Saab and the dragon (GM, that is)

[skunk]

In the Nürnberg 2005 thread, BillC made some comments on Saab's current situation, to which I respond with a resounding "Hear hear!"

What a shameful demise for a once so interesting manufacturer! An engineering driven, airplane inspired company sinking so low as to churn out lightly camouflaged Trailblazers...It is like watching Brigitte Bardot having to turn tricks. At least the 9² is based on a good car, but this SUV aberration... I think this may be what happens when one listens too much to one's dealers.

A plea to Bob Lutz: At least don't make any Daewoo Saabs. Please.

Dear Bob seems to have lost some of his golden touch, judging by the handling of Saab (although to be fair, this situation existed long before his appearing at GM) and the flop that his brainchild the GTO has turned out to be.

It remains to be seen how well the attempt at reinventing Cadillac goes, but I'd say it seems like everything is going well there. One question though: If Cadillac is fighting BMW and Benz, their "V" brand matching M and AMG, then what is Saab supposed to be doing? It seems rather pointless to attempt to shove Saab and Cadillac into the same segment.
The problem with GM is that they have so many holdings. They are already overrepresented in every segment of the market, so what in god's name are they going to do with Saab? They could do a Subaru (lot of commonality: quirky, with a reputation for intelligence, engineering driven companies with rally backgrounds), but that would take money. Putting Saab badges on a 'Roo won't do it, and certainly not when the 9⁷ is waiting in the wings to preemptively destroy the building of such an image. One question seems to be: Is Saab a Swedish Company, or does it belong in the US market?

I say give us a new Sonett. The Opel Speedster would have been excellent in such a role, much better than as an Opel/Vauxhall, and it would have had the added benefit of being saleable globally. This could have been a beginning of rebuilding the Saab brand, instead of diluting it and killing it with SUVs.

[stanhas87]

Dear Skunk:

No one - at least at the automotive press,to say the least - likes what is being done to Saab. As stated, this company was known for its engineering and special appeal and it was associated with Scania,whose trucks and buses have global appeal. Now,it is just a little dot at the Gigant GM division who does not have a clue what Saab really stood for and it is not happy with its 'niche' image.

GM blunders are amazing. be it the misguided rendition of the GTO, the ugly renditions of Cadillac Cars (truck front fascia? Give me a break!) and Bill may argue with me but the cancellation of the Caprice was also ill-advised. Fact is, they lost a billion dollars - a billion! - in the 1990's,or so I understood.To be frank,I am amazed at all that they still in business. Their agressive sponsorship of front drivers is also a no-no to my view while the competiton is bringing or keeping some RWD to their lineage. Also do I need to say that they have an extensive SUV/truck line; yet Ford manages to beat them with the F150 (and I must say for a very long while by now!)

Hence,yeah,I agree that Saab is either to let go and/or considered what it always was - a niche,fan-supported make. No Daweoos no SUVs or minivans (Buick now has a minivan and that sickens me).

Nick K

[BillC]

Ev'body lo-o-o-ves trucks, Billyjimjoebob! You havin' trouble sellin' them bitty furrin cars, you need to get yourself a truck!

Don't matter that we're sellin' the TrailBlazer under five badges now, there's always room for a sixth. An' if'n we sticks that Saab label on it, we kin charge extra an' ain't nobody gonna know.

Heck, coupla folks bought those 9-2X thingamajiggers just las' month. Shucks, they musta been slow as your cousin Bubba. Durn thing tain't nuthin' more than a Subaru Impreza with a new front clip and inflated sticker and nobody wants 'em even as Subarus.

Tell ya what, Billyjimjoebob, if'n you like this here 9-7, we'll put a Saab badge on a Chevy Avalanche and you can watch the sales jus' roll right in.

Pretty soon, we can fergit about them Swedes and their little cars and you can be a full-time Saab TRUCK dealer.

SWEET!

[cfesmire]

Finally, somebody that speaks my language.

[stanhas87]

BillC said:

Ev'body lo-o-o-ves trucks, Billyjimjoebob! You havin' trouble sellin' them bitty furrin cars, you need to get yourself a truck!

Don't matter that we're sellin' the TrailBlazer under five badges now, there's always room for a sixth. An' if'n we sticks that Saab label on it, we kin charge extra an' ain't nobody gonna know.

Heck, coupla folks bought those 9-2X thingamajiggers just las' month. Shucks, they musta been slow as your cousin Bubba. Durn thing tain't nuthin' more than a Subaru Impreza with a new front clip and inflated sticker and nobody wants 'em even as Subarus.

Tell ya what, Billyjimjoebob, if'n you like this here 9-7, we'll put a Saab badge on a Chevy Avalanche and you can watch the sales jus' roll right in.

Pretty soon, we can fergit about them Swedes and their little cars and you can be a full-time Saab TRUCK dealer.

SWEET!

Dear Sirs:

I would allow someone to translate that for me. Saab had truck connections in the past;fortunately it carried under Scania name.

[Christian]

Bill, that was scary.

[skunk]

cfesmire said:

Finally, somebody that speaks my language.

Mebbe we should simplifie that there spellin too, spell it like it souns? Howdyall reckon the new Sob would sell?


I guess Saab could always take Oldsmobile's place as an "import fighter." Saab Bravada anyone?

[stanhas87]

skunk said:

I guess Saab could always take Oldsmobile's place as an "import fighter." Saab Bravada anyone?

Dear Skunk:

And that will happen,believe me.

[BillC]

Christian said:

Bill, that was scary.

Hey, I know people who talk like that. But here's what's really scary - there's a major corporation that thinks like that.

Bill C.

[BillC]

Well, I saw Billyjimjoebob's Saab tonight. Saad.

[Markus]

I am wondering about the rednecks how buy such billydingsbumsbrumbrum!

[Christian]

Read a rumor about GM planning to get rid of, i.e. sell the problem, which they immediately denied. Who would take Saab anyway? I also believe, if for nothing else, they need the factory for the Cadillac BLS (gigantic flop coming up? I think so!).

Actually I am not entirely against a Saab SUV. Never thought I'd say that ... but think about it. Saab is too small a manufacturer to exist on its own these days, and they can't develop new Saabs from scratch - that would be a waste of money. If anyone wants them to survive he has to accept badge-engineered Chevrolets/Holdens/Opels. The only crucial point in this is how clever it is done.

[stanhas87]

Dear Christian:

This is right on today's automotive World. Traditional makes such as Lotus,Jaguar,Rolls Royce,Bentley and others were taken by the gigantic players.

Yet, some small concerns still remain altough these can not manufacture a good amount of vehicles,are mostly obscure and may disappear tomorrow (such as Avanti,among others).

Nick K

[skunk]

Christian said:

Saab is too small a manufacturer to exist on its own these days, and they can't develop new Saabs from scratch - that would be a waste of money. If anyone wants them to survive he has to accept badge-engineered Chevrolets/Holdens/Opels.

I guess then I would rather see Saab die...

On a slightly different note, I wonder why no Swedish kit car manufacturer has ever offered a kit car Saab Sonett? I should think that especially the 1956 Sonett I would be interesting for many Saab fans. Possibly an Alfa Boxer four would fit under that low bonnet as well?