The story of General Motor’s ongoing battle for government cheese has finally come to an end, as the first sum (approx. $4 Billion) has already been transferred into the car giant’s bank account. Saab, one of the GM owned makes, has been struggling not to be abandoned by their parent company. It’s like a bad divorce – GM wants to dump Saab, along with Saturn and Hummer. But no one is really interested in picking them up. What is Saab to do?

Saab’s sales were down almost 35% in 2008, only a chunk compared to Hummer, which lost over 50% of its income. According to Automotive News, “Sweden’s government has promised both Volvo and Saab $3.19 billion in loans and credit guarantees.” Still, no one is stepping up to save Saab from disappearing. General Motors became part owner of Saab in 1989, only to fully acquire the car maker 10 years later.

What Saab needs is re-imagining, a makeover – car buyers (the few out there still shopping) have a weaker opinion of Saab, which has grown over recent years. And even though the company has released eclectic new design concepts what we see on dealer lots doesn’t match up with the fanciful ideas engineers are coming up with at Saab HQ – mostly because there are no funds to pursue any risky endeavors. Nothing is grabbing the public eye – we bet is Saab take a chunk of funding and put it towards one production model risk, they would see somewhat of a monetary reward.

Are you a Saab owner? Do you have an idea of what Saab and General Motors should do? Who could benefit from purchasing this product? Leave feedback below with your opinions!

Saab Managing Director Jan-Ake Jonsson has been in talks with Sweden’s industry minister, Maud Olofsson offering requests for aid. A loan amount of 248 Million USD has been bounced around on both ends. US lawmakers, still considering a 25 billion dollar bailout for the Detroit automakers, are weary of giving money to the industry that may be used to prop up operations outside of the United States.

General Motors and Chrysler may be going through merger hell right now – but that doesn’t stop Saab (GM is their partial owner) from pumping out some amazing design concepts for your viewing pleasure. Saab recently showed off their official 9X Air concept pictures to the public, along with a press release detailing some of the more exciting features and specifications.

From the Saab Press Release:

Designer Anthony Lo and his team have achieved this execution while still offering the four season, four seater practicality pioneered by Saab when its first convertible concept was premiered at the Frankfurt Show exactly 25 years ago.

Designed in parallel with the Saab 9-X BioHybrid concept, the 9-X Air shares its distinctive frontal styling, together with its highly efficient powertrain. The small, 1.4-liter Saab BioPower engine combines a series of steps for more responsible performance: engine rightsizing, turbocharging, the use of biofuels and hybrid technology.

Running on E85 fuel (85% bioethanol/ 15% gasoline), the engine delivers a sporty 200 hp (147 kW), giving zero to 100 kph acceleration in 8.1 seconds and projected CO2 tailpipe emissions of just 107 g/km over the combined cycle. Compared to gasoline, the overall environmental impact on a source-to-wheel basis of using E85 is even more beneficial.