Originally Posted By: Carmudgeon
Despite their poor market viability, niche brands like SAAB have their role in enhancing the overall market.
Electronic wastegate controls (APC), direct ignition (SDI), active headrests...these ideas came to the market from SAAB, and quirks and smart thinking were part of their products before they became rebodied Opels.
Considering the final ignominy of the 9-2X and 9-7X, perhaps they should have been allowed to die before GM took their stake.
To me, there's little point in preserving a marque mainly as an additional marketing channel if they've lost what made them unique.
At least Volvo survived their tenure under Ford, and Geely has done a surprisingly good job at letting them do their thing. JLR and Aston-Martin also made the most of their second chances free from Ford.
Saab also created an engine control system that used ionization instead of piezoelectric elements to detect knock. It used the plasma generated from the firing of the spark plugs to see how well the air/fuel mix ignited.
GM also controlled Subaru and Suzuki - right now the former is doing fine under Toyota, and surprisingly the parent company is taking a hands-off approach with them. Subaru's become mainstream but not boring like a Camry/Prius/Sienna/Highlander. The latter was neglected in the US, before they became glorified Daewoos(for the exception of the Aerio/Kizashi/Vitara). Supposedly Toyota bought them out as well, and if Subaru's kei cars in Japan were rebadged Toyotas the same might happen to Suzuki's small cars.
