My SAAB 9-5 just became Swedish and something inside me stirred. In case you missed the news today, Koenigsegg Group is set to buy SAAB from GM. What stirred? I don’t know exactly, but I’d liken it to patriotism or national pride.
True that I’m an American born and bred, but after more than 15 years in Sweden I’ve found a fondness for my host country and I have been quietly rooting for SAAB through the doom and gloom of the fall of GM.
Me and SAABs go way back to my childhood home and neighbors. The guy living in the house behind us and my friend’s parents up the street both had SAABs which looked probably a lot like this. I thought they were the most horrifically ugly cars out there. Probably second only to the Volvo 240 the neighbor across the street had. Yet, somehow in the early 90s the convertible won my heart. I guess living in Sweden has helped me get over and remaining prejudices. I could even own a Volvo today, though that’s not Swedish yet.
I am not sure that Koenigsegg will be able to ever make SAAB profitable. Why would he when no one else has succeeded in most of the car’s modern history? But I am pleased that it is now in Swedish hands again. And if anyone could pull it out of the crusher it’s probably some eccentric, high performance car designer with big ambitions.
And a sense of Swedish pride.
I got me some Swedish pride.
And a Swedish car.
Tags: koenignsegg, saab, sweden
When GM “invested” in Saab, it seemed to suck the soul out of the company. This change should improve Saab’s character, but what will it do in the short term to stop the bleeding? I’d hate to see it leave the US market, but with all the other car companies stressing exclusive dealership status, I don’t think Saab can stand on its own in the US. Maybe if it consolidates into the European market and tuned up the designs, it can stay big enough to keep the plants busy but small enough to develop a niche market again. The design masters need to start thinking out of the box again like they did with the original 900.
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Well, I think they are capable of doing that..But I also think that it would take time before it becomes tangible. Saab has known GM as its parents for long arduous years and people have known it as such. The latter will be harder to please.
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