Saab may never build another car, but name will live on

By Mark Phelan, USA TODAY and the Detroit Free Press

Saab engineering and technology may live on after the Swedish automaker's bankruptcy, but we may never see the brand's name on another car.

The name Saab comes from Swedish Aerospace, the aircraft company that built cars as a sideline until it sold that business to General Motors in 1990. Swedish Automobile got the right to use the name -- and Saab's distinctive badge, which features a griffin, a mythological beast with an eagle's head and lion's body -- when it bought the brand from GM a couple of years ago.

Automakers from developing countries may bid on the new Phoenix small-car architecture Saab developed. Phoenix could help a young automaker become competitive with global companies sooner. Saab owns the intellectual property in Phoenix, which was to be the basis for a new 9-3 that Saab hoped to sell within a year or so. The asset sale may include Saab's factory equipment, but no GM know-how for building and developing cars, powertrains and vehicle architectures.

Meanwhile, GM will handle warranty work on vehicles sold while it owned Saab, through the 2009 model year. Saab Cars North America is working on warranty coverage for the relatively few 2010 and 2011 models its dealers sold. Saab's U.S. dealers have about 2,400 unsold new vehicles in stock.