RIP: GM To Saab, "...And Don't Let The Door Hit You On The Way Out"

In a rather unfortunate turn of events, the Saab brand shall live nevermore.

It's a shame really, too. What is shocking is how the General Motors team can just turn their backs on the organization after supposedly four offers were made. From a business perspective, GM probably just did not want to shoulder anymore of the burden that would last from a company not willing to take 100 percent of its operations over.

As we saw in December's sales, the Saab brand wound up selling less than 900 cars in the final month of 2009.

So, you cannot entirely blame them. Saab was not exactly a runaway hit in the States.

For more details, read below...

The Detroit News reports:

"General Motors Co. has received four offers for its Swedish carmaker Saab, but, in an ominous sign, it said it had retained the restructuring firm AlixPartners to supervise "an orderly wind-down" of the struggling unit.

GM said it was looking at the proposals it had received for Saab and added that "the evaluation is not affected by the appointment of AlixPartners."

But its dual-track initiatives underscored the impression that the U.S. automaker was not confident in the bids coming in for the Swedish carmaker. It had set a Thursday deadline for proposals and a source close to the company said four offers were submitted..."

fatandsassy - 1/8/2010 5:03:49 PM

+2 Boost

will the NEW 9-5 ever be rebadged into a new GM vehicle because that would be a shame. Sales of 3 series convertibles just jumped with out the 9-3 convertible.
AH - I never liked the darn cars anyway.

MSP6 - 1/8/2010 7:06:31 PM

+3 Boost

I think that all bidders where looking for an opportunity that GM was not in position to offer. All bidders where asking to produce GM cars unders license, or to have GM build the cars for them. The only serious bidder, Koenigsegg, was only serious because it was to be a partnership with magna. As we all know, the Magna deal collapsed, so did the Koenigseg deal. GM was looking for a sale of all SAABs operation, GM was not looking to become the sub-contractor of the new tenant (as they are doing with HUMMER, difference is new HUMMER tenant is financially trustable).

Even the chinese have not showed interest in SAAB, its technology and its dealer network. That only shows how bad the SAABs situation was.

Its sad, but business is business. I think GM made the right decision.

EL34 - 1/9/2010 3:19:28 AM

+3 Boost

Agent00R, What SAAB is that in the photo?

Agent00R - 1/9/2010 10:45:16 AM

+2 Boost

Looks like an early Saab 9_ to me...

AgentOrange - 1/9/2010 1:00:12 PM

+1 Boost

Thanks Captain Obvious...

theoptimisticpessimist - 1/9/2010 1:12:57 PM

+2 Boost

Looks to be a Fifties Saab 92

theoptimisticpessimist - 1/9/2010 1:03:44 PM

+1 Boost

GM sucks!

Airliner - 1/9/2010 2:47:14 PM

+1 Boost

Here's a SAAB thats not going away.
[img]http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/aircraft-pictures/Gripendemolarge.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/aircraft-pictures/author/paul-gladman/2008/04/&usg=__O2uy4EG4ZYVeZI7JSi71Kn0US7w=&h=534&w=800&sz=256&hl=en&start=16&um=1&tbnid=jBNP6Nyt0Z7PyM:&tbnh=95&tbnw=143&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dsaab%2Baircraft%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dsafari%26rls%3Den%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1[img]

Airliner - 1/9/2010 2:48:49 PM

+1 Boost

Here's a SAAB thats not going away.
[img]http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/aircraft-pictures/Gripendemolarge.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/aircraft-pictures/author/paul-gladman/2008/04/&usg=__O2uy4EG4ZYVeZI7JSi71Kn0US7w=&h=534&w=800&sz=256&hl=en&start=16&um=1&tbnid=jBNP6Nyt0Z7PyM:&tbnh=95&tbnw=143&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dsaab%2Baircraft%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dsafari%26rls%3Den%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1[/img]

Airliner - 1/9/2010 2:49:55 PM

+3 Boost

Well... I tried twice... sorry.
Google: "SAAB Gripen"

schnell330i - 1/9/2010 8:28:33 PM

+2 Boost

ive driven and ridden in 9-5's and 9-3's and never liked them or understood their appeal. good riddance saab

TheDepressingTruth - 1/10/2010 11:03:24 PM

+2 Boost

The failure of SAAB is living proof that GM couldn't manage its way out of a Paper Bag..