37% of U.S. Saab Dealerships to Close

General Motors to Shut 81 Dealerships as Part of Planned Sale of Ailing Swedish Car Brand

(AP)  About 37 percent of U.S. Saab dealers will close as part of General Motors Corp.'s planned sale of the ailing Swedish car brand to Koenigsegg Group AB, a GM spokeswoman said Saturday.

GM spokeswoman Ryndee Carney said the company had sent letters to 81 of the 218 U.S. Saab dealers notifying them they will be expected to terminate their dealerships when the sale closes around the end of November.

The remaining 137 dealers will continue operating under Saab Cars North America, a newly-formed company that will run the brand under Koenigsegg's ownership.

All the U.S. Saab dealers had signed deferred termination agreements during GM's reorganization under bankruptcy protection earlier this year.

Mike Colleran, chief operating officer of Saab Cars North America, said the company chose dealers based on their potential to make money. "We selected a network that gives us the best opportunity to achieve that," he said.

Saab Cars North America sent letters to those dealers notifying them they'd been selected to continue if the sale closes, he said.

Koenigsegg Group signed a deal to buy the troubled Saab brand from GM in August. The consortium is led by the Swedish sports car maker Koenigsegg Automotive AB, Norwegian investor Baard Eker and Fabela II, co-founder and former chairman of Russian telecom operator VimpelCom.

[Noval53]

Might be a good car, but they've always been ugly. In the past the Saab has looked like a cross between a American Motors Rambler and a Volkswagen Beetle.

[WasSAABee]

On my 5th Saab, love them, the 9-3 won about every safety award possible. A rag top Saab is just plain fun.
On the other hand, they depreciate as about as a Land Rover or Jag. Their Turbo 4 cylinders just run forever.
Made sure my daughters learned and drove them. Saab is in a weird niche. They always have put their sticker price about 5-8K higher than you can get them, but most people don't know this. So you compare a 3 or 5 series BMW and sticker to sticker, I would take the BMW also. Heated seats since the seventies, fuel economy, safety that far exceeds Volvo, multiple road rally championships. I guess I like having a car that does not look like 80% of the others. Take off my skid control, this four banger can get up to 145 and read 0-60 in 6 seconds. Then, if I want 33 miles per gallon, it's there. GM saved, but hurt the brand.
Maybe the big K will save them with some cash. Their engineers are just so much better. Here is a little tidbit on what they do that makes so much sense. Your windshield water fluid is located in the front right part of the car to decrease injury to the driver. Numerous safety first. Do agree, either you love them or hate them. I have enjoyed 4/5. A 9000 in 1992, which had every option, was in the shop so much, I almost had the service man over for thanksgiving. Also put of retirement for a year or two. The other four, I just loved and their is a 9-3 Aero ragtop in the garage with 9K miles and I plan to get at least over 150K miles out of it. Drive them, you will change your opinion (I don't sell them either). Luxury Motors in Chicago gave me over 8K off, and not a end of model or year sale. Flew up from the South and drove it home.