It's official: General Motors kills Saab

The writing was on the wall, and now it's official: Saab automobile brand is dead. After failing to put together a deal to offload the Swedish automaker to a 3rd party, and with Saab obviously unable to sustain itself in the marketplace thanks to dismal sales numbers, General Motors announced this morning that it would indeed be closing down the brand. The act is a dubious "anniversary present" of sorts -- twenty years ago this month, GM took its initial ownership stake in Saab.

Saab doubtless has its share of dedicated aficionados, and throughout its history, it has produced a number of interesting cars imbued with a unique, innovative character and charm. It was, for the most part, never profitable for General Motors, however, and in recent years, Saab had primarily become an afterthought in the marketplace, as car shoppers simply looked elsewhere in ever-increasing numbers.

As we pointed out last month, Saab's sales numbers in the U.S. had gotten so bad that it was being outsold by even the ultra-niche Smart microcar brand -- itself in a sales free-fall a year after enjoying plenty of launch buzz. The figures tell the story: In November 2009, for example, a grand total of 371 Saab vehicles were sold in the United States -- down from 513 sold in October. The only brand that fared worse last month was Hummer, with 222 sales. Smart, for what it's worth, sold 661 cars.

Reviews of newer-vintage Saabs have been generally complimentary, but at the same time, critics frequently pointed out shortcomings such as questionable fit and finish and driving dynamics that, while good, simply trailed class rivals. Ultimately, Saab just became uncompetitive,  and now its fate has been sealed.

If you're a current Saab owner,  be advised that General Motors will honor warranties, as well as continue to produce spare parts and provide service to existing Saabs.

If you're currently car shopping, it's probable that Saab wasn't on your radar to begin with (if recent sales history is any indication). That said, be on the lookout for deals as Saab retailers look to sell off remaining inventory in the wake of today's announcement.