What we're reading this morning about Saab blaming GM for its demise, the latest peeks ahead of the Detroit auto show and Tesla holding its prices:
Saab chief blames GM for bankruptcy [Autocar] Following Saab's bankruptcy on Monday and the expected end of the automaker, its fans flooded GM's Facebook page with angry comments. They could have quoted Saab chief Victor Mueller, the man who's spent the last two years trying to rescue the automaker, and lays the final blame on GM's unwillingness to have Saab partly owned by a Chinese automaker. GM built one of Saab's models and its technology was used in another; it worried that a Chinese automaker would copy its intellectual property. Mueller says Saab designed a "firewall" between its Chinese partners and GM, but that GM vowed to cancel Saab's licensing deals if the Chinese deal went through. "We have done everything we could do to save this situation," Mueller told Autocar, "but it was impossible to fight the complete 'no' attitude of GM. In the end, that brought us down."
Volkswagen to return to Super Bowl with Beetle [AutoNews] After hitting ad jackpot with its mini-Darth Vader ad for the new Passat in last year's Super Bowl, VW will play again this year with an add for the all-new Beetle. Let's be clear, VW: You could have been advertising donked Vanagons and that ad would have worked.
Tesla to hold prices on Model S for reservations [Motoramic] In a letter to people who have put down deposits for Tesla's Model S electric sedan, the company said it would keep the $49,990 price for the base model as it had previously announced — a slight slap at Fisker, which raised prices on its Karma sedan just as it went into production. Tesla says it was on track to meet the production timing of the Model S, with high-end versions hitting the road in mid-2012, with the base model not available until the end of the year.
Lexus offers second peek at Detroit concept [Lexus] Toyota's luxury arm released this second proof of life shot for what appears to be a coupe concept it will unveil in Detroit next month, designed in its California studios. Swoop, swoop.
Top shot: Sebastian Loeb in 2004 Rally Sweden. With this year's title in the World Rally Championships, Loeb has more FIA titles to his name than any other driver.
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