If only Saab could get as many people to actually put real money down for its products it might be able to make a case for saving the brand
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I recently bought a '99 9-3, and even at 150K+, it's still an excellent automobile. Before Audi came along, I think Saab had the best interiors, with excellent control layout and some of the best seats I've ever had the pleasure to plant myself in. Unfortunately, they seem to have lost their way over the past decade, and succumbed to badge engineering at the hands of GM. It's a shame really, as under different circumstances, they might have today been otherwise leading the entry-lux segment in terms of fuel efficiency, what with their experience with turbo'd inline fours, and front wheel drive layouts, with equal doses of comfort and practicality. Had GM really continued to advance the brand, rather than just slap Saab badges on their own platforms, they might now profitably own the segment that so many of their rivals are trying to now occupy with products like the Audi A1, BMW 1 Series, Volvo S60, and even GM's own Buick Regal – that is, the entry level luxury compact. Seems like a missed opportunity, really.
While GM's decision to build Saabs off the Opel Vectra platform, certainly didn't move the brand forward, it certainly kept it alive into the 21st century.
The fundamental problem with Saab has been the fact that in its heydey it was too quirky to appeal to a mainstream audience. At the same time it didn't offer enough of anything including performance or luxury to allow it command substantially higher prices. As the automotive world moved into the 21st century, the demands of new regulations make developing a new car from scratch enormously expensive. The brand wouldn't have been able to sell enough real Saabs at a high enough price to fund the development of modern products.
BMW has always had the performance niche and the benefit of being German and having a built-in audience in their home country. Mercedes sold enough expensive luxury machines to fund itself and Audi was part of Volkswagen.
GM might have made Saabs more distinct, like they finally did with the latest 9-5, but with everything else it had on its plate keeping Saab going just wasn't in the cards. It's unlikely any other automaker would have stepped up to rescue perpetual money pit Saab in the late 80s and the brand likely would have succumbed by the early 90s.