More like “Bjorn from Yets”

Saab IS well known in the US… for the 900 & 9000.

The brand is known, it just is not on the top of most peoples lists, especially since the dealer network is not as expansive as other brands in the same segment.

“Born from Jets”

Those jets crashed and burned a decade ago. The only thing flying with this foolish brand is the money… and that’s flying out the window.

It’ll give ole’ Lutz a tap into the GM expense account to fuel his planes to make ‘marketing appearances’. The IRS would not allow you and me to do that…but GM has a raft of lawyers.

..and BMW was probably into airplanes before Saab but they don’t need bring that history to anyone’s attention, so being ‘born of jets that only Swedish taxpayers bought’ is nothing new – or special. Their 3cyl – two stroke, freewheeling tranny cars – were special – in their time.

j i m

Jim,
BMW made aircraft engines, not aircraft. Saab made (And still does, but as you know, I’m sure, is no longer affiliated with Saab of the GM variety anymore) aircraft. That seems to me to be a big difference. Also, Saab planes (Civilian, commercial and miltary) are sold around the world.. not just to the Swedish government, if that’s what you were trying to get at with the “Swedish taxpayers” comment. If not, then, my apologies. The BMWgroup site does bring to people’s attention information about their aircraft engine history, and they mention (which I did not know) that “production of aircraft enigines received huge state subsidies in Germany” (1933).

I, too, think that Saabs of yore were more disinct than they are now, but I do like their current cars. I just hope that GM doesn’t continue to water-down the brand. I, for one, like what Saab has done with turbocharging. (Please, don’t let this start a “who did turbo’s first” or “who was the most influential turbo company” flame war.)

I am not a fan of the born from jets advertisements, but if it gets people into Saab dealrships, I’m okay with it. I wonder, though, if it will. I say, put money into product development, and less into advertisement. Advertisement is needed to introduce people to a car, but I certainly hope that it isn’t expected to sell someone one a car… I’d like to think that the car sells itself… yes, I’m probably naive, and an idealist.

Good comments Jim (And Mike too), I wouldn’t be surprised if Lutz does show up at an event or two!

Cheers! (I currently drive a ‘93 Saab 9000 Aero, so I am biased!)

Saab needs an Aero X based production car badly…

Saab isn’t that well known. I know a lot of people who have never even heard of them. But I saw the most beautiful Saab the other day. A lime-greenish 9-3 convertable. Georgeous. I mean it. It was parked next to a Carrera and I couldn’t take my eyes off the Saab. I’ve never felt that way about a Saab before!

An interesting part of the born from jets slogan is that although Saab builds jets, Volvo has always built the engines. As my friend who is an engineer for Volvo Aero likes to say, “Inside the fastest Saab is a Volvo engine.”