We’re over 2,100 comments now at www.iwontbuyfromgm.com and have more than 760 members in the Facebook group.
Please keep spreading the word!
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I don’t want to make a big deal of things at this point, hence inclusion in the snippets entry, but…..
I’ve heard from someone very well placed overnight, telling me that there is actually a third bidder in the process for Saab. I know very little about this person/group except for a location – Miami.
Am doing some detective work.
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Somebody in Oz, please buy this car and turn it into a Viggen or something. Great car, low KMs and a very nice price.
And no, I don’t know the seller.
——
I know we covered this article a few months ago when it was released, but I got a timely reminder about it in my inbox this morning.
This is the best article about Saab written this year, by anybody anywhere.
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This is Jason P on his wedding day back in September. I’m reliably informed that his beautiful bride also managed to sneak into the photos later on 
Congratulations, mate! And a great shot.
——
Again, I must apologise if you’ve emailed me in the last week and I haven’t got back to you yet.
Between this site, the various bits of news, the new campaign and the holidays with visitor from overseas, things are somewhat hectic.
Cheers.
No related posts.
{ 85 comments }
Well, GM stated clearly that they had _several_ bidders, so even if mainly two of them have been discussed here, I have stubbornly assumed that “several” must _at_least_ mean three or more. =)
Saab owners convention South Beach anyone?
Several generally means ‘more than one’.
Just a surprise that this one managed to sneak under the radar for so long.
good morming, Swade (I am 9 hours behind you).
I liked the idea – previously mentioned – of a print add @ the front page of a US newspaper.
lets keep the spotlight on GM.lets discuus on the specifics (creative, date, e.t.c. – I can contact my media agency businness partner for details, if you wish)
Highlights :
1.in our favor Ford’s MOU regarding Volvo sale (bad GM, more “free” for action the swedish govt)
2. good that Merbanco is still on
3. no recent VM interview
4. good the Russia bank agains GM regarding Magna issue
from my e/mail account you can understand the importance of Saab for me
I am gonna crash in a while.
All. Top Tip, as soon as a news release hits google news, get in there with the first comment (most articles have the opportunity) pointing the writer and readers to http://www.iwontbuyfromgm.com. Once its hit the top spot, there it stays.
excellant idea, alternatively we can provide the link to the relative press release Swade is working.
Several usually means more than ‘two’. Otherwise you would describe them as being a ‘couple of bidders’, but then GM would always try to be ambiguous!
I’ve sent that Aero link to a friend. He’s always looking at my Monte and saying he’d like something similar.
Morning Swade ,dont worry enjoy your x-mas holiday , action starts on monday
If GM do have a third bidder for SAAB it seems to me that they intend of keeping the bidding process open for some time. Next week is sure getting interesting!
Question: Would anyone be nuts enough to buy a Chinese built Volvo? I hear Geely wants to build a new factory outside Beijing.
The problem is that those who make such a decision as closing Saab does not care about what is common sense. They also lack empathy for employees and has no feeling for what is the best decision for Saab or GM. The only thing that matters is that someone turns out good at to make a decision and in this case the decision was to close Saab. I hope that there are people within GM who realizes that the decision to close Saab was wrong and change it. GM had not been around today if not U.S. taxpayers had helped them. It should be GM’s board to understand. They still have a chance to save Saab and should certainly do everything in their power to do so. That GM fails to sell Saab, despite several speculators shows in fact quite clearly their skills …
No that’s why this blog is up: notogeely.blogspot.com
That’s true, but “several” also means more than “a couple”.
I think we should seriously be worried if this GM reviews of SAAB bid drags on ! It is time to take decision if deals is supposed to go through end of 2009. If this is supposed to happend we need to know on Monday latest I would think.
If they are serious about the negotiations between different parties, they discussions are supposedly to be finalized sometimes this week and have press release before New Year’s eve.
I stand corrected on ‘several’. I’ve been mis-using it for nearly 40 years now
Personally I’d have no desire to buy a Volvo made in China, but with the right levels of QC, things made in there are as good as anywhere else.
Just think if the Chinese were to make the C30 (currently built in Belgium), just as good but costing 20% less! Yes, the C30 is a flawed car (BTW a mkII is meant to address some of those flaws), but I still wish we had a Saab like that.
Geely would be stupid to move all Volvo production to China, but building the smaller/cheaper models there, especially for China and other Asian markets makes sense.
BAIC will make older 9-5s and 9-3s in China, and I think with a lot of help from Saab, I’m sure it could make them very well. Who knows, if that succeeds, BAIC might eventually be an excellent place to build the 9-1? Just imagine a reasonably priced small Saab might bring (new) Saab ownership to people that have never dreamt of owning a new Saab before?
You can’t ignore the Chinese. You either find a way to work with them, or they’ll find a way to work around you…
Haha! Could not resists bugging ya, mate.
Let’s just hope that GM will consider selling to one of the “several”.
My preference is Merbanco & Management. This makes the most sense.
Cowboy Up!
2 is a couple , several is more than 2 , and many is more than 7 in math terms ….
Speaking of C30s, the 2011 model doesn’t look half bad. Unfortunately they don’t seem to to have fixed the hatch like they promised:
http://www.motorauthority.com/image/100300744_2011-volvo-c30-t5-r-design
I think the original message from GM said the decision about whether there was a viable bidder had to be made by the end of the year, not that a deal had to be finalized by then. Right?
about third bidder where is renco located … any news on that Swade ??
“Renco Group is a New York City-based holding company controlled by Ira Rennert that invests in other companies across a range of industries.” from Wikipedia.
I think you can count Renco out?
Miami? Might bode well for a new 9-3 vert. More information please.
Cowboy up!
Viking up!
Surf up!
nearly 40 years now
= more than several
Decades, that is.
Chinese ownership might not been a bad thing to Volvo. Since Geely wants to become a global player, they need to learn how to proper engineer a car. Volvo’s engineering expertise on safety and chassis can certainly help them gain ground. On the other hand, Volvo can gain the finanical resources to R&D some nicer cars. Geely needs to keep Volvo’s brand equity in order to profit from it. If they are going to do what GM did to Saab, which is completely messed up a perfectly good brand. Then they will know the outcome.
Just look at Jaguar/LR after Tata purchase. Indian’s business practice is usually worse than Chinese when it comes to work ethics, however, they seem to manage those well. Like putting AJ-V8 in all facelifted Disco, Rangie and Rangie Sport. Give Jag resources to develop XF and XJ, possibly even an XF-based coupe to tackle A5 and E-Class coupes.
Currently all the Chinese-produced VW, Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Honda, Nissan, Mazda, Ford and Toyota are all for local consumption due to demand > supply. I feel Volvo will be too.
At least C30′s butt looks better than W203 C-Coupe and both E36/46 3-Series Compact.
Miami???? Sonny Crockett! (-;
I agree that the Sam Knight article is best article regarding an insight into SAAB’s world. It also explains very clearly why this company and mark is different that a Saturn, pontiac, etc.
Swade,
I live in Miami, if you need a “partner in crime” to help you with your detective work let me know. This news just gets more interesting as each say passes. FWIW, Saab ha practically no following here in Miami. Aside from only having one true dealership in the general Miami area (which is on the blacklist), this is BMW/Lexus town. I have no idea who the bidder(s) may be. There is plenty of money, but it’s mostly a product of Hispanic media groups. Automotive industry doesn’t exist here…
Here to help…. quijote808080@gmail.com
There is an important connection to where the product is fabricated to the buyer who is connecting the name/culture to the item. I wouldn’t buy a volvo from China…not an issue of quality, just an issue of connection to what I find important to the mark. As a bass player, Fender started fabricating guitars in mexico and South Korea…even Japan. Yes, it did make for affordable mass-production and distribution; however, there is a sense that Fender is made in the US and those models, are considered custom because of that, and are sold for a premium as well as considered the authentic mark.
I believe in an ideal connected as much as possible back to beginning. Design tied to a idea of “place” of origin.
I know that in today’s market sharing platforms, engines and all sorts of things are commonplace; however the heart must remain in Sweden with the roots. I have always felt that the loss of SAABs character and perhaps local grass-roots appreciation happened when it became an American company subsidiary. We all would like to see SAAB come home(….er, go home, sometimes forget that I’m not Swedish here).
If the advertisement has a beautiful 9-3 or 9-5 running through the Swedish country-side with poetic Swedish ballads reinforcing the marketing…running water, snow crystals…granite bolders….moose, etc. Then I expect it to be just outside the factory window as a basis for their on-going inspiration. I want that “new swedish smell” right off of the brochure. Otherwise without direct connection or as close as we can to it….it looses something and doesn’t stay original. Bring it home and build the brand around it’s place.
Miami? Perhaps Fiona will get another Saab vert? (Burn Notice).
I’d never suggest any 9-5 or 9-3 production ever be moved to China, but I don’t think Trollhattan has the capacity to build three different model line (with all subsequent variations)? An entry level 9-1 could be built in China, at least for the Asian market. Personally I think an SUV made in Mexico by GM for Saab, doesn’t conjure much Swedish feeling either.
Smaller Volvos are made in Belgium (S40, S60 & C30), which I think is in Ghent. Perhaps after Volvo is sold, it will no longer have access to this plant? This would give Geely little option I suppose, but to build another factory.
Wouldn’t be surprised if Ira Rennert spends his winters in Miami. Otherwise, it just seems odd at this late hour to have a bidder surface down there.
Merriam- Webster Definition
Main Entry: 1sev·er·al
Pronunciation: \ˈsev-rəl, ˈse-və-\
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin separalis, from Latin separ separate, back-formation from separare to separate
Date: 15th century
1 a : separate or distinct from one another b (1) : individually owned or controlled : exclusive — compare common (2) : of or relating separately to each individual involved c : being separate and distinctive : respective
2 a : more than one b : more than two but fewer than many c chiefly dialect : being a great many
Everyones right.
Generally I use definition 2b, but 2a (more than one) is correct also.
Use might be regional, like American English.
One viable bidder is better than none. Two viable bidders are better than one. Three viable bidders are better than two. That about sums it all up.
This is great news for Saab going into the coming week.
I used to use the words ‘couple’ and ‘several’ interchangeably… When my dad asked for a couple of oranges, I brought him 4 hehehe…
My fingers remain crossed.
http://www.tagchristof.org/archetype/trashtalk/trashtalk.html – ‘A Saab Story’
3 bidder’s ?
cannot see this unless a ploy to get more $$$ out of the 2 remaining genuine bidders.
just adds to the ongoing confusion and deflects leasing-private buyers away from SAAB.
It will be difficult to get them back.
Mainstream Australian Newspapers currently consider SAAB AS DEAD and if SAAB survive i cannot believe the product will remain on sale in Australia.
Its the same igroance as in American and Canadian newspapers, they already considered Saab as completely dead. Isn’t it that hard for those editors to do more homework before writing an article?
Current “broadsheet journalists” rely on electronic news feeds for info.
A quick phonecall to SAAB media relations appears too difficult.
The Miami link is interesting (I’m from Tampa). First name that pops in my mind is Wayne Huizenga. I believe he owns Autonation, the world’s largest auto dealer group. Only a wild guess.
Time will tell, however have to admit this nearly year long odyssey is taking a toll on my mental health. Trying to stay optimistic.
Great article, and nice there maybe is a third bidder!
If Saab survive and the product isn’t available in Oz, Saab will incur the wrath of Swade and me for that matter.
The only thing that is dead for sure, is Holden’s distribution of Saab.
Indeed good article.
Why another bidder ? With so many bidders around, known or anonymous, why would GM wind it down ? The GM/saab saga is getting to much twists.
Congrats to that lucky newly wed Jason P.
Has the looks of a cool maffiosi. Which leads me to the question why Saab isn’t that much in movies i.e. ?
Hopefully we’ll see some good productplacement in 2010 !
Comparison with Pontiac:
http://translate.google.se/translate?u=http://www.alltommotor.se/artiklar/nyheter/gm-historien-talar-emot-saab-1.19131&sl=sv&tl=en&hl=&ie=UTF-8
i cant see a direct comparison with pontiac or saturn. SAAB is a real car factory with r&d,design. pontiac and saturn were only labels.
Perhaps that will be what saves it, compared to those other two?
Now we should activate turbo power:
“I won’t buy another car from GM if they kill Saab”
***********************************************
2,340 Votes.
***********************************************
All SAAB employees informed?
All friends gave their votes?
All family members gave their votes?
***********************************************
The higher the votes on Monday, the more impact of press release (coming soon).
***********************************************
“Wordpress TOP POSTS – Blogs of the day”:
Ranking at 44 of 100:
http://botd.wordpress.com/top-posts/
Since when do the Soprano’s drive a white Saab?
)
Fiona from Burn Notice buys Saab? YES!
Can’t see the relevancies of all other so called top posts – blogs of the day ?
….
Everyone over here hopes that the Ghent-factory will continue to produce ovlovs. Geely or not. And about that there seems to be more confidence compared with the Opel factory in Antwerp … where GM reigns and confusion is allways the first point on the agenda.
Me too. Should be number one.
Spread the news. > Every vote counts.
According to an article in a Swedish publication, their sources are now telling them that the Crown consortium were a Ford-operated mirage to put a bit more pressure on Geely.
I’m sceptical though and I don’t think GM really is up to that kind of sophistication. They’d probably try to shut down the brand instead to scare up a few more bidders. Oh, wait they did that already…
Off-topic but interesting news from the ‘other’ Saab:
Saab and Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation sign agreement for support solutions
Can a Twitter account be made for the http://www.iwontbuyfromgm.com its a little bit more social media and can be more far reaching than facestalk..
a.
A Miami- or Florida-based consortium doesn’t necessarily have to be based in Florida physically. It can be incorporated there but the actual members can be physically based anywhere in the world.
BTW: if Wayne Huizenga has something to do with it then there is another Dutch connection. Huizenga is a typically Frisian name. Friesland being the northernmost part of the Netherlands.
And since we are speculating anyway: Florida is also the present homebase of another once great automotive name: Piero Rivolta, former owner of the famed ISO Rivolta brand, a scion of Italy’s best known and wealthiest industrialist families and related to the Zagato family. Piero Rivolta, who is still a very succesful entrepreneur in his own right (real estate development, high-end yachts…) is a mechanical engineer himself and has been involved in various car-related enterprises over the years. One of those were urban-transport microcars (the Rivolta Isigo and City) which were both conventionally and electricalle powered. Mr. Rivolta also designs buses for neighbourhood transportation and similar stuff.
I have absolutely no evidence of his involvement in the Saab venture but he does have the passion, the inclination and -presumably- the wherewithal to play a role in it.
We’ll see…
Ivo
and Holden’s distribution of SAAB has been a marketing and sales disaster.
Iso Rivolta? A real legend! (Off Topic:) That reminds me of another even greater legend: FACEL VEGA. The new 9-5 somehow has similar genes in the blood. OK: Far out, but just a little bit.;-)
FACEL VEGA: In France, year 2000 I had a “close encounter of third kind”: One of those FACEL VEGAs. Unbelievable. For me, just one car comes similar in “cult status”: classic 900 till 1993. (Well, not in terms of money.)
it´s like our sales disaster in austria.
marketing and a good dealer network isn´t existing.
of course SAAB is sold over the OPEL dealerships. But the dealers rather want to sell OPEL not SAAB.
advertising is practically not really existing.
if you want to sell cars you have to do something.
PS:there are some traditionally SAAB dealers in Austria which sold SAAB´s before GM. These dealers make the sales. but that are already about 4
so every new owner of SAAB – trust your customers or the original SAABfanbase.
While I normally would welcome additional bidders, it is hard to imagine anything good coming out of Miami. I have met way too many Americans who were forced to leave their homes in Miami as the city is being taken over by others.
Dippen,
I know you meant well in your comment to Swade for him to enjoy his “x-mas holiday”. I would note the expression you use is actually very disrespectful to this most sacred day as it commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, hence Christmas. I note other Swedes on this blog (I’m assuming you are a Swede) also use the “x-mas” label. Is this typical of how Christmas is described in Sweden? It would be interesting as to how this came to be. It’s very sad to me.
we didn`t know anything about this third bidder. Hope we get some informations soon.
But could this third bidder be better as CJ or VM.
We need bidders with the SAAB spirit, to get SAAB out of these inferno
Off Topic:
I saw a yellow Facel Vega at a car meeting in Löddeköpinge, Skåne last summer. There is apparently at least one in Sweden.
Marvellous car and a fascinating history, like all interesting cars… Like Saab
I’m with you 100% regarding Sweden, but humans are weird in how they relate to stuff. For many Americans, a Toyota is a Japanese car, and the fact that it is made in Tenesee doesn’t change the fact that it is Japanese in terms of quality and design. RIght now I’m sitting at my new MacBook Pro. If you look at the bottom it says “made in China,” but when you open the box the first time to lift how that beautiful object that’s packed like a museum piece, you lift it out with a tab marked “Designed by Apple in California.” I think it’s fair to say most of the world thinks of the MacBook (and IPhones) as American products. Them’s the downside with globalization.
SAAB_andee,
Totally agree with your comment. And I am rooting for CJ or VM, in that order. And when you say “SAAB spirit”, to me that means Scandinavian. Were SAAB sold to a non-Scandinavian group, then SAAB, in my opinion, would cease to exist. Something else would exist, just happening to have grabbed the former name. For example, does buying a Jaguar mean the same today now that Indians own it? Not in my opinion. And that is not a slam on the Indians, just an acknowledgment of an important change. I would not buy a non-Scandinavian owned Saab.
James,
AMEN to your comment. We are certainly “on the same page”!
ps And hughw’s comment is on the mark as well. I do believe there are grave downsides to “globalism”!
“X-mas” or more commonly “Xmas” is often used in the United States as short hand for Christmas in advertising, greeting cards, and almost every way although style guides frown on it as being too informal for formal writing. Absoulutely, no disrespect is intended in it’s use, and I would imagine that it is used in various contexts by churches in the US. A search of Wikapedia indicates that contrary to some belief that the X represents a crossing out of Christ or represents the cross, in fact the X is a greek abbreviation for Christ and it has been used for thousands of years.
“Xmas” and “X-mas”[citation needed] are common abbreviations of the word “Christmas”. They are sometimes pronounced /ˈɛksməs/, but they, and variants such as “Xtemass”, originated as handwriting abbreviations for the correct pronunciation /ˈkrɪsməs/. The “-mas” part came from the Latin-derived Old English word for “mass”.[1] The “X” in Xmas is from the Greek letter Chi, which is the first letter of Χριστός, Christ in Greek (see below).
Lubbock Avalanche Journal – December 27, 2009
“SEVERAL City accidents likely caused by incautious drivers” (driving on ice and snow)
The good news is no reported Saab accidents. Might be that safety thing.
(probably more than three)
Just a thought
hughw,
Wow, am I glad I asked the question which prompted your response. I also roamed the internet as I don’t trust Wikipedia when it comes to subjects like this as Wikipedia can be very politically correct.
But with that said, I was not able to find any information that contradicted what you wrote. In fact, everything I read did support your comments. And I always want to be operating on a basis of truth!
Thanks, hughw, for this! But for my purposes, I will not use the “x” version as I do believe some intentionally use it for devious purposes, but certainly not all, or even most, as the good Swedes on this blog have evidenced to me.
Hugh: Probably difficult to find the geographical origin of that abbreviation. Although I’m from Sweden and have used it myself a few times, I’m pretty sure I picked it up from some of my online friends in UK, USA, Italy and the Netherlands, and whoever of them used it first may of course have picksed it up from somewhere else.
No harm intended though. For me it is just an abbreviation, like LOL, ROTFL an all the others commonly used around the web.
But I understand what you mean, so I avoided to repeat that abbreviation here, of course.
* December 31st getting closer every day. Fingers crossed for Saab… *
@ Rich: “…seems odd at this late hour to have a bidder surface down there.”
I don’t think so. Vultures always show up on last minute, just before the hyenas. Not a nice picture… argh… get out of my head… stupid….
@ 100%Saab: Well, if there was only one viable bidder chances were better that SAAB is sold in one piece. I see it that way.
I strongly believe GM is willing to sell SAAB. They are profit orientated Businessman. They made some big mistakes in the past (and will do in the future, for sure), but they are not completely nuts. What worries me more is the question how they will sell. As one stated here already, usually you make the most profit in selling in pieces, what actually already started (the Chinese deal).
Thinking of this scenario: Someone (VM) is getting some technology (XWD, …), another one the plant (CJ) where FIAT could jump in producing, someone else might be interested in Dealership (the Miami dudes?), still the brand could be sold (worthless) or just fade (no future competitor). So, the more Investors involved here, the better for GM, the worse for us??? The future of SAAB might not be that bright as we all are hoping for.
I don’t want to criticize anyone’s optimism here, but getting prepared for the worst case scenario is not that bad idea. I definitely do, though still hoping for the best.
And for CJ’s and VM’s comments on this situation, some of you seem to take their words as law! You really think they tell us the truth (hardly saying anything useful to me), even if that turned us against them? No way! They are businessman, doing the regular blah blah blah. Please proof me wrong CJ!
Btw, I don’t expect the 31st of December to be something special (this new-year-thing left aside), as talking could well go into 2010. As I mentioned above, GM is not completely nuts and will not fail on making profit because of a stupid date call. They give a shit, we’ve been seeing that in the Opel affair (??? now getting hunted by this Russian Bank for breaking their word ???).
Anyway, hope dies last. So let’s hope!
Oh, if I had reloaded the page before replying I would habve seen hughw’s much better answer… =)
Niklas G,
Thanks so much for your response, as it coupled very well with hughw’s but added the perspective from where I’m coming from!
I know this particular thread was off-topic, but I felt it was too important to let go. And now I’ve learned more on the subject and my motto is to always go where the truth leads me.
Niklas G, and back on point, we all here on this blog feel very deeply about SAAB, and as has been noted above, that means you, the Swedes, as without the Swedes involvement, SAAB will not exist, even if some “others” carry on the name!
FWIW Hugh: In Scandinavia we celebrate Jul (“Yule” in the English dictionary). Most of us have indeed a very relaxed relationship with the “x-mas” word.
As you know, this celebration predates Christianity. A Roman emperor set the date for x-mas to co-incide with a roman holiday for practical reasons. (I never bothered figuring out if this would be respective to the Julian calendar or not, but the orthodox certainly seem to think so — in which case you are celebrating a couple of weeks too early, but the date you’re really looking for is probably much closer to the summer anyhow)
This cannot drag on. SAAB needs to build cars to stay alive.
Rune,
Thank you, thank you. I am learning much here. And isn’t this the value of the Internet! Had I not posed the question, I would have had a mistaken understanding of this issue.
Here’s an article from The Oakland Press that will make your blood boil. It’s a perfect example of how the no-nothing media will write anything without ascertaining the facts. Here’e one quote from the article to get you going.
“During its 20-year relationship with Saab, GM had done just about everything it could to help Saab succeed. It offered its Swedish subsidiary a lot of autonomy to ensure the brand remained true to its roots. At the same time, however, GM provided Saab with virtually unlimited resources to modernize its factories in Sweden and the technology required to meet new European and North American safety and emission regulations.”
http://www.theoaklandpress.com/articles/2009/12/27/business/doc4b33b5f0b6f36934681982.txt
hughw,
But if you read all the subsequent comments by the readers you will see the readers blow the writer’s statements out of the water. Here’s hoping this article backfires on writer/publisher and gets more “truth” out into the marketplace. Anymore I try to always read the subsequent comments as they can be a decent gauge on how the public feels about the article.
There’s a new Saab article out from TT, seen here in the GP.se version. Not much news, really, but a positive headline is always nice: “There’s still hope for Saab”. Paul Åkerlund, head of one of the Saab workers’ unions, is quoted: “I can only guess, but I doubt any [decision] will come on Monday.”
New 9-5 seen in Stockholm today:
http://www.automotorsport.se/news/19989/nya-saab-9-5-p%C3%A5-bes%C3%B6k-i-stockholm/
Argh….I am in Stockholm but I missed this one!!!
Thanks wilfried!
Jason Petho
Looking very nice in that color, iggy.
A comment on that article says that it might be JAJ’s new company car, since he lives in the neighborhood.
But I agree, it really looks nice in that color.
“only one viable bidder”
“In the end there can only be one.”
Emphasis was on Viable.
We all want the same thing.
Comments on this entry are closed.