No news is good news at this point.
——
An update from the Merbanco/Swedish consortium:
They wish to stress that any report made that they are only after part of the Saab, rather than the whole entity, is not accurate. From CJ at Merbanco:
With management, we are interested in all of Saab. We intend to manufacture cars in Trollhattan if we are picked. If we can’t get all of Saab, we won’t do the deal.
And separately from the Swedish consortium:
Merbanco together with Swedish group are working hard with government on bridging EIB loan with a guarantee to GM as long as it takes to have the EIB in place.
They estimate that such action can close the deal and save significant costs to society with regard to closing Saab.
——
Meanwhile, Spyker have been in talks with GM about their renewed proposal as well. From Bloomberg:
“There’s a dialogue ongoing,” Muller said from his car while traveling in the Netherlands. “It’s very hard to predict the outcome, particularly since GM in principle has taken a decision to shut Saab down.”
As Eggs reported earlier today, Spyker’s deadline has been softened:
Muller said today that Spyker’s 5 p.m. New York time deadline to reach an agreement “is becoming less of interest” as talks progress.
And from Reuters:
“We’ve had various discussions with them today,” Muller told Reuters prior to the extension of the offer expiry, adding that talks were “definitely” ongoing.
That deadline has now passed. No news is good news, as they say.
——
From Djup Strupe:
Speaking of progress, GM scheduled a conference call with US dealers today, the subject of which was going to be a brief on the wind-down process for Saab in the United States.
Instead of talking about that, they basically postponed everything due to the ongoing negotiations.
——
Automotive News ask “What would Bob Sinclair say?” about the potential closure of Saab.
In public I think he’d say “That’s crazy”
In private I think it might have been a little more pointed.
——
BNET claim that regardless of the outcome of negotiations, it seems Saab owners have already left the brand. it’s a nifty introduction to talk about the latest JD Power retention survey findings.
I think the overwhelming response to the Ed Whitacre email campaign kinda dispels that, however.
Speaking of which, I think we can all agree that this quite possibly the most touching contribution to that campaign.
Click to enlarge.
That sums up what it’s all about.
——-
The Saab Club in the Netherlands has put togehter some great banners to promote the plea to save Saab and email Ed Whitactre:
——-
A very good treatise on Saab by maniacal driver, Jack Baruth.
I can see where he’s coming from, but in the end he’s just being another fatalist who can’t see a future with a successful Saab in it.
That’s a future I don’t want, even of it’ll take a lot of hard work to get there.
Related posts:
That Opel blurb...
{ 102 comments }
Is it the no news or news that is killing us? I can’t remember now…
oye my head hurts.
SaabsUnited on Google-maps
link with instructions
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF&msa=0&msid=106261429976295349355.00047b43aead994ac933b
when you open the “saabsunited” map, log-in by using your google account. save the map to your favourites and then you can place a mark. don’t forget saving
the map is open to all users…
if someone has an idea how to add a picture to the mark, please tell us!! thanks!
I’m enjoying the Route 95 corridor from Washington DC to Conneticut on the map… it’s like the Underground Railroad of saabs
Good Morning Swade!
))
If GM wants to sell SAAB I expect a sale to go thru.
maybe everyone who marks his saab on the map should add a comment for mr. ed. so it looks like all saab-enthusiats are talking to him.
I am starting to have a good feeling about all of this now. With two seemingly attractive bids from two seemingly eager buyers on the table GM should be able to finally close with one of them.
But – a bridging loan from government prior to EIB approval looks like a ballsy attempt given Maud & Co’s stubborn refusal to use government money. Or maybe I misunderstood something?
Good morning Swade !!
so yet we can go to sleep in middle europe.
place you SAAB in our SAABsunitedmap – were growin fast now !!!
SAAB UP
VIKING UP
COWBOY UP
Cowboy up everyone!
Go CJ!
I’m currently inbetween Saabs at the moment. And, using FF, I don’t see any favorites section on the google map webpage, even though I am logged into my google account.
But good initiative!
I didn’t see any favorites button either. I clicked on “Collaborate” or something and was able to add a teardrop marker and hit save.
Ah, thanks, got it now. Press the “Edit” button, and the placemarker icons appear in the upper left corner of the map itself.
Then clicking on the placemarker in the left-hand list allows you to change the icon.
Neat. Confusing, but neat.
Norway is going to bed. Dinner guests with Linie Aquaivit. Its now your shift. Skål.
our german friends are sleeping- still no german SAAB on our map. but our polish friends are very active !!!
I think the money the Swedish Government is talking about is not a bridging loan for Saab but rather intended to help the Trollhattan region recover if Saab indeed does get closed down.
Ivo
Disregard my latest post. Confusion between different items. Sorry.
Ivo
“that regardless of the outcome of negotiations, it seems Saab owners have already left the brand”
No BNET, I’m not into Audi, Subaru or Honda yet. Or anything else. Except something different as a Caterham or a Lotus, but that would be as an additional fun car, not as a saab substitute.
NO Saab in Detroit!!! Shame on You Mr. Ed!
SAABers from Greece are doing well in our google map and ther is more of us to come…Keep trying hard to save our beloved brand guys!Freedon to SAAAAABBBBB!!!!
Doesn’t Ms. Lutz, drive a Saab vert? Bob, shame on you!!! You haven’t put her on the map yet.
To add a picture, just edit in “rich text” and click the “insert image” icon on the far right. Just add the URL of your image!
Sorry guys, I won’t be on this map. I don’t have a google account and having too many other logins and passwords to remember I really don’t want to.
If, there’s a SU address book, I will join for sure. And If you happen to be in my area, and anything happens to your Saab I’ll be happy to help.
Regarding the map, I think you need to click “Save to my maps” rather than add to favourites. Then click “Edit”. How to add an image:
Click “Edit HTML” and paste the following, replacing the src= with the url to your photo
<img src=”http://www.myweb/myphoto.jpg” alt=”My Photo”/>
I’ll add a link to your map in our austrian forum.
thank you!
good luck to saab! time for me to go to sleep!
Swade…thanks for your continuing efforts to keep us informed and connected EVEN while you sleep. And yes….
Cowboy up!!
tell me where (including text) to set a mark for you!
Swade,
I zoned out on that article after the Saab-Tweed crap and the Malibu comparisons. Why do you provide links to such articles?
Anybody who compares the Saab to the Malibu has (a) Never sat on Saab seats before, (b) Never tried to step on the gas in a rental Malibu Maxx when merging into interstate traffic and (c) Never seen the IIHS safety rankings for the two.
This guy has to be bogus. He’s definitely making this stuff up about being an ex Saab owner. Maybe his dad gave him one as a teenager and he was too young (not smart/tweedy enough? he,he) to appreciate it.
I personally would rather keep my current Saab till I die than buy any of the cars he’s parading in his article.
Whats the guess that Maud et al would be tripping over themselves to help Volvo if they were threatened with closure? If they can had out over money to help unemployed SAAB workers why not just hand that money to SAAB. Is the Swedish Government always this laid back?
Over to you southern hemisphere guys, I am going for some shuteye.
See you in the morning!
It was midnight an hour ago here, give us some sleep
Two on there already, one of them me.
Great to see Saab hanging in there. My preference is for the Merbanco/Sweden group simply based on Merbanco’s experience, some local knowledge and CJ’s commitment.
All the same, I’d welcome the Spyker guys if they’re chosen too – anything rather than the dustbin!
Busy Christmas for everyone.
I meant to reply to you of course..
Time to sleep. Have a good day all of you who happen to live somewhere closer to Saabsunited headquarters. And good night to everybody somewhere around Trollhattan. (The capital of Europe for the next couple of days until all is clear)
@solvy : Hi there, what a brilliant idea ! i’m the crazy french and i’m alone for now ! @Swade : Thanks you, you’re the man ! (again, sorry, my english suxxxs
)
From DN.se:
GM:s talesperson Tom Wilkinson vill inte kommentera uppgifterna. (om Egyptiska köpare)
– Vi säger inget mer än att vi tar alla förfrågningar gällande Saab under övervägande. Avvecklingen kommer att ta ett antal månader och under den tiden har vi sagt att vi tittar på det som kommer in. Vi släcker inte ljuset i ett slag, säger han.
Briefly what matters in English.
GM spokes person Tom Wilkinson: “The rewinding of SAAB will take a couple of months and during that time we will take a closer look at all that pops up. We don’t turn the lights off just like that.”
Even an Egyptian proposal!?
I wouldn’t worry about people leaving the brand. New folks (like me) will come and, in the end, it’s all about great product and marketing.
SAAB would actually be in good shape. The new 9-5 and 9-4 are looking great and are coming out NOW and could enjoy 6 year product lives, which leaves getting a full range of 9-3 redo’s out for 2012-ish or so. And it has to be a homerun product.
Compare that to, say, Chrysler, which is a larger company with really NO new product coming out in core areas at all until the hypothetical time of the new 9-3 (while SAAB would have the 9-5, 9-5 SC, and 9-4).
Eventually, for SAAB to really succeed, it needs a Subaru-esque lineup:
* 9-3 (sedan, SC, vert, and “Outback” equivalent)
* 9-4 or “Forester” eqivalent (I think something a bit smaller than the upcoming 9-4 will suffice)
* 9-5 and SC
* A 9-1 or something funky, like a SAAB utility vehicle… Their Element or Soul.
I’m still unsure about a 9-1… The A1/3′s, BMW 1′s, and Merc A’s aren’t setting the sales world on fire… Only Mini has figured out the formula. I’d rather see SAAB do a funky utility vehicle. A new Sonett, as nice as it would be, I don’t think is a good use of resources right now…
But again, I don’t think they’re in bad shape brand-wise. The public has short memories. Put the instability behind them, get some great products out, market your independence to the hilt, and all’s forgiven…
no problem – hey iam sitting in austria close too you -time to sleep- but the SAAB story is better than TV -
Interesting article ( http://www.speedsportlife.com/2009/12/21/avoidable-contact-29-lexus-killed-saab-but-gm-let-saab-die/ ), although a bit too negative, I agree about the rebadging, but Saabs where/are so very much improved over Opels that there really is no comparison possible. Its very clear when you drive them both; totally different in capabilities, ergonomics, quality and safety.
– SW
Saab has always been good in making something exceptional from limited fundamentals..
That one’s already written up in this snippets article
I wouldn’t put any stock whatsoever in reports about new proposals. I haven’t heard about the Egyptian thing, but there’s a report that Mahindra’s owner Tweeted about buying Saab at Jalopnik today. There’s also an Australian group getting in touch with GM about it.
These people won’t get into the game at this late stage. They’d have to be qualified as buyers, make proposals, do due diligence (which can take weeks).
GM want to sell Saab, but they want to do it soon. Latecomers just won’t get in the door.
Here we are in purgatory again. I’m FREAKING out! All this commotion is definitely taking its toll on my mental and physical well-being.
Saab History has spoken to Victor Muller, not much news, just saying that they are working 24/7 with a full team and that the Swedish government has been very helpful.
http://www.saabhistory.com/2009/12/22/saab-history-hears-status-from-ceo-of-spyker-cars/
Swade, if your inside sources tell you that GM really want to sell Saab, contrary to the speculations by Swedish analysts, then do they also tell you why GM, in spite of that, slammed the door shut last Friday? Was it only a negotiation tactic?
Just read an article regarding Swedish Government support for workers .
Have the Swedish Government fallen out of their little tree ?
They say the will not support the brand…….
However they will tip in millions in aid for the sacked workers ……
What the !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If they support SAAB for the short term ( until they can find a buyer ) they stand a chance of getting their money back …..
If they pay the unemployment and retraining bill they get no return !
GM should`t even start with rewinding – we need to start the production of new 9-5
NO wind down
Utlander – they see the return as being at the ballot box, hence they jump to be active in caring for the people.
Börjesson – I think it’s self evident. They sold Saab to Keonigsegg, remember. KG backed out of the bid because of timing issues and apparently some concern about changing criteria and some GM greed (according to Eker’s latest interview).
But GM did sign the sale agreement. Think about it this way – if they never wanted to sell Saab, then why go through everything this year?
We’ve had various guesses at this-and-that with the sale process and the treatment of bidders but maybe the real situation stares us in the face. We don’t know what each bid was comprised of so we can’t really compare the treatment of one bidder against another.
Some speculate the KG were chosen because GM wanted them to fail. Maybe KG just put in the best bid at that time?
All I know is it would be a very expensive charade to go through if you didn’t want to really sell. And the people involved I’ve talked to are involved because they want to buy. They’re smart people. If GM weren’t serious about selling, then they’d walk from the selling process.
utlander, the simple answer is that it’s not about the money. For the right-wing Swedish govt, it’s primarily about ideology. Private enterprise should stand or fall on its own in a free market, with no involvement from governments. Private citizens however, once out of a job, can be helped with training, unemployment money etc, because they’re currently off the market. And anyway, they have to be helped to avoid losing votes.
What Fred & Maud have missed, or maybe just choose to ignore, is that the market Saab is competing in is anything but free. All the other companies are getting help, which leaves Saab at an unfair disadvantage. If the market had been completely free, then GM would have gone belly-up this summer, and Saab would have been free to be bought by anybody interested, without any restrictions. Pushing the US govt to bring about that outcome now would just be letting the natural order reassert itself. But somehow, the Swedish govt won’t see it that way.
E-postadress: mahegedu@gmail.com
Meddelande: Dear Mr. John Fredrik Reinfeldt Prime Minister,
Please don’t let SAAB die. Millions around the world put interest in your country thanks to your iconic brand, which has become
world-unique by setting its incredibly high standard of car building in every respect. SAAB has evolved countless faithful
believers from all around the world and raised its unique spirit. SAAB has saved thousands of lives. It is of a so much
tremendous value that is, and must be, indesctructible. May I kindly ask you to commit everything that is possible from your side
to save SAAB. SAAB, that may be the biggest national asset of Sweden, and also an exceptional rarity of value in the whole world!
I kindly ask you to act with accordingly highest level of resposibility in this matter. Please consider all these values SAAB
incorporates and that how much it represents the great achivements of your nation as well as it is a vital part to assure the
bright future.
SAAB is the founder and accomplisher of a truly intelligent and innovative technology, that can’t be confused with any other.
Going without SAAB would open a serious drain on your nation’s reputation and economical upscale in the future, and thus would
forsee a dramatically risky vacuum for Sweeden.
And still I have not talked about the assessed 8000 individuals of yours, set out to losing their jobs and livings, just at
Christmas.
Now, Mr. Reinfeldt, every prospects are laid in your hands. You are here to serve your brave country and nation and to secure its
continuance in this challanging World. Your country is trusting you. The SAAB community around the Globe are counting on you.
Please don’t let them down, and take the steps your people yield for.
Thank you for your time in reading my expression of thoughts and also thank you for making it possible to submit it in this web form.
Best regards,
Marton
From Hungary
Swade, many have suggested that the charade was for the purpose of getting a chance to renegotiate the deals with the resellers, which has apparently saved GM billions in shutdown costs. I don’t understand the technicalities of it, but if such a charade was required to achieve that, then the GM bean-counters would probably think it well worth the effort.
Come on, Come on, Come on….
I have yet to consider what I’d actually feel if Saab really does close its doors. I just don’t think it’ll happen. (Or I don’t want to think about it)
~Peter
’93 9000 Aero, 117K miles.
GM wants to sell but also to get the most out of it. We’d better get used to normal business procedures, negotiation tactics etc.
Using the press is one of these factors that is part of the game. Some are good at it, some better, some not so good.
For us SAABistai we just want to hear a whistle blow signaling the end of the game. But this is not such a game, rather one more chaotic with many whistle blowers and some Djup Strupes.
We will probably never encounter such drama in life again.
And it ain’t over yet…
Hold on tight to your soap-a-coaster.
Enjoy!
If GM is planning to sell Saab, it had done little to no work in preparing Saab for sale, when Koenigsegg came along. That was one of the main stumbling blocks with the KG deal. I guess that kind of matches GM’s half hearted approach to Saab all along. At least it is consistent I suppose? Consistently lacklustre.
TTAC is still spouting that Saab’s demise is ‘inevitable’. Don’t they keep up with the news? I thought things had improved around there since Farago departed?
maybe it’s normal business procedures, but i can’t understand why gm is doing this right before christmas. ed and his friends are cold blooded capitalists with no sense of humanity.
Why don’t prospective buyers undertake a hostile takeover and petition shareholders to sell as Im sure the US Government would be more than willing to get some money for SAAB as they own 62pc of GM shares?
Swade and you Saabists our there. I just found an interesting article at forbes.com entitled “The Odds Against A Saab Deal-Selling a failed car company gets very, very complicated.” The guy starts out pretty well and then gets to a point where he is in over his head when he says this about Saab. “There is an old Saab car factory in Sweden, but car factories are worth nothing. The Saab engineering and development system was transferred to GM’s German operation, Opel, years ago to save GM money. So there really isn’t a car company to sell, just a brand name and the old factory.” I posted a comment trying to correct a few things, but this is the kind of crap that the “world” reads and takes for the truth.
http://www.forbes.com/2009/12/21/saab-gm-volvo-business-autos-ford.html#readerComments
I’m new to posting here but I have followed the site and the Saab story closely since the beginning of the year. GT has an excellent write-up what specifically failed the deal, here’s the googletrans of http://www.gt.se/nyheter/1.1820996/knackfragan-royalty-pa-varje-sald-saab-bil. Sorry for the poor formating:
Buckling question (“Critical Question”): royalty on each sold Saab car
Royalty on each sold Saab car. It is the big key issue in Spykers bid for Saab.
“It is impossible to pay the money that General Motors calls,” said a source with good insight into the deal to GT.
By not borrowing money from the EIB can Spyker remove electric car-the royalty of the negotiations with General Motors.
Dutch sports car manufacturer Spyker has submitted a new bid for Saab. And this time, the Spyker put time pressure on General Motors. The bid is valid until at 23:00 tonight.
68 of 71 contracts
- We believe that we put together a bid that could convince General Motors, says Spykers CEO Victor Muller.
GT can today reveal that the royalty on each sold the Saab car was a total of three contracts that Spyker and General Motors have never agreed on at the end of last week.
- They had written on 68 of 71 contracts. One thing they agreed on was how much General Motors would get paid for the electric car that Saab plans to build. The car was one of the projects financed with loans from the EIB, said a source with good insight into the contract process to GT.
Saab wanted to buy technology from General Motors model Chevrolet Volt and GM countered that claim 50,000 kronor per sold Saab in royalties.
- It is impossible to conduct a business with that kind contributions, so much air is not even on an ordinary car.
Requires the General Motors royalties to other Saabs?
- Yes, probably, it can be.
Could it be that Spyker is now agreed to GM’s demands, the new bid?
- We do not know, but it is not likely.
Spykers president said in a statement that the new bid is a mere purchase of Saab and the EIB loans not included in the agreement.
Several inquiries
Spyker thus need not buy Volt technology with GM – and they can delete the agreement on royalties from the deal.
General Motors commented yesterday Spykers new bids as follows:
- After Friday’s announcement that GM will begin the closure of GM Saab has received inquiries from many sources.
- We will evaluate any kind of inquiry.
In June, GM under then-CEO Fritz Henderson was willing to sell Saab. A binding agreement was signed.
In December, after Koenigsegg backed out of its binding agreement, it is not so clear that GM under now-CEO Ed Whitacre wants to sell Saab.
The logic of the situation suggests that a sale is preferable to a shut down, and I think Swade is correct. But nothing is written in stone.
Then again if Saab succeeds without government aid, wouldn’t that be a great sign of strenght?
.
Im all for having the government keep their sticky hands off private enterprise even in these times. But at least they should not publically bad mouth a company even if wind mills in fact are interesting products.
If every country is subsidising their car industries then there is something seriously wrong with the business. To big to fail anyone? Risk diversification, that is the name of the game.
Sergio Marchionne’s idea that only a handfull (or even that) of manufacturers will remain in the world in a few years is down right frightening. That is not good risk diversification.
In a sound business environment the government should not need to subsidise an enterprise.
.. maybe I’m going off topic here, it’s 01:49 and I really should sleep
If Saab succeeds without government aid, I’m sure the politicians will still pat each other on the back. Hopefully voters will have a different idea?
Unfortunately you’re right, but that’s the way it is. They GM top guys (a.o.) have huge pay checks and are usually far from “our” reality. Remember all three CEO’s from the US automakers taking each their private jet to fly to Washington (D.C.) to beg for gov support?!!
Emotions are just unwelcome bumps in the road for them, while we love the feeling of the road.
SAAB doesn’t deserve that kind of owner and that’s why we all want this to end with a CJ, CvK, VM, or alike, people that we think have hearts as well as balls. Who the winner will be? Patience my friend.
Enjoy!
The ‘ball’ belongs to GM and if the other kids won’t play their way, they threaten to take it and go home. GM has a big media ‘stick’ to beat people with. Sure-fire way to get a reaction out the would-be buyers. Does unestimable damaged to the brand image and goodwill in the process. That’s GM, they just do not give a toss. How many more billion will it take to undo the damage now?
Welcome Rask. Great first post and welcome.
))
That is some rather interesting insight into what any perspective buyer is up against. It seems GM wants royalties on every car sold. Having said that GM did put up all the money to develop the new 9-5 so many some royalties paid out over a length of time isnt too unreasonable. Is it?
Id rather they didnt have to but if it gets SAAB a new owner further discussion in this matter is probably warranted.
US tax payers are GMs largest share holders. They should be outraged that GM executive intransigence would prevent GM from selling SAAB now to willing buyers instead of a costlier protracted wind down. Like the brand or not US tax payers should make it clear to their elected representatives that GM should sell the brand now for whatever they can get rather than spend hundreds of millions of dollars more to wind down the brand.
If you are an America don’t write GM write your elected official and ask them to bring pressure upon GM to complete this sale.
I need Swade to just post something. The agony of waiting for info is harsh.
Sadly GM only understands the ‘big stick’ mentality, and that is the only way to deal with it. It seems that Spyker has learned this, and that was why it imposed that deadline. I still say the Swedish government needs get off it’s ar*e and wave it’s big stick at GM too. If that doesn’t work, it needs to get the US government to wave an even bigger stick.
Seems to me that Maud goes out of her way, at every chance,opening or opportunity to fire a round at SAAB. I contiue to wonder who she is serving and what she has or will get as a result.
Probably most Americans don’t realize that its way more expensive to ‘just wind down the brand’ than to sell it..
I did write an email message to whitehouse.gov. I let them know my opinion that I would never support GM if they had the opportunity to sell Saab and didn’t act on it.
if the royalties on every car sold are too high, saab will cooperate with other manufacturers as soon as possible.
enhancements or improvements of the new 9-5 may be used for the insignia, so there could be a two way know-how transfer. but if saab changes it’s suppliers it wouldn’t work for gm any more.
The ones who are paying attention know, i.e., Saab owners.
http://ttela.se/ekonomi/saab/1.682166
Unnamed Dutch billionaire behind Spykers new found money according to TTELA quoting Svenska Dagbladet quoting several sources.
Oops… did they found out about me…?
What does it say? Can’t read it.
Would you beleived it _ I just got spammed by GM to purchase one of their cars because I ‘expressed an interest’
NO I DID NOT.
I was almost laughing when this landed in my inbox. If it’s been last Friday I would have said a lot of swear words
74Stingray is on the google map…..
****tapping fingers on desk, waiting for more news****
High royalties on the 9-4x will certainly be a problem. Since it is to be made by GM in a GM factory OEM for Saab, by the time royalties are added, profit for Saab will be minimal to non-existent, and GM will be the only one making money out of the car. Because of this, I suggest it will have a very short lifespan. As soon as Saab has the NG9-3x and the 9-5x out, the 9-4x will quietly disappear.
@sven
very interesting
@all
SaabsUnited on Google-maps
link with instructions
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF&msa=0&msid=106261429976295349355.00047b43aead994ac933b
when you open the “saabsunited” map, log-in by using your google account. save the map to your favourites and then you can place a mark. don’t forget saving
the map is open to all users…
hope i’ll see a map full of saabs when getting up tomorrow morning!
good night! cowboy up!
That wouldn’t be so bad for GM in the short term since they need cash now to pay back the loans from US.
If GM’s supposed death sentence on Friday was really only a negotiation tactic, then that is something that might actually get Big Fred Reinfeldt off his backside and on the phone with Obama. Playing that kind of game, needlessly creating terrible fear and anxiety for thousands of workers and citizens around Trollhättan, and over Christmas to boot, is unacceptable behaviour.
Reinfeldt is the kind of guy who would get really furious at something like that. Most Swedes are, in fact, regardless of political affiliation. If our PM could be convinced that that’s precisely the game GM is playing, then he’ll have Obama breathing down Ed’s neck in no time.
The fact that a really well-played show of righteous indignation and standing up for innocent Swedish citizens against the big bad yank could quite possibly win Reinfeldt the election is of course also a consideration…
I hear you, Troy. I hear you my friend.
)
Ying, I got an invitation from my local SAAB, Saturn, GM dealer to get a new car. I havent paid for my current 9-3SS so how they expect me to get a new one Ill never know. Have to admit, the dealer here is great.
My brief translation is what is under my link. The article doesn’t say anything else of interest. It is very brief.
I could not yet find any link to svd.se, but it might be a paper edition story, not yet on the net. But TTELA was quick.
Obama is way too busy with the National healthcare legislation to even give a thought about Saab. The timing for that is not good.
My increasingly cynical heart says that GMNA dosent want to let a brand-new 95 out of the bag and Opel probably dosent either. I think this could be THE REAL reason NO deal is possible. Think about it. Youve spent millions developing a world-class car for a division that you couldnt care less about. Why would you release that technology for dimes on the dollar??
Saab Trollhattan had better keep ALL those machine tools and dies until they KNOW what the FUTURE holds.
But Opel doesnt have a car that the 9-5 would compete with.
Done!
If Opel was planning a version of the Buick LaCrosse for Europe/UK, the NG9-5 might be seen as a competitor, but there is no indication of that. Otherwise the 9-5 is in a bigger and more upmarket class to the Insignia.
http://www.svd.se/naringsliv/nyheter/miljardar-bakom-nytt-spykerbud_3978511.svd
There is the original text, identical to the TTELA text, published one minute earlier than TTELA.
And they quote themselves; probably their paper edition.
Someone read the paper version later I guess. Maybe there’s more.
Note to Swade:
“JD Power retention survey”
No one ask me if I planned to buy a new Saab! I bought one in 2008 and one in 2009! Maybe SaabsUnited needs ask owners about Saab retention. For all I know JD Power could be wrong about the Saab results! I don’t like it. Who did they ask?
Cowboy Up.
For Ed Whitacre – it’s: Guns Up (It’s a Texas Tech thing).
For those who care, Ed thinks like a West Texan. (which might not be too different than someone from Wyoming).
Just a thought.
I wonder who that billionaire is. Sounds potentially a bit thin on the ground even compared to Convers Group, but you never know…
um.. wrong expression.. I got my English mixed up there… but you get my point anyway I hope…
The financing seems potentially a bit weak, depending on the depth of this Dutch billionaire’s pockets.
see our posts in the new thread, Viking!
Obama is a complete loser. I wouldn’t count on him for anything.
Let’s cut the US political commentary right here, please. it’s a road to nowhere and unrelated to Saab – SW
Thanks for the Saabsunited google link – I have spread the words to the Chinese Saab forums, we now have some Chinese Saabs registered on the map
.
Nice work Ying. You guys deserve new Saabs too, not just reworks by BAIC.
just put mine on the map
solvy – layoffs and terminations around Christmas are extremely common in the U.S. In many cases it is near the end of the company’s fiscal year and it’s considered to be a business decision, nothing more.
zippy is now on the map in Vancouver Canada. Has SaabKen updated his whereabouts yet? Gouda nuffield for me. That joke stank worse thank gorgonzola cheese.
Goodnight everyone, time for my beauty sleep.
Hey great to see some chinese SAAB on our map.
Kalimera Stavro, apo Thessaloniki eisai?
Sorry guys, I can’t figure out how to add myself to the map. I log in under my Google account and see no link to add the map to favorites or add to map. Can anyone make a step-by-step instruction? Thanks.
Good to see there are some greeks on saabsunited. Keep on guys, if Saab survives you will be the ones we shall first contact. Tnank you for your passion about our brand.
A motor journalist at the Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten asks “Do we really need Saab?”.
http://www.aftenposten.no/meninger/kommentarer/article3435167.ece
He leads off with his conclusion: “Strictly speaking, it is mostly for Swedes” and goes on to comment that Saab haven’t innovated much since introducing the turbo technology.
I and others have already left some comments there.
A small 9-3x road test for our friends in Switzerland:
http://www.blick.ch/auto/auto/schwede-in-der-schwebe-136357
Nice Schwyzerdütsch!
Words with a strong tone from Vehicles analyst Matts Carlsson. And I like it!!!
Googly woogly translation:
From Nyhetskanalen.se
“Of course, Many would like to buy Saab ‘
On Friday it was buried by the Saab owner General Motors.
Today is the third day and many are hoping for a resurrection.
- It is logical that many are now after Saab. The company is fully viable, “roars” vehicles analyst Matts Carlsson to news outlets.
Published 21 Dec 2009 12:24
Updated Mon May 21 12:27:41 CEST 2009
One of Sweden’s most renowned vehicle analysts, Matts Carlsson, like to make a grim hats off for GM.
- GM have managed to steer the debate that Saab can not be economically viable. Both the media and the government has largely bought the argument, which is completely wrong. On the contrary, It´s great that Saab for so many years has been close to zero result when it has been so mishandled by the owner GM, with so much over-administration and even though so few models rolled out of the factory, “says Carlsson to news outlets.
He has read Saab’s business plan and considers it to be entirely realistic.
- They need to sell 80 000 cars a year to make a profit, pay debts and have enough capital to develop new models.
Since Saab as recently as last year sold about 90 000 cars, he believes that it is logical that more stakeholders will continue to appear.
Old Saab Owner Investor he thinks does not stand behind the secret Swedish consortium, which allegedly back up the bid from American Merbanco.
- No, there is no business logic in it, just pure sentimentality. Possibly there are some poor coordination opportunities with Scania, but it is doubtful.
- However, I think Vattenfall can be a serious buyer, so that together with Saab to go further and develop electric cars. Any of the AP funds may possibly also be behind a bid.
But the sharpest candidate is still Spyker Cars, says Carlsson.
“GM refuses to sell Saab’s technology”
The basic problem is that the owner GM appears to be very anxious to close Saab.
Since there is speculation that the closure would cost nearly 15 billion puts GM is clearly a high price tag on the automobile in Trollhättan.
- GM will not let anyone use Saab’s cutting-edge technology in particular crash-and production technologies. But I think the danger is over-valued, such knowledge is spreading quite quickly anyway, say Carlsson.
“The government is too flat”
He also thinks, like many others, that the government was too flat and wonder why not more questioning GM’s deadline, now that it will still be a serious bid.
- First, it is about many thousands of jobs, and a closure would be completely devastating to western Sweden technology clusters. The government should be more vocal and ask GM takes care of this better-looking. Saab has a future – if given the chance.
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