GM kills another brand....

shack
shack Posts: 11,154
edited January 2010 in The Clubhouse
Saab now bites the dust....

v_new_logo_SAAB.jpg

Quirky looks, but overall nice cars for those that wanted something a little different.
"Just because you’re offended doesn’t mean you’re right." - Ricky Gervais

"For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don't believe, no proof is possible." - Stuart Chase

"Consistency requires you to be as ignorant today as you were a year ago." - Bernard Berenson
Post edited by shack on
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Comments

  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,383
    edited December 2009
    I am suprised that the Swedish government did not step in to prevent this, as they used to consider SAAB a national treasure.
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  • audiobliss
    audiobliss Posts: 12,518
    edited December 2009
    I thought Koennigsegg was buying Saab?
    George Grand wrote: »
    Jstas wrote: »
    Simple question. If you had a cool million bucks, what would you do with it?
    Wonder WTF happened to the rest of my money.
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  • billbillw
    billbillw Posts: 6,724
    edited December 2009
    The writing has been on the wall since Koenigsegg pulled out of purchasing back around Thanksgiving.
    For more on the story:
    http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSLDE5BH1K820091218?type=marketsNews
    For rig details, see my profile. Nothing here anymore...
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  • Jstas
    Jstas Posts: 14,806
    edited December 2009
    Sweden can't afford to bail out Saab.
    Expert Moron Extraordinaire

    You're just jealous 'cause the voices don't talk to you!
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  • concealer404
    concealer404 Posts: 7,440
    edited December 2009
    Saab died years ago when GM started meddling with the designs. The last Saab that i consider a Saab was the 9-3 Viggen.
    I don't read the newsssspaperssss because dey aaaallllllllll...... have ugly print.

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  • Knucklehead
    Knucklehead Posts: 3,602
    edited December 2009
    I dont think it will be missed by mainstream consumers.
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  • bobman1235
    bobman1235 Posts: 10,822
    edited December 2009
    I don't know a single redeeming quality of the Saab brand. Ugly as sin, unreliable, not particularly powerful, overpriced... the only reason to get one is because of some yuppie hipster cachet.
    If you will it, dude, it is no dream.
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  • Mike Kozak
    Mike Kozak Posts: 931
    edited December 2009
    Too bad GM has gone to crap, they used to be a premier car company. My dad worked for them as a group engineer Mgr for 33 yrs.
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  • concealer404
    concealer404 Posts: 7,440
    edited December 2009
    bobman1235 wrote: »
    I don't know a single redeeming quality of the Saab brand. Ugly as sin, unreliable, not particularly powerful, overpriced... the only reason to get one is because of some yuppie hipster cachet.

    You just described the GM Saab to a T.

    Please refer to real Saabs.

    The ugly as sin, of course, is opinion, and i won't argue that. I'd be happy to point out that REAL Saabs of yore were extremely reliable, extremely powerful when compared to their competition, and priced in line with their competition.

    But when talking about recent history? I agree with you 110%, which is why i'm not real mad to see them go away. GM ruined them a long time ago.
    I don't read the newsssspaperssss because dey aaaallllllllll...... have ugly print.

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  • gdb
    gdb Posts: 6,012
    edited December 2009
    I always liked the little streamlined 3cylinder two stroke car they made long ago!:)
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited December 2009
    Bye bye Slaab.
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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  • concealer404
    concealer404 Posts: 7,440
    edited December 2009
    gdb wrote: »
    I always liked the little streamlined 3cylinder two stroke car they made long ago!:)

    The Sonnet!

    Yeah, that was nifty.
    I don't read the newsssspaperssss because dey aaaallllllllll...... have ugly print.

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  • shack
    shack Posts: 11,154
    edited December 2009
    The Saab 900 Turbos of the 80's and early 90's were very nice cars that were fun to drive and fairly reliable as I recall. I had a couple of friends that owned a 900T and they loved them.
    "Just because you’re offended doesn’t mean you’re right." - Ricky Gervais

    "For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don't believe, no proof is possible." - Stuart Chase

    "Consistency requires you to be as ignorant today as you were a year ago." - Bernard Berenson
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  • bobman1235
    bobman1235 Posts: 10,822
    edited December 2009
    I thought Saabs always had reliability problems, but I'm not all that old so I may just be letting recent history cloud past history. I personally had a bad experience borrowing one back in high school (late 90's) and it clouded my view of those things since :)
    If you will it, dude, it is no dream.
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  • concealer404
    concealer404 Posts: 7,440
    edited December 2009
    wghoops
    I don't read the newsssspaperssss because dey aaaallllllllll...... have ugly print.

    Living Room: B&K Reference 5 S2 / Parasound HCA-1000A / Emotiva XDA-2 / Pioneer BDP-51FD / Paradigm 11se MKiii

    Desk: Schiit Magni 2 Uber / Schiit Modi 2 Uber / ISK HD9999

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  • concealer404
    concealer404 Posts: 7,440
    edited December 2009
    bobman1235 wrote: »
    I thought Saabs always had reliability problems, but I'm not all that old so I may just be letting recent history cloud past history. I personally had a bad experience borrowing one back in high school (late 90's) and it clouded my view of those things since :)

    Some mid 90s cars had minor electrical problems, and the cars powered by the 2.3T motor go through DI cassettes pretty regularly, but they're very long-lived in general if they're taken care of.

    I'd only buy 3 saabs today...

    OLD 900 SPG
    Any 2.3T powered 9000 Aero
    9-3 Viggen

    Anything else that GM had a hand in, no thanks.

    duringhof9-3Viggen.jpg
    I don't read the newsssspaperssss because dey aaaallllllllll...... have ugly print.

    Living Room: B&K Reference 5 S2 / Parasound HCA-1000A / Emotiva XDA-2 / Pioneer BDP-51FD / Paradigm 11se MKiii

    Desk: Schiit Magni 2 Uber / Schiit Modi 2 Uber / ISK HD9999

    Office: Schiit Magni 2 Uber / Schiit Modi 2 Uber / Dynaco SCA-80Q / Paradigm Legend V.3

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  • gdb
    gdb Posts: 6,012
    edited December 2009
    Jeez, I sure hope that Saab's aircraft division's offerings didn't suffer the same reliability problems !:eek: I happen to be a loyal GM driver but...I sure as Hell wouldn't want to be flying in anything they made!!!:D
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  • sandworms
    sandworms Posts: 1,043
    edited December 2009
    GM has been ruining their accuisitions for a long time, I worked for GM as a tech in the 90's when they bought isuzu and in no time they ran that company into the ground, along came saab and you could see the writing on the wall. then it was oldsmobile, pontiac, hummer, saturn...
    ct brands

    * United States Elmore (1909–1912)
    * United States Rapid Truck (1909–1912)
    * United States Reliance Truck (1909–1912)
    * United States Samson Tractor (1917–1922)
    * United States Scripps-Booth (1917–1923)
    * United States Marquette (1930)
    * United States Oakland (1909–1931)
    * United States Viking (1929–1931)
    * United States LaSalle (1927–1940)
    * Canada McLaughlin (1918–1942)
    * United States Yellow Coach (1925–1943)
    * Canada Beaumont (1966–1969)
    * Canada Envoy (1960–1970)
    * Canada Acadian (1962–1971)
    * South Africa Ranger (1968–1976)
    * United Kingdom Bedford Vehicles (1929–1987)
    * United States General Motors Diesel Division (1938–1987)
    * Canada Passport (1988–1991)
    * Canada Asüna (1993)
    * United States Geo (1989–1997)
    * United States Oldsmobile (1893–2004)
    * Sweden Saab (1947–2009)
    * United States Pontiac (1926–2010)
    * United States Saturn (1985–2010)

    sad to watch the saab techs in my shop starving for work
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  • Kex
    Kex Posts: 5,157
    edited January 2010
    And now for a little update:

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8447365.stm
    Formula 1 boss, Bernie Ecclestone, is in partnership to bid for Saab. ...
    Alea jacta est!
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  • mrbigbluelight
    mrbigbluelight Posts: 9,689
    edited January 2010
    "Mr Ecclestone told the Bloomberg news agency: "It's a good brand that has probably been neglected by the current owners."


    That's like saying the Japanese were a little boisterous when they visited Nanking.
    Sal Palooza
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  • shack
    shack Posts: 11,154
    edited January 2010
    I hope someone gets Saab and makes a go of it. IMO it's a good thing when a company that is a little out of the norm suceeds.
    "Just because you’re offended doesn’t mean you’re right." - Ricky Gervais

    "For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don't believe, no proof is possible." - Stuart Chase

    "Consistency requires you to be as ignorant today as you were a year ago." - Bernard Berenson
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  • jz0h4d
    jz0h4d Posts: 33
    edited January 2010
    Guys I loved Saab but they only sold 50-60,000 cars a year here.

    There's no profit in 60,000 cars.
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  • concealer404
    concealer404 Posts: 7,440
    edited January 2010
    jz0h4d wrote: »
    Guys I loved Saab but they only sold 50-60,000 cars a year here.

    There's no profit in 60,000 cars.

    There's more to the world than just the US.
    I don't read the newsssspaperssss because dey aaaallllllllll...... have ugly print.

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  • gdb
    gdb Posts: 6,012
    edited January 2010
    "That's like saying the Japanese were a little boisterous when they visited Nanking."



    That there's funny, I don't care who you are!!:D
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  • shack
    shack Posts: 11,154
    edited January 2010
    concealer404 wrote:
    There's more to the world than just the US.

    Saab only sold 93,200 vehicles in 2008 WORLDWIDE and less than 30,000 for the first 6 months of 2009. They sold nearly 30,000 in the UK alone in 2005. GM could have done more with this brand...but obviously had other "issues".
    "Just because you’re offended doesn’t mean you’re right." - Ricky Gervais

    "For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don't believe, no proof is possible." - Stuart Chase

    "Consistency requires you to be as ignorant today as you were a year ago." - Bernard Berenson
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  • concealer404
    concealer404 Posts: 7,440
    edited January 2010
    shack wrote: »
    Saab only sold 93,200 vehicles in 2008 WORLDWIDE and less than 30,000 for the first 6 months of 2009. They sold nearly 30,000 in the UK alone in 2005. GM could have done more with this brand...but obviously had other "issues".

    Correct. It's blatantly obvious that GM screwed the pooch on this brand. It has the potential to be profitable again, people WILL buy the product, but it's gotta be something other than a gussied up Malibu again. :)
    I don't read the newsssspaperssss because dey aaaallllllllll...... have ugly print.

    Living Room: B&K Reference 5 S2 / Parasound HCA-1000A / Emotiva XDA-2 / Pioneer BDP-51FD / Paradigm 11se MKiii

    Desk: Schiit Magni 2 Uber / Schiit Modi 2 Uber / ISK HD9999

    Office: Schiit Magni 2 Uber / Schiit Modi 2 Uber / Dynaco SCA-80Q / Paradigm Legend V.3

    HT: Denon AVR-X3400H / Sony UBP-X700 / RT16 / CS350LS / RT7 / SVS PB1000
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  • Danny Tse
    Danny Tse Posts: 5,206
    edited January 2010
    Since no one mentioned it, GM has sold "certain Saab 9-3, current 9-5 and powertrain technology and tooling" to China's Beijing Automotive Industry Holding.
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