SAAB down

"Doki" gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

K'segg fell through weeks ago. GM didn't want the Chinese (BAIC was part of the consortium) to get intellectual property. So BAIC just bought the

It's Spyker that's fallen through this time. "Mutual, irreperable differences" popped up during due diligence, apparently.

Just heard on the local radio news. Real bummer.

Architects can be heard crying across the world.

Fraser

Nah, that's the Audi A2 you're thinking of. It's the Architect's wife that has the 9-5.

As a double check, possession of a slightly dishevelled linen jacket was also confrimed in the example I'm thinking of.

I should imagine that the extruded aluminium spaceframe with cast nodes would appeal to the latent / supressed Richard Rogers / Norman Foster in them.

;-)

Not really, all they've done is to sell rebadged Vectras and other GM crap for a long time now. It should have been put out of our misery in the early 90s.

Why does this sound suspicious for the price, yet seem so tempting at the same time?

Yeah but with either Koenigsegg or Spyker behind them, and given the time, there would have been the potential to return to low volume sensibly weird cars using their own designs again.

Elder gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

If it's any good, it's a bargain. Big word, "If"...

Remember mine, it was a 16S with the full body kit. Roof shagged(needed recovering but I expected that as he said he didn't=20 think it leaked but hadn't driven in the rain much), and A pillars=20 turned out to be rotten and out of alignment (but looked ok from the=20 outside), even though it had a day old MOT. That one was =A32.5k

--=20 Carl Robson Get cashback on your purchases Topcashback

Elder gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

Definitely FPT - too early to be an LPT.

And at a better time of year.

Definitely, since the 'verts have a bonded screen. But there's no supply prob with 'em afaik.

Two-strokes, presumably? The last engine they designed?

Oh right, I thought they were rare because as well as the bonding they are a shorter screen (as well as the pillars being more raked) than the tin tops.

Elder gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

Oh, yeh, they're completely different glass from the tintops - but I think they're available.

"Dave Plowman (News)" gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

Nah, the two-smoke was a rip-off of a DKW design.

I didn't mean engine design, I meant car design. I know they always cribbed engine and transmission/steering from other makers (The saab 900 box had gm internals and the power rack was straight from the GM parts bin).

Using parts contracts from other manufacturers is quite normal for small volume high quality manufacturers.

Does a two-stroke have a design? ;-)

Heheh. To explain to anyone not in the know. My Father has an A2 and is an Architect. My mother has a 9-5. They live not far from Mr Sherunckle.

A2s are quite interesting from a chassis design and construction POV. With Polo subframes bolted on. I'm sure you'd enjoy VAG-Comming one to pieces, Bob.

I think part of what my dad enjoys about his is driving around in something that someone has thought hard about designing. I'm not sure it works well as a car for what I use cars for. Works for him though, 8 years and well over 100k later.

Saab 9-5s are a much better prospect for long distances and are quite nice (the seats are good), but fairly ordinary and I don't like the obviousness of the screw holes on the door cards. Ordinary apart from the Night Panel button and the ignition locking the car in reverse.

I'm not sure architects are really allowed to admit to liking Norman Foster. I think it's because he is successful. (c:

The price of a low volume sensibly weird car would put me off buying one other than as a curiosity. If they were competitively priced they would be built craply.

I am a cynic, but that's how industry, especially one as big as cars, works.

I wish I'd bought a 900 Turbo when they were banger money, just so I could say I'd had one. Some 9000s were cool too, my parents' next door neighbour has had a few but they suffer from GM mass productionisation IMO.

I quite like my mother's 9-5 but I don't think it was worth the money that would nearly have bought a 5 Series Touring when new.

The GM chapter is Saab's history is sad and a bit embarassing.

Yes. People won't pay £40,000 for something different where £20,000 gets something just as "good" but mainstream.

The 9000 seems to be liked much more than the 9-5...

I agree - although with the caveat that Saab owners have traditionally been a loyal bunch, really. What something is worth is, well, what somebody would pay for it.

Used, they're a great buy - for the buyer who isn't bothered about rear wheel drive, or who doesn't want a Mercedes, BMW or Audi, I suppose.

For the most part, yes.