Former Saturn Boss Heads to Smart USA
December 08, 2009
Penske Automotive Group Inc. said Tuesday Jill Lajdziak, former general manager at General
Motors Co.'s now-disbanded Saturn division, is joining Penske's Smart USA Distributor LLC unit as vice president, sales and marketing.
Lajdziak's appointment seems a strategy to address the startling drop-off of Smart car sales after the brand's second year on the market. Currently the brand's only model for sale in the U.S. is the two-seat Fortwo city car, sold exclusively by Penske at 79 Smart "retail centers."
After a promising start in March 2008, Smart sales totaled 22,880 last year and the brand's boss, well-traveled industry executive Dave Schembri, was ebullient about Smart's potential and unique retailing model.
Smart Sales
|
2008 |
2009 |
|
22,880 |
13,731 |
*2009 year to date
Source: Edmunds.com
The tiny cars never were viewed as having high-volume potential, but Smart's performance has dropped precipitously since: through November, Smart had moved just 13,731 Fortwos, a 38.4 percent dive compared with like-2008. And for each of the past three months, sales have dropped well below the 1,000 units.
Some in the industry point to consistently dampened gasoline prices for Smart's decline, but skeptics are beginning to question the depth of the brand's appeal in the U.S., where unlike Europe, space typically is not at a premium, even in urban areas.
Smart Sales by Month
|
Year |
Month |
Make |
Sales |
|
2008 |
March |
Smart |
1,734 |
|
2008 |
April |
Smart |
2,683 |
|
2008 |
May |
Smart |
2,695 |
|
2008 |
June |
Smart |
2,545 |
|
2008 |
July |
Smart |
2,559 |
|
2008 |
August |
Smart |
2,420 |
|
2008 |
September |
Smart |
1,778 |
|
2008 |
October |
Smart |
2,236 |
|
2008 |
November |
Smart |
1,889 |
|
2008 |
December |
Smart |
2,341 |
|
2009 |
January |
Smart |
1,776 |
|
2009 |
February |
Smart |
1,415 |
|
2009 |
March |
Smart |
1,746 |
|
2009 |
April |
Smart |
1,345 |
|
2009 |
May |
Smart |
1,169 |
|
2009 |
June |
Smart |
1,116 |
|
2009 |
July |
Smart |
1,418 |
|
2009 |
August |
Smart |
1,622 |
|
2009 |
September |
Smart |
814 |
|
2009 |
October |
Smart |
661 |
|
2009 |
November |
Smart |
649 |
Source: Edmunds.com
Lajdziak had worked closely with Penske Automotive Group and its chairman Roger Penske to negotiate GM's sale of Saturn to the group. She was involved in developing a plan for a Penske-owned Saturn future that called for buying vehicles from the Carlos Ghosn-led French automaker Renault's South Korean subsidiary Samsung to fill the portfolio once GM's supply agreement expired. However, at the 11th hour, Renault's board opted out of the affiliation, saying they didn't see enough return for them on the deal.
In a release, Penske Automotive said, "Ms. Lajdziak will lead the Smart field sales organization, including directing all aspects of advertising, marketing and sales promotion for the Smart brand, and will work directly with the Smart dealer body to develop business opportunities."
"I am pleased that Jill has accepted our invitation to join Smart as we enhance the position of the Smart brand as part of the automotive landscape," said chairman Roger Penske. "With her background building the Saturn organization and her expertise in customer satisfaction, product marketing, and brand development, Jill is an outstanding fit, and I am confident that she will help us grow the Smart brand." -- Bill Visnic, Senior Contributing Editor
Photo by GM
Then Saturn general manager Jill Lajdziak poses with the North American Car of the Year Trophy that the Saturn Aura sedan won in 2007.
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