More than 500 Dutch Saab lovers toured on Sunday to support the Swedish car brand, which a fan described as the “Apple of the car industry,” while owner General Motors (GM) was preparing the company’s wind-down.
Saab owners in several parts of the world have staged events for the loss-making car maker, and fans in the Netherlands, Sweden and about 30 other countries drove in convoys to voice their support, Dutch organizer Sidney Polak said.
“It was a big success, there were many people. Some 585 cars joined the tour,” said Polak, who started organizing the Dutch event about three weeks ago.
PHOTO: REUTERS
The future of Saab still hangs in the balance as US owner GM nominated two wind-down supervisors last Tuesday, but at the same said it was considering several bids for Saab.
Drivers of the car, which is hailed for its design and turbo engine, would not shed a tear if Saab would become independent from GM, which gained full control of the brand in 2000.
“Saab was a brand of its own, it made no concessions. But since GM, that has changed and it made concessions. I hope the old situation will return when it is taken over,” Polak said.
Fons Bitter, a 64-year-old consultant and owner of a Saab 9-6, also disliked GM’s involvement with the company and said people wanted something distinct.
“We have to go back to the roots. Isn’t it bizarre that so many people are concerned about this brand?” Bitter asked.
His son Sander, a 24-year-old marketing and communication student, said Saab’s design and image made it different.
“Saab is the Apple of the car industry,” Sander said, referring to US computer and phone maker Apple Inc, which has been successful with its iPhone and iPod music player.
Saab owners, however, acknowledged the car brand, which has not made a profit since 2001, has failed to be a success.
“GM has tried to make it a mass product but you shouldn’t do that. You should cherish its distinct character,” said Dutch Rene Lensink, 40, who owns a Saab Cabriolet and is a web designer.
Belgian technical designer Mark Waegeman, 57 and owner of a bright yellow Saab race car model Sonic 3 from 1973, would like to see Swedish parties take over Saab to safeguard the brand’s reliability and technology.
“Saab has developed this car, which is at the same time a sports car, a family car and freight transporter,” said Waegeman, who owns four other Saabs and drove with about 50 other Belgian Saab cars to the event in the Netherlands.
Many families took part in the Dutch convoy, which drove about 75km from Soesterberg in the center of the Netherlands to Muiden located near Amsterdam.
“I like the sound of the turbo. I miss it in our street, this turbo feeling,” said 42-year-old Jacqueline Veldhuizen, who joined the convoy with her partner and eight and six-year old son and daughter.
Her 25-year-old friend Romy Lensink, who made a spinning sound when talking about the turbo, also liked Saabs for their safety.
“It’s deer-proof, so to say,” she said with a smile.
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