Olds, unfortunately, died a terrible death likely stemming from a simple lack of consumer awareness. The brand had great design talent (which, thankfully, seems to have been distributed to the rest of GM) and an interesting target audience. It just never managed to properly capitalize on its greatest assets and was ignored outright.

 Reply

Come to think of it, I can only remember working on 1 Saab in three summers (and two winter breaks) of employment.

 Reply

Yes, the 9-3 shares and Opel platform. So does the Malibu, Aura, G6, and LaCrosse. Sharing the platform isn't the problem. The problem is that that is the only good platform that they have; everything else is long outdated. It's not like there is a shortage of GM platforms that they can leverage.

All they have to do is decide what market they want to aim Saab at, pick a few platforms that might lend themselves to the desired image, and tweak them in order to differentiate themselves enough to compete in the market they choose.

 Reply

Unless I am much mistaken, the Swedish government has already indicated that intend to grant loan money to both Saab and Volvo.

 Reply

Yes, but the only decent platform that Saab uses is the Epsilon platform that underpins the 9-3. Everything else is ancient. They don't use Kappa, Delta II, or Zeta, and they should be trying to leverage these platforms. If nothing else, it will provide them with dynamically capable cars that will help amortize the production and development costs of the platform cousins.

All we can do is hope, though.

Perhaps if the Alpha platform being developed for Cadillac finally comes to fruition, they might share it with Saab, but for now, things aren't looking all that great.

 Reply

Okay, just because I have a little free time on my hands at the moment, here is what I think needs to happen:

Saab needs to be aimed squarely at Acura, or rather what Acura was prior to the introduction of the new TL, and also at Audi.

It needs a new 9-5 based on the Epsilon 2 platform, which it seems likely to get. This should compete with the new TL in terms of technology and performance, but be closer in size to the previous TL. The 9-3 needs to be moved on to the Delta II platform and be aimed squarely at the semi-compact TSX. After that, they need a sub-compact to go head-to-head with the MINI, and it ought be based on the new Gamma platform. I don't like the idea of a Saab SUV/CUV, but if they must, then the it ought to based on the Theta platform. Finally, they really do need a halo sports car, and it could be based either off of the Kappa platform if they decide to spare the Solstice, or otherwise the Alpha platform being developed for Cadillac.

With the exception of the halo sports car, all cars should offer AWD, and they should be focused on showcasing GM's technology developments with contemporary styling that is both subtle and dynamic, avoiding extremes seen on the new TL and other cars. This would place them in the perfect position to take on both Acura and Audi.

Ironically enough, the plans thus far call for almost exactly that, with the exception of the halo sports car. GM has the platforms, the technology, and the know-how to do this, and if I am correct about the loan money from the Swedish government, then they should also have the funding.

 Reply