On one hand, you have the sale of a brand like Hummer, which attracts little interest because the vehicles contain no desireable elements and it gets sold to some corner-store outfit that no-one can trace.
On the other hand, you have the sale of Saab, which whilst it’s making us all crazy with the time it’s taking, is progressing slowly because there IS genuine interest from some serious players.
And here’s one reason why, and it’s also written about as a reason why Saab people are patient and optimistic about a sale being done the right way.
This story appears in Ny-Teknik, the Swedish publication for tech types. My thanks to Olav and Thomas, who both sent in links for this one.
Here’s the Googletrans:
——
Hybrid technology – Saab’s trump card
GM is now going in a controlled bankruptcy is no threat to the Saab or the sale of Saab. The reason is that GM must have technology from Saab in the future.
Hybrid technology and security expertise is Saab’s trump card in the final negotiations with GM and a new owner. This makes the Saab people do not feel concerned even when the GM is now going in a controlled bankruptcy.
- If GM will live on after a reorganization is dependent on technology from Saab, Saab spokeswoman says Gunilla Gustafs.
GM may therefore be a series of agreements on future cooperation and development in exchange for, among other waiver Saab debts of several billion for a sale.
- It’s about safety and especially on hybrid technology of various kinds from Saab that GM has in their product plans. Saab has really skilled technicians who have developed special skills that are of interest to GM in the future, “says Gunilla Gustafs.
Saab engineers have, inter alia, had principal responsibility for development of hybrid technology in Europe, and helped with a range of technologies including GMS American hybrids.
It is these agreements, together with the fact that GM actually want to get rid of Saab, which will in Trollhättan looks pretty cool on what is currently happening in Washington.
A prerequisite for the Saab will be able to comply with its reorganization plan is that GM canceled the debts of ten billion. In addition, GM supply Saab with the tools to manufacture the new 9-5 in Sweden.
- In theory, in a “worst case”, would GM, or a bankruptcy trustee be able to say that the promises do not apply anymore. But neither we nor the companies are speculators on Saab has received no indications that it may happen, “says Gunilla Gustafs.
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{ 28 comments }
I translated this last week. It’s somewhere in the comment’s.
Was just about to say that I’ve already read that somewhere.
Yeah same here.. BUT thats besides the point. The point is that GM realy want to have Saab properly sold.. because they can earn from it.. Can? No Will earn from it.
GM Needs Saab and Saab needs GM.
Maybe the Saab story is a bit different from the other brands at GM. Saab engineers have some skills that GM still needs and because of that GM has an interest in staying friends after the divorce. If you read what Opel must pay in licence fees and that Saab can use the platforms for free you can see special treatment.
All those public deals with Opel and Hummer were announced in a hurry and now as the dust has cleared seem to be made on thin ice. But Saab can do all that quiet and with the time needed and I rerally hope that will bring the better result.
And maybe that will give Saab management a bigger influence in the process than we can imagine. DB may check the financials but the final decision may not only depend on that. GM needs a future network as much as Saab does.
I’m still positive for everything from Trollhattan makes me feel that way.
Does anyone know how involved Saab has been in developing the Volt? Sounds like that is the direction GM will go…not with “standard-type” hybrids now on the market.
It´s been nervwreckingly quiet today on the Saab front.. Hopefully Tuesday will be more exciting and that Saab will announce a winner. Yes I say winner.. Because the company that buys Saab will have struck Gold!!!
Went out driving in my ol C900 GLE today.. By god that car is superb! It´s not fast like the Aero.. But you know exactly where you have the car in each corner. The chassie tells you exactly what is happening. I love it!!!
Cheers/ The positive Tom
Why sell them?
The quiter it is in Trollhattan, the more is happening. At least it was that way in the past few weeks…
Gott natt!
Who knows what wealthy investors there are in Wyoming? Financial Times is reporting that “a third group of investors from the US state of Wyoming have expressed interest in Saab, according to two people briefed on the sale.” The article is here.
Hybrid technology knowledge is one of Saab assets, eventhough no cars have reached production yet. Hybrid development has been going on at Saab for many years. Do you remember the Saab BioPower Hybrid Concept (Convertible) launched in March 2006 at the Stockholm Motor Show? It was the first biofuel hybrid and it was solely developed by Saab in cooperation with a Swedish university. And it didn’t come out of the blue, development had been going on a couple of years before that. Four months later, at the London Motor Show in July 2006 a redesigned version was showed, incorporating GM’s Two-mode Hybrid transmission. You’ve also seen the 9-X BioHybrid Concept cars last year which were more of “light” affordable and realistic hybrid vehicles, not just show cars.
What is stalling development of hybrids and electric cars right now (from Saab and any other manufacturer) is the lack of dependable Lithium batteries – they can overheat under certain circumstances which dramatically reduce their lifespan. Also nobody (except Toyota/Honda which are already in the race) wants to launch a new hybrid with the old Ni-MH/Ni-Cd batteries when Lithium is just around the corner. Inside GM there are a lot of hybrid/electrical development going on and Saab has been assigned responsible for parts of it.
Here is why the KPCB deal (with Fisker and Think under their hat) would fit so nicely, if GM could accept it. If a KPCB team of investors been to Trollhättan they’ve probably been shown Saabs competence in Hybrid Technology. When I read the Fisker Karma specification I saw it had a 260 hp 2.0-litre turbo engine. To me it sounds like the GM/Saab developed engine used in Pontiac Solstice. Maybe a good sign, let’s hope for a solution where everybody are winners.
Well, according to the FT article Ted posted, the Wyoming group are “private investors who trade as Merbanco”. Interesting! There are a few wealthy people who live in WY, who knows, perhaps the Walton family is behind the purchase?
Please GM, don’t screw this up for Saab….. do the right thing, with the right buyer…
response to Ted Y
Some of the Walton family (Walmart)lives in Wyoming. The wealthiest family in the United States. Saabs for sale at Walmart? I dont think so!
Sure hope not! Wal-Mart /= Saab. Geely is more fitting to Wal-Mart.
Kroum Wal-Mart has great trail mix!
HI,
I’ve found an interview at automotorsport.se
http://www.automotorsport.se/news/14659/etanol-%C3%A4r-ett-dr%C3%B6mbr%C3%A4nsle/
with Mr Kjell AC Bergström.
From what he says GM powertrain sweden was doing today, GM do definetelly need SAAB.
He talks about hybrids turbo and E85, duble clutch gearbox(yummie),but he also talks about the return of Trionic, well he doesnt mention trionic, but he says they is working on an global “GM-box”(engine management) to get rid of Bosch and the others.
That is odd. In the previous interview of Mr Bergström, I got the distinct impression that he advocated a much closer relationship with Saab. Now he is very eager to show that they supply all GM brands with technology…
And he points out that although GM Powertrain listens to all the GM companies (including Saab), it is solely left to GM Powertrain to decide what gets developed.
That said, they seem to develop technology that benefits Saab to a great deal, so in the end it doesn’t make much difference.
I look forward to a more efficient E85 engine. That is high on my wish list, together with a dual-clutch system. (I swear I will move to Sweden if I cannot afford that car here)
That interview is a bit old now.
Rune, is there anything that is stopping norwegians from buying their cars in Sweden?
There shouldn’t be.
Considering the rate between NOK and SEK cars look much cheaper in Sweden.
Well, GM Powetrain sweden is part of SAAB, and I think it will be renamed by autumn.
The only thing I wanted to point out is, SAAB is developing lots of things GM needs in the next years.
And BTW Rune,
9-5SC, E85/E100 Hybrid with double-clutch gearbox, hopping to be able to afford such a biest in a 5 Years time
Oh Daniel… If only you knew.
My dad lives in Sweden. I can drive his car in Sweden, but I am not allowed by our government to drive it across the Norwegian border without paying a heapfull of taxes (my guess is five times as much as what he paid for his ’98 9-5).
So yes… There is something that is stopping us.
My ’08 1.8t 9-3 BioPower SC cost me 380000 NOK last year. I think I could get a 9-3 TurboX for that price, no? Yet here the TurboX would cost twice that.
Mr Bergström touched on the subject of fuel specifications.
Someone mentioned the other day, that E85 shipped across the Atlantic will often have a certain amount of salt mixed in, from sea water that has spilled into the shipment.
I wonder what problems this cause for the engine, and whether an engine running on E100 is more vulnerable to this, as gasoline tends to protect a bit against corrosion.
Ever the hypochondriac, I can’t help but suspect that the engine knocking I experienced a year ago was due to a bad shipment of E85. Refueling at a different gas station solved it…
That said, my next car will be a sedan. Wifey doesn’t like combis.
I don’t know either, but water is never good in the fuel, the volume change from liquid to vapor is quite impressive,and you don’t want this to happen in a cylinder,and salt water is quite corrosive.
But I still have to drive to long for the next E85 gas station.
There are only 18 gas stations in Norway with E85. Luckily for me, two of them are not far from where I live.
A month ago I travelled quite a distance without fueling. When I finally found an E85 station, I pumped 60.1 liters (it holds 61…), and that was after having recently stopped and tanked three liters regular to tie me over!
Last year I drove Oslo – Tromsø and back, but most of that distance was covered inside Sweden, where E85 is more readily available… I had 5 liters E85 left as I reached Tromsø.
How is the price of E85 compared to petrol in Norway/sweden?
Here in Germany seems to be cheaper to fuel E85 than petrol even if the consumption is 30% higher.
Ah, you are in Germany! Sorry, for a minute I mistook you for a Swede!
I drove through Germany last year as well, and finding E85 pumps was a challenge. I found one in Erlangen, but the gas station was closed (at 8pm on a Sunday) and the E85 pump did not accept credit cards. (http://etanol.nu/ has a great database covering pumps all over Europe — often with price information)
In Norway, E85 costs 7.99 NOK (7.69 NOK with SAAB’s mastercard). Regular petrol is 12.87 NOK at the moment. The price of petrol changes often, whereas E85 seems to be set once a year.
And I thought I was writing in english
Saab has a long history with Massey Ferguson.
They had a subsidiary ANA-Maskin who was the swedish importer of MF for many years until GM bought Saab Automobile.
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