Friday, December 18 General Motors reported that it is going to wind down another one of its vehicle lines: Saab. Read the full story here.
It seemed a shame to me that the General killed Saturn, a brand with reputation and potential. Even Pontiac, which stood for muscular, sporty cars seemed to have its place. Olds and Buick? I think the one-or-the-other choice (GM chose Buick for its strength in the Chinese market) was good there, as the two mid-upscale sedan brands overlapped.
But killing Saab? Saab Automobile has its roots in the Swedish company’s aviation heritage, and the aerodynamic styling on many of Saab’s quirky automobiles is testament to this. Saabs are known for little nuances like a distinctive grill, a center-console mounted ignition, and finessed turbo-charging technology.
But come 1989, GM began to meddle in the company. They bought a stake and began to inject Opel (a GM subsidiary in Germany) platforms. Then GM began to pollute Saab with their own sub-par products such as the 9-7x SUV. That platform had been loosely rebadged as a Chevy TrailBlazer, GMC Envoy, Buick Rainer, Oldsmobile Bravada, and Isuzu Ascender. Or how about the Saab-aru—a loosely rebadged Subaru Impreza WRX wagon. Yes, I’m a die-hard Subbie fan, but the Saab-aru was another strange venture. At the time, GM had its paws on a small stake of Fuji Heavy Industries (Subaru’s parent company). Thankfully, GM withdrew before we started getting rebadged Chevy Cobalts being sold under the Subaru moniker.
Several buyers for Saab all distanced themselves from negotiations in the end, most recently Dutch automaker Spyker Cars. I would’ve liked to see Spyker buy the Swedish brand. While I don’t know much about Spyker, it would be nice to see Saab stay in Scandinavian hands and return to profit with quirky, nifty turbocharged cars that stand for safety, reliability, and overall stability.
What I would hate to see is a Chinese buyer emerge. A Chinese suitor for Saturn changed its course, hence why the brand is being wound down. Hummer, on the other hand, is being bought by Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery Corp. So let’s see, AM General builds the Hummer brand, and markets a civilian version of the U.S. Military’s main transport. GM buys it, and sells military-birthed technology to the Chinese. Wonderful. Along with U.S. Treasury debt, isn’t it obvious the Chinese are taking over? Scary actually. And all we get is crappy lead-tainted consumer goods and poisoned food.
To wrap up, GM did offer a glimmer of hope. If a suitable buyer comes forward for Saab, the brand can be saved. I sincerely hope some suitor from Scandinavia comes down and saves the storied brand.
Build unique, sturdy, safe, innovative, luxurious, performance-minded cars (like Saab was reputed for) and see if the brand can’t return to profitability. In the meantime, GM should keep its paws off of other automakers, after all, the company can’t even manage itself.
Showing posts with label 2009 Subaru Legacy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2009 Subaru Legacy. Show all posts
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Leaving a Legacy--Subaru's Marketing Effort
Subaru has recently announced the all-new 2010 Legacy sedan. For the past several months, dealers have been offering incredibly good leases on new 2009 models, obviously to blow them out in lieu of the upcoming 2010.
I was one to benefit from Subaru’s seemingly generous lease offer during December 2008. At the time, I was driving a 1998 Outback wagon with about 100K on it. The car was having more problems than were worth fixing. To sell it outright, my conscience would require me to reveal all the (known) ailments this car had—a potential turn off to any buyer. I didn’t feel bad trading it to the dealership though, since they had to appraise it anyway. This car was purchased on eBay, and in the time I owned it, I put only 3000 miles on it. Buyer beware before ever purchasing a car on eBay—but that could be a whole different blog; perhaps one day I’ll write it.
Anyway, I love my dark gray 2009 Legacy sedan. Subaru’s come a long way since 1998. But what I really wanted to talk about were things regarding the new 2010:
First, the marketing behind the 2009 blowout. At the time when I leased my new car, Subaru had a marketing effort called “Share the Love” going on. For every new purchased or leased Subbie, the company would donate $250 to a charitable cause. There were multiple benefactors to choose from, hopefully to satisfy most people’s interests. I chose Meals on Wheels, and received a kind thank-you note from the organization. I thought “Share the Love” was a great PR and cause-related marketing effort on Subaru’s behalf. It was a great way to spread some goodwill around while actively involving the consumer. No wonder Subaru was one of few automakers to have a profitable 2008, with sales up 0.3% over 2007.
Second, I wanted to talk about the new car. I’d post photos, but as of right now, they’re not mine. Check out Subaru’s official site—this keeps me from violating copyrights. Anyway, the new car is said to be longer, taller, and wider than the current model. I like my narrow Subaru though, it’s easy to maneuver in tight parking spots. A little extra height is always welcome when though you’re 6-foot, 3-inches. The base engine looks to me like it remains largely unchanged, virtually the same 2.5-liter, 170-HP, boxer four cylinder. The new tranny is what intrigues me. It’s Subaru’s first real foray into the continuously variable transmission world, a realm seemingly dominated by Nissan. I don’t really understand the technology behind a CVT, only that auto enthusiast magazines love the ones Nissan builds. I can’t wait until Motor Trend or Car and Driver has a full test drive and review of the new Legacy.
As far as aesthetics are concerned, the new 2010 is taking on the more European look that has become popular in virtually all autos. I think it’s all in the door handles. The flush-with-body door handles on my 2009 look much more Japanese than the type that protrude from the body and are pulled to open. I like a Japanese car that looks Japanese, personally. Subaru designers, however, are following trend.
Another Subaru distinction lost: frameless glass in the windows. This is a sorely overdue improvement. Those frameless windows, while easier to clean, loosen up in no time at all with the repeated slamming of the doors. I read that full-framed glass improves structural rigidity, too.
I look forward to seeing a 2010 Legacy up close in the near future. Subaru is a great niche automobile with some creative marketing behind its brand. I wonder what kind of advertising/PR is going to surround the dealer launch of the 2010 Legacy. And who knows…maybe in slightly less than two years from now when my lease ends I’ll lease a new Legacy.
I was one to benefit from Subaru’s seemingly generous lease offer during December 2008. At the time, I was driving a 1998 Outback wagon with about 100K on it. The car was having more problems than were worth fixing. To sell it outright, my conscience would require me to reveal all the (known) ailments this car had—a potential turn off to any buyer. I didn’t feel bad trading it to the dealership though, since they had to appraise it anyway. This car was purchased on eBay, and in the time I owned it, I put only 3000 miles on it. Buyer beware before ever purchasing a car on eBay—but that could be a whole different blog; perhaps one day I’ll write it.
Anyway, I love my dark gray 2009 Legacy sedan. Subaru’s come a long way since 1998. But what I really wanted to talk about were things regarding the new 2010:
First, the marketing behind the 2009 blowout. At the time when I leased my new car, Subaru had a marketing effort called “Share the Love” going on. For every new purchased or leased Subbie, the company would donate $250 to a charitable cause. There were multiple benefactors to choose from, hopefully to satisfy most people’s interests. I chose Meals on Wheels, and received a kind thank-you note from the organization. I thought “Share the Love” was a great PR and cause-related marketing effort on Subaru’s behalf. It was a great way to spread some goodwill around while actively involving the consumer. No wonder Subaru was one of few automakers to have a profitable 2008, with sales up 0.3% over 2007.
Second, I wanted to talk about the new car. I’d post photos, but as of right now, they’re not mine. Check out Subaru’s official site—this keeps me from violating copyrights. Anyway, the new car is said to be longer, taller, and wider than the current model. I like my narrow Subaru though, it’s easy to maneuver in tight parking spots. A little extra height is always welcome when though you’re 6-foot, 3-inches. The base engine looks to me like it remains largely unchanged, virtually the same 2.5-liter, 170-HP, boxer four cylinder. The new tranny is what intrigues me. It’s Subaru’s first real foray into the continuously variable transmission world, a realm seemingly dominated by Nissan. I don’t really understand the technology behind a CVT, only that auto enthusiast magazines love the ones Nissan builds. I can’t wait until Motor Trend or Car and Driver has a full test drive and review of the new Legacy.
As far as aesthetics are concerned, the new 2010 is taking on the more European look that has become popular in virtually all autos. I think it’s all in the door handles. The flush-with-body door handles on my 2009 look much more Japanese than the type that protrude from the body and are pulled to open. I like a Japanese car that looks Japanese, personally. Subaru designers, however, are following trend.
Another Subaru distinction lost: frameless glass in the windows. This is a sorely overdue improvement. Those frameless windows, while easier to clean, loosen up in no time at all with the repeated slamming of the doors. I read that full-framed glass improves structural rigidity, too.
I look forward to seeing a 2010 Legacy up close in the near future. Subaru is a great niche automobile with some creative marketing behind its brand. I wonder what kind of advertising/PR is going to surround the dealer launch of the 2010 Legacy. And who knows…maybe in slightly less than two years from now when my lease ends I’ll lease a new Legacy.
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