Koenigsegg will NOT buy Saab…
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After “all that”. They’ve decided not to buy it.
Most of us thought it was almost a done deal. I guess not…
Here is how they explain it:
“The time factor has always been critical for our strategy to breathe new life into the company”.
Whatever that “lawyer dictated statement” means.
It basically means Saab is in big trouble. GM is said to make a decision soon.
Who knows, they might decide to keep it, just like they did with Opel just a few days ago.
At least they didn’t say they’d srcap it right away. Like they did when the Saturn deal went south.
Too bad because Saabs were interesting cars many years ago. Remember the 3 cylinder oil burner and aircraft-inspired structure? Only 7 major moving parts in that engine and roller rod bearings, too. Nice cars those were!
Under GM, Saab ultimately fizzled. Saab has been dead for years, so if GM can't sell it, they should finally bury the corpse.
i love Saabs. one saved my life once. i hope GM can make a good business case to keep it. they have this new 9-5 all ready, and the 9-4X is due very soon too. they'll probably have the best lineup in years, but then again, so did Saturn, and i'll never forget how they developed the Fiero so well and then dropped it when it had really become a decent sports coupe. but i digress, that's the OLD GM. i hope the new GM can make Saab work without selling it to a Chinese mfr.
Opel was a delay tactic…GM was NEVER going to sell Opel…Saab probably the same but Saab has little value to anyone.
I think GM did a fine job with SAAB up until the current 9-3 when the platform sharing diluted the quirkiness. I don't know how a small niche car company like Koenigsegg could have the resources for proper R&D and marketing. I hope Ford also decides to keep Volvo out of the hands of the Chinese.
Who cares?
They currently have two TRUE Saabs. One of which is over 10 years old and about to be replaced, and another is 7 years old.
A brand can't survive on one model.
WRONG AGAIN: "They currently have two TRUE Saabs. One of which is over 10 years old"
That SAAB was a "joint" venture of 3 different car manufacturers: SAAB, FIAT GROUP, and I forget the other…-Peugot/Citroen/Renault?. It's been more like a couple of DECADES since Saab was solely Saab. I actually the GM alliance was just starting to get the old SAAB's uniqueness back on track. Too bad about the economic derailment!
Sad. Saab was the industry leader in so many innovations …. turbo charging, proactive headrests that reacted to crashes etc. I hope they survive, there are brands like Saturn who had no real lineage, but it would be sad to lose a "real" car company like Saab.
SAAB has no money or imagination to survive as a brand. Better to go away. Only a few people will miss it.
Oh well. RIP Saab.
GM is improving their financial situation measurable, and should keep Saab. The new sedan looks like a very good design and would be an asset to the GM portfolio as well as providing another platform for them to launch other cars.