When the boom was on, the theory in the motor industry was very much that manufacturers needed to be either as big as possible, or to keep small and target niche markets. The break up of GM appears to be bucking this trend, with a number of smaller companies emerging to take over well know marques.

First up, Swedish sports car specialist Koenigsegg has reached a tentative agreement to buy the Saab arm of GM. The deal involves funding from the European Central Bank guaranteed by the Swedish government, and will see Koenigsegg enter the mainstream market for the first time.

Meanwhile the GM US brand Saturn is set to be bought by the Sytner Group, which owns Penske Automotive. Best know for racing exploits this side of the Atlantic, Penske is a major force in the US retail automotive market, with strong links to the Saturn marque. Penske says it will continue to buy GM built cars for two years before sourcing from other manufacturers.
Lastly, the all American icon the Hummer looks as if it will soon be in the hands of Chinese owners. Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery Company is said to be buying the troubled Hummer set-up at a knock down price of $250m. The deal should safeguard some 3,000 US jobs.