Saturn Leaves Penske Orbit, Heads for Sun

Sad news today: the Penske-Saturn deal is off, and GM is killing the brand. Read more at CNN.

I, for one, was excited about the possibility of keeping the fresh American brand alive. At one point, they were making the best domestic cars you could buy, but I think the decision to simply re-badge GMC vehicles killed Saturn's loyal following.

Saturn Now in Orbit Around Penske

As the auto industry makes room for another Sheriff in town, the media lets the speculation fly: What will Roger do next? What does this mean for future Saturn cars? How many ways will Roger Penske win?

• U.S. Today declares that Penske may strike gold. Of course, anyone that been paying attention to the Indy 500 the last 30 years won't be surprised.
• TradingMarkets.com breaks out the numbers: 350 dealerships and 13,000 jobs saved.
• Zacks.com delves into the manufacturing options on Penske's table, including Chinese or Indian production lines.

I expect that the dealerships will carry more than just Saturn. Look for a European make like Renault at at Saturn dealership near you.