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Originally Posted by SUPERBADD75
more on the destruction of the Saab brand... WTF are they thinking at GM HQ? the 9-7X and 9-2X haven't done well because they are not Saabs, they're not what Saab is all about, and they never will be. Saab doesn't need an SUV, Saab doesn't need the 9-3 to be ruined by an ugly face that's supposed to be based on the Aero-X concept, and Saab doesn't need to have all the shots called from Detroit. Saab made their way on quirky luxury cars that were fun to drive and didn't fit the mold of BMW or Mercedes. why does GM continue to try to pattern Saab after the other luxury marques? by going a different direction they'd be able to lure in a different clientele that isn't being satisfied by current offerings. Saab needs luxury hatches and wagons that are safe, fun to drive, and unique. i hate this, i love the Saabs of the '80s..... the brand doesn't even come close to resembling that company now. what a damn shame.
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I think a lot of people (at least traditional fans of Saab) feel this way. I was never a fan of the older Saabs, and I'm no great historian of the brand, but I can understand how people would be upset by the current direction. That being said, GM didn't acquire Saab for it's niche market or to attract a small cult following with it's quirks. It bought Saab to glean it's FWD and 4-cyl. technology, and also to gain entry into the European market. In order to accomplish the latter, they have to go mainstream and compete with BMW and Mercedes. This has been the plan from the beginning, and while it's understandable to be angry that GM bought Saab to change it, taking it mainstream should be expected. And it doesn't necessarily mean the brand won't be successful, it means it will be done in a different way.
IMHO, I think it's more important that Saab offer a competent entry level 9-2 than introduce a trendy crossover. If nothing else, Saab should compete with Volvo, and I think Volvo will have success with the S40/V50/C30. In general, I think customers (both U.S. and Euro) would be more willing to try out a new Saab car than a new Saab SUV. On top of all of this, luxury makes are increasingly offering smaller cars (A3, 1-Series, C30) and GM has no such offering; to me Saab is the natural choice to bring something like that to market.