Sunday, December 20, 2009
Saab? No sob.
GM is shutting down Swedish automaker Saab, which it bought in 1990.
I've been heartbroken to see so many historical auto brands dissolving lately, but not this one. Saab was always an overrated and overpriced car. It was technically interesting (or perhaps just weird)... but not really ahead of its time.
I owned a 1970 Saab 96 sometime around 1977. It was indeed different and interesting, with column-shifted 4-speed, free wheeling, and front wheel drive. Beyond that, it was simply a mediocre car. Handling was tricky, fuel mileage nothing special, seats uncomfortable, quality poor. Every part was more "used up" than you'd expect from a 7-year-old machine with 50K miles on it. Supposedly the Swedish design was superior in snow and ice, but it had less traction than a VW or Renault.
So no sobs here. ¶ 10:52 AM
I've been heartbroken to see so many historical auto brands dissolving lately, but not this one. Saab was always an overrated and overpriced car. It was technically interesting (or perhaps just weird)... but not really ahead of its time.
I owned a 1970 Saab 96 sometime around 1977. It was indeed different and interesting, with column-shifted 4-speed, free wheeling, and front wheel drive. Beyond that, it was simply a mediocre car. Handling was tricky, fuel mileage nothing special, seats uncomfortable, quality poor. Every part was more "used up" than you'd expect from a 7-year-old machine with 50K miles on it. Supposedly the Swedish design was superior in snow and ice, but it had less traction than a VW or Renault.
So no sobs here. ¶ 10:52 AM
