dealers.
Could Black Oak Partners/ Telesto be the catalyst to change?!
Check out this article from the Dallas Morning News Can This Brand Be Saved?
Not only will they be saving over 10,000 American Automotive Jobs, but creating a new type of environmentally conscience dealerships. Kind of like a Green “carmax”… I love it, it gives me choices, comparisons and I get to pick the car that fits me…. just like the “Saturn family ‘goodness’” they have been pushing on me ever since I picked up my Saturn SC-1
We can make the right choice, let’s just see if they do it….
