Originally posted by: TubStain
<car noob> So what is special about Saab? what makes their cars unique? Why would a person buy a saab? What are they looking for? </car noob>
Saabs have had a lot of little idiosyncracies over the years. They have always had "aircraft-inspired" cockpits so the interior design of Saabs is usually a little different than what you'd see in other cars. There have also been other little "quirks" like placing the ignition between the driver and passenger seats instead of on the steering column, loud gauges, and I think they were the first to have a "night mode" option that turned off all of the illumination in the dash except the speedometer and maybe the tach to cut down on glare at night. Plus, you used to have to put Saabs in reverse to remove the key, IIRC.
They've also had a history of distinctive exterior design. They have a trademark 3-section grille and the "hockey stick" design that runs along the side of their cars and up the C-pillar (Google can explain this better than I can). Also, they stuck with the hatchback body style long after many competitors dropped it.
Lastly, the driving experience of a Saab is just a little different than more mainstream cars. They've had a lot of turbo engines over the years and the steering feel of a Saab is unique. It's hard to explain, but if you drive one you can feel the difference.
Since GM bought Saab, their cars have started to lose these quirks, which upsets some people but has increased their overall sales and probably saved them from bankruptcy. But some people say there was no point in saving Saab if you have to take away everything that made them unique in the first place.