What Is the Origin of Saturn Auto Manufacturer?
Auto manufacturer Saturn LLC is a subsidiary of General Motors Company. With a separate assembly plant, standalone models and a separate retailer network, Saturn attempted to operate as a "different kind of car company" but failed. GM has since halted all production and expects to shut down the brand by October 2010.
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General Motors
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The General Motors Company, or GM, is an auto manufacturer based in Detroit, Michigan. Founded in Flint in 1908, its brands, in addition to Saturn, have included Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Oldsmobile, Pontiac and Hummer.
The Beginning
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In 1982, talks began at GM for the assembly of a "revolutionary new, small-car project" named Saturn. The following year, GM Chairman Roger B. Smith began publicizing the idea, and on January 7, 1985, GM founded the Saturn Corporation.
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The First Car
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In adherence to the standalone idea, the Saturn assembly plant was created away from the Motor City in Spring Hill, Tennessee. On July 30, 1990, the first car rolled off the assembly line. Results were mixed, with the Wall Street Journal calling the project "overambitious."
Expansion
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In 1999, Saturn was recorded as having assembled its 2 millionth car. The following year it began model expansion efforts, introducing its first compact crossover sport-utility vehicle. Other vehicles would follow.
Discontinued
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In 2008, GM announced that it would sell or close the Saturn brand as part of restructuring efforts contingent upon the receipt of government "bailout" loans. When Penske Automotive withdrew its bid to purchase Saturn, GM announced that the brand would be shut down.
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