Goodbye Saab...
- Thread starter orange71
- Start date
Agency_Scum
Retrobike Rider
- Feedback
- View
Would there be as big a backlash if the governments of the world announced " Right, we've decided to kill all the city bankers? "
This is crazy! This is a bloody good car company with an astonishing history and track record ( unlike Rover ) that's going to the wall because a soooper huge company had a glitch in it's profits ( because the American banks started lending to chavs ) and wanted to remain to appear to be a soooper huge company. BLOODY DAFT!!!
This is crazy! This is a bloody good car company with an astonishing history and track record ( unlike Rover ) that's going to the wall because a soooper huge company had a glitch in it's profits ( because the American banks started lending to chavs ) and wanted to remain to appear to be a soooper huge company. BLOODY DAFT!!!
Can't say I agree (even as a current Saab owner). GM made insufficient investment in marketing and under-engineered most of them. As such they were like Rover, in that they traded on their past glories.
The 9-5 used the floorpan off the 9000 - a very good car when designed...in 1985. The 900s and 9-3 used Cavalier / Vectra floorpans which made them unremarkable.
Compare with Audi, where the investment in the A4 proved a very effective way to sell a Golf in a pretty dress for BMW money.
I think it just proves that GM (the McDonalds of cars) totally failed to understand branding and product management. Mind, Ford got itself into a similar pickle with Jaguar.
The 9-5 used the floorpan off the 9000 - a very good car when designed...in 1985. The 900s and 9-3 used Cavalier / Vectra floorpans which made them unremarkable.
Compare with Audi, where the investment in the A4 proved a very effective way to sell a Golf in a pretty dress for BMW money.
I think it just proves that GM (the McDonalds of cars) totally failed to understand branding and product management. Mind, Ford got itself into a similar pickle with Jaguar.
Agency_Scum
Retrobike Rider
- Feedback
- View
Thanks for putting me straight there ( and not showing me up for the dickhead I must have sounded like! 
). So you're saying that they got screwed by GM the same way Rover did by BMW?
). So you're saying that they got screwed by GM the same way Rover did by BMW?
GM were uninspired and had their own problems, so also couldn't allocate too much to SAAB.
The example with Audi is well choosen. Audi had to come from further I think, as it was perceived near premium to some extend, but also lacking very much face. Billions and billions are invested over decades to bring were it is now. Read Piech saying a couple years ago he wouldn't do it again. Would have been easier to start a new brand.
I tend to rate the 9-5 higher that the ng900/1st 9-3. At least in the 9-5 the SAAB typical values of safety and solidity were better represented, while the ng900/1st 9-3 simply lacked substantially. Among the things the 9-5 lacked were being versatile and character/unique design solutions.
The example with Audi is well choosen. Audi had to come from further I think, as it was perceived near premium to some extend, but also lacking very much face. Billions and billions are invested over decades to bring were it is now. Read Piech saying a couple years ago he wouldn't do it again. Would have been easier to start a new brand.
I tend to rate the 9-5 higher that the ng900/1st 9-3. At least in the 9-5 the SAAB typical values of safety and solidity were better represented, while the ng900/1st 9-3 simply lacked substantially. Among the things the 9-5 lacked were being versatile and character/unique design solutions.
I seem the remember that in the early 90's Audi (at least in Germany) were regarded as sort-of posh Fords - mass market but nicely put together, with a squirt of exotic from the Quattro...
...20 years later Audi's consistent approach has landed them in the top drawer, even though there is still a VW underneath!
So much so that all the plonkers round here drive Audis and the A4 seems to be the photocopier sales rep's transport of choice. They always seem to be the ones tailgating me these days!
...20 years later Audi's consistent approach has landed them in the top drawer, even though there is still a VW underneath!
So much so that all the plonkers round here drive Audis and the A4 seems to be the photocopier sales rep's transport of choice. They always seem to be the ones tailgating me these days!
6:15 pm UK time live stream press conference overhere >>>
http://www.rtl.nl/components/financien/ ... m/insb.xml
Subject: Sale of SAAB to Spyker Cars
http://www.rtl.nl/components/financien/ ... m/insb.xml
Subject: Sale of SAAB to Spyker Cars
