Today is a sad day for Saab. And for Saab owners. The car company looks like it is headed on down the drain.
Recently owned by G.M., about a year ago Spyker Cars bought Saab from General Motors. CEO Victor Muller tried to rescue the company. You can read a complete article at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/19/saab-bankruptcy-automaker_n_1157373.html
I bought a new Saab in December 1966, when the engine was still the popular three-cylinder, two-cycle "corn popper". I was visiting in St. Louis over the holiday week and dropped in at the Saab garage there. A friend in Chicago owned a Saab and always spoke highly of it.
It literally was a garage, with a store-front for 2-3 new cars. The owner (and mechanic) took one look at me and asked if I'd ever driven one, saying "They drive funny." So he sent me out for a test drive and I bought it for $1,800 when I returned to his garage.
It was a great car, and I drove it until it gave out at 100,000 miles in Kansas City on a trip. I replaced it with a Volvo and then with a 1976 Buick Regal, which lasted 12 years and 210,000 miles. A Nissan Stanza provided the next 200,000 miles until 1999.
Some deal might still be made to keep the Saab company in one piece. Let's hope it doesn't get cannibalized. The fly in the ointment on the deal seems to be patents held by General Motors, which fears that a Chinese buyer might use G.M. technology against G.M. in the car wars of the future.
You never know who is interested…
3 months ago
7 comments:
Not to be confused with SAAB AB the maker of fine airplanes including fighter jets. One name, two companies http://www.saabgroup.com/en/
BTW I am sure I posted under this story but it showed on another
I apologize for the erroneous posting of your comment under a different article. Google automatically places the comment. Feel free to delete your comment from under the other article, or I'll find it and delete it, if you wish. Thanks for calling this glitch to my attention.
Dont know too much about SAAB, but if you look at the current state of nmotor vehicles, so many look the same... all trying to vie for our bucks.
One less mfr won't kill the industry. Doh.
In my opinion, Saab was one of the first "safe" cars, designed with occupant safety in mind. As I recall from advertising in the 1960s, it was built with a "cage" to keep occupants safe - collapsible fenders, auto body strength, etc., on the model of its jet aircraft design for safety.
Strange how people say “BUY AMERICAN”. They think driving the big three; GM Ford and Chrysler are AMERICAN. Well think again. Most the “FOREIGN cars companies employ more AMERICANS than the big three. Toyota and Honda have more parts made in the USA than GM. (Source ABC News made in America TV Series) Many GM cars are made overseas or in Canada or Mexico, and are actually rebadged foreign cars.Parts are made in Brazil and Mexico and shipped here for manufacture. Many cars are assembled in Mexico or Canada. Drive a TAHOE or GM Truck. They used to be made in Janesville WI, now thank a Canadian. People think they are driving an American car when in fact many are made under the name of a US company but are foreign made. Ford is the US brand with the greatest percent made mostly here in the USA.
The Buick Regal is actually an OPEL rebadged by GM. Before their demise, many Saturn’s (now defunct) were Opel’s as was the Cadillac Cattera (discontinued)
Chrysler is now owned by FIAT. (Italian) Despite all the Detroit ad BS, anyone driving a Chrysler shouting “BUY AMERICAN” better rethink and understand their money is going to Italy.
People look at someone driving a Honda and say “buy American” as they drive away in their Chevrolet AVEO made in South Korean by GM affiliate Daewoo.
Drive a fine English car such as Jaguar or quality built Swedish Volvo? Think again. Ford sold Volvo to China and Jaguar to TATA of India. Many Volvo’s are now made on the East coast.
BTW the famous Bull Dog MACK Trucks are now part of Volvo. The largest heavy truck manufacture “Freightliner” is owned by Mercedes Benz.
Our country is quickly being gobbled up by foreign companies. THINK PEOPLE !
Volvo is supposed to be one of the safest vehicles now. They look pretty nice too... their cars and SUVs. Unfortunately, until I get a large disability settlement and/or a new liver, I'm stuck with my rustbucket. Doh.
Dear CC,
I dont even know what brand my rustbucket is... all the labelling either fell off or rusted thru. I'll call it American, cuz I drive it and I'm American. Tho some folks think I'm Greek. DOH!
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