September 9, 2011
It can be very disquieting to watch a brand's demise. Especially when it's so important to an entire nation like Saab is to Sweden. But it looks like the end is very near for the once-esteemed Saab marque, and the unwinding is getting pretty ugly.
Like vultures poking at potential prey to see if it really is lifeless, Saab's creditors, employees, regulators and would-be partners are all taking turns probing to see if the venerable brand really has anything left. The latest news is that cash-strapped Saab plans to appeal by Monday against a court rejection for protection against its creditors.
Even if Swedish courts, its workers, suppliers and Chinese partners should coalesce somehow around continuing to keep Saab existential, the backdrop for the company still is fearsome. There's the loss of momentum in the U.S. auto market, fierce competition for near-luxury buyers, and the still-spreading European economic contagion that it would have to contend with.
So, Saab's story continues its denouement. It might be time to just close the book.
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