The end of days for Saab

[xpensive]

There goes Saab, anywone but me who feels sorrow?

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

[sebbe]

Well, I feel sorry not only for the brand, but also for the families that once again face the uncertainty of not knowing what's going to happen with their jobs.

I've got a 900NG and I absolute love it; my family and friends are delighted with him too.
I remember how exciting was visiting the Museum in Trollhättan, being surrounded by every model ever built, the cars that actually took part in many many races, the concept cars...

The worst part is that any of Saab owners, right from the beginning to the end, understood what the company was all about.

I rather see the company disappear than being betrayed again and again by its owners and politicians.

Länge leve konungen från Trollhättan!

[Mr Alcatraz]

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!

[xpensive]

Don't know if we ever done much right over the past 200 years, but someone must have banged her mother ?

http://www.victoriasilvstedt.com/Home/t ... fault.aspx

[Jeffsvilleusa]

Taken from the racing quotes thread:

"Women rule our lives, don't they?"

-Fangio

[Mr Alcatraz]

Don't know if we ever done much right over the past 200 years, but someone must have banged her mother ?

http://www.victoriasilvstedt.com/Home/t ... fault.aspx

Beside the fact that she is ultra-hot,
I find this part of her Biography most enlightening. I wonder how different things may have been (if at all) had she followed the athlete path:

She was raised with, and maintains, her families’ sensibilities to appreciate discipline, hard work and community. A gifted athlete, Victoria became a world-class member of the Swedish National Ski Team, ranking as high as fourth among her future Olympian teammates in the Super-Giant Slalom.

A devastating shoulder injury prematurely ended Victoria’s Olympic dreams at the age of 16. But that was just the beginning of her career. Although at the time she was a complete teenage tomboy who had never even worn a pair of high heel shoes, Victoria’s mother and sister secretly entered her into the 1993 Miss Sweden Beauty Pageant.

Never backing down from a challenge, Victoria strapped on heels for the first time in her life and walked tentatively across the pageant stage. Victoria’s hard work and discipline helped prepare her for most things in life, but needless to say, she was surprised and overjoyed when she was declared the winner. The downhill skiing MISS SWEDEN 1993 was on her way to the Miss World Pageant in South Africa!

[andrew]

Don't know if we ever done much right over the past 200 years, but someone must have banged her mother ?

Well according to that song by The Stranglers, Sweden is the only county where the clouds are intresting. So you guys have Ms Silvstedt, interesting clouds and St Ivel butter. I think that makes up for Abba (my word, a chill just went down my spine at the mention of Abba, there it goes again. No one mention Abba, bloody shiver).

Seriously though, very sad news about Saab and I feel sorry for those who look like not being paid and ending up out of work. Speaking from my current situation, unemployment and living on a fraction of what I am used too is extremely depressing.

So let's reminice about our experiences in a Saab. My Dad had a couple of Saabs many moons ago, back when they still looked like Saabs and not just a bland saloon. The first one was before my time but the second one was on the go until I was 3. Lovely faded green colour is was! Good cars by all accounts though.

[xpensive]

The Swedish unions have today threatened to request Swedish Automobile, the owners of Saab cars, to be declared bancrupt, unless outstanding salaries are paid this week.

Wonder how much the Spyker-scoundrel made out of this circus?

[nacho]

Very sad.

The new 9-5 looks great, and with the BMW engine deal they would have very good engines in every way. They should have tried to get SAAB merged with someone else than Spyker, everyone saw it will never work.

[Richard]

I hope not, but expect so.

[HampusA]

There goes Saab, anywone but me who feels sorrow?

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

No, i´m swedish and to me it feels like torturing someone every time they are about to die.

Just let it die. There´s obvious problems in the white coat part of the company.
It´s a shame because Saab with the former Ferrari designer could have re-borned the company.

[HampusA]

If there´s a market for it then someone will create replica parts.
I´m sure SAAB has a massive warehouse aswell.

The problem with SAAB is the cars are not very good in the first place and they don´t follow the general car-making schedule other manufacturers have.

SAAB is a very innovative company and likes to do stuff differently, which is good but then you also have to produce cars that is as good as the competition and also release a new generation every 5th year atleast.

I think one 9-5 gen was around for 10 years. Then a ugly facelift came.
then a abit later the new SAAB arrived.

[Richard]

Hampus - Spares are easy, you just pop along t your nearest GM supplier.

The problem for SAAB was that they always came second in the GM pecking order so they were starved of investment and forced to produce GM clones.

The current 93 and new 95 remind me of the Rover 75 & Mini - they produced a model that didn't shake the world, but was good enough to avoid failure - ie the 93 or 75. They took too long to deliver the next model (95 & Mini). The cause of the delay was inept management driven by personal egos (ie GM trying to starve their more intelligent upstart, or the asset stripping money grabbers at Rover)

[HampusA]

What you are forgetting is that GM has not always owned SAAB.
They were dying before that aswell.
SAAB has been living on borrowed time for a very long time.

Regarding parts, yea that is true. Question is how much do they have.
Alot on cars is not even made by the car company in the first place.
Like the turbos on the 3L twin turbo engine from BMW. They are made by Mitsubishi believe it or not

[Richard]

SAAB could only have survived if GM followed the |Mini, Land Rover, Jaguar or Volvo business models - the benefits of a high profile niche brand but the efficiency of a huge mass volume producer (BMW for Mini and Ford/Tata/Geely for Land Rover, Jaguar & Volvo).

Of those, only Mini has long term security by being part of the BMW empire. Land Rover, Jaguar & Volvo are gambling that the asian newcomers will surge ahead of the EU old timers without relocating everything to Asia.

Of those other examples, I'd say Jaguar was as bad as SAAB when bought by Ford in 1990, similar timing to GM buying SAAB in 1989. BMW took on Rover in 1994.

Only Ford managed to help their brands survive and develop a sustainable future. (I'm thinking of Min as a brand new creation by BMW that happens to have an old name)