Sucks for Saab...

[dd74]

Koenigsegg backs out of Saab purchase.

Official: Koenigsegg Backs Out Of Saab Purchase | NextAutos.com and Winding Road

And I was hopeful because a Swedish company (Koenigsegg) was buying the brand, that we'd see something close to the Saabs of the early days before GM watered the car down.

Oh well, too bad...

[onewhippedpuppy]

Damn, that sucks. I felt the same way about a Swedish company buying Saab, I was hopeful they could bring back some of the quirky goodness that made Saabs special.

[RWebb]

I hpoe it survives. I had a 99E way back when and it was a sturdy lil' mutha.

[dd74]

Originally Posted by RWebb

I hpoe it survives. I had a 99E way back when and it was a sturdy lil' mutha.

Yeah. My cousin had an '82 Turbo. Drove it from L.A. to Berkeley. That was a great car. Fast, well behaved, excellent ride.

A girl I worked with had a GM-era Saab that was just a unmitigated POS, especially with the electrical system.

[tcar]

Bob Sinclair, head of SAAB USA before GM, said that the biggest mistake GM made was not making the cars ugly enough.

Well, and the SubaruSAAB and the TahoeSAAB...

I've owned 4 different Turbos, last one a Viggen. Loved those cars.

Too bad. I was trying to figure out how a company with less than 100 employees (Koenig) was going to run a full-blown auto manufacturer.

[The Gaijin]

Originally Posted by dd74

Yeah......Drove it from L.A. to Berkeley. That was a great car. Fast, well behaved, excellent ride.

Loved that movie!

[dd74]

The uglier the better. Aesthetics (or a lack thereof) were part of the car's character. I thought the looks were endearing, much like the 911.

[The Gaijin]

Originally Posted by dd74

....I thought the looks were endearing, much like the 911.

Oh my. I do agree.

[Dave L]

Originally Posted by tcar

Bob Sinclair, head of SAAB USA before GM, said that the biggest mistake GM made was not making the cars ugly enough.

Well, and the SubaruSAAB and the TahoeSAAB...

I've owned 4 different Turbos, last one a Viggen. Loved those cars.

Too bad. I was trying to figure out how a company with less than 100 employees was going to run a full-blown auto manufacturer.

The Saabaru is probably the most reliable out of any of the Saab's though.

[dd74]

Originally Posted by The Gaijin

Oh my. I do agree.

Nothing ugly there.

[dd74]

Originally Posted by Dave L

The Saabaru is probably the most reliable out of any of the Saab's though.

Which Saab was the Saabaru? The C30? That's a hot little car.

[jurhip]

C30? joke? - try 9-2x (I own one).

This does kinda suck. I don't care who owns them but my thought was Koenigafjha;cnui, could have produced a small market enthusiasts car, like a BMW without all the gimmicks.

Lately it seems I need a separate car for everything I do. Camping - need an SUV, groceries - CUV, fun - two seater sports car with zero trunk.
If I win the lottery perhaps this may work. For now, I need a nice tidy wagon (RWD or AWD) with good handling, decent smooth torquey engine, a manual trans and excellent visibility. Nobody produces this for under $35K anymore.

[tcar]

Originally Posted by dd74

Which Saab was the Saabaru? The C30? That's a hot little car.

The C30 is a Volvo.

Maybe you're thinking of the SAAB 9-1 concept.

Saab 9-1 Concept to Geneva

The Saabaru is a Subaru WRX with upgraded interior, SAAB grille, etc. Only produced for two years, I think.

[dd74]

Originally Posted by jurhip

C30? joke? - try 9-2x (I own one).

Oh, now I see what you're talking about. Darn! That's a sweet little car. I think I've seen only two or three in L.A.

[tomphot]

Hope it survives - I've owned 3 Saabs in the past.

[onewhippedpuppy]

My 900SE and 9000 Aero were both great cars. 30 MPG+, fast, great ride, plenty of room. Personally I thought they started going downhill when they quit making hatchbacks. My sister-in-law has a 2003 9-3, it's a decent car to drive but doesn't have the same character. It has also had a few annoying electrical problems.

[tabs]

Either GM closed the whole thing down..thus relagating SAAB to the scrap heap of marquess of the past..or the Chinese buy it, or the Swedish govt pick it up....

My guess is that no one will pick it up in this climate of malise...

[Tobra]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

My 900SE and 9000 Aero were both great cars. 30 MPG+, fast, great ride, plenty of room. Personally I thought they started going downhill when they quit making hatchbacks. My sister-in-law has a 2003 9-3, it's a decent car to drive but doesn't have the same character. It has also had a few annoying electrical problems.

yup, had a friend in podiatry school with the 9 million turbo as I liked to refer to it, 4 door hatch. I liked the funky center key placement in the Saab, that was an impressive vehicle, fast, sweet handling and would carry 4 full sized dudes in comfort.

I always liked Saabs in general, buddy in college had an old 99 that was most impressive on snowy roads, another had a Sonnet, quite the groovy little car, tiny.

[RWebb]

corn poppers...

[McLovin]

SAAB made some cool, quirky cars. But the last of those was a long time ago, in a different era in the car business. SAAB isn't what it was a long time ago, and never can be again, it can never survive on its own again. It deserves to die with dignity.