MSNBC STORY (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7023349/)

small snippet "...Swedish paper Dagens Industri reported that GM had contacted several Chinese firms, but also mentioned Renault and Nissan as potential purchasers for Saab..."

MSNBC STORY (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7023349/)

small snippet "...Swedish paper Dagens Industri reported that GM had contacted several Chinese firms, but also mentioned Renault and Nissan as potential purchasers for Saab..."

So lets have Saab design the vehicle and the Chinese built it and all the spare parts....
The best of two worlds ???:lol: :lol:
Hate to see Renault involved with Saab - remember the AMC fiasco and the "Dodge Monaco of the eighties ??
Nissan ???

On the contrary, Renault has done great things with Nissan, evidenced by the new Altima, Maxima, and Murano. I don't exactly care for some of the designs, but Saab should keep its own designers. Also, I don't think Renault has the same resources GM does.

Nissan??? it is owned by Renault, say directly Renault.....those journalists....

Renault has many many many hope to buy Volvo, during many years was awaiting an oportunity to buy it, when Volvo and Ford managers had many differences in the way to manage the company and the business plan, but Ford undestand finally how to do it and let Volvo to be Volvo and learn from his technology and offer his finance and part of his technology power to help volvo and finally work and it is a success. Renault and Volvo made some colaborations many years ago and didn't work, but Renault always awaited a second opportunity.

for me, I don't know what's the worst thing......ok yes I know, I prefer to be owned by GM than the ugly Renault, I hate those designs, I am sorry but never liked me those french cars.... here in Spain the 1st in sales it is the Megane, durgin many years, this new version I find it is rub****.

greetings

Expect to see crap interiors like the ones in post-Renault era Nissans if it ever purhcase by Renault.:( :(

Coverage by Swedish news "The Local" (http://www.thelocal.se/article.php?ID=1006&date=20050224)

So what if the rumors where true? And GM is just covering it all up... The market for Chinese automakers is projected to explode. GM might be trying to make a killing by pawning Saab off to China. Then again, why would they be investing money in the US-market Saabs? Might be kinda cool to see Saab reproduce cheap C900's for a growing Chinese market. Sorta like the old-school Beetle built in Mexico for so long...

I saw we all buy Saab.

I just don't want them to change the interior, I love how Saab has the key on the ground. And Swedish + Chinese? I don't think it mixes well. Thats my opinion.

The old Beetle was cheap to build. The C900 was one of the most labour intensive cars in the world to build. Over 100 hrs per car compared to modern day benchmarks of around 20 hrs. Don't count on seeing it any time soon in reproduced form.

Hey, how about a C900 kit that fits on a Beetle chassis ? ;) That'd be a fun repro !

I wish Honda bought SAAB. At least the electrics would be good that way.

Isn't that like a sacrilege? Saab and a Ricer company? :)

Isn't that like a sacrilege? Saab and a Ricer company? :)

It's not Honda that is ricer, it's the sitckerpimps who make Hondas ricer. The normal cars Honda makes are some of the best there are.

"how about i blow my brains out now, and save you the trouble"

-aqua teens

my mistake Val :)

What I really...really wish is one wealthy Swedish company took over Saab from GM. Swedish knows how to manage of their crown jewel of the auto industry, which tons of patents and engineering expertise. I truly believe they won't manage the way like what Phoneix Group manages MG Rover after taken over from BMW AG.

I know, without GM, Saab wouldn't have money and resources to develop great car like current 9-3. However, its also their stupid management that forced Saab to use Trailblazer platform for an SUV and rebadged a boy racer Impreza as entry-level Saabaru 9-2X. Which both cars lack 0.000000001% of Saab identity and level of build quality.:evil: :x :evil:

it can be a good thing it can be a bad thing

a chinese firm could actually care and want to make saab a winner. b/c they are chinese affiliated they could explode in that market. and you could get a free fortune cookie with your car purchase

but my main concern is that i have never seen a quality product come from that region. saab could end up like Hyundai, a copycat brand. that's the downside


i don't even care anymore. i'm just gonna buy whatever i like.

Wasn't there a thread in The Lounge recently about what Swede girls look like ? Well here is a news clip for those of you still not sure :cool:

Fast forward to 3:22 for the bit about Saab's possible sale to other auto companies. But unless you have a good command of Swedish, fuggedaboudit ! Tho' it's understandable if you wish to watch the entire broadcast just to appreciate the anchor's talents .....

http://svt.se/content/1/c6/17/76/60/sverigenu_hi.ram


Here's the source blog, which I didn't even know existed. Cool !

http://redinterior.typepad.com/trollhattan/

i don't even speak swedish but i can tell by the video that this is something that may actually happen in a few years.

the chinese firm they're speaking of makes Buicks and Chevys for GM in China. they are owned by the Government of China.

They also plan to purchase 70% of MGRover, and they have a 50/50 deal with Volkswagen.

I posted this on the SS forum...

STOCKHOLM, Sweden - General Motors Corp. and Saab angrily denied a newspaper report Thursday that said the carmaker was looking to sell the Saab brand, calling it one "of the coarsest speculations" they had heard.

Swedish financial newspaper Dagens Industri, citing unnamed sources only, reported that Saab Automobile AB was being shopped around by its parent, GM, to possible buyers in China and France's Renault SA.

More here (http://www.detnews.com/2005/autosinsider/0502/25/autos-99632.htm)

I have no problem with Renault. They did wonders with Nissan (as mentioned above) and even if you don't like the styling at least they are trying something different just like SAAB used to.

Renault also want a prestige brand desperately and they would try everything to make that brand the best they could. They wouldn't put it on the back burner, change their minds about their plans week to week and starve it of money. They also don't mind giving their sub-divisions a free hand to try something different - look at Matra with the original Espace and the Avantime and RenaultSport with the mid engined Clio V6 and the windscreen free SportSpyder.

The main problems with Renault are the interior quality (although it has got better lately), non sporty driving dynamics (of the mass production models) and electrical reliabilty (although that has improved too). All these areas are ones where SAAB excel - look how good the original 9-3 handled compared to the Cavalier it was based on.

Renault also lead the way with safety these days (see NCAP website for the results for the cars launched in the last five years) which considering how poorly the Mk1 Meganne did is quite amazing.

The prestige brand theory works for me.:cool: Since Infiniti has never been considered as a prestige brand higher than 3rd-tier (Saab has always been running between 1st and 2nd-tiers), its just a guessied-up Nissan. Renault might actually benefit for purchasing Saab after they lost Volvo a decade ago. As long as they don't mess with Saab's styling, interior quality and awesome turbocharged engines; its a sound idea.:cheesy:

Actually, Renault has an excellent history of building turbo cars both for the mass market and in Formula 1; so yes, Renault would be a way better parent company to Saab than GM has been so far... way way waaay better.

Actually, Renault has an excellent history of building turbo cars both for the mass market and in Formula 1; so yes, Renault would be a way better parent company to Saab than GM has been so far... way way waaay better.

Very true indeed. That and look at what they've done to Nissan when it was on the verge of ruin. If they do the same for SAAB it would be beautiful.

Very true indeed. That and look at what they've done to Nissan when it was on the verge of ruin. If they do the same for SAAB it would be beautiful.

Carlos Ghosn was the hand behind the massive restructuring and cost-cutting at Nissan since Renault's takeover. However there have been negative effects of his severe tactics of squeezing supplier costs which resulted in the degradation of the interior quality and overall reliability of many Nissan models. Here's some pastry for thought:

http://www.detnews.com/2003/insiders/0309/17/inside-243727.htm
(http://www.detnews.com/2003/insiders/0309/17/inside-243727.htm)

Ehmm... Nissans have never had nice interiors :cheesy:

I just read a short news, saying that Renault management denies even to have been contacted by GM about a possible sale of Saab. :confused:

oh how i would love Renault to buy Saab.. this news is definately something to keep an eye on.. im waiting for anything else to leak out.