Those that love a brand

By Jonathan Welsh

If you notice a lot of Saabs on the road this weekend you may be near one of the many rallies, caravans and other gatherings Saab owners have scheduled as a way to show their affection for the Swedish brand.

Even though the companyentered bankruptcy protection late last year and has largely ceased operations, its cars still have a following of clubs and enthusiastic individual owners. A lot of these folks are planning to meet at dealerships, mechanic shops, restaurants and other spots today, tomorrow and next weekend in what could be a final show of support for Saab before the lights go out for good.

Tim Colbeck, president and chief operating officer of Saab Cars North America, or SCNA, says that while the car maker’s U.S. operation is winding down, its fate is not completely clear. The parent company is still corresponding with potential buyers, and it is possible that the company could, at some point, resume building cars.

The chances of that are slim, however, and Colbeck says the company’s next steps should be clearer in the next month or so. SCNA said in December it had hired turnaround specialist McTevia & Associates to help it continue to operate and avoid immediate liquidation following Saab Automobile AB’s bankruptcy filing. Colbeck said McTevia is essentially overseeing the U.S. unit’s wind-down process while hoping for a possible break.

“Within the next 30 days we should have a pretty good idea” of where the company is headed, Colbeck said.

Meanwhile Saab owners in the U.S. for the most part can still take their cars to dealerships for service. Colbeck said most of the company’s 188 dealers here are still operating. The company is still trying to restore the flow of spare parts from its supplier in Sweden, which is not part of the bankruptcy.

For adventurous shoppers seeking deep discounts, Saab dealers still have about 2,200 cars in their inventories that are still for sale.