The banner above is an advertisment - if it asks you to download software, please ignore.
Site News -
7/1: Members: Log In to See Fewer Ads! |
5/28: SAAB Evolutions/TSN T-Shirts $14
[General |
Members |
C900 |
9000 |
NG900 & OG93 |
93 |
95 |
NG95 |
99 |
Sonett |
Vintage Models |
Clubs |
Other Cars |
FAQs |
Gifts |
Member Photo Galleries |
Member Directory |
Classifieds |
Manuals |
*Buddy Registry |
*Mileage Registry |
Polls |
What's New |
Raffle |
Photo of the Month |
Sponsors]
[Main NG900 & OG93 Bulletin Board | BBFAQ |
Prev by Date | Next by Date | Post Followup ]
Member Login / Signup - Members see fewer ads. - Latest Member Gallery Photos
Platform Sharing Should Not Be The End of Saab, But It Might.
Posted by gatorcpa [Email] (more from gatorcpa) on Thu, 19 Jul 2001 12:08:41
In Reply to: GM Brand Management and the Death of Saab... (long), Kirk R, Wed, 18 Jul 2001 21:15:48
Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup
Many companies have successfully interchanged components within their cars. I'm not sure if Mercury ever had it's own engines or chassis after it was acquired by Ford in the 1920's. Remember the original 1960's Mercury Cougar? It was nothing more than a rebadged Ford Mustang with some additional options, but it was a pretty good car because the Mustang was a good car.
GM's problem is not "Platform Sharing", it's brand management. What makes a car more valuable to consumers is not the engine or chassis, it the intangible aspects, such as styling, image, media attention, etc.
GM is currently producing a 350hp version of a Holden in Australia on the same "platform" as the upcoming new 9-3. The engine and suspension are made in the USA at the same factory that builds Corvettes. What's so bad about that?
The problem comes when you take a Chevy Cavalier (US version), stick on a vinyl roof and power windows, call it a Cadillac Cimmeron and sell it for twice the price. Don't laugh, it actually happened about 20 years ago. Thinking like this killed Oldsmobile and almost destroyed Cadillac in the name of trying to raise gas mileage.
My hope is that GM will allow SAAB to be a contributor of engineering expertise to new platforms worldwide and not a recipient of poorly conceived marketing ideas. It's just too soon to tell.
Let's wait and see before we condemn GM.
gatorcpa
'00 9-3 convertible
Posts in this Thread:
- GM Brand Management and the Death of Saab... (long), Kirk R, Wed, 18 Jul 2001 21:15:48
- NO SUV!!!!, Ian Glenday
, Thu, 19 Jul 2001 20:49:02 - Almost Word For Word..., Ricky J, Thu, 19 Jul 2001 17:04:22
- Platform Sharing Should Not Be The End of Saab, But It Might., gatorcpa, Thu, 19 Jul 2001 12:08:41 <-- Viewing This Message
- Platform sharing not the same as...., Richard P., Thu, 19 Jul 2001 10:27:20
- Not ready to abandon all hope yet...., Seamus, Thu, 19 Jul 2001 10:25:18
- Platform SHaring ??, Bill D, Thu, 19 Jul 2001 08:42:38
- Re: GM Brand Management and the Death of Saab... (long), Franklin Tanz, Thu, 19 Jul 2001 01:58:16
- I hear you, Chris Morgan, Thu, 19 Jul 2001 07:30:55
- If it weren't for GM...., David Mendicino, Thu, 19 Jul 2001 00:16:14
Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup
Post a Followup
No Site Registration is Required to Post - Site Membership is optional (Member Features List), but helps to keep the site online
for all Saabers. If the site helps you, please consider helping the site by becoming a member.
StateOfNine.com
![](/tsn/xyz/stateofninebutton.gif) |
SaabClub.com
![](/tsn/xyz/scnabutton.gif) |
Jak Stoll Performance
![](/tsn/xyz/jakstollbutton.gif) |
M Car Covers
![](/tsn/xyz/mcarcoversbutton.gif) |
Ad Available
![](/tsn/xyz/buttonavailable.gif) |
![](/tsn/images/tsnmap.gif)
Random Saabnet.com Member Gallery Photos (Click Image)
This is a moderated bulletin board - Posting is a privilege, not a right.
Unsolicited commercial postings are not allowed (no spam). Please, no For Sale or Wanted postings, SERIOUSLY.
Classifieds are to be listed in The Saab Network Classifieds pages.
This is a problem solving forum for over 250,000 Saab owners, so expect to see
problems discussed here even though our cars are generally very reliable. This is not an anything goes
type of forum. Saabnet.com has been a moderated forum since 1988. For usage guidelines, see the
Saabnet.com Mission and Purpose Page. Please remember that you are
not anonymous. Site Contact | Site Donations | Other Sites by SP -
Poverty2Prosperity.org | Run Club Menlo Park | ScreenBot
Site Members do not see red text instructions, bottom of the page anchor ads, or box ads.
Click here to see all
the Site Membership Benefits!