General Motors' financial woes threatening future of Saab brand

Finnish Saab enthusiast believes in survival of his car

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The American car industry giant General Motors (GM), who, along with Ford and Chrysler, is currently struggling with serious financial difficulties, is seeking a buyer for its Swedish subsidiary Saab Automobile. If a buyer is not found, Saab production may even be closed down completely.
      Similarly Ford is seeking to ditch its Swedish affiliate Volvo Personvagnar. “Buyers are not queuing up to purchase either company”, summarised Maud Olofsson, Sweden’s Minister for Enterprise and Energy.
     
In Finland, Saab enthusiasts follow the international developments with a great deal of interest.
      “Well, of course we have followed the goings-on, and have talked about it”, says Juha Lehtonen from the town of Nokia.
      “But we still have faith.”
      Juha Lehtonen is the head of the 2,600-strong Saab fan club in Finland.
     
In recent days the Saabists’ faith has been tested, when the future of the object of their affections has been challenged. Saab, which has operated at a loss for years, may well be on the final straight of the last leg of its race.
      “Certainly there have been rumours that for example Toyota could buy Saab. Let’s just wait calmly to see what happens”, Finland’s Saab Owners' Club chairman Lehtonen says. “And if the manufacturing does come to an end, the old cars will definitely increase in value.”
      Whatever fate awaits Saab, the fans will remain faithful. Saab enthusiasm is a life-long mission.
     
Lehtonen himself owns 11 Saabs - one that is in constant use, plus ten collection pieces. This is not nearly a record, however. One member of the club owns 32 Saabs that are all still in the vehicle register.
      Collectively the members of the club own practically every single Saab model ever manufactured, starting from the first Saab 92 models from the 1950s. To become a member of the club one does not have to own a Saab, but in practice there are hardly any Saabless members.
     
Lehtonen’s Saabism had a typical start: his childhood rolled by sitting on a backseat of a Saab. When Lehtonen received his driving licence in 1977 his first car was naturally a Saab.
      His most beloved Saab models are the “basic model”, the Saab 96, but also the Saab 96 Sport, of which only around twenty individuals were ever imported to Finland.
      The aim of the Finnish Saab Owners' Club is to uphold the Saab mentality. The Club provides its members with spare parts, but also organises events and trips. The most traditional one is to the “holy land” of the Trollhättan Saab factory in Sweden.
     
Lehtonen affirms that the trips to Trollhättan will continue, even if Saab’s manufacturing there is brought to an end. At least there is a Saab museum there.
      For years Saab enthusiasts in Finland have been teased with the phrase “Saabism is an illness”. Lehtonen has a counter-argument.
      “If it were an illness, then surely the Social Insurance would cover it. As far as I know, none of us have received any compensation yet.”


Previously in HS International Edition:
  German ThyssenKrupp Automotive decides against purchasing Valmet Automotive (8.6.2004)
  Last Saab rolls off a Finnish production line (29.4.2003)

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