"Financial woes affect most companies, but automakers are even more exposed to bankruptcies and economic troubles because of a drop in consumer spending and the high costs associated with designing and building vehicles. Furthermore, car companies also have to invest enormous sums in research and development, patents, marketing and branding campaigns, and innovative technologies. All these costs can quickly spiral out of control, and at one point, even restructuring and reducing operating costs won’t save the company anymore. Unfortunately, during the past decades, many successful automakers went out of business, like Ford Mercury and General Motors-owned Pontiac, Saturn, and Oldsmobile. Even after receiving unprecedented bailouts totaling $80 billion in taxpayer funds in 2009, General Motors and Chrysler didn't become more competitive. But the 2000s decade was hardly the only moment in history when General Motors and Chrysler were experiencing significant financial setbacks. In fact, Chrysler’s financial troubles impacted the Plymouth brand back in the late 1970s. And even though the company struggled to stay in business until 2001, Chrysler shattered the brand when its difficulties grew beyond control. In November 1999, DaimlerChrysler announced the end of the legendary brand to the media. “Chrysler has great momentum right now that we intend to keep going. As we move forward with our global growth strategy, Plymouth, as a U.S. brand only, did not contribute to that growth,” the former Chrysler President Jim Holden said in a statement in 1999. “This was an emotional decision because Plymouth will always be an important part of our heritage.”"