Currently reading: Saab workers launch protest
3500 people gather outside the firm’s Trollhättan factory in Sweden

Thousands of Saab workers have gathered outside the firm’s Trollhättan factory in Sweden to demonstrate against General Motors’ decision to begin the closure of the company.

Up to 3500 people, equivalent to Saab’s entire Swedish workforce, turned out to show their support for the firm. Many carried placards in English reading “Mr Obama – please save Saab” and “Save Saab from GM, Gangster Motors.”The company’s employees also presented a letter that will be sent to GM CEO Ed Whitacre, which urges GM to sell Saab rather than close it.

Whitacre said yesterday that GM is closing the Swedish firm as none of the offers it has received for the company have been attractive enough.

Despite this, Saab restarted its production lines yesterday to commence production of the new 9-5 and to fulfil orders for the 9-3 and outgoing 9-5 (pictured).

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WooDz 13 January 2010

Re: Saab workers launch protest

Trackdemon: Your right for the masses the 9-5 will not be chosen ahead of the top 3 German brands. That's always been the case. Sometimes I feel it has been more to do with following like lambs than actually picking a brand out of choice. Except for the XF which is just as good as the Germans, has more exclusivity and a statement of British heritage.

However I firmly believe there are enough die-hard SAAB fans out there to get an initial run of 9-5's. It would mean they bought one of the very last SAAB's ever produced. GM would still have to uphold the warranty. That's the difference in this wind-down. The process will actually take 5 years due to Warranty and Parts Guarantees. A statement made by Ed Whitacre himself.

I'm still hopeful of a buy out. I think with Merbanco, Genii and Spyker all tweaking their bids I'm sure we will have some good news at the end of the week. TBH Genii look better in my eyes but will Ecclestone in the picture it all seems a bit superficial. Who knows He's done the F1 thing and maybe this time, he wants something he can really call his own?

kcrally 12 January 2010

Re: Saab workers launch protest

workers unite - vote for your local communist party

Mini1 12 January 2010

Re: Saab workers launch protest

Good on the workers - if GM can't see what the potential consequences of SAAB's closure is, then they shouldn't be in charge of anything, let alone several car brands. SAAB need to survive, even if it's just for that gorgeous new 9-5 to be built (it looks fantastic on that production line!). It would be arrogant of GM to say 'no' to any offer in my opinion - any bid is better than simply shutting a company down for no apparent reason!