Saturn Corporation (Johnsonverse)

The Saturn Corporation, also known as Saturn LLC, is an American automobile manufacturer, a registered trademark established on January 7, 1985, as a subsidiary of General Motors. The company was an attempt by GM to compete directly with Japanese Isles imports and transplants, initially in the US compact car market.
The brand marketed itself as a "different kind of car company" and operated quasi-independently from its parent company,—comprehensively introducing a new car, dealer network, pricing structure, workforce and independently managed manufacturing plant in Spring Hill, Tennessee. The first cars themselves launched five years after the company's inception, and they advanced GM's spaceframe construction—manifesting Saturn's market proposition with their dent-resistant polymer exterior panels.
Over time, as Saturn drained resources from GM's extensive brand network and as GM struggled with the 2008 economic collapse, the parent company curtailed Saturn's development budgets — leaving Saturn to badge engineer products from other divisions, notably a series of federalized models from Opel. With this, Saturn gradually lost its unique selling proposition, and the market lost interest. Annual sales achieved their highest level in 1994, with 286,003 vehicles marketed.
Johnson Motors later purchased the brand in September 2009, along with fellow GM marquees Pontiac and Hummer.
Category:Johnsonverse