You're not getting away from the fact that far more cars are built every year than consumers want to buy. Some companies and factories gotta go, and SAAB not having turned a profit during my entire lifetime (and just a handful of years in its 60 year lifetime) is a prime victim for the chopping block.
My bet is that this will go to hell. Peak oil is not an energy crisis. It is a liquid fuel crisis.
SAAB has not made money during my entire life. The last time they turned a profit was in the summer of 1985 IIRC. Thr only reason they've survived since 1990 is 'cos GM has pumped money into it, covering losses every year.
Before they were bought by GM, SAAB Automobile was supported by their owners, the Wallenberg family, to keep the soc dems happy. They could afford this because the aerospace/arms and truck divisions (now separate companies) have always been profitable, and one doesn't have to be a genius to understand that keeping the car factories running at a loss might well result in some more juicy fighter bomber contracts... Peak oil is not an energy crisis. It is a liquid fuel crisis.
