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at least when he asks "what is a Saab?" and "where is Saab going?". Saab is in a tough position, at least here in the US. On this board there is the traditional Saab enthusiast who loves the cars, especially it seems the older 900 and 9000 models. They have a certain "Saabness" that people here like. The Saab traditionalists, lets call them, love the older style cars and still drive them today. They seem to be kind of person who buys a car and drives it forever. Nothing wrong with that at all, but will Saab market towards that kind of person? No, they are going to market towards $$$, the people who buy or lease new cars every 3-4 years. I would hazard a guess and say that's the majority of the people shopping for cars in the Saab's price range. Most people shopping in that range don't want a hatch, don't want lots of (comparatively) engine and road noise, and want 'new' styling. Thus the change from the 900 to the 9-3 hatch and now the 9-3 no hatch. Have Saabs lost their Saabness with the new 9-3 for example? Some say yes. I agree, although I only own a 9-5 and 9-3, which have been argued to not be 'real Saabs, they are Opels', but my 9-3 hatch is unique when I'm driving down the road. The new 9-3 and the 9-5 sedan (my wagon still turns heads) look very much like a lot of the cars on the road. I drove a 9-5 sedan loaner yesterday and Monday, and I really loved the car, but looking at it when I walked up to it the car didn't really jump out at me from all the other cars in the parking lot, not like my red 9-3 does or like a 900 or 9000 would. So, Saab loses with that design (perhaps) by losing the Saab 'traditionalists' who loved the older style of car. At the same time they are trying to bring in new people to drive a Saab, people who don't want the characteristics of the older Saabs. The rock and the hard place, eh?
'01 9-5 wagon
'99 9-3
posted by 67.240.78...
, Wed, 7 Aug 2002 14:55:34
, Wed, 7 Aug 2002 09:19:51
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