Six Japanese companies, including Honda and Nissan dealers, will begin selling U.S.-made Saturn cars next spring under an agreement signed this month.
The companies will each devote a showroom exclusively to Saturns as part of the agreement.That marks a departure from the way Saturn's parent, General Motors Corp., has sold cars in Japan in the past, mostly through a major import distributor that carries other brands in the same showroom.
Also at stake is how Saturn's reputation for friendly service will fare in Japan, where first-class retail service is taken for granted.
In the United States, Saturn has done well in customer-satisfaction studies - tying for top place with the Toyota's luxury brand Lexus in last month's study by marketing firm J.D. Power and Associates.
That has translated into sales success back home, where about 286,000 Saturns were sold last year.
Saturn dealers will have the same look and feel as their U.S. counterparts, the same way McDonald's stores in Japan and Tokyo Disneyland are near-replicas of the originals, said George Doigami, a spokesman for Saturn Japan, a division of General Motors Japan.
But auto analysts say competition is tough in Japan against Toyota and other Japanese automakers that have signed on thousands of auto dealerships nationwide that shun rival brands.
Enda Clarke, an auto analyst at Dresdner Kleinwort Benson in Tokyo, said the Saturn may appeal to some customers initially because of its stylish design but may have problems selling in the long run.
"It's different. It stands out," he said. "(But) they have a battle on their hands. The market is extremely competitive."
Saturn Japan said the six companies were the first retailers in the Saturn dealer network, limited to the Tokyo and Osaka areas. It hopes to have 10 to 15 dealerships by next spring and 20 dealers by the end of 1997.
"We are convinced that the high quality of Saturn cars combined with friendly customer treatment and service at our Saturn retailers will make a difference even for very discerning Japanese consumers," said Saturn Japan General Director Keith Wicks.
Recently, Detroit automakers have developed cars with steering wheels on the right-hand side for the market in Japan, where traffic moves on the left.
But they have had limited success in a market where U.S. automakers account for just 1.9 percent of total sales. GM cars, including models built in Europe, make up 0.6 percent of the Japanese market.
The right-hand-drive Saturn sedan, coupe and station wagon - whose prices have yet to be announced - will be built at the Spring Hill, Tenn., plant.
The right-hand-drive Cavalier, sold under GM's Chevrolet nameplate in the United States, went on sale in Japan this year through Toyota dealers. May sales totaled 472, far below the monthly target of 1,667.
Saturn Japan's Doigami said people weren't giving American cars a fair chance.
"To judge a model as a failure or a success in just six months isn't right," he said.