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Detroit, 3:31 AM
Sat Dec 12
24 posts in the last 24 hours
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12/11/09
In the fifties and sixties, the airplane manufacture was used to underwrite car production. Later, Scania's profitable trucks paid for the cars. By 1989 the situation had become untenable, but GM was convinced to shoulder the burden - not really a good idea for anyone involved.
Saab would have been dead for twenty years if it wasn't for GM, but I think that might have been better than Saab's zombie existence as of late. The 9-7X is better not mentioned at all.
I think that in a world where everyone who spends premium money demands nineteen-inch wheels, racing suspension, racing heritage, 500 horsepower and a slushbox and pretend off-road capability, Saab (just like Lancia) loses its raison d'être. You cannot make a Saab to compete with the 3-series without removing what made it a Saab to begin with, Koenigsegg or no Koenigsegg. The world made itself to stupid to appreciate Saab, and thus, Saab has to cease to be.
12/11/09
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12/11/09
Well, Saab was losing money in the fifties, sixties, seventies and most of the eighties too. It was essentially just the pride of the Wallenberg family that kept Saab running as long as it did, and the Wallenbergs' willingness to plunder the profitable bits of the Saab-Scania corporation. Saab managed a (very) few profitable years early in the eighties but were unable to afford the continuous development necessary to the luxury buyer. V6, 4WD and a new Sonett would have made things different, but there wasn't any money. By the time GM arrived, it was already too late, and GM went on to make bad things worse.
Another problem was that Saab was always meant to be an everyday car in Sweden but marketed as luxury abroad. The size of the Swedish market helped make this an impossible situation. Today perhaps a classy and smart compact Saab might have a chance, aiming for Mini or VW buyers in the US, but as a prestige brand I think they're well and truly done.
12/11/09
As far quirky goes, my 2001 9-3 is about as quirky as they come. GM didn't quite get rid of the individuality. But they did get rid of the quality.
Saab's not the only one. Both Lancia and Citroen are basically dead to me, even though their brands live on (they can thank their home market brands for that). Saab's brand will probably live on, but those who have driven the original won't recognize the Saab-ness.
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12/11/09
And it's not half bad looking either.
12/11/09
12/11/09
Trailblazer! 2 Points
Envoy! 1 Point
Envoy Denali! 2 Pointss
Trailblazer SS! 5 Point
Bravada! 8 Points
Ascender! 6 Points
9-7x! 10 Points
Rainier! 7 Points
It can be tough riding somewhere with the two of us.
12/11/09
Maybe we should look at sales numbers...
12/11/09
12/11/09
01:34 AM
12/10/09
I probably would have done the same. Who the hell knows what's going on at GM right now. It might be for the better, but given the past few decades I'm not particularly confident. They've got a few great cars but they just seem unable to set things right, for a ton of reasons.
12/10/09
12/10/09
A: Not as many as we thought.
12/10/09
That said, if the guy bailed because of the fear-based, "fix it now!" attitude of GM's new CEO, perhaps that's a good thing. GM lifers did get too complacent. They did lose touch with reality. So if this guy wasn't up to the challenge, better to decide that now.
But again, who really knows?
12/10/09
12/10/09
12/10/09
After his outburst, it is probably a wise move to resign before he gets fired. I guess things must be really tense at RenCen for the guy to lose it after only 9 days.
Wait........ what?
12/10/09
What's unemployment right now? 10%? Cheeky bastard.
12/10/09
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12/10/09
Fritz might have let the Opel, Saturn and Saab deals fall apart, but he wasn't pissing away the core brands. Now 3 of those brands have questions in leadership positions. Including Chevy...which is kind of important and about to launch its most important product...Cruze. Not volt.
Cruze was already shot in the foot launching to the public with 40 mpg on the day after fritz was fired and got no attention.
Really makes you wonder.
12/10/09
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12/10/09
Haven't seen the movie in 10 years, but those are the only two things I remember.
12/08/09
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12/08/09