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Checked out
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: On a beach
Posts: 10,127
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What Makes SAABs Great
Apparently, nothing.
SAAB goes the way of the Edsel today. Good riddance. |
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12-18-2009, 11:08 AM
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Registered
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Linn County, Oregon
Posts: 48,515
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The elves of trollhattan are unemployed...Have to admit, I liked the 1st version of the Sonnett...
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"Now, to put a water-cooled engine in the rear and to have a radiator in the front, that's not very intelligent." -Ferry Porsche (PANO, Oct. '73) (I, Paul D. have loved this quote since 1973. It will remain as long as I post here.) |
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12-18-2009, 11:10 AM
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Checked out
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Location: On a beach
Posts: 10,127
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And the prime cookie making season is just ending so they can't be transitioned.
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12-18-2009, 11:11 AM
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I never likes Saabs much but it was a great brand with a loyal following, until GM ruined it. Shame. Our tax dollars at work.
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1979 911 SC Silver 2002 996 race car 2005 Ford Excursion |
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12-18-2009, 11:15 AM
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Information Junky
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: an island, upper left coast, USA
Posts: 73,189
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So... the SAAB story is over?
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Everyone you meet knows something you don't. - - - and a whole bunch of crap that is wrong. Disclaimer: the above was 2¢ worth. More information is available as my professional opinion, which is provided for an exorbitant fee. 
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12-18-2009, 11:16 AM
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Registered
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Linn County, Oregon
Posts: 48,515
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groan
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"Now, to put a water-cooled engine in the rear and to have a radiator in the front, that's not very intelligent." -Ferry Porsche (PANO, Oct. '73) (I, Paul D. have loved this quote since 1973. It will remain as long as I post here.) |
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12-18-2009, 11:22 AM
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Checked out
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: On a beach
Posts: 10,127
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Quote:
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12-18-2009, 11:30 AM
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Information Junky
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: an island, upper left coast, USA
Posts: 73,189
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GM did make them worse. --MUCH worse.
I thought that Saab was doing well when GM bought them. (?) ...sales certainly were good, considering the price.
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Everyone you meet knows something you don't. - - - and a whole bunch of crap that is wrong. Disclaimer: the above was 2¢ worth. More information is available as my professional opinion, which is provided for an exorbitant fee.
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12-18-2009, 11:38 AM
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An interesting article....
GM's Saab brand to wind down - Dec. 18, 2009 I'm curious as to what "undisclosed issues" prevented the sale of Saab to Koenigsegg. Probably some stuff on that balance sheet that didn't look good at all. Here are five lessons GM can take away from the experience, if they have the sense: Five lessons that GM can learn from the Saab debacle - Drive On: A conversation about the cars and trucks we drive - USATODAY.com
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1979 911 SC Silver 2002 996 race car 2005 Ford Excursion |
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12-18-2009, 11:47 AM
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Checked out
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: On a beach
Posts: 10,127
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Quote:
SAAB was already a money-losing company at the time GM took them over in the late 80s. Ultimately, after many years, GM was able to make it profitable for a while, but ultimately not. Yes, GM made a ton of mistakes, but whether the outcome would have eventually been the same is not really known. The car market, marketing, and sales is a lot different in the 21st century than it was in the 20th. There were going to be casualties, no matter what. |
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12-18-2009, 12:17 PM
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Did you get the memo?
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Wichita, KS
Posts: 32,357
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My two pre-GM Saabs were both great cars. Remember, a good many legendary car companies have failed to make money, all the way up to companies like Ferrari and Rolls-Royce. Great cars and profit don't always go hand in hand.
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12-18-2009, 12:20 PM
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unindicted co-conspirator
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Fresno, CA
Posts: 1,660
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so can you buy a SAAB jet to go with your sukhoi 27?
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'03 996 - sport exhaust, sport seats, M030 sport suspension, stability control, IMS Solution ‘86 928S3 - barn find project car |
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12-18-2009, 12:21 PM
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first car ever for me to crack the 125mph was this girls saab 9-3 (?). not bad, but ugly. the keyhole in between the seats had cool factor.
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poof! gone |
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12-18-2009, 01:24 PM
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Small
And Always Broken 
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1979 911SC "Frankencab" Dave |
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12-18-2009, 01:54 PM
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A Man of Wealth and Taste
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Out there somewhere beyond the doors of perception
Posts: 51,063
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Well SAAB is now in the Valhalla of automobile companies.
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Copyright "Some Observer" |
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12-18-2009, 02:01 PM
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Carbon Emitter
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Socialist Republic of California
Posts: 2,129
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Come on now, guys, SAAB made some decent machines in their day. The 9000 turbo was a great alternative to BMWs and their clones, and the 900 SPG was quite sweet...all had a ton of character. In the 80s SAAB was a small company about the size of Porsche...I miss the days when small automakers could survive on thier own. GM ruined SAAB with the Opel 900/9-3, SAABaru, and SAABlazer. If those are what you are saying "good riddance" to, then, well, yes.
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12-18-2009, 02:52 PM
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Model Citizen
Join Date: May 2007
Location: The Voodoo Lounge
Posts: 18,854
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It's a sad day when any niche car company bites the dust. I haven't been interested in them in years, (and neither have many others, apparently) but they made some pretty interesting cars.
Maybe BMW will resurrect the Sonnet in 10 years with a modern 2 seater.
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"I would be a tone-deaf heathen if I didn't call the engine astounding. If it had been invented solely to make noise, there would be shrines to it in Rome" |
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12-18-2009, 03:18 PM
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I can't speak for anyone else's car, but my rust-free '86 900T would cruise at 130 mph while carrying a sofa in the back and getting 28 mpg. It had 300k miles on it and still running strong, burning no oil when I donated it to charity.
My Carrera should last so long. -e.
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Black Widow Blk on Blk '86 911 "...the secret to Porsche: we do things others cannot" |
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12-18-2009, 03:24 PM
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Banned
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: South of Heaven
Posts: 21,159
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Quote:
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12-18-2009, 06:07 PM
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Banned
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: South of Heaven
Posts: 21,159
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Quote:
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12-18-2009, 06:08 PM
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2015 
1975 Porsche 911S
2001 Porsche 911 Carrera
1987 Porsche 924S
1969 Porsche 912
1972 Porsche 911T
1979 Porsche 911SC
2007 Porsche Cayman
2017 Porsche Macan GTS
Black Widow
