Saab rescue

[xpensive]

Yeah it's a shame, isn't it Ted? Imagine if they had taken this Saab 94 to production in 1956?

http://www.saabhistory.com/category/94-sonett-i/

Only six built though, why I would probably cut off one of my xtremities, the head perhaps, to own one.

[GTO]

Yes, that's a cool looking sportscar. I'm a big SAAB fan. In 1990 I bought a 1976 99 Turbo and drove it for 2yrs until it met with an accident & was written off. Due to it's weight & FWD, it was a great winter car. I loved it. When GM bought SAAB, I was hoping they could help deliver 9-3, 9-5 & more models with AWD options. Obviously, that never materialized with Volvo, Audi & now BMW leading in this path. Perhaps one of these European mfg. can buyout SAAB & continue with this legendary sporty car brand. [-o<

[Richard]

I was hoping they could help deliver 9-3, 9-5 & more models with AWD options.

It is a shame. They have a new 9-5 including an AWD version ready for launch. there were some press reviews at teh start of this year just before GM put everything in doubt.

I wonder if they'll keep the investment by bringing it out as an Opel model?

As SAAB driver, I'd say the brand died about 10-15 years ago. They are still quirky with odd switch gear and dashboard. There's no escaping that you're driving an Opel/Vauxhall except someone's bolted on stiff suspension and a turbo.

Oh, and now terrible in the snow. My cul-de-sac has a small slope. The RWD Mercs and BMWs can't get up it in the snow. All the FWD cars can do it easily. Our SAAB is somewhere between the two, probably due to its silly wide low profile tyres.

[xpensive]

To my mind, they had their chance 30 years ago with the, at the time, ground-breaking turbo-concept, but lost track in the 80s with the terrible "Italian" 9000 model. The short-lived "GM-900", from 94 to 98, was the final nail in the coffin.

It's perhaps hard to imagine today, but at the time of the launch of the original 99 Turbo in 1975, BMW was not that much bigger than Saab, neither in terms of production volume nor status.

[tomislavp4]

They lost their originalty when GM bought them, before that they made unusual cars, ok they didn't make a lot of them but still. After GM took over they just became another Opel. [-X
It's still pretty sad to see the company go down the drain though

[mx_tifoso]

I never felt anything towards Saab, but here's something for those who did.

[Pandamasque]

LOL @ the number

[GTO]

Attempt by Spyker to buy SAAB, but failed. GM to close up shop on SAAB.
http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/art ... RTUNE5.htm

[WhiteBlue]

It looks like game over for Sweden in the automotive industry. That in turn probably means high taxation on cars?

[xpensive]

Not in the foreseeable future I hope. On paper at least, the Volvo-deal is just a change of ownerhip from Ford Motor Company (aka the US taxpayers I guess) to some Chinese mobsters, but we will see.

When I will take up a position in Oslo in February, you cannot begin to imagine the price of a Saab, let alone a BMW,
in Norway WB. You will never complain again, I'll tell you.

[mx_tifoso]

[ISLAMATRON]

Porsche buying VW-Audi...

Yeap, you're completely right about that. It was the idea before crisis, now they've changed their minds. Moreover, there are some Saudis investing in Porsche to leverage it.

About Koenigsegg buying Saab... I don't know what to say about it. I'm glad it's not Gell-O o some kind of another fictitious Chinese company belonging to the Chinese Government.

I sure love my 900 and I hope to go back to Trollhättan to spend another day at the car museum.

Saab = Slår alla andra bilar!

I bet you wish the Saudi's or the Chinese invested in it now, instead of it shutting down completely... so much xenophobia in this forum it is ridiculous.

[sebbe]

I bet you wish the Saudi's or the Chinese invested in it now, instead of it shutting down completely... so much xenophobia in this forum it is ridiculous.

Actually, I don't. Of course I'm not happy about Saab being history, but I'm quite relieved Gell-O didn't buy it. Poor Volvo, it will be bastardized and stripped of all its technology and value till it's turn into an empty shell.
It doesn't have anything to do with xenophobia; it's just pride for what I love and respect.

Saab = Slår alla andra bilar!

[WhiteBlue]

It looks like Gen2 and Bernie are making a bid now.

[Richard]

Rumours of desperate last ditch moves

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/6e88089c-fbba ... ab49a.html

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8447149.stm