Saab, Volvo, Nokia and IKEA

For many years, we adore the Scandinavian brands. They always had something different than the others! Volvo was the safest car, Saab's technology was transferred from aerospace, and Nokia was the stylish. As you might noticed, I used past tense! Because, they all left in the past. Now Volvo is not the safest car manufacturer, fortunately every brand is safe. Saab has nothing to offer, except being Saab. Nokia is having last good days in mobile phones business and being beaten up by just one product.

Now what is next? Ikea! Just remember the last decades and how all those Scandinavian brands were glamour. But now, they lost all their fame. Okay, Volvo is getting better but there is a huge gap between the other brands and Volvo.

From all these brands, I noticed one thing. Scandinavian firms are really innovative and good at design and ignore the whole world! Your brands may be the best but we are not living in your region. So, we cannot think like you. And all Scandinavian firms could not predict the future and upcoming threats, because they were very good. Unfortunately, reality was totally different and they all lost their market share. Because, they did not listen the customers and identify the contemporary trends. I think in one decade Ikea can face the similar problems like Nokia and others. I hope they realize what is going wrong and would not end up like others.

Pictures' Copyrights
EuroNCAP, IKEA

Ohh Panayamu, Saab with V8

I was in Greece, Athens for couple of days. It was a nice holiday with interesting experience :)

One of the most shocking thing was Saab 9-7X. Yes, this car is existing! And with 5,3lt engine. I saw this car next to historical place Acropolis.

Saab was owned by GM and everyone heard what happened to Saab nowadays. When Saab manufactured this pointless, weird looking, ridiculous SUV, they used the infrastructure of Chevrolet Trailblazer. Yes, this car is half American and half Swedish. However the idiotic situation does not end up here and it was offering 5,3lt American V8. Petrol eater, inefficient, seriously stupid 5,3lt V8 is starring in Swedish movie!

Actually when saw the 5,3i (it is injection) I was really shocked! A Saab with V8, who did this thing? I thought the owner stick this label but as soon as I checked the internet, I saw the unbelievable truth!

Eventually this car's production stopped in 2009. One of the best decision ever made by GM and Saab. And I understood from this car, Saab was produced in Sweden and managed in USA. So the result is catastrophic. Neither the product was satisfying customers' demand nor offering a competitive product.

GM vs. Saab

What I have read about Saab and saw how the brand was sinking last one decade proofed that GM is not automotive manufacturer. Actually automotive destroyer! VW is managing many brands without any problems, the slight price differences between VW and Audi is a proof of perfection and ability to understand the market, also consumers.

However, GM was stuck in 1950s; produce a chassis and cover it with engine and some other stuff. I cannot understand the US car manufacturers, from the same country people are producing microprocessors which is extremely tiny and does not tend to die but a huge car cannot be built without any problem. US car companies should understand that, world has changed V8 world died long time ago and brakes from chewing gum and suspension from bed spring is not welcomed in anywhere on earth. Even the US market does not prefer US brands! You have many business school which shaped the world economy contributed valuable  knowledge to literature but GM was unaware of all these things! I hope that Opel could save itself. If GM did not realize that Cadillac Escalade is something which is totally useless, there is not need to say anything more. Just compare Escalade with Range Rover, Mercedes GL Class, Toyota Land Cruiser !

Mercedes GL 350 CDi - Cadillac Escalade

Picture are from;

Saab Website

Mercedes Website

GM Website