Sad days...

[wreckmaster]

Yesterday GM made theire final decision about Saab automobiles: They are closing the brand, the factory and sends over 3000 workers in Trollhattan on the street witout work! This will affect about 8000 workesrs in the western parts of Sweden, including all the industry with sub contractors in the area..
Tough news to get less than a week before christmas eve for all those workers and thire families:( The technology of the old SAAB 9-3 and 9-5 is sold together with production matriell to the chinese BAIC. So these cars will probably reappear under a new name...
What will happend with the new 9-5 which is 100% production ready is yet to be seen... Will probably go into production with a slightly different look under some other GM brand..

R.I.P Saab!!!

[.Lefteris.]

:(

[navy48]

Yes, we here in the U.S. are seeing the effects of GM cutting back as well. Pontiac, Hummer, Saturn and Saab are all going away, putting thousands of plant workers and dealership employees out of work, and as 'wreckmaster' mentioned, not to mention how those cutbacks will hit the vendors. Most vendors supply ALL auto makers, not just GM, Ford or Chrysler. A majority of them work with all of those AND Toyota, Honda and any other manufacturer that has plants in the U.S.

Not a good year at all for those with GM ties. Best of luck to all those affected. :)

[wreckmaster]

In Sweden there is a whole industry surrounding the SAAB factory... I guess some also supply Volvo, but that is all. No other factorys in Sweden:( They estimated that 8000 people will loose theire work because of this:( I kind of understand that such things can happend, but not less than a week before Christmas:( Since it is not a bankrupcy they could have waited until the first week of january:mad:

[navy48]

Don't stick a fork in Saab just yet. I hope for Swedens sake, this time the deal is done.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091220/ap_on_bi_ge/eu_sweden_saab_sale

[wreckmaster]

Don't stick a fork in Saab just yet. I hope for Swedens sake, this time the deal is done.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091220/ap_on_bi_ge/eu_sweden_saab_sale

I just heard the news also:icon_thumleft: Lets hope it turns out OK after all:)

Just wonder if Spyker can run a company that is in so much financial trouble and which is so much larger than Spyker itself? Fingers crossed for SAAB:icon_thumright:

[VilleV]

It would be a real shame to see Saab go!:( Besides, I really like the look of the new 9-5 thas supposed to come out in the near future!

[navy48]

I'm sure that Spyker will do some 'downsizing', but overall I would think they'll be fine. Of course, just because Saab is still around, doesn't mean they will continue to be shipped to the U.S. "If" I were in charge, I would take a serious look at the U.S. market and decide if it is profitable to sell Saabs in the U.S.

IMO, GM ran Saab in the ground, basing some models on the same platform that the Chevy Malibu and Pontiac G6 use. Saab, like Saturn, lost some of it's uniqueness......too bad. Although I've never owned a Saab, I've LOVED them for years, especially the OLD ones! :icon_thumleft:

[VilleV]

^
Yeah, the old 900 is a great "youngtimer", a definitive future classic. They are still everywhere around here and are considered to be really good winter cars! And that´s saying a lot if you´re living in Finland...

[navy48]

For years I worked for a Volvo dealer and had many Volvos, from a 145 to a 242 and 740 Turbo. Like the Saab, great winter cars.

As a car enthusiast, I hate to see ANY manufacturer cease production. I've never been a big GM fan, but of all their lines, the Pontiac Division was my favorite, giving us such famous cars as the original Grand Prix and of course the GTO.

And like most GM vehicles, they became a victim of 'GM Inbreeding'. Unfortunately this Division was killed off.:(

[wreckmaster]

^
Yeah, the old 900 is a great "youngtimer", a definitive future classic. They are still everywhere around here and are considered to be really good winter cars! And that´s saying a lot if you´re living in Finland...

No car smells as nice as the old two stroke original Saab`s:icon_thumleft: I remeber my gather had one many years ago, and that car is still going strong:cool:

[navy48]

This is my favorite Saab...an oldie but goodie! :D

[wreckmaster]

Looks pretty much the same as the one my father had, but it was not an estate and it was older. It was from the early fifthies I think, with the small rear window and two stroke engine:icon_thumleft:

[navy48]

The one I posted was a 1964 model. Of course they all looked alike for many years. If I had the time and the $$$, I would love to find one and restore it.

Any word yet from your part of the world if GM has accepted Spykers offer? I think GM only had until the close of day TODAY to respond, but then that's still 4+ hours away here.

[.Lefteris.]

No car smells as nice as the old two stroke original Saab`s:icon_thumleft:..............
The only problem is that after you drive one for a few days, you and the family smell the same also! :D

[wreckmaster]

The only problem is that after you drive one for a few days, you and the family smell the same also! :D

That`s just a part of the joy of having such a carlol

BTW! How is it going with your SAAB forum Lefteris? These days must be the perfect time to start it:icon_thumleft: Lots of people are intrested in SAAB now:)

[.Lefteris.]

That`s just a part of the joy of having such a carlol

BTW! How is it going with your SAAB forum Lefteris? These days must be the perfect time to start it:icon_thumleft: Lots of people are intrested in SAAB now:)
I only have 2 hands... :(