The end of days for Saab

[Richard]

The comatose patient has had a sip of water from China .....

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/12/ ... UA20111213

.... but the UK company has thrown in the towel.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/new ... ation.html

[xpensive]

Since Saab has been run by Slick-Vic Muller and Mad-Vlad Antonov, Muller's less than squeeky-clean banker,
Swedish newspapers have been quite entertaining for the past year, though I'm afraid the party is over now.

[Richard]

They've finally admitted to bankruptcy.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-16242115

A sad end to a noble company ruined by GM

[xpensive]

So it's all over now, while I can still remeber my friends at Saab in the 90s bragging about having the richest car-owners.

Statisically true, when Bill Gates had two.

[Pup]

I also once owned two, bringing that average down considerably.

[xpensive]

I belive it would take qute a few of penniless F1 fans to balance MrG's fortune?

[twoshots]

I like this quote from the BBC:

Market researchers discovered that many Saab owners were highly educated. "There is a higher proportion of PhDs among Saab customers than among the customer group of any other car brand," says Simon Dorris, of Lansdowne Consulting.

I'm on my third so I may be biased...and I have a PhD.

[xpensive]

I once saw this black man on an american talk show, when he says something like this;

"Even if I live on upper east and drive a Saab with a ski-rack, I'll always be a n***er!"

[MIKEY_!]

Please don't let Saab die! I love them for their Swedish quirkiness! Just not enough to actually buy one...

[elmerfud]

those transaxle in the sump pan 80's lumps always gave me the heeby jeebies!

[Pup]

The first to arrive...



And the last, waiting at the docks for the bank to take possession...




http://www.foundourownroad.com/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=562

[xpensive]

What can I say, guess certain Manhattan Lawyers and dentists will miss them, as will other aficionados of funny gadgets like a strangely placed starting-key, but as a whole Saab lost it's identity 20 years ago with the advent of GM if you ask me.

[ds.raikkonen]

There goes Saab, anywone but me who feels sorrow?

http://www.dn.se/ekonomi/saab-kan-inte-betala-loner

X man I do, a real source of pride for your fine country. What about the rest of their enterprises. Weren’t they making Jet fighters, or is that ancient history!

It still makes jet fighters, although the Gripen lost in the technical bid during the Indian Air Force's $15-20 billion MMRCA (Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft) procurement program. SAAB's automobiles made elegant cars, like the 99 turbo and 9-5 Viggen. It also pioneered many things like the seatbelt and headlamp washer/wipers etc. Sad to see it go after GM gave up on it. I think, apart from Matra, no other aircraft manufacturer ever made automobiles.

[Richard]

What can I say, guess certain Manhattan Lawyers and dentists will miss them, as will other aficionados of funny gadgets like a strangely placed starting-key, but as a whole Saab lost it's identity 20 years ago with the advent of GM if you ask me.

Not to mention the air vents and cup holders. You're are right that those are just cosmetic, the genuine engineering quirkiness was there for a purpose but that philosophy was lost with GM. The key was there to provide anti theft lock to the gearbox, that was ingenious. The flat floor seems like a fading utopian dream.

At least they managed to retain the turbo engines with GM, albeit mismatched with the rest of the GM chassis so the 9-3 had a worrying tendency for torque steer.

I think, apart from Matra, no other aircraft manufacturer ever made automobiles.

Don't forget to also include ...

BMW http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_BMW
Messerschmitt - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt#Post-war
Fiat http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiat_Aviazione
Heinkel http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinkel
Bristol Cars http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bristol_Cars (part of the company that ended up as British Aerospace, who then went on to buy Rover decades later)
Mitsubishi - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:M ... i_aircraft
Avro - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avro#Car_production
AEG - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AEG#Products

Mercedes, Lincoln, Armstong-Siddeley, Volvo & Rolls Royce are (or were) car companies who also make (or made) aero engines

Oh, and for two wheels - Piaggio & Kawasajki

[ds.raikkonen]

BMW http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_BMW
Messerschmitt - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt#Post-war
Fiat http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiat_Aviazione
Heinkel http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinkel
Bristol Cars http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bristol_Cars (part of the company that ended up as British Aerospace, who then went on to buy Rover decades later)
Mitsubishi - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:M ... i_aircraft
Avro - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avro#Car_production
AEG - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AEG#Products

Mercedes, Lincoln, Armstong-Siddeley, Volvo & Rolls Royce are (or were) car companies who also make (or made) aero engines

Oh, I forgot about Bristol and Mitsubishi! Damn, how could I forget about the Zeros of WWII! However, I was nt talking about aircraft 'engine' manufacturers, obviously BMW, Rolls-Royce, Volvo etc are there. Interesting to note that Avro, Messerschmitt and Heinkel also made cars, weird.