Saab’s Uncertain Future
These are interesting times for us Saab lovers with the possibility that Saab could actually be shut down. Although, despite the current dire situation, I don’t see that happening. While Saab is not in a good place, there are too many people who absolutely love Saab. The tricky part about Saab is that, especially these days, the volume of people who are going to buy a Saab is not as large as some companies would need them to be. But within that group are people that are more dedicated than any other auto brand could claim. The Saab line will, hopefully, continue on for years to come, but if that’s the case, I’m sure you know the amazing feeling of sitting behind the wheel of one.
Personally, if Saab were to close tomorrow, I’d spend the rest of my days driving cars built before 2010. There just isn’t another brand that does anything for me. But when I get in one of my Saabs (1978 99 Turbo, 1988 SPG, 2001 9-3 Viggen) everything just feels right. I know I’m where I’m supposed to be. It’s the styling, the performance, the passion and thought that went into the car. It’s participating in something that is different. It’s part of a commitment to live life with a conscious commitment to doing things the right way, even when that’s going to require more effort and less immediate reward.
So my guess is that things will be uncertain for a while, but ultimately Saab is going to land in the right spot. I believe GM did a lot of good for Saab. I personally love my Viggen and there are a lot of other GM-produced Saabs that I would love to own. But admittedly there were drawbacks to Saab being run by GM. That’s why the possibility that Saab could be returned to Sweden is so exciting. That’s where the spirit of the car came from.