Editing Saturn Corporation (section)

===2008–2009: Attempt to sell brand, market changes===
In US Congressional hearings on December 2, 2008, General Motors announced its intentions to focus on their four core brands ([[Chevrolet]], [[Buick]], [[Cadillac]], and [[GMC (automobile)|GMC]]), with the sale, consolidation, or closure of Saturn and the remaining brands ([[Pontiac (automobile)|Pontiac]], [[Hummer]], and [[Saab Automobile|Saab]], with [[Oldsmobile]] having already discontinued production in 2004).<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/03/business/03auto.html |title=Pursuing U.S. Aid, G.M. Accepts Need for Drastic Cuts |last=Vlasic |first=Bill |date=December 2, 2008 |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=February 17, 2009 |archive-date=February 19, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090219081750/http://www.nytimes.com//2008//12//03//business//03auto.html |url-status=live }}</ref> General Motors chairman and former CEO [[Rick Wagoner]] announced during a news conference on February 17, 2009, that Saturn would remain in operation through the end of the planned life cycle for all Saturn products (2010–2011).

In February 2009, GM declared its intent to part with this brand by closing or selling the division, either to investors or to dealers, as part of restructuring plans dependent upon the receipt of a second round of government loans ("[[bailout]]" funding).<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/02/17/national/a152805S45.DTL&hw=GM+Saturn&sn=002&sc=734 |title=GM seeks up to $30B in aid, will cut 47,000 jobs |last1=Krisher | first1 = Tom |last2=Thomas | first2 = Ken |date=February 17, 2009 |newspaper=San Francisco Chronicle |access-date=February 21, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090501155821/http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=%2Fn%2Fa%2F2009%2F02%2F17%2Fnational%2Fa152805S45.DTL&hw=GM+Saturn&sn=002&sc=734 |archive-date=May 1, 2009 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> It was the third such action for GM in the 21st century, following those of [[Oldsmobile]], which ceased production in 2004, and Pontiac, which ended production for the 2010 model year by the end of 2009.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.autoevolution.com/news/the-last-pontiac-built-in-the-us-13810.html |title=The Last Pontiac Built in the US |date=November 27, 2009 |publisher=autoevolution.com |access-date=September 27, 2010 |archive-date=March 6, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100306140414/http://www.autoevolution.com/news/the-last-pontiac-built-in-the-us-13810.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

General Motors announced in June 2009 that it was selling the Saturn brand to [[Penske Automotive Group]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://money.cnn.com/2009/06/05/news/companies/saturn_penske/?postversion=2009060510 |work=CNN Money |title=GM to sell Saturn to Penske |date=June 5, 2009 |access-date=May 23, 2010 |first=David |last=Goldman |archive-date=July 21, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090721132711/http://money.cnn.com/2009/06/05/news/companies/saturn_penske/?postversion=2009060510 |url-status=live }}</ref> The arrangement was similar to the deal under which Penske distributes Daimler AG's [[Smart Car]] in the United States.<ref>{{cite news |first1=David |last1=Goldman |first2=Peter |last2=Valdes-Dapena |url=https://money.cnn.com/2009/06/05/news/companies/saturn_penske/?postversion=2009060515 |title=GM to sell Saturn to Penske |publisher=CNN |date=June 5, 2009 |access-date=September 27, 2010 |archive-date=July 27, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727233045/http://money.cnn.com/2009/06/05/news/companies/saturn_penske/?postversion=2009060515 |url-status=live }}</ref> Penske was not planning to buy the factories so it would eventually have had to contract other car companies to build cars sold as Saturns. GM would have built the Aura, Vue, and Outlook for Penske for the first two years. To replace GM as the brand's manufacturer, Penske was in discussions with several global automakers, including [[Renault Samsung Motors]] of Korea, and the [[Renault–Nissan Alliance|Renault-Nissan Alliance]].

By the end of 2009, GM closed all of its 46 Saturn dealerships in Canada, even those Saturn dealerships also selling Saab vehicles. GM and Penske decided that they could no longer make a business case to distribute Saturn vehicles in Canada after the sale of the brand. Saturn's customer service, parts, and warranty operations moved to other GM dealerships in Canada.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.autoweek.com/article/20090901/FREE/909019997 |title=GM to close 46 Canadian Saturn stores by the end of the year |publisher=autoweek.com |last=Chrissie | first=Thompson |date=September 1, 2009 |access-date=September 2, 2009 |archive-date=September 5, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090905001235/http://www.autoweek.com/article/20090901/FREE/909019997 |url-status=live }}</ref>