GM’s excuses for killing Saab.

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These are quotes from yesterday’s press conference with GM VP J.Smith:

– (About the Spyker deal) Both parties couldn’t resolve issues in time to make a Saab deal happen. “Worked hard, but didn’t have time”.
-“in the end there were issues that could not be overcome”
-“no additional amount of time ” would have resolved issues with SAAB deal
– “There’s nothing more GM or Sweedish govt could have done , we’re disappointed too
-“No shortage of effort over past 20 yrs to put SAAB on longterm sustainable footing”
-” All auto co’s are exp. tough time – Shouldn’t surprise anyone that a relatively small auto manufacture is exp. a tough go”
-“we tried to find another company to do #SAAB better, but were unsuccessful We tried, but we need 2 move on”

What a shame.

I can’t believe nobody in the world is interested in a World famous brand with 2 brand new models already developed and ready to come out.
Tata bought Jaguar with only the new XJ in the pipeline.

Conversation 12 comments

  1. There has been a worldwide glut of auto production facilities for several years now. Sales dropped by over 25% in '08; and another 50% in '09. If GM just liquidates Saab, then you can buy (or even just "take") the Brand Name for a whole lot less then the cost of buying all the fixed assets.

    The real suprise is that ANYBODY is buying ANY auto company right now. If you've got that kind of money there are a million better ways to invest it right now.

  2. Tata bought Jaguar before the financial collapse. Do you think Tata would buy Jaguar today? There is not much value left in car brands, we are in a time of survival of the fittest for car makers. The only reason now to buy another car maker is to have access to technology (VW – Suzuki, Peugeot/Citroen – Mitsubishi).

  3. Saab has been dying globally for years..The swedish government will buy them but they steal money from taxpayers so they don't care about viability.

  4. Well if no one wants to buy Saab then is that all GM's fault?

    If Saab would be in such good shape they would have found a buyer like Volvo.

    Sure you can blame GM for not putting more money/models into Saab but the Saab's history is a lot longer than being in GM. Second Saab wasn't in great shape either when GM bought it and not sure any other company would have done this any different.

  5. ""No shortage of effort over past 20 yrs to put SAAB on longterm sustainable footing"

    HA!

    GM fucked Saab, plain and simple.

    GMs medicrity trickles down into everything they have their hand in.

    "Anonymous said…
    Well if no one wants to buy Saab then is that all GM's fault?

    If Saab would be in such good shape they would have found a buyer like Volvo.

    Sure you can blame GM for not putting more money/models into Saab but the Saab's history is a lot longer than being in GM. Second Saab wasn't in great shape either when GM bought it and not sure any other company would have done this any different.

    December 20, 2009 8:07 AM"

    It is 100% GMs fault. What in the HELL are you talking about???

    GM ruined THEMSELVES. Why do you not think that they would ruin another brand under their umbrella with it???

  6. "GM fucked Saab, plain and simple."

    -that's just an outright lie. Saab was in deep deep trouble, with nowhere near the capitol needed to keep up, when GM bought them. Their designs, while novel & quirky, were very long in the tooth. GM bought a name. Nothing else. What they've done is just short of a miricle. Unfortunately, Saab needed a miricle, not "just short" of a miricle.

    I suppose the feeling at GM was, that they were so big, there was no car company they couldn't affort to buy & fix. They were wrong. Not unlike some other arrogant fool, thinking he controls enough money to buy and fix our health care / insurance system.

    EVEN THE DEEPEST POCKETS HAVE A LIMIT.

  7. That fool will steal the rest of our income to "buy and fix" it…He can use threats of jails and death to extract our earnings but Saab can't.

    Saab has been dying for 15 years because they will NEVER be able to compete with global upstarts in Korea, India and China.

  8. Who cares why GM does anything anymore? They break something then they whine about why it's broken.

    Haven't we had enough of their excuses?

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