Date: Fri, 08 Dec 2006 21:10:26 -0800 From: Greg Farris <farrisnospam.org> Subject: Re: Million Mile Saab 900 SPG
In article <6v3cn2tfuts8ik6g5v7jspn5ovgmdutlvbnospamcom>, uctraingnospamanet.com says... > >What a bunch of chumps. It's only the world's greatest advertising >opportunity. <shortened> >I can't believe they'd be stupid enough to miss an opportunity like >this. You say they're missing an opportunity - you may be right. But they may feel it's not the message they need at this time. The worst thing for any car manufacturer is to build a car that people hold onto for 15 years. The next worst thing is to become their own strongest competitor through the used market. The "long lasting car" myth is one of a series of strategies that assured SAAB fanatical following from a very restrictive fan club, whilst protecting them from greater success among an enlarged public. The "intelligent" or "thinking man's" car is another, along with the "car developed by aircraft engineers" whereas the strong emphasis on safety features probably improved their general market appeal - not good enough, obviously, to vindicate the overall approach, which just could not cut it in our tough, SUV world, where our greatest ambition is to buy a new car every 18 months. They may still be missing an opportunity though - not the purported longeivity of the car, but the opportunity to show that the company notices and cares about their customer. Maybe there's just no one left there who really cares. GF
