Retain layer structure for groups

Would be a really great feature to keep layer structure, when grouping elements.
At the moment everything grouped automatically collapses into one layer.
The simplest way to explain it would be similar to having saved selection sets.

The benefits for grouping across layers include:
Managing different components/groups of design elements while retaining layer hierarchy
Keeping grouped colours or thicknesses or object types separate
Being able to transform a selection without losing layer order, and without losing that selection later.
Having visual layering and overlapping keep fidelity
Keep elements apart for animation(after effects) but grouped for control in illustrator

Please consider adding this as it would be very useful.
In my current workflow I group elements that have been sorted by layer, group to keep these together, make changes(size, position and artwork changes), then once all groups have been finalised, ungroup and sort into layers again. usually over complex artwork/designs/scenes.