If you haven’t been following the news in the automotive world lately (I haven’t), there appears to be some consternation surrounding the sale of Saab. The last I heard, Koenigsegg was supposed to be purchasing the company, but I’m told they have since backed out.
All I can guess is that going through negotiations with General Motors must be rather like going on a date with some of the girls I asked out in college; after an hour or so, all you want to do is run away screaming.
Regardless; if GM had followed some of the advice that is self-evident in the Volvette, and started throwing twin-turbo Corvette engines into more Saab wagons, I suspect they wouldn’t be in the situation they’re in. Wouldn’t you be a little more interested in what happened to Saab?
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBu6STlhh8Q[/youtube]
[Thanks to CaffeineFuelled for the tip!]
Volvette Gives Hints On How GM Can Save Saab
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Those roads are actually a series of tubes…
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While I would prefer a more subtle wheel and tire package, this car is fu*&^%$# awesome.
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"What the hell was that?"
"Turbo Brick 1"
"They've gone to plaid!" -
I like your theory and would like to subscribe to your blog. Oh, wait. I already do.
GM and Ford each bought a Swedish automaker. One, Saab, known for quirky designs and a rally history, usually with the original Stig behind the wheel. The other, Volvo, was known for safety, boxiness, and manliness. (OK, maybe that last part was just made up based on their logo.) Both managed to blandify and ignore their Swedish subsidiaries, GM much more than Ford. At least Ford had the sense to adopt the safety leadership of Volvo, and even some of its engines (turbocharged I-5 in the Focus RS). What did GM do with Saab? Steal a design from Subaru and force it on them? Remove all of the quirkiness and rally-bred fun? Is that all you can show for your ownership of a company, GM?
No new carmakers for you, GM. Now go home.-
Don't be too hasty, they did put an LS2 in the 9-whatever. That's got to count for something.
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It has just occurred to me that I'm actually jaded when it comes to Volvos that go like hell. I've spent too long on Turbobricks.
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I think I'm just jaded when it comes to Volvos. If it weren't for you, I probably wouldn't like them at all.
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I'm with you on that one, Fuzzy wrecks people when it comes to car choice.
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In the category of Cars You Probably Didn't Know Existed, you can get a 280hp, 6-speed, AWD 9-3x Wagon:
http://www.saabusa.com/saabjsp/935/features/perfo…
I <a href="http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/searchresults.jsp?lastStartYear=1981&num_records=25&search_lang=en&page_location=findacar%3A%3Aispsearchform&search_type=both&distance=0&address=90065&marketZipError=false&style_flag=2&body_style=WAGON&make=SAAB&model=9-3&make2=&start_year=2005&end_year=2010&min_price=&max_price=&seller_type=b&transmission=Manual&engine=6+Cylinder&drive=All+wheel+drive&doors=&fuel=&max_mileage=&color=&keywordsrep=&keywordsfyc=&keywords_display=&sort_type=priceDESC&body_code=128&certified=&advanced=y&highlightFirstMakeModel=&showZipError=y&default_sort=priceDESC&awsp=false&systime=&rdm=1259699485091">found 6, nationwide.-
Wait 7 1/2 hours, and it'll depreciate below the $10,000 mark. Ah, Saabs …
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Well, the real problem is the ones you want get scooped up by people like me, who love them and drive them into the ground…a-la the 30k miles/year we're putting on the WRX.
…some resurface years later with 200k and a 2nd engine, but that they point they're in a whole different category.
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Double that horsepower figure, and we're getting into the right range!
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For that we'd need to source some parts from Down Undah.
HSV Wagon…want it so bad… -
Saab does sell the 9-3 Aero Sportcombi with the 280 hp V6, 6-speed manumatic, and XWD. It is a sweet bit of kit, but at almost $45,000 new it's in Audi territory without having the reputation of Audi. In fact, Saab has a reputation for being nothing more than a Scandinavian GM.
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Not manumatic, a real 3-pedal stickshift. Seriously, there's a picture of the shifter in one of those autotrader listings.
Given the way I own cars (my 06 WRX has 75k miles on it), I'd much rather deal with 80kmile GM parts than VAG parts. Much cheaper and more serviceable. -
Isn't that the "Saabaru"?
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Nope.
That was the 9-2X that only ran for like 2 years. This one's a GM parts bin special, but quite the selection of parts. -
Really? Huh, I guess I didn't realize they offered them with a real manual.
I didn't mean to totally dismiss it. Like I said, it's a nice bit of kit. Used prices, like the $36k you saw, are more palatable. The BMW 328xi wagon only makes 230 hp, and they don't make an M3 Touring (although, that would be kickass). The Audi RS4 Avant isn't available anymore. So, there's little competition from the uber-wagons. The Audi A4 Avant only makes 211 hp.
Dammit, Mad Science. You're sucking me into your bizarre world. -
Next thing you know, you'll be test-driving '79 Hurst-Olds' with a 403 swapped in…
BTW, that thing sold for $1000.
I'm disappointed in all of you. -
That's it?!?!?! I'm disappointed in all of us, too. Our hoon credentials are in question.
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Wait, THAT went for a grand? If it was anywhere nearby I'd've upped him another few hundred. Someone got a raging deal.
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Damn, I probably could have raised that. I'm just glad poor old Sebastian managed to sell it instead of junking it or giving it to a charity. Poor bastard, that car was way better than that. If he had parked it in Tombstone, like I told him to, we could have gotten more than that for him.
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It has just occurred to me that I'm actually jaded when it comes to Volvos that go like hell. I've spent too long on Turbobricks.
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Really? Huh, I guess I didn't realize they offered them with a real manual.
I didn't mean to totally dismiss it. Like I said, it's a nice bit of kit. Used prices, like the $36k you saw, are more palatable. The BMW 328xi wagon only makes 230 hp, and they don't make an M3 Touring (although, that would be kickass). The Audi RS4 Avant isn't available anymore. So, there's little competition from the uber-wagons. The Audi A4 Avant only makes 211 hp.
Dammit, Mad Science. You're sucking me into your bizarre world.
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