'Save Our Saab' Say Owners And Fans

Saab Owners gather in Luton to plead with GM to save their beloved marque

By Riggers / Monday, 18 January 2010 / Loading comments

Saab rally Legend Erik Carlsson led more than 150 Saab owners to the General Motors UK HQ in Luton on Sunday to fight for the brand's survival.

GM is liquidating Saab, having started the run-down last week, although it is still talking to bidders including Dutch company Spyker.

But with time running out there have been passionate global demonstrations calling for the brand to be saved, with protest convoys happening from Amsterdam to Australia and across the United States (that's several different convoys, not one huge one...).

At Luton, convoys from across the country gathered out of town under the direction of organiser Josephine Gatsonides - niece of rally champion and speed camera inventor Maurice - before parading past the GM HQ.

The convoy then headed for the Imperial War Museum at Duxford to celebrate the company's aerospace heritage.

Carlsson, who bought his first Saab in 1952 and rallied for Saab from 1954 to 1977, postponed a knee operation to join the convoy. "I have been lucky with Saab all my life" said Carlsson, "and I hope Saab will continue to be true Saab".

Richard Elliott, chairman of the Saab Owners Club, said he was delighted with the turnout. "We feel for the people in Sweden who could lose their jobs," he said, "but there are also people all over the world who want to see this brand saved for everything it stands for".

^{Pics and words: Nick Williams}