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Who is Saturn owned by?

Saturn is an American automobile brand that was owned and operated by General Motors (GM) from 1985 to 2010. Saturn was established as a separate division of GM to develop and market a new line of small cars that would compete with imports from Japan and Europe.


History of Saturn


Saturn was founded in 1985 as a wholly-owned subsidiary of General Motors. The goal was to create a new brand that could compete with the popular small cars being imported from Japan and Europe at the time. Saturn was designed to have a unique brand identity, with a focus on customer service, a no-haggle pricing model, and a different manufacturing process than other GM brands.


The first Saturn model, the Saturn S-Series, was introduced in 1990 and was well-received by consumers. Over the next two decades, Saturn expanded its lineup to include larger vehicles like the Saturn L-Series, the Saturn VUE SUV, and the Saturn Aura sedan. However, despite initial success, Saturn struggled to maintain profitability and market share in the highly competitive small car segment.


GM's Decision to Discontinue Saturn


In the late 2000s, as GM faced financial difficulties and the Great Recession, the company decided to discontinue the Saturn brand. In 2009, GM announced that it would wind down the Saturn division, and the last Saturn vehicles were produced in October 2009. The decision to discontinue Saturn was part of a broader restructuring effort by GM to focus on its core brands, such as Chevrolet, Buick, and Cadillac.


While Saturn was ultimately discontinued, the brand's legacy lives on in the innovative approaches it took to customer service and manufacturing. Many of the lessons learned from Saturn's experience have been applied to other GM brands and the automotive industry as a whole.

Why did Ford discontinue Mercury?


The End of the Road for Mercury
Stuck between more affordable and luxurious options, demand for Mercury vehicles suffered a gradual and irreversible decline. Ford didn't put much effort into maintaining the brand's unique identity, and later models like the Mercury Mariner were little more than rebadged Ford models.



Who makes Saturn now?


Saturn was a subsidiary car company of General Motors (GM). However, Saturn disbanded in 2010, so you won't find any all-new Saturn models on the market. There are some used Saturn vehicles though, and GM has affirmed it will honor claims and maintenance on these models.



Which Saturns have Honda engines?


The Honda V6 engine was used in the Saturn Vue through the 2007 model year.



What is the oldest car company still in business today?


Peugeot
Peugeot (UK: /ˈpɜːʒoʊ/, US: /p(j)uːˈʒoʊ/, French: [pøʒo]) is a French automobile brand owned by Stellantis. Subsidiary (S.A.) The family business that preceded the current Peugeot companies was established in 1810, making it the oldest car company in the world.



How long is the life expectancy of a Saturn car?


The saturn s-series 1.9L inline-four is extremely reliable and will go for literally hundreds of thousands of miles with a minimum of effort, if certain conditions are met. Mine is nearing 300k miles, and the car still manages over 35mpg on the freeway. Many of these cars have over 400k, 500k miles.



Does GM still own Saturn?


Following a failed attempt by Penske Automotive to acquire Saturn from GM in September 2009, Saturn ended production in October 2009, ended outstanding franchises in October 2010, and ceased operations 25 years after it began.



Why did Saturn go out of business?


Despite what you may read elsewhere, there were just two underlying forces behind Saturn's demise: GM's insistence on managing all its divisions centrally with a tight fist, and the demand by leadership at both GM and the UAW that Saturn get in line with traditional ways of doing things.



Who makes the engines for Saturn?


The powerplant used in Saturn S-Series automobiles was a straight-4 aluminum piston engine produced by Saturn, a subsidiary of General Motors.



Are Saturns good cars?


They are hardy vehicles that can handle a lot of driving. Like a lot of small to medium-size cars, most Saturns could be driven for a lot longer than larger vehicles. The engine system is well designed, and most Saturns don't have engine trouble for a lot longer than their competitors.



How reliable are Saturn cars?


The truth is that Saturns have already proven that they are incredibly reliable little cars, just through their continued popularity and how many people have refused to get an upgrade. However, their age means that Saturns will likely get less and less common and less and less reliable as time continues.


Kevin's Auto

Kevin Bennett

Company Owner

Kevin Bennet is the founder and owner of Kevin's Autos, a leading automotive service provider in Australia. With a deep commitment to customer satisfaction and years of industry expertise, Kevin uses his blog to answer the most common questions posed by his customers. From maintenance tips to troubleshooting advice, Kevin's articles are designed to empower drivers with the knowledge they need to keep their vehicles running smoothly and safely.