MODIFIED LIMITED HANGOUT

It was a very slow death.  But Saab's car division, long separated from their legendary aircraft division, has finally died.  Or at least it is heading that way.  

You could argue that Saab was the Subaru of Europe.  It was born out of an aircraft company.  It had a strong cult following.  During the 1970s and 1980s, driving a Saab or Subaru was an act of left-wing subversion - something a small New England college professor might do.  But there are key differences.  Subaru's cult following slowly went mainstream as word got out just how valuable their all wheel drive systems are (Subaru produces three systems and all of their cars have at least the basic, part-time AWD system).  Subaru never shied from making hatchbacks, while Saab slowly phased-out their iconic hatch designs.  Both companies have occasionally designed aviation-inspired cockpits.  

But Subaru stuck to a unique engineering and design philosophy in 1972 (with the Leone 4WD wagon) and stuck to it.  Saab lost its way in the early years or GM ownership.  It found its way back to greatness only in the later years of this decade thanks largely to its last two chief designers, the German Michael Mauer and the Englishman Simon Padian.

Saab was one of the best makers of front-wheel drive cars.  Like Citroen, Saab stuck to front-wheel drive and made it better with each car generation.  I think Citroen, Peugeot, Volvo, and Saab are the best engineers and implementers of front-wheel drive in the automotive world.  Alfa Romeo learned a lot on how to switch to front-wheel drive from Saab.  The two automakers even occasionally shared platforms.  For example, the Saab 9000 shared its chassis with the Alfa 164.  And the last-generation Saab 9-3 shared its platform with the Afla 159, which is still sold in Europe today - notably the distinctive and award-winning wagon version.

Saab was the first automaker to introduce heated front seats....in 1972!

Saab's classic cars all had the number 9 in them.  The 99.  The 90.  The 900.  The 9000.  The 9-3.  

Saab did make the unconventional move of producing Sweden's first convertible in 1986, which somehow became the favorite luxury coupe in Provincetown, Massachusetts until Saab folded.

Improved reliability came late, well after General Motors bought the brand in 2000.  But by then, the design shifts away from hatchbacks began to seal Saab's fate.  The Saab 9-3 was briefly offered as a sedan only until the beautiful 9-3 SportCombi entered the lineup in 2005. Saab fans were thrown a bone with the 9-2X hatchback, which was actually a Subaru Impreza dressed as a Saab.  GM had planned to dress-up the Subaru B9 Tribeca as the Saab 9-7X, but by then, GM had sold their share of Subaru to Toyota.  

From 2007 onward, Saab offered the fourth-generation Haldex AWD system in its 9-3 and 9-5 vehicles.  It was Saab's best engineering move in years.  Saab finally had an all wheel drive system from the world's leading manufacturer of AWD systems (and Haldex is a Swedish company, to boot).  

The 9-3 and 9-5 today are better than ever.  The 2010 9-5 (pictured above) is ready to to be produced in Europe.  And there is a beautiful 9-4X crossover waiting to be built in Mexico (on the line that recently stopped producing the Saturn Vue). But GM's bankruptcy reorganization has forced it to sell Saab.  So far, it has been unsuccessful, and time is just about out.  If Saab isn't sold it will have to wind down.

UPDATE, December 30th 2009, 11:00 EST:  GM has announced that it will fill orders for the new 9-5 sedan and 9-3 convertible.  But it still intends to either sell Saab or shut it down. 

UPDATE, January 9th, 2010:  The wind-down commences.  Saab is gone.

UPDATE, January 26th, 2010:  Not so fast.  GM sells Saab to Spyker in an 11th hour sale.  Spyker is not profitable, but Saab might both save itself and Spyker.  So for now, Saab is alive.

The Federal CARS program ('cash for clunkers') has led to a lot of 1990s domestic SUVs taken off the roads. According to Jalopnik, 6 of the top 10 vehicles being removed from American roads are Ford Explorer models. Here's the list:

1. 1998 Ford Explorer
2. 1997 Ford Explorer
3. 1996 Ford Explorer
4. 1999 Ford Explorer
5. Jeep Grand Cherokee
6. Jeep Cherokee
7. 1995 Ford Explorer
8. 1994 Ford Explorer
9. 1997 Ford Windstar
10. 1999 Dodge Caravan

The Ford Explorer was one of the best-selling vehicles of the 1990s. It is still offered in the iconic two-tone Eddie Bauer edition. And somehow, when I think of that 1990s Explorer, I remember it being mentioned in the first verse of Ice Cube's song, 'Down For Whatever' (1993).

Cadillac grills Cadillac mills...

Happy New Year! Dalghren has found a job selling rocks and minerals in a smokey cold store basement. We're going to do our best to keep this blog rolling in 2009. But the frequency of postings will slow down for the time being. So what is there to report today? Let's start with -

A faint hope for justice. I was 16 and at a jesuit high school when this massacre happened. It is good to see Spain continue to lead the world in pursuing justice for human rights.

Goodbye, Queens native, Patrick McGoohan.

Goodbye, great Mexican actor, king of Corinthian leather, Ricardo Montalban.

The House of Lehman will never go back in business, but Bryan Marsal has ambitious plans to limit the time the firm remains in Chapter 11 to 2-3 years, tops. Artwork is being sold and revenues are still coming in. Lehman's debts will be paid one way or another. I just wish we former employees could be included among those who are collecting.

Barry's car in Chicago is a Ford Escape Hybrid. But this is Barry's new Presidential Cadillac DTS. No pimping required.

And, uh, holy crap! Only in New York?

Dalghren here. I spent last weekend (September 13-15) in charming Bermuda. It was my first time there. While it is not the secret beach paradise Vieques is, it still exceeded my expectations. It is a friendly, historic, expensive, lazy island, where dark rum flows liberally (and money laundering used to).

I could write about the rich 400-year history, the unique architecture, the island's use of cisterns for fresh water, the amazing Royal Naval Cemetery, the many beautiful pink sand beaches, or the resorts and expansive golf courses. But this post is about the luxury items owned by the local Bermudians - their cars. Bermuda, comparatively speaking, is one of the most eco-conscious places I've been to. They export scrap metal, use their landfill efficiently, and their electric power plant is nearly invisible. They also have their own bottling / canning plant for all major soft drinks, which recycles bottles and cans over and over.

But with insurance and re-insurance being their biggest industry, Bermudans have very high salaries (an average income of $70,000 per year, in fact). And those who find the island's thousands of scooters to be inadequate can import their own cars. There is a one-car-per-household limit, and all cars are registered with 5-digit numbers shown on their generic license plates. And to make these cars usable, there are no car rental chains on the island. Tourists may only rent scooters if they wish to drive themselves anywhere.

So what cars do Bermudans import? Mainly A-segment cars. Internationally, cars are separated into size classes, A, B, and C.

'A' cars are what we Americans call 'sub-compact.' 'B' cars are typically 'mid-size' cars and SUVs. And 'C' cars are the full-size luxury sedans, wagons, and SUVs. I might one-day be able to produce a sideshow using Brightcove, but for now, here's a list of the A-segment (and some B-segment) cars of Bermuda:

Endurance Runners (cars purchased in the 1980s and still on the road):
I remember only three cars from the 1980s.

The venerable BMW 3-series (of course). A B-segment saloon.

The BMW 5-series (I'll always remember Norman Mailer owned one in Massachusetts). Technically, this is a C-segment car. But yesterday's C-segment is today's B-segment.

I saw two Subaru Justy's. Proof that the ECVT transmission, which was predicted to last just 100,000 miles, can last a lot longer than that. Amazing, really.

1990s cars still on the road:
The 1990s are not well-represented in Bermuda, either. But I recall seeing three fine examples.

Renault Clio (2nd generation)

Skoda Octavia (1st generation). This is actually a B-segment car, but is still seen around Bermuda.

Mazda 323 Mk II Sports Sedan. A rare car, indeed. But I saw several in Bermuda.

Contemporary Cars of Bermuda (the vast majority of cars on the road):
Most Bermudians drive cars produced during this decade. And these are the most interesting cars, as luxury features from the B-Segment have trickled-down to the A-segment due to market demand and cost-cutting in car manufacturing. And we are seeing better designs. We haven't seen bold or clever designs for A-segment cars in roughly 20 years.

Car fanatics might remember the Nissan 'Pike Factory' series from the late 1980s (the Pao, Figaro, BE-1, and S-Cargo). The practice of creating niche microcars on a shared platform continues today, and arguably has become fun again.

The most common car, it seems, is the first-generation Mazda 2, a sibling of the current Ford Fiesta and European Ford Fusion.

And the second-generation Mazda 2 is there as well. A hot new 2010 model, which shares its chassis with the next-generation Ford Fiesta.

The Suzuki Swift is still produced.

The European Ford Fusion. In Mexico, this is known as the Fiesta until the next-generation Fiesta is produced there in 2009.

There were a couple of Volkswagen Polos.

The popular new convertible is the Renault 206 Cabrio.

The Peugeot 206, the basis for the champion rally car.

And it's successor, the Peugeot 207.

The second-generation Renault Megane hatchback is there (third-generation coming soon).

And the Megme's cousin, the Nissan Tida (known as the Nissan Versa in the USA).

My girl loved the Nissan March. It should be noted that because the March is based on the old Nissan K10 platform, it is related to the cute 'Pike Factory' cars introduced in Japan 20 years ago. And like those cars, the March is unique, stylish, and is extremely appealing to women drivers.

And finally, a family mover that I thought was beautifully designed - the Honda FR-V. I am not a minivan guy, but it was hard not to admire the FR-V for maximizing interior space in a car slightly larger than a Ford Focus. It looks like a Fit, except it's fatter. It might be the widest new car available in Bermuda. I am no fan of front bench seating for three (or minivan-style, dash-mounted shift levers), but it is interesting that the FR-V is available with an old-school front bench seat. Besides the ugly Fiat Multipla, it is the only 6-passenger microvan in the world.

On August 14 1988, Italy lost an automobile legend when Enzo Ferrari passed away. Twenty years later, it has lost the living legacy of the Pininfarina name, Andrea Pininfarina, who was killed today in an accident involving his Vespa scooter. A driver pulled out of a driveway or other road directly in his path, and he had no chance to stop. He served as the CEO of Pininfarina since 2001. It is widely speculated that since he is the only living grandson of the founder, Battista Farina, and the Pininfarina family is considering reducing its share of ownership of the compamny, this could be the end of an era. The influence and involvement of the Pininfarina family could be coming to an end.

Andrea Pininfarina was involved in some key projects for the firm, including the Cadillac Allante (1987) and the non-US versions of the Ford Focus (1998-present).

The 2005 Maserati Birdcage 75, a concept car to celebrate Pininfarina's 75th anniversary, and designed by Ken Okuyama.