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Saab R.I.P
Micael - 18/12/09 at 03:30 PM

http://media.gm.com/content/media/us/en/news/news_detail.html/content/Pages/news/us/en/2009/Dec/1218_Saab_Release


tegwin - 18/12/09 at 03:30 PM

Meh.... mediocre dentists cars......


Shame spyker couldnt come to some agreement though!


D Beddows - 18/12/09 at 03:42 PM

That is sad I love Saabs - seriously mental (with a bit of know how) understated cars that people think are dentist/pensioner mobiles rather than tw*t mobiles like BMWs and Mercedes.......so you get let out at junctions, chavs don't try and race you and you can be pretty certain it will still be where you parked it when you get back.....which is always a good thing!


GMPMotorsport - 18/12/09 at 04:22 PM

fully agree, a real shame Saab are/were a great brand, did some terrific rally cars and were one of those cars you either loved or hated built to last solid and very reliable.


MikeRJ - 18/12/09 at 04:25 PM

quote:
Originally posted by GMPMotorsport
built to last solid and very reliable.


Up until it got an injection of General Motors DNA anyhow...


mookaloid - 18/12/09 at 04:30 PM

I have a '98 9-5 2.3t and it's great


scootz - 18/12/09 at 04:47 PM

Oh dear... bad news for the town of Trollhättan and surrounding area - they will really struggle!

I was in the SAAB museum a few weeks ago whilst visiting a friend in Sweden... some lovely cars in there!


scootz - 18/12/09 at 04:55 PM

Some of the snaps I took on my phone...



Image deleted by owner

Image deleted by owner

Image deleted by owner

[img][/img]


tegwin - 18/12/09 at 05:12 PM

quote:

http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/upload/2SAAB1.jpg




Why isnt that being built.... thats A M A Z I N G!!!


AndyW - 18/12/09 at 05:16 PM

shame, I learnt to drive in a 900 aero 16v. Massive turbo, beautiful car, went like the clappers.


speedyxjs - 18/12/09 at 05:21 PM

Why couldn't this have happened to Vauxhall? Saab are waaaaaaay better


55ant - 18/12/09 at 05:42 PM

nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooone cares.

shame to see it happen to such an understated company, brilliant sleeper cars.


scootz - 18/12/09 at 06:06 PM

quote:
Originally posted by tegwin
quote:

http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/upload/2SAAB1.jpg




Why isnt that being built.... thats A M A Z I N G!!!


Looks even better in the flesh! Interior is pretty special too, but it was hard to take a half decent photo due to the glass being tinted.


scootz - 18/12/09 at 06:12 PM

LINKY to their concepts website... that particular car is the Aero-X.


Simon - 18/12/09 at 06:30 PM

quote:
Originally posted by speedyxjs
Why couldn't this have happened to Vauxhall? Saab are waaaaaaay better


Let's hope TATA don't have probs with Jag, heh!

bttopic, can't say I'm surprised, any foreign outfit will wind down foreign ops rather than homegrown - apart from anything that was British owned and mandelson got involved with like his Russion mates that owned TVR and LDV both of which......

ATB

Simon


keithice - 18/12/09 at 07:25 PM

still running my mum's "H" plate Saab 9000, solid, comfortable... love it.....


dhutch - 18/12/09 at 08:36 PM

quote:
Originally posted by D Beddows
That is sad I love Saabs - seriously mental (with a bit of know how) understated cars that people think are dentist/pensioner mobiles rather than tw*t mobiles like BMWs and Mercedes.......so you get let out at junctions, chavs don't try and race you and you can be pretty certain it will still be where you parked it when you get back.....which is always a good thing!


Yeah, our neighbour has one and its a spot on. As you say, becuase the jocks done drive them everyone arround you just behaves more cival.


morcus - 18/12/09 at 08:39 PM

Its a real shame because SAAB were on the Brink of releasing about 3 new models, all od them looked really stylish and a return to true SAAB form (A bit like what Citreon did about 5 years ago), A chinese company has bought all the models but not the Brand itself so it has to go (I was hoping FIAT or Toyota might buy it).

Opel Vauxhall is probably GM's most sucessful brand so they wouldn't shut them down, SAAB had slightly limited apeal which was one of the great things about them, as someone else said, people don't think your a knob like they would if you spent the same money on a Merc or BMW.

I used to really want a Rover, then they went bust, then I wanted a SAAB, now this, at the moment I'm lusting over a Caddy, Should Lutz and GM be worried?


gazza285 - 18/12/09 at 10:00 PM

quote:
Originally posted by morcus
Opel Vauxhall is probably GM's most sucessful brand



Only because of their volume capacity to supply loads of moribund cack to the fleet markets.


D Beddows - 18/12/09 at 10:23 PM

quote:

Why isnt that being built.... thats A M A Z I N G!!!



probably because too many people think.....

quote:

Meh.... mediocre dentists cars......




and you're all wrong and now look what's happened........

[Edited on 18/12/09 by D Beddows]


scootz - 18/12/09 at 10:25 PM

quote:
Originally posted by morcus
... at the moment I'm lusting over a Caddy, should Lutz and GM be worried?


Never mind Lutz and GM... I'm worried! You WANT a Caddy?


morcus - 19/12/09 at 08:17 AM

Have you seen the CTS Coupe? I'm fairly sure they won't make it in RHD and that if they did it would cost to much to buy and far to much to run, but I truely think its beautiful (Even with the Yanks refusal to use the acute on Coupé).

I did mention I used to want a Rover, surely thats a bigger crime?


scootz - 19/12/09 at 12:10 PM

It's not so much the styling (although not to my taste)... its all the cheap materials and poor build quality that traditionally surround Caddy's that bothers me!

I'd take a Rover 75 / MG ZT over it any day of the week!

But we're all different... (thankfully!).


britishtrident - 19/12/09 at 02:00 PM

quote:
Originally posted by morcus
Its a real shame because SAAB were on the Brink of releasing about 3 new models, all od them looked really stylish and a return to true SAAB form (A bit like what Citreon did about 5 years ago), A chinese company has bought all the models but not the Brand itself so it has to go (I was hoping FIAT or Toyota might buy it).

Opel Vauxhall is probably GM's most successful brand so they wouldn't shut them down, SAAB had slightly limited appeal which was one of the great things about them, as someone else said, people don't think your a knob like they would if you spent the same money on a Merc or BMW.

I used to really want a Rover, then they went bust, then I wanted a SAAB, now this, at the moment I'm lusting over a Caddy, Should Lutz and GM be worried?


The problem with Saab under GM wasn't anything to do with styling more to do with engineering, in the GM era at Saab was GM through away the old bullet proof SAAB engineering values and substituted under tested GM engineering, the main result was major problems with engine longevity. They were building a car that looked and felt the part but with an engine that was unlikely to go past 70,000 miles without major engine work.

The British car manufacturers went by the board by following Detroit's low cost short life design philosophy but Detroit didn't watch and learn.

[Edited on 19/12/09 by britishtrident]


morcus - 19/12/09 at 07:58 PM

I agree with you with regards to the engineering quality after GM took over, but I stand by my claims that the last generation of SAABs were styled wrong and also the dropping of Hatchbacks to make the cars more 'German' was one of the worst things GM ever did to SAAB.

I am still a little surprised noone wanted to buy the SAAB name as to my mind it has a good reputation, much as a hate to admit it, I think one of the German companies could have turned the brand around quite easilly (That said, BMW didn't put much effort into Rover).

For the record I wanted the 75 with the mustang engine.


britishtrident - 20/12/09 at 04:11 PM

quote:
Originally posted by morcus
I agree with you with regards to the engineering quality after GM took over, but I stand by my claims that the last generation of SAABs were styled wrong and also the dropping of Hatchbacks to make the cars more 'German' was one of the worst things GM ever did to SAAB.

I am still a little surprised noone wanted to buy the SAAB name as to my mind it has a good reputation, much as a hate to admit it, I think one of the German companies could have turned the brand around quite easilly (That said, BMW didn't put much effort into Rover).

For the record I wanted the 75 with the mustang engine.


The BMW board were fighting in house and Rover was a mere pawn in a strategic position.
Actually Rover quality went down under BMW and back up after they left. In particular Rover 75 build quality noticably improved when the production was brought home to Longbridge

Most of the parts that tend to give trouble on the Rover 75 are BMW specified parts from BMW suppliers for example door latches and fuel pumps.

Even if Rover had survived the 75/ZT V8 was a total dead end and waste of development money the Mustang engine wasn't up to the job and lack lustre when compared to the KV6 190. A rwd drive KV6 turbo powered would have made a better flagship product.


pewe - 20/12/09 at 05:14 PM

Like Mookaloid ^^ I have a 9-5 2.3 turbo estate and it's a great mile muncher plus sh*ts on most things when you want it to and it tows a treat.
Tegwin is absolutely correct that it's perceived as a pretty grey car but that works in it's favour (prob. too much) in that second-hand values aren't a true reflection of how good the whole package is - climate, cruise, leather, great sound systems etc. etc.
My 9000 did 130k without anything major and this one has had 2xDI packs plus a turbo but nothing else so far @ 111k.
Probably not a bad time to buy a 9-5 as there are lots about and numerous specialists to keep them going (unlike Rover where the dealers were all pretty much second-rate and demotivated).
Cheers, Pewe


morcus - 20/12/09 at 11:03 PM

Not wrong there, my dad went to see our local rover dealler not long before they went away to see the city Rover, the dealer told him straight that the car was poo (He didn't use those exact words) and that they'd be a Jag deallership in a month so they wouldn't service it. I agree about the mustang engine aswell, but I think they should have gone futher and had RWD as an option with other engines or even made the whole MG ZT range RWD.
I always got the impression that SAAB's image thing was a result of SAAB being a car popular with creative types in the past and their customer base aging.
Quickly going back to Caddies if I may (I'm sorry) The BLS (A Caddy built for europe, and the car I'm planning to buy in a few years time when I'm due a swap) was built in Trollhattan on the same production lines as the 9-3, so they can't all be badly built.


morcus - 21/12/09 at 09:01 PM

I've just heard that Spyker have put forward another offer and that we'll know by the end of today.


morcus - 21/12/09 at 09:01 PM

I've just heard that Spyker have put forward another offer and that we'll know by the end of today.


Simon - 1/1/10 at 08:59 PM

quote:
Originally posted by morcus
For the record I wanted the 75 with the mustang engine.


I had the ZT 260 for just over three years and loved every minute I owned it, but, and they are big buts.

First up the car weighed 1750kgs so only 148 bhp/tonne - BMW 330D is quicker sadly.

The Ford V8 is crap, it's like running a Rover V8 on a pair of 1" SU's, They should have pushed GM for access to the LS lumps, then 400+ bhp would be easily attainable (and competition for M5 brigade). The gearbox was ok. As BT says, most of the failure items were BMW bits. BM also didn't provide Rover with upgrades to the SatNav hard/sofware (though it could be replaced from bent BMW's) nor did they provide later diesel engines.

This government should have turned around to Europe, stuck two fingers up and told them they were sticking money in so they could at least get their new range in production, which looked quite promising.

ATB

Simon


Simon - 1/1/10 at 09:00 PM

quote:
Originally posted by morcus
For the record I wanted the 75 with the mustang engine.


I had the ZT 260 for just over three years and loved every minute I owned it, but, and they are big buts.

First up the car weighed 1750kgs so only 148 bhp/tonne - BMW 330D is quicker sadly.

The Ford V8 is crap, it's like running a Rover V8 on a pair of 1" SU's, They should have pushed GM for access to the LS lumps, then 400+ bhp would be easily attainable (and competition for M5 brigade). The gearbox was ok. As BT says, most of the failure items were BMW bits. BM also didn't provide Rover with upgrades to the SatNav hard/sofware (though it could be replaced from bent BMW's) nor did they provide later diesel engines.

This government should have turned around to Europe, stuck two fingers up and told them they were sticking money in so they could at least get their new range in production, which looked quite promising.

ATB

Simon


T66 - 1/1/10 at 09:18 PM

I own a T7 Saab Coupe -

It has a lot of artermarket goodies and is sporting near enough 300bhp.

It still has the original clutch & head gasket


And will leave most things sitting wondering what the old boy with the C&A jumper was driving.

Mine isnt the Swedish Saab but a GM 2001 model (Vectra) so not bulletproof as per old Saab but still very fast and strong.

A T5 engine will tune happily to 450bhp on stock crank/rods & pistons.

A T7 to 300bhp on stock internals, thats from the original 205bhp mine was.

Styling isnt for all but I like to be different, I dare say like most Saab owners.

Ive never bought another same make car till I tried a Saab !



Its a disgrace they are going...




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHWWBGgJPas&feature=fvw





mookaloid - 2/1/10 at 12:35 AM

quote:
Originally posted by T66
I own a T7 Saab Coupe -






That's a cool car I like that


morcus - 2/1/10 at 08:35 AM

Apparantly the new 9-5 is going in to production but GM haven't decide which brand it will go under and the short list all already have a car based on the same platform. If it does make it, Buick and Vauxhall seem to be the main options but I can't see vauxhall selling a second car based on the insignia unless the new 9-5 is significantly bigger.


T66 - 2/1/10 at 02:39 PM

3" Full Abbott Racing System +CAT

2.5" Streetgear Turbo Intake Pipe

Streetgear.se Intercooler

Speedparts.se Induction kit

Forge Wastegate

3.5 Bar FPR

Abbott Rack Clamp

Homegrown ECU flash - Courtesy of Mackan@The EcuProject

SAS 25mm Rear ARB

Front Disc Upgrades/RedStuff Pads

Koni Coils / Gas Dampers


Ive spent a fortune on it, and its still does 30mpg.

Carries a few niggles but has been very reliable.

I will be hanging onto this one another few years yet, like all Saabs I think they start to look better with age - I love them







[Edited on 3/1/10 by T66]

[Edited on 3/1/10 by T66]


scootz - 3/1/10 at 11:51 AM