NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- General Motors is shutting down its Swedish car brand, Saab, after attempts to close deal with a buyer failed.

GM had announced earlier this year that it was close to reaching a deal with Swedish super-carmaker Koenigsegg. That deal fell, though.

http://money.cnn.com/2009/12/18/auto...osed/index.htm

 

Well, for once, I actually don't care.

 

Such a shame I never really was a Saab fan (other than the Sonett III), but this just seems like the same sort of bungling Mercedes did with Chrysler.

If I were a swede car guy, I'd be pretty damn pissed.

Speaking of the Sonett III, it was powered by a Ford V4 engine that was the progenitor of the Cologne V6 used in the Mustang.

 

The difference there is that Chrysler were doing well when Mercedes pulled their pirate ship up alongside.

I don't think GM did everything they could have with SAAB, but I've heard it said more than once that if GM had not bought SAAB, they wouldn't have been around this long. They were just too tiny and making cars is just too expensive.

Shame about the 9-4X and 9-5 since they were already design locked. Maybe they can be "recycled."

 

I know there are some die hard SAAB fans in the world, but I can't say that I'll miss the brand. There was nothing particularly impressive about SAABs.

 

I guess I just never really "got" SAAB.

 

I wonder if GM can make use of the 9-5? Can the redesign it and use it as something else? Anyone know if they even made any?

 

I was never a Saab fan. I think it was pointless for GM to buy them. It will be sad to see another car company go away. The Swedish can't be too happy with us.

 

3 years ago, we bought my wife's 04 9-3, and after owning it two and half years, I wasn't too thrilled with it. I'm glad we sold it when we did. Electronics are horrible, and they don't share many parts with NA epsilons. I do like the design of the later ones, but ultimately they don't make much sense in this automotive climate.

 

Glad to see it go. Another money sucker is gone. If no other company was willing to buy Saab... well, that really says something...

 

I guess Josh was a little off eh?

 

Just for fun, I asked my wife if she knew what a Saab was...

She said, "No, what's that?"

Good decision GM.

 

I dunno who it was (James May or Jeremy Clarkson, probably) that commented somthing along the lines of:

GM managers admitted they bought Saab as "sort of a hobby"

I cook for a hobby. That doesn't mean I should open a restaurant.

 

Title shouldn't be GM lets Saab die, they tried to keep it alive.

 

http://www.insideline.com/saab/gm-no...5-or-9-4x.html

I wonder if GM will do anything with these?