I don't think SAAB are long for this world.
The CEO has gone, then I read in the paper over the weekend that production has been delayed because of unpaid bills. Now Spyker are selling off the property.
Sad, but entirely expected. GM really screwed them up big time with their lack of serious investment.
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I don't like what the produce now. Banana yellow drop top 9-3 was on my wanted list for a good few years (albeit when i was too young to drive), but the modern grey box things they produce just don't do it for me.
I'd still rather they had a cash, and more importantly an inspiration injection than fold them up though.
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Saab died 30 years ago. It was just a GM badge.
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There are mutterings over at AROnline that Saab is currently in it's 'Phoenix Four' period, making loads of noise about new products to attract a Chinese buyer/joint venture partner.
Hope it works better for them than it did for Rover.
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If they get a Chinese buy-out I hope it works better than the Kit car MG being assembled at Longbridge!
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I noticed (new) Saab convertibles being advertised at a good price in the Sunday Times - but still an expensive purchase it you can't buy the spares in 4-5 years time.
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Plenty of Vectras in the scrappies to dissect....
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I saw my first new 9-5 on the M4 this morning. Handsome enough, even in an unprepossessing shade of grey, but I've been away from Saab long enough to wonder why I'd have one rather than a Volvo S80. Perhaps just to avoid having people get in the back and ask to be taken to Heathrow.
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>>Saab died 30 years ago. It was just a GM badge.<<
+1
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>> Plenty of Vectras in the scrappies to dissect....
I don't think current crop of Saab's are based on the Vectra.....
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Customer of mine has a nine year old Saab 9-5 owned and carefully maintained since new. It's starting to need a lot of parts and there are very few Saab dealers left in Germany. The parts themselves frequently take several weeks to be delivered.
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>> I don't think current crop of Saab's are based on the Vectra.....
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9-3 is Vectra-C with enhancements, 9-5 is Insignia. But I don't think that's actually a bad thing. Saw a new 9-5 the other day, I really liked it, in a "if I was buying a Saab, I'd have one" kind of way.
Unfortunately, like everyone else, I don't actually go out and buy one.
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It'll be a great shame if they go under. I've already written on here about how good their customer service is - both their head office and dealers have a superb pro customer attitude which is far better than anything else I've dealt with in 30 years of driving.
Can't say much about their current range though, although a local dealer has a 93 convertible I can't help looking at every time I drive by. Sadly at £14995 it's out of our current budget by £14990 :)
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Not looking good. :(
"Saab seeking 'funding'"
www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticle/AllCars/256502/
"Spyker says it needs the extra funding to allow it to re-start production as well as ‘realise’ its 2011 business plan, which includes the imminent launch of the 9-5 SportCombi estate and the GM-sourced 9-4X SUV.
It seems that sales of the new 9-5 and existing 9-3 range are not generating enough cash to pay suppliers and the expected start-up and launch costs of the 9-5 Sport Combi and 9-4X.
Crucially, the 9-5 estate is very important for EU sales and the 9-4X equally essential in the crossover-dominated US market. Saab’s financial position would probably improve significantly once these models are on sale.
However, until the two cars are launched, Saab is in the catch-22 situation that it will not generate enough cash from existing new car sales. Ironically, Saab has, though, got the funding for the development of the new generation 9-3 and the new corporate Phoenix platform.
This funding comes from a £350m European Investment Bank loan, around half of which has already been spent. However, Saab needs to survive on a day-to-day basis until next Autumn, when the new 9-3 is expected to arrive in showrooms. "
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Sounds like Rover - Jam tomorrow and limping along on a range limited in appeal
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Ironic that both Rover and Saab depended(ing) on something called Phoenix.
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SAAB - SAAB future? - Stuu
