What's your definition of a "fad" car? The 99 and 900 (really two iterations of the same basic vehicle) were sold for 24 years in the U.S., and were constantly improved until 1990. Yes, it was "long in the tooth" in its last few years, but is that a "fad" car? If so, I bet SAAB wishes it had a "fad" car to sell now! I don't define a 24-year run as either a fad or a failure.

Second, I don't believe that the 99/900 was "horribly expensive to make," in comparison to other cars, until its last few years of production. When production started in the late 1960s, its production costs were competitive with other cars in the same price class, such as the Volvo 140. The reason it became more expensive to produce was because of its long run - SAAB was still producing it when other car companies had gone to more efficient production methods and cheaper materials that could not be used on the C900 because of its older design. Double A-arm front suspensions cost more to make than MacPherson struts. But they hold up better!

Third, I don't give a damn about "exclusivity." I simply want a car that has features that I want and like, and SAAB, in the past, has had more of those features that I want than any other car I've tried. That's why I've owned 13 of them over the past 38 years (yes, I know that gives away my age, so now you can call me an old curmudgeon as well). SAAB has the features I want and like, Opel doesn't (yes, I have driven Opels numerous times when in Europe). I have no problem with Opel and SAAB being designed jointly and sharing parts, as long as SAAB maintains some of its individuality and, what I think is its superior design over Opel. But if SAAB becomes merely an Opel with a SAAB griffin badge, then I want no part of that.

I just want great SAABs, too, but I guess I am cynical of GM's ability or willingness to keep SAAB great - it tends to be a company of committee designs and bean-counter finances (Bob Lutz is only one man, and he is in his 70s), and based on some of their past decisions, I am reluctant to believe that SAAB, the automobile, will be "all right" under the GM hand. If I am wrong and GM/Opel produce great SAABs, believe me, I will be thrilled.



posted by 65.204....

• Food for thought... Saab, GM, & Ford (long rant), Allen K, Tue, 14 Jan 2003 00:22:32
  • One detail, Wes Miller, Tue, 14 Jan 2003 15:52:58
  • Re: Food for thought... Saab, GM, & Ford (long rant), jp, Tue, 14 Jan 2003 12:29:03
  • Long Counter (?) Rant, Justin VanAbrahams , Tue, 14 Jan 2003 12:24:01
    • Good points, best, KB. n/m, KB88900T, Tue, 14 Jan 2003 17:44:34
    • Not sure about that --, Pete Saab 9-5, Tue, 14 Jan 2003 12:43:40
      • Re: Not sure about that --, RS , Tue, 14 Jan 2003 15:05:51
      • Exactly..., Justin VanAbrahams , Tue, 14 Jan 2003 14:36:43
  • GM and Saab, Dinger, Tue, 14 Jan 2003 09:39:31
    • It's a little like beer..., Noel, Tue, 14 Jan 2003 13:34:16
      • oh and...., Dinger, Tue, 14 Jan 2003 14:36:17
      • and at the same time it's nothing like beer..., Dinger, Tue, 14 Jan 2003 14:19:58
        • Re: nothing like beer--more like a commodity..., Noel, Tue, 14 Jan 2003 19:03:24
    • Ding, Ding, Dinger - we have a winner!, VP, Tue, 14 Jan 2003 12:02:57
      • "Don't know about running a business" ..., Eli5, Tue, 14 Jan 2003 12:48:52
    • Re: GM and Saab, Steve L, Tue, 14 Jan 2003 10:09:01
      • Thanks you for proving my point >>, Dinger, Tue, 14 Jan 2003 13:58:39
        • Re: Thanks you for proving my point >>, Steve L, Tue, 14 Jan 2003 17:33:25 <-- Viewing This Message
          • Dinger & Bruce, don't you remember..., Greg Netzner, Tue, 14 Jan 2003 19:39:35
            • Re: Dinger & Bruce, don't you remember..., Steve L, Wed, 15 Jan 2003 10:23:09
          • Excellent points! Best, KB. n/m, KB88900T, Tue, 14 Jan 2003 17:52:13
      • The C900 WAS a failure, Bruce, Tue, 14 Jan 2003 11:08:40
        • Re: The C900 WAS a failure, RS , Tue, 14 Jan 2003 11:47:54
    • No, it is not hard to admit, Eli5, Tue, 14 Jan 2003 09:56:27
  • You miss the point..., pursang, Tue, 14 Jan 2003 09:28:59
    • Shared platforms & engines, Pete Saab 9-5, Tue, 14 Jan 2003 09:50:37
    • You can still buy a Jag? Where?, Dinger, Tue, 14 Jan 2003 09:48:46
      • Thank You!, Brian, Tue, 14 Jan 2003 10:02:52
        • Uh, no, Justin VanAbrahams , Tue, 14 Jan 2003 11:30:25
          • OK- my bad on the S-Type..., Brian, Tue, 14 Jan 2003 11:48:25
        • XJ and XK are still produced aren't they? n/m, Eli5, Tue, 14 Jan 2003 10:05:56
          • Yes..., Brian, Tue, 14 Jan 2003 10:24:21
  • The difference is, Eli5, Tue, 14 Jan 2003 08:40:11
  • nitpick... early 90's audis: gen 1 S4 and V8 amazing!, Martin, Tue, 14 Jan 2003 00:49:12
    • I'll second that (Audis)..., Eric Law, Tue, 14 Jan 2003 09:28:24
      • I'll second that again (Audis)..., Terraplanem, Tue, 14 Jan 2003 11:47:47

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