Two days after the Wall Street Journal reported that General Motors has been formally discouraging Saturn retailers from touting Roger Penske's planned purchase of the brand, comes word that GM has also pulled funding for a number of popular incentive programs that were previously offered by Saturn stores.

Saturn stores delivered 7,520 vehicles in June, down 60.2% from the same time last year when sales consultants sold 18,912 cars and crossovers. Year-to-date sales are down 58.1% to 42,776 units. The Outlook was the only model in Saturn's lineup to record a sales increase last month.

Jim MacPherson from the Chicago Tribune: One ironic aspect of the pending sale of the Saturn Division by General Motors to Roger Penske has received little, if any, media attention. In one fell swoop, General Motors will create what automakers have spent decades trying to avoid: a significant independent dealer group that can negotiate with automakers from a position of power on matters governing pricing, vehicle features, and design.

Myra Mathis Flynn from the Burlington Free Press: If car companies are having tough economic times, you wouldn't know it by looking at Saturn of South Burlington. Their philanthropic presence has been alive and well in the community for years and they aren't going to let a pesky little recession hold them back.

Craig McEwen from INFORUM: A preliminary agreement between General Motors and Penske Automotive Group to buy Saturn has put a lot of people at ease, said Andy Boen, owner of the Fargo Saturn dealership. On June 5, GM said it had agreed to sell Saturn to Penske Automotive Group, one of the nation's largest automobile dealers and owned by famous race car driver Roger Penske.

Jeff Ayres from the Clarion Ledger: Saturn of Jackson owner Phil Moore says Penske's purchase of Saturn should ensure the brand's future in Mississippi and elsewhere. "He's just such an intelligent businessman," Moore said. "Not only is he saving jobs and dealerships, but he's going to bring something new to the table."

Automotive News estimates that nearly 70 Saturn dealerships have closed this year as a result of the bad economy and GM's decision to sell the brand. What will happen to these 70 stores? There is an interested buyer: Kia. While the South Korean car company is buying up a number of closed dealerships around the country, it has a particular interest in acquiring Saturn dealerships.

From DealersEdge: In most retailing industries, the people who are closest to the customers, the retailers, tell their various manufacturers what customers want and the manufacturers provide it. Not so in auto retailing, where the manufacturers decide what to produce and then expect the retailers to sell it. That model is about to change with the news that Penske Automotive Group has agreed to take over the Saturn brand from General Motors.

Ron Fonger from the Flint Journal: Roger Penske is in the driver's seat of a new group seeking to buy Saturn, but will there be a place onboard for Flint-area mega dealer Joseph Serra? Serra has been one of two large car dealers to be working with Penske in recent weeks as the deal heats up to buy Saturn from GM.

Even though GM has filed for bankruptcy, the bankruptcy court is allowing General Motors to continue using money to fund their daily operating activities including honoring customer warranties. GM has issued these instructions specific to Saturn owners regarding their warranties: Under the terms of the warranty, the customer should first attempt to bring their vehicle to any Saturn retailer for warranty service. If there is no retailer in their immediate