Swedish supercar-maker Koenigsegg was in line to buy Saab from General Motors as GM shrinks down to four brands. Today, the company has walked away from the deal, which could cause Saab to be shut down as a brand if GM can't find another buyer for the brand.

This isn't good news for the parties involved, especially Saab. If GM can't find another buyer, not only would the brand vanish, but so would most of the dealers. Saab has always been a low-selling brand, beloved by loyalists for its quirkiness (ignition located in the center console?). It failed to prosper under GM's stewardship, and now, after it looked like it would be saved by a home-grown company, Saab is twisting in the wind.

Obviously, a wind-down of Saab would be bad for the industry due to the lost jobs (even if the amount of people Saab employees is relatively small), but it would also be bad because one of the few companies that dared to go in a different direction in an industry that all too often follows the leader will be no more. Sure, much of Saab's strangeness was reined in during its time under GM's umbrella. Sure, government safety standards and the economies of scale also forced Saab to slide a little bit towards the mainstream. That said, even for those of us who have no special attachment to the brand--such as your author--the parting of Saab will be met with sorrow, and won't be sweet.