Date: Sun, 06 Mar 2005 12:20:50 GMT From: Johannes H Andersen <johsnospamssssssssssssssssizefitter.com> Subject: Re: 4x4 Saab's - Do you think GM demanding a 'Saab SUV' will work?
Craig's NG900 Site wrote: > > Hi everyone, > > Normally I post about C900's, as you know. This is quite a departure from my > regular subject-matter. 8-) > > I'm very concerned that GM are trying to re-engineer Saab into become 'just > another American car company' by forcing Saab into producing types of > vehicles which are completely out of the 'arena' in which Saab has built > it's business and would have no problem continuing to develop should the > company have not been violated and interfered with by a meddling US-based > multi-national organisation such as GM. > > SUV's are not, and can never, be regarded truly as prestige vehicles no > matter how much 'luxury' gets built into them without extremely radical > re-thinking of the concept. They're resource-chewing machines that will > consume precious fossil fuels and require masses of fossil-fuel-derived > components at much higher rates that any convential type of vehicle. Not to > mention how much more dangerous they are on the road in terms of risk to > other people and road users. There is definitely a trend towards prestige 4x4. You see shining new examples speeding around London motorways every day, not a peck of mud to be seen. Particularly BMW-X5 (0-60 in 6 sec with a massive engine), Porsche Cayenne, Volvo XC90, VW Toureg with massive V10 diesel. The Nissan Murano is just advertised on the telly. Everybody is in on the act, it seems. It has become the new middle class status symbol. Not surprising that GM/Saab wants a piece of the action. There cars are of course hugely wasteful for what their main use as boulevard cruisers.
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