Stanley Steamer, Baker electric, Tucker; any number of others have tread this path. Even Kaiser could not pull it off, and they were some of the best MFG's in the business.
AMC was not a bad company. But saddle it with Hudson and other interests, and it went down whimpering ...
Studebaker/Packard. Both proud old companies that had been around a long time and knew the ropes, could not make it.
It's a tough business on thin margins.
Elon want to see a different future. At least he's trying. We can complain all we want, but he's got skin in the game and he's doing something ...
OK, he may not be the nicest boss, but not many of the silicon heroes were. Anyone want to work for Steve Jobs when he was around ...