General Motors (GM) automobile manufacturing company was founded
in 1908 by William C. Durant, and rose to become the world's
leading auto manufacturers from the 1920s to 2008, with plants
in the United States, Canada and Europe. In 2006, over 9 million
GM cars and trucks were sold. Since then a series of massive
losses have brought GM into bankruptcy. Where once it had a 50%
share of the market for new vehicles in the United States, the
company hopes at best to at least hang on to its current 18%
share in the face of fierce competition from Asian makers, and a
recession that has forced millions of people to postpone major
purchases. GM in July 2009 emerged from bankruptcy after 40 days
having shed many debts, dealer, employees, and plants, kept
alive with government loans and the hope that it will have
electric cars on the road and find its niche market. It is
currently owned and operated by the U.S. government. General
Motors was originally formed by joining several independent
companies: the Olds Motor Veh