Passing of a legend

[tim]

Well we'll all just have to hold on to those fond memories of... the SAAB driving team.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703523504574603822836080350.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_sections_business

[Bob]

Re: Passing of a legend

ROFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ShermB]

Re: Passing of a legend

Will this make my SAAB 97SE convertible a classic?

[Bob]

Re: Passing of a legend

Yes, just like the Yugo.........

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: Passing of a legend

Yes, just like the Yugo.........

I used to lump the KIA into that same category and look at the market share they have now! Hyundi as well... I think there are more of them than there are even Toyota's!

[John H]

Re: Passing of a legend

Kia and Hyundai have Toyota and Honda scared. Kia and Hyundai have stepped up their game considerably since their Yugo days and now have some great products and increasing reliability and the industry's best warranty. Drove an Accent for a few days back in April and really liked it and sat in the KIA Soul at the auto show last weekend. Thought it was cool. The car I and many others want though is a VW TDI Golf and of course there are hardly any around. At least I got to drive it for a week in Germany this year- it's the best wheels I've ever been in.

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: Passing of a legend

At the risk of taking this thread further
Truth be told... I used to swear by German (Porsche, VW) but hated BMW, because I thought they were just overpriced VW's... Then I bought a couple new Toyota's.. first a '79 Celica.. not really an earthshaking car but it did the job.. (sort of a miniature, 4cyl camaro actually).. Bought '92 Camry V6 LE and absolutely loved it, great handling, power, economy...

Then I got my first V8 Chevy product.. an '89 Silverado 4x4, man, was I sold on Chevy trucks! Drove like a really nice car, one pull of a lever and I could go "anywhere"..

On my second Chev 4x, a '97 Silverado 4x.. I can pull 19 mpg out of this truck if I keep it around 70 (or about 2000rpm)..

Now. more rambling.. My lady (the BeerNazi) bought an '03 BMW 325xi (looks like a 325 but has all wheel drive) WOW... what an awesome car.. 30 mpg at err.... well, a lot faster than 70mph.. amazing traction control.. just an amazing car.

So.. summing up my somewhat confusing ramblings about cars.. As an American, I'd love to see our car manufactures doing well, better than any other country's cars.. I think we make great cars now, way past the day when just about any other country made a better car than we did.. (at least at the average entry level car)

I guess, I don't think anyone unpatriotic when they drive whatever country's car.. but, call me odd (others have) when I see a Toyota or Nissan Pickup.. it shackles my buzz... I think the USA has the best trucks in the world. They are simple, easy to fix (at least my '97 Silverado is) and they last and last and last.. simple, tough, long lasting.

OK.. I guess my Friday evening rambling session is over for now.. prolly opened up a can of worms or two.

We should have a poll... "what do you drive??"

[kiwiracefan]

Re: Passing of a legend

Wayne, down here in NZ, Toyota, Honda, Nissan rule the roost.. our local GM product is the Holden brand, alot of the smaller cars and trucks are sourced from Korea & Thailand, but the big car, the Commadore is built in Australia, If Pontiac was still alive the American market would be getting the V8 version in the G8, available in sedan, wagon and Pickup... but to cut a long story short, Me i drive a Honda right now, drove a Toyota before that, both go damn well for what i want..
But id love a new Commadore, V8 power, and proven in many magazine tests to get around 14L/100km i think with bad maths it works out to about 27mpg seat 5 adults, enough trunk space for enough camera gear, clothes and computers and still have room for a cooler or 2

[taglialavore]

Re: Passing of a legend

I know, I know, I apologyze.
I think you have the knowledge and experience and the manpower to give the americans the best cars without having to look abroad. You are among the inventors of the cars, from the very begining.
The people must have some pride and try not to buy foreign cars because that hurts the employment, the final result...unemployed americans. But as a german guy told me once, yes but it´s my pocket what we are talking about. IMHO.

[tim]

Re: Passing of a legend

My, how off the cuff comedic threads can spin in strange directions.

I prefer American built vehicles, made in Kerrville or Wichita, or even Vero Beech.

We still make the finest aircraft in the world and what else should we really care about.

[John H]

Re: Passing of a legend

Agreed Wayne. I've read that Toyota Nissan and Honda wish they could build trucks like Chevy Ford and Dodge. They can't. I also love that Chevy HHR as well and am just tickled to see Ford kicking butt right now. Next year Ford brings over the great Euro Focus which will be made in Michigan and of course the Fiesta is about to hit the market. The Focus Mazda 5 lookalike the also Euro CMax comes in a couple of years also. My 93 Ford Escort now has 230,000 miles and is the best car I've ever owned. I had the engine rebuilt in April. It semi retires next year for band gigs only. When the bailout and bankrupcy stories started I became a car fanatic again and it's a great time to study the car industry.

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: Passing of a legend

<snip..>it's a great time to study the car industry.

Lots of folks griped about the auto industry bailout, an important historic lesson on that topic would be go look at what part the auto industry played during WWII...

I felt a lot better about bailing them out than I did bailing the banking system!

[AirDOGGe]

Re: Passing of a legend

UPDATE:


Saab may get a second life


-- Don't close the coffin on Saab just yet.

Spyker, a Dutch maker of exotic cars, said Sunday that it had made a new offer to General Motors for the Swedish car brand.


GM announced on Friday that it would let the brand die after it had failed to reach a deal with potential buyers, including Spyker and Swedish carmaker Koenigsegg.


Early Sunday, Spyker Chief Executive Victor Muller said the company had submitted a proposal that addresses the issues that had hung up a deal.

"Despite our collective 11th-hour set-back, we are returning to the table with a renewed offer, that addresses every known issue brought to light during the initial negotiations and that has the full backing of the Saab management," Muller said in a statement.

"Our efforts are based on our passion for saving an iconic brand that we would be honored to shepherd, and the jobs and livelihoods of thousands of loyal Saab employees, suppliers and dealers around the world," he added.


Some 3,400 employees globally would be directly affected by Saab's closure, according to GM spokesman Chris Pruess.

In a statement on Sunday, GM said it had "received inquires from several parties" following Friday's announcement. The company added that it would "evaluate each inquiry."

Spyker's offer is set to expire Monday at 5 p.m. ET.