Saab dies again ? | FerrariChat

Saab dies again ?

Discussion in 'General Automotive Discussion' started by [email protected], Dec 18, 2009.

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  1. andy2175m4@yahoo.com

    [email protected] Formula Junior

    Dec 7, 2008
    473
    Los Angeles, CA
    Full Name:
    Andy Rein
    I saw an article on Business Week webpage lamenting the demise of Saab. GM cannot keep it afloat, and like Pontiac, Oldsmobile and Saturn, will fold.

    The article made it sound like a tragedy, and I know one guy who lives in Korea that will be bummed, but there have been so many car brands that have come and gone in the last 100 years, that it just seems like a natural evolution: I am not a car nut, but I can think of so many many car brands that have come and gone: pierce arrow, plymouth, edsel, amc, nash, rambler, packard, studebaker, reo speedwagon, cord, willeys, hudson, frazier, kaiser, tucker, the list goes on and on.
     
  2. TheMayor

    TheMayor Nine Time F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Feb 11, 2008
    98,534
    Vegas baby
    Born from Jets.... Killed by morons
     
  3. CliffBeer

    CliffBeer Formula 3

    Apr 3, 2005
    2,198
    Seattle, Washington
    Full Name:
    Cliff
    You would think that somebody could at least put the brand to good use in exchange for some modest amount of money/equity. Automobile brands are pretty portable these days -it's almost just a matter of putting a different badge on the front of the car, and banner at the dealership. Saab could be a european upscale brand for an indian or chinese car company for example, giving them ready brand recognition and a european presence. If Tata Motors made a more delux car to go after the mid-part of the market, they might have more success with a Saab badge on the hood than "Tata."

    Presumably people at GM have thought through these sort of things, and made the right inquiries in order to see if some amount of money/equity can be had for assigning the brand rights. But, frankly, with all the turmoil at GM, who's actually doing the doing, rather than just talking the talk, is unclear to say the least.
     
  4. climb

    climb F1 Rookie

    Sep 19, 2006
    4,866
    Atlantic Beach Fl
    Full Name:
    Stuart K. Hicks
    #4 climb, Dec 18, 2009
    Last edited: Dec 18, 2009
    Even more so than BMW and Mercedes i'd bet the average Saab owner is a learned, educated and independent minded person. Did GM really think these people wouldn't realize they weren't being sold a rebadged malibu?

    I hope someone buys the name someday and makes cars worthy of the marque.
     
  5. FF8929

    FF8929 Formula Junior

    Apr 12, 2008
    799
    Livonia, Michigan
    Full Name:
    Fred Flynn
    Most, if not all, of the car brands that died, did so at "home". Meaning that they were still a part of the original "parent company" when they died. Now what were seeing, is a brand bought by some other company, sucked dry, and then dumped.
    Also, unfathomable to me is, Germany owns Rolls Royce and India owns Jaguar!
     

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