Hello? Hello? Part one:
It is 7:00 am on a Friday morning in Shanghai, where an obviously insomnia-suffering Carmen Lee posted the following two hours ago (says Google) at Gasgoo. Gasgoo’s reporting quality had slacked a bit recently, but here is hoping they still can translate alright:
“Pang Qinghua, CEO of the Pangda Automobile Trade Corporation, the company hailed as Saab’s savior, had a short interview with the Beijing Times where he answered questions regarding Pangda’s proposed partnership:
Beijing Times: “When the four-way cooperation (between Pangda, Spyker, Saab and Youngman) agreed upon, what work needs to be done now?”
Mr. Pang: “Currently surveys are still being conducted, [according to which] Saab is doing very well. After [that] is completed, the official signing ceremony will take place, [with the document] being sent to the National Development and Reform Committee. Pangda and Youngman will be very cautious about the application process.”
The charitable assumption is that this interview took place before the emails went out to the Saab workforce that payroll cannot be met. The also charitable assumption is that Saab’s Chinese savior Pangda had been kept in the dark about Saab’s dire straits. Any other assumptions would lack charity. In any case, major loss of face for Mr. Pang, and there will be hell to pay.
Hello? Hello? Part two:
To rally the troops (who frankly are in a defeatist mood) over at Saabsunited, the Victor Muller fanzine gives them the pin-up pictured above. It has little effect on the troops who see blondes all day.
I did a little research into the etymology of the slogan printed on the breasts of the blonde. The British site keepcalmandcarryon.com informs us that the history of the slogan goes back to World War II. At that time, posters were printed up sans blonde.
“The plan in place for this poster was to issue it only upon the invasion of Britain by Germany.” ‘
I’d say it’s totally appropriate for the situation.
The New York
Times has a nice article on the poster and the riffs it had spawned. Which one do you think is better suited? The red original, or the blue variation?
True or not, that’s a lot of assumptions for a reality check. Also, if you’re fixated on the model’s breasts, you’re missing out…
It’s past COB Friday. Let’s see what happens Monday. I expect Pang Da will bide its time ’til it can scoop up SAAB for a song. Volvo was a loss; but I think SAAB had the better “secret sauce”, and will be more missed. In the little corner of the rust belt where I grew up, they were legendary (in a good way). Minis and SAABs where the only mighty-drift-jumpers that you could count on to get to the slopes, no matter how foul the weather – but they took a heck of a lot more attention to keep them running sweetly than typical American cars of the time. I will miss them if they go, but I rarely see them on the road anymore as it is now.
Big time!
Please tell me she’s over 18.
Please tell us you were typing with both hands…
Zing!
If there’s grass on the field…play ball.
I dunno about you, but I like the smooth floor of a basketball court…
Girls like this could be the reason the Trollhatten assembly lines keep stopping. Highly distracting.
With bones like those and a decent diet, that girl will still be a stunner she’s 60.
Please tell me she’s over 15.
blah blah blah cars and stuff.
blog more about the model.
She looks like a young Tea Leoni. Which is nice.
Suddenly yellow cars seem nicer than they used to…
OK, now that photo sure was a nice counterpoint to the constant stream of photos of rusting hulks we get all worked up over, for example, 79 Chevy Monza.
I am grateful to see some photojournalistic balance in that regard.
What are we going to do next month when SAAB is finally gone?
Photoshop her head onto the rusting hulk of a ’79 Monza?
Murilee will get right on that, I’m sure. ;) (Have we had a SAAB 900 junkyard find yet?)
I appreciate the sentiment in the “Keep Calm” slogan, but in SAAB’s case, I’m reminded of the fake Civil Defense poster I saw once. It was a list of instructions in the event of an impending nuclear attack. The last line:
“Upon seeing the brilliant flash of a nuclear explosion, bend over, place your head between your legs, and kiss your ass goodbye.”
“Photochop her head onto the rusting hulk of my ’79 Monza?”
Seriously, Murilee I KNOW you know where that Saab junkyard in Denver is, then you and Messrschmitt could have a two-fer.
“After [that] is completed, the official signing ceremony will take place”
Yeah, in the chambers of a bankruptcy court judge.
I don’t know about keeping calm around her, but I’d definitely carry on.
“To rally the troops (who frankly are in a defeatist mood) over at Saabsunited, the Victor Muller fanzine gives them the pin-up pictured above. It has little effect on the troops who see blondes all day.”
Here’s something different for the troops…
http://www.keepcalmandcarryon.com/products/keep-calm-and-carry-on-girls-red-white-zipped-hooded-top
Bloomberg has a follow up: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-06-24/pang-da-of-china-says-it-s-on-track-to-buy-a-stake-in-saab-owner.html
That girl’s a Limey, not a Swede.