A True SAAB Story

The 2012 Saab 9-4x SUV

I have to shed a tear over the little Swedish automaker Saab. I was Saab enthusiast and it makes me very sad to see such a quirky little company be killed off, especially when they were on verge of making some of the most beautiful cars ever. The new Saab 9-4x was just Cadillac SRX but the Saab looked so much better with its soft voluptuous styling it made just want to give it a hug every time I saw one. The other new car that Saab had was the newly redesigned SAAB 9-5 and I have to be honest I cannot see one of those cars without having a crisis, for those of you who don’t know what a crisis is think about in terms of a Victorian romance novel when the fair maiden goes off to the extremely good looking stable to the barn…but any way I personally did not think that new 9-5 could not get any better until I saw the new wagon version and I just love a good a wagon but sadly that never saw production as it was due is showrooms in September and production of all new SAABs was halted in August.

2012 Saab 9-5 Estate Rearview

             Saab has always been a misfit in the automotive market place. It was founded in 1948 as a subsidiary of Svenska Aeroplan Aktibolget or Swedish Aeroplane Limited now also known as SAAB, the company was founded because the airplane manufacturers only produced fighter planes and wanted to diversify its portfolio after the need for fighter planes ended post World War Two.  SAAB airplanes owned the company until 1969 when SAAB automotive merged with Swedish commercial vehicle manufacture Scania. Under the SAAB-Scania, we were given such hits as the 99, 9000, and the beautiful cult classic 900, which can  be likened to the BMW M3, only you do not have to be a complete ass of jacks  to own one. Then in 1989 the 50 percent of Saab Automotive was bought by General Motors which was a very good thing because it improved reliability and brought the cars closer to the mainstream market, even though they will still just outside the main current which in my mind made them all the more appealing because I personally do not like to have the same car as everyone else in the neighborhood.



The iconic Saab 900



             Then in 2000 the remainder of the company was also purchased by General Motors and for about nine and a half years life was good for Saab they were protected from the harsh reality of the automotive industry. But when the bottom fell out of the economy General Motors began restructuring and SAAB was the only company to be sold privately and live on…unlike other GM companies of Saturn, Hummer and Pontiac. The buyer was Swedish Automobiles which also produce the Spyker super cars, but they also had money issues. Many of the private financer deals fell through for Swedish cars and it looked like in October SAAB would be shuttered but a company came from China and was willing to help the company along. In all honesty it looked like Saab was going to make but like most deaths it was the calm before the storm, GM needed to approve this purchase and they would not because of a fear of technology leaking onto the Chinese market, and with the deal denied the Chinese company left. Today Saab filed for bankruptcy and will mostly like close.

2011 Saab 9-5 Sedan

There is still a brief glimmer of hope, like when the US government bailed out the US auto industry I hope that the Swedish government will be will to do the same, because the closing of Saab automotive would be detrimental to the region were the company is based, so all we can do now is hope that SAAB will rise from the ashes like a phoenix like GM and Dodge, it most likely will not however and will be a part of the big automotive industry in the sky, and when that I happens you will most likely find me sobbing of my fount stoop over the loss of SAAB.