02/23/2005 10:49:00 PM 
One recipient of another brand's models is Saab, who last year borrowed Subaru's station wagon and put a new badge on it.
This year, Saab will launch an SUV, that's basically a Chevy Trailblazer.
The demise of Saab's brand soul is probably lamented in Sweden and among aficionados, but families looking for a deal on an SUV with 0% financing might find Saab an interesting and intriguing alternative and that's probably what GM is thinking.
For GM, is it still about brands, brand equity and brand value? Or is it now about having a range of options by which to block your competition and offer alternatives to consumers? Branding an automobile needs investment in advertising and product development, and currently GM doesn't have that money available for Saab.
The other thing about consolidation is that it allows you to share development ideas across lines even at the luxury end. Take Ford's new Jaguar, that apparently used to be an Aston-Martin concept.
The global automakers are merely responding to the new economic realities. It's not inconceivable to think, that in a short period of time. there will only be three global car brands with three models to choose from for each. Consumers will have the option to customize absolutely everything on the car to create "me-mobiles".
In this new world of a billion possibilities, you will literally be what you drive, as the brand behind the car will be you.
It appears you don't have Flash installed.