Svenska Aeroplan AB, or SAAB, was purchased by the American auto manufacturer in 1990. The European automaker has been struggling since then to turn a profit as well as fight off rumors and speculations that GM planned to let it loose or sell it. Last year's sales, plus GM Europe's first profit since 1999, has emboldened Forster to forecast SAAB's better future. He pointed to a refreshed 9-3, an all-new 9-5, and possibly a crossover on their way down the pipeline as a major part of the brand’s reemergence.
Our take? The brand's always been an odd duck to us. Technically, there's nothing wrong with the vehicles. Marketing-wise, we've never figured what segment it's aimed at. Euro-lovers who find the German autos too expensive? Alternative to rival Swede Volvo? Or something else entirely? The introduction of the 9-7X, SAAB's first SUV, muddled the matters especially since it's a rebadged Chevrolet Blazer. (A nice one, though.)
Via Motor Trend Magazine blog