Saturn sold

General Motors announced today that it will sell its Saturn brand to Penske Automotive Group. Fort Wayne Auto Dealer, Tom Kelley, says "by far I think this is the best thing for Saturn, for GM, for Roger, and for everyone involved." Roger, referring to Roger Penske. Kelley and Penske have been friends for about twenty years. Kelley says Penskes interest in Saturn started about a year ago when the two delivered a Saturn car to former President Bush. "There is noone that understands team concept better than Roger Penske” says Kelley. The plan for Saturn thus far: Penske will buy vehicles from GM for at least two years, until cars can be sourced from other areas. Kelley says that this plan will be a good thing because Penske will buy a couple hundred- thousand cars a year while GM gets through their re-structuring process. Then when the economy picks up, GM they wont need as many vehicles as they do now. And with Saturn sales currently down, Kelley says the Penske deal is likely to persuade unsure buyers. "Now they hear this word so they go ‘Well good, if Roger Penske is buying Saturn Im good with that, I can live with that, I like that, Im going to buy a Saturn” says Kelley. Saturn sales at Kelley have been off about 40-percent from a year ago, 30-percent is some areas. Kelley believes that they may see a bump in the Saturn line quicker than other GM lines. And with Pontiac dropped and Saturn bought, questions about the future of Hummer will also soon be answered as a Chinese manufacturing company closes in on a deal with GM. The Penske deal is expected to close sometime in the third quarter. As far as the future of the SAAB brand, Kelley says that he received an email yesterday stating the brand has a few prospective buyers, and be believes that similar to Saturn its likely for the brand to stick around.