Wild Ass Rumor of the Day: GM About to Shutter Saab

Robert Farago
by Robert Farago

Well, not so wild ass, obviously. Other than getting sued by disenfranchised Saab
dealers—which isn’t so much of an issue now that Uncle Sam is paying for everything—why wouldn’t GM shutter Saab? When it comes to buying car brands, no one is. Or will be. For a very, very long time. If ever. And GM needs to show its Congressional overlords that it’s doing something about something™. So we’re passing along a tipster’s assertion that yesterday’s resignation of Percy Barnevik from GM’s Board of Directors signals that the axe is about to fall on the Born From Jets brand. The divine Mr. B. was born just (pronounced youst) outside Trollhättan. If he ever wants to show his face in Sweden again, he has to distance himself from the author of Saab’s neglect, abuse and final destruction. You know, GM and its Board of Directors . . . which he joined six years after GM scarfed the Swedish brand, during which time it produced the America-only 9-7x (a TTAC Ten Worst winner). For that alone, I’d be worried.

Robert Farago
Robert Farago

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  • AW AW on Feb 04, 2009

    Great news for Saab, with Swedish bailout money they will succeed. They make solid cars, I own two of them and both gave me minor problems these 9yrs.

  • Nick Nick on Feb 04, 2009

    I am still hoping for a SAAB Volvo union. Note that I say 'hoping' not 'expecting'. They've always been brands I have had a fondness for despite never having owned one.

  • Jerry weber Jerry weber on Feb 05, 2009

    It seems again that Ford was ahead of the curve over GM. They have shed for some money their foreign captives save Mazda which they need and volvo. GM who has held on will get nothing for Saab and will probably have to leave money on the table to get out. But the smartest guy in the World was Zetsche at Daimler; He hung Chrysler on Cerebus, who will also be considered wise men if they can hang it on Uncle Sam. Who will the taxpayers hang chrysler on?

  • Mark93 Mark93 on Feb 05, 2009

    Saab might have only "hundreds" of dealers in the US, but it is not primarily a US brand and has 80% of it's sales in other markets so, it will have to recompense those dealers as well. It could prove quite costly for GM to shutter Saab, and it will get little help from the Swedish government if it does do so. Anyway if GM does decide to shutter Saab, I hope the US government decides to shutter GM.

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