In fits and starts, Saturn's revamped lineup of cars and crossovers is beginning to pay off for the long-neglected General Motors division. During an inside look at the second-generation Vue crossover, Saturn General Manager Jill Lajdziak noted that sales surged 20.5 percent during the first quarter of 2007, a solid performance among domestic manufacturers simply struggling to reverse long-running declines. "And we're poised to have a good second quarter," as well, said Saturn's boss.
Better yet, noted Lajdziak, Saturn is "conquesting" customers who'd normally not consider GM products, a core goal for the division. And those new buyers are, on average, more affluent than existing Saturn shoppers. The average household income (HHI) for those purchasing the Sky roadster is over $100,000, compared to an average $63,000 for all Saturn customers. The HHI stood at $79,000 for the new Aura.
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