Saab is now motoring history
The end was a pain Like a moribund patients in hospice. The approximately 3,500 people have been waiting since late November on their salaries. Suppliers to billions. Since the spring rested the tapes. Saab, which is always slightly different from Swedish carmaker now final car story. That after 64 years, maybe even the turn should come, by Chinese companies with names like “Youngman” or “because Pang”, was more desperate wishful thinking than solid option.
Saab as an image carrier for Sweden
Saab was always more than any other Swedish companies. With its distinctive and always idiosyncratic cars the automaker had taken over decades, not least the role of ambassador and image carrier in the Scandinavian country. Saab symbolizes the neutral Nordic nation as their king, with his German wife, crispbread, Ikea and Pipi Longstocking creator Astrid Lindgren and her. And of course we will not forget in this context, the pop group Abba. Volvo never came there with.
Beginnings as an aircraft manufacturer
Saab, which express the Swedes as “Soob” was created in 1937 as an aircraft builder. Despite its neutrality, Sweden wanted to be ready with a powerful air force, the Nazis should ignore their international legal status. After the war the demand degenerated rapidly after combat aircraft. The vehicle should make a second income for “Svenska Aeroplan shares Bolaget” (“Swedish Airplane Ltd.”). In 1945, the developers went to the start. In 1947 she presented an amazing car. The aircraft manufacturer had created a consistently aerodynamically shaped bodywork. The permitted befitting performance despite a simple small motor. Saab put on the model of DKW two-stroke.
Thirsty engines had a tradition at Saab
Success came quickly for the young brand. But it should never be sufficient for adequate growth. A growth that could give the manufacturer the required size, which would have been necessary to not only be able to develop distinctive new forms, but also successful drives. Under the hood round the front-wheel drive always put on a bought-in engines. Why are the leaders always sat on aggregate, are not too many were good, will probably remain forever a mystery. After the two-strokes in the 60’s Saab bought by Ford in Cologne V4 engine, the lame, noisy and thirsty and were thus on the Rhine had only one episode. Then followed the grip on the shelf at the already ailing British manufacturer Triumph.
Also collaborations brought no success
Swedish engineers who conceived the brave decades away at the four-cylinder with 1.85-liter, ennobled him in connection with a turbocharged 145-hp 1977 do to an icon of sports sedans guild. But even that was not enough. The idea to develop in the early 80’s with Fiat, Alfa Romeo and Lancia to share a luxury saloon remained, perhaps the biggest mistake in Trollhattan. Thus, the end of Saab in 1990 was the first time in sight.
General Motors: The Beginning of the End
The rescue came from the United States. General Motors took over piece by piece, the proportions of the car division of the successful aircraft manufacturers. But the new men from Detroit were not able to understand Saab. They went so the mistaken belief that the conspirators of the brand’s fans would accept it, if at Saab-typical clothes certainly a solid sheet, but moved freely acting technique of sex appeal of an Opel Vectra.
Misnomer for Saab
This business idea failed to charge any success. Expand in a desperate bid for Saab viable full-line, GM shrank back even before that not to change a label the Chevrolet Blazer to the Saab 9-7X, or a Subaru Impreza to the 9-2X. Thus, the Swedes were able to offer a large SUV and a car in the Golf class.
Without GM Saab had only lost quite
Recorded with the problems that GM in the new millennium, also finally dropped the star from Saab. In 2009, the Americans broke through its own insolvency and tourists from the Nordic daughter of one unruly puppies on the edge of a motorway service station. Two years have wrestled speculators from Holland, Russia and China over the remains of the brand. Without concept, without competence and above all without capital. Therefore consistent to say is: “Hey då Soob!”
Good news for Saab drivers
Saab drivers in Germany can be applied, despite the insolvency of the company continue to get spare parts for their cars. Also, the services would be offered by the 75 distributors continue, said the person responsible Saab Germany-Jan-Philipp shoemaker to the magazine “Auto Gazette”.
