Djup Strupe and the Saab 9-3 convertible

I'm looking to buy my next Saab as a convertible. I'm sure it will be one that was assembled by Magna,...Yes Indeed!

Would you buy one from Koenigsegg? :)

Whoever buys Saab, you'll be buying a car from Saab. It will not be Saab's fault whoever it's parent company becomes. I have never supported GM's ownership but I still own a 9-3. Yes protest against the new owner if you don't like it, but don't penalize Saab, because it won't have a choice.

If a whole lot of people stop buying Saabs because Renco buys the company, it'll hurt Saab far more than Ira Rennert. Saab doesn't deserve that after 20 years of struggle with GM.

I say this to all of you who would consider not buying another Saab because Renco becomes the new owner. Find another way to protest but don't blame Saab.

Okay, I'm getting off the soapbox now...

Karen, wouldn't be surprised if Dubai bid and won a future Winter Olympics... They will just build a fake air-conditioned mountain.

As for Honda/Acura, instead of making commercials they should focus on hiring some designers who did not graduate from the manga school. Sheesh, their cars look just horrible!

Karen, it's often too hot to have the top down here in Oz (mainland anyway) in summer. Better to have the top up and aircon on when it's 35 degrees Celsius plus! It would be nice in the evening though.

None, you have to make your own choices I suppose. But as I said, people not buying Saabs will mostly hurt Saab, it's employees and it's suppliers. It won't hurt Ira Remnnert too much and if Saab flounders, he'll break it up and sell of the parts.

Sorry, but even if you'd won the lottery, you can't preorder them just yet. I've already tried to do that :)

In order to reduce costs, will they then use the conv doorhandles on the 9-3SS and 9-3SC ???

Martin, do you know the options available ? Or what have you tried to preorder ??

Please, stop spreading anti-vaccination crap and learn some science-based medicine - you know, medicine that actually help people and save lives. The rate of autism has nothing to do with vaccination despite what idiots like Jenny McCarthy and Jim Carry are trying to say.

I just wonder what Saab's production this year will be. Guess it is a good year to do those changes in. And yes, it is complicated. As Swade say, is not just about moving some tools. You have to totally re-route the logistics of parts to the factory and new cars from the factory, and the world-wide distribution chain for that model has to be changed completely. Lot's of contracts and negotiation outside the Magna one to take care of. Although I love the fact that the Trollhättan plant will (hopefully) be busy in the future, it scares me a bit having *all* of Saab's production concentrated to one single place.

ctm, don't disregard what Zippy says. All those pharmaceutical companies are just as much interested in your health as oil companies are concerned about the environment. Imagine if their medicines where 100% up to performance, what would they sell if less people got sick? What would electronics companies sell if their stuff didn't break all the time? Most things today are designed to break/under-perform so that corporations can keep the money flowing with new 'improvements'. Pharmaceuticals are no exception.

I don't want to prolong the pharma discussion here, but seeing you raised it, ctm...

My nephew in Vancouver is around 14 years old and his parents pin his autism quite squarely on the triple vaccination he had as a youngster, which they were hesitant about him having, too. They've been in and out of courts there for years.

It's only one case, but a personal one and they're quite sure about the cause and when his behaviour changed.

As I have understood it, the assembly line for the NG9-5 is being preped and Saab is just waiting for the last pieces in the tool puzzle. So fixing the last details will not be that hard or take to much time. Saab is looking at an early 2010 NG9-5 delivery.

The new owner that is due to sign papers next week would want the ball to get rolling realy fast I guess and the billion Sek that Saab will recieve for the comming summer months before the EIB loans comes along will sort of kick start the company..

"McDonalds poisons children with their dodgy food."
That's why I never go there with my son.

"Coke kills kids with all the chemicals in their soda."
Kids will be toothless before they die of it. Just don't give it to kids.

"Getting a child immunised is killing them as there is mercury - the second most toxic subsatnce on the planet - in ALL vaccinations. "
I'd be careful with vaccines, mercury or not. If you only give the 2-3 really vital ones I can't imagine the risk is high for instant and painful death...

Yes, I think it was too expensive to equip the Magna production with XWD capabillity. But now when the convertible production is moved back to Trollhättan I would think that the decision could be reconsidered.

@ Zippy I agree with you 100%. I don't buy or eat McDonalds and I don't buy or drink Coke. Do you? And I won't buy a Saab from a guy who knowingly poisons children no matter the rationalization. What's the problem with that? I'm quite certain it's my choice what to buy as it is yours. I would never say you are wrong if you wanted a Saab from Rennert, it's your choice.

I can offer nothing useful on vaccines.

@ Pedro They HAVE to move all the capacity they can that fits their lines to Trollhattan. I can guarante the factory is operating at less than 50% and is, today, losing money in buckets. Normally, a the most efficient factory has to operate at >80% capacity or it loses money. The 9-3 is a must and Saab needs more volume.

XWD was not meant for the 9-3 Epsilon platform. It is a feat of engineering that SAAB engineers were able to get XWD to work with it. The convertibles "endo-skeleton" takes up too much room to be able to add XWD to a platform that is not supposed to be able to support it in the first place.