Edit: Updated to credit the beautiful red 9-5 photo to Aeronaut. Sorry for the oversight!

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Unfortunately, business climates change, companies come and go and people make decisions that affect us all.

Longtime Saab supporter and sometime Saab Owners Convention sponsor Ronal USA has closed its doors as of February 21, 2008.

The Ronal USA website confirms that the parent company, Ronal, will continue to manufacture wheels for automotive OEMs, presumably including Saab.

At least two of my Saabs were equipped with Ronal wheels — my 1986 900 S was equipped with the “manhole cover” wheels, and my current 1988 900 Turbo Convertible was originally equipped with the long-running 15-spoke wheels. I’m not sure of the manufacturer of my 3-spoke directionals, but I believe that Ronal made a fair number of them, too.

Ronal is perhaps best known and loved for the famous “Silver Spoke” wheels offered primarily as a dealer option for most 4-lug Saabs from the late 1970’s through the end of the 9000 production run.

I’ve always appreciated the fact that they went to the trouble of providing actual photographs of the various Saab models with the actual wheels from their catalog that fit. Of course, my favorite is the classic 900, but the 9-2x, NG900/9-3 and 9-5 all have a place on their website, too.

You will be missed, Ronal USA.

Perhaps I should call a dealer for a deal on those 17″ LZ’s….

Thanks to Aeronaut for the picture! Nova Scotia looks great!