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As a person who has owned 4 SAABs, all under the GM years I can say that to me these are the real SAABs of my generation. I've loved these cars, there are little things I would change if I could but I could say same about other vehicles I have owned as well.
Anyway GM has painted themselves into a corner, we can cry and complain about it but after that it is what it is. As a business under intense pressure now what choices do THEY really have?
1. Keep SAAB in business and afloat in hopes the situation turns around- OK, it is bleeding money and sales are in the toilet. The rest of the non SAAB world and US gov't will criticize them for keeping it and saving 3400 jobs in Sweden is not exactly high on the average US persons priority list. The traditional SAAB faithful will yell foul if they don't believe the new SAABs are real SAABs so they won't buy them, then it still ends up withering away unless they can pull in a new generation of buyers which would require a massive marketing campaign for the new products developed. It's not an option at this point.
2. Sell SAAB - any deal will be complex in that the new buyer has to be able to sell product to survive, the products in the pipeline were all developed with GM suppling components in mind. Who will buy the new SAABs in the numbers required? The new ownership will still not have totally won over the faithful with the product because the immediate products are GM based and the current products are regularly bashed as not being SAABish enough. Is anyone here who really doesn't like the car going to spend $40 or $50K of their own money on to save a car company? Additionally GM wouldn't be able to cut the ties but would still be working with the the new owners, if the new owner fails GM would still be left holding part of the bag so it is in their interest to get a buyer who can make it work for at least 5 years while GM gradually pulls out. The new owner will need a lot of money to cover the losses and expenses. Honestly Spyker seems like a longshot in this sense. Koenigsegg looked more promising but even that was a little shaky.
3. Shelve the brand, sell the physical assets like buildings or maybe keep production there for other GM products, eat the new product development costs or convert them over to other nameplates and shift production (new 9-5 could be a Buick or Caddy, for example). Maybe sell the branding off later if it will bring anything.
Really I personally don't see any good outcome to this whole thing short of a real heavy hitter stepping in like BMW or M-B or VW and that would be big surprise. I hope SAAB is not done but it is hard to stay hopeful given the current situation.
posted by 68.200.45...
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