When hearing the term “Saturn,” many probably think of the planet. However, Saturn also refers to a brand of automobiles that dates back to 1982. The Saturn Company became a subsidiary of General Motors, which was looking to establish a new brand that was more appealing to customers. The Saturn brand was established and was actually named after the world’s heaviest rocket that carried passengers to the moon on multiple occasions. While several vehicles may be seen on the streets today, it is important to note that the Saturn Company has not been in business since 2009.
The first Saturn automobile hit the roads in 1990, though the idea dates back to 1982 when General Motors executives started developing ideas for a new brand. Saturn became an official business in 1985, and two years later the logo for the company was established. In 1990, Saturn sales hit close to 1900 units, a clear indication that there was a driven demand for these new models. The idea behind these vehicles was to offer a simplified, fuel-efficient, and cost-effective choice for customers. At the time, General Motors sales had hit a plateau, and it became evident that the company needed to seek alternative solutions.
Saturn was marketed as “a different kind of Car Company.” Several dissimilar models hit the market during the life of the company, and there is much debate as to whether or not the business was successful. When the brand started becoming renowned across the globe, there was a worldwide recession that halted sales of the model. Nevertheless, 100,000 units were sold by 1992, an unambiguous sign that consumers were finding value in the automobiles. At the same time, many believe that the only reason that Saturn automobiles were purchased was due to consumers’ current association with General Motors. In other words, many believed that the only reason Saturn automobiles were being purchased was because of the brand that its parent, General Motors, had already established. While Saturn was meant to be separate from General Motors, it was essentially becoming an extension of its parent company.
Though sales of Saturn units may have indicated early success, there were multiple recalls throughout the company’s history. These recalls caused General Motors to question whether or not it was worth continuing the business of its subsidiary corporation. Specifically, there were approximately 300,000 recalls in 1993 related to an electrical wiring problem. In addition, the EV1 models were recalled and eventually destroyed in 2005, as these electrically-powered vehicles did not prove sustainable when hitting certain mileage thresholds.
Eventually, General Motors executives decided that the headaches Saturn was causing were no longer worth continuing operations. The business experienced much success during its later years, as was indicated when the Aura earned the North America car of the year award in 2007. However, the Saturn entity eventually became a financial burden on its parent corporation, and another global recession was the final nail in the coffin that put an end to the business. In 2009, General Motors announced that it would be closing the Saturn business, and by the first quarter of 2010 all dealers selling the related units closed their doors.
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