Even though Saturn's product line is once again healthy, GM and Saturn will change their relationship in several years.

CNN: The fate of four GM brands

Unfortunately, Saturn's parent (GM) proceeded to neglect its offspring's new-product portfolio and Saturn cars became uncompetitive.

CNN: The fate of four GM brands

During bankruptcy in 2009, GM sold or closed Pontiac, Saturn, Saab and Hummer.

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After dumping Pontiac, Saturn, Saab and Hummer, GM's U.S. market share appears to be stabilizing around 19%, a healthy level.

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The Saturn Vue and Astra are from GM's German Opel division.

CNN: The fate of four GM brands

Over the next four years the number will shrink by a further 25%, to 4, 700, as GM sheds brands like Hummer, Saab and Saturn and owners go out of business.

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That's a far cry from the half a million GM had hoped to sell each year when it introduced Saturn.

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The Saturn Outlook and Sky are produced domestically by GM.

CNN: The fate of four GM brands

In 1990, GM gave us a reason to cheer for it, when it rolled out Saturn.

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Recall that GM once bought Hughes Aircraft and EDS as growth devices (around 1980, ) and opened the greenfield Saturn division to learn how to compete with offshore auto makers head-on.

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Also, earlier this month, GM awarded contracts for undisclosed sums to Johnson Controls and Cobasys to develop Li-ion batteries for its upcoming Saturn Vue Green Line hybrid.

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GM's vice president for research and development, Lawrence Burns, says consumers have to start thinking of their car as a power-supplying appliance as well as a means of transportation. (A hybrid car, for example, might be an alternative to an emergency generator during an ice storm.) Meanwhile, GM is endorsing Huber's thinking with plans to introduce plug-in versions of the Chevrolet Volt and a Saturn vue crossover by 2010.

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