New York Saturn dealers were sent reeling yesterday when a General Motors deal to save the popular car brand with a sale to auto-racing mogul Roger Penske imploded at the 11th hour.

“Up until the very last minute, everything was so positive. There was a lot of excitement, everyone on the GM end thought it was a done deal,” Tom Waurishuk, of Saturn of White Plains, said after the tires went flat on the buyout.