I’ve got a very quick time slot with VM in a few hours from now. He’s on a crazy schedule at the Geneva show but will have around 10 spare minutes just before 10am, Geneva time.
I’ve put together a number of questions in what’s probably going to have to be a rapid-fire situation – short questions and short answers.
If you’ve got anything you’d like answered, please put it in comments. I guarantee I won’t be able to get to everything, but I’ll get to as many as I can.
UPDATE
This is going to take a little time………
Thanks a lot for your questions. I’ve got enough to go with now.
We won’t be able to cover everything due to time restraints but I’ve selected a good portion and I believe we’ve got most of the answerable ones covered.
No related posts.
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He seems interested in SAAB design even going so far as to work up some sketches of his own. He is a fine designer as seen from Spyker but is he going to allow the Swedes to do the design work for future SAABs? What amount of input does he plan on having in this arena?
1) Can we expedite 9-5s to the dealers in advance of regular production (demo vehicles)?
2) Is GMAC going to provide customer financing?
3) Why the production delay on the 9-4X, dealers need product?
is he serious about sourcing funding for a smaller efficient saab, Which seems to be a need by the saab community in these leaner, greener times?
VM:s thoughts on the 9-5 he drove home from THN. Anything to improve? Something he really liked? General thoughts as well…
Just tell him not to go retro, Saab has some awsome design concepts in the 9-x, 9-x air etc…use those!
And do we get a official Saab festival in July this summer?
Future for 9-X and 9-Xair ??
WHEN will the production in Trollh
Will SAAB ever make in house platforms again?
Big thanks
Will any Saab dealers reopen in Canada this year?
In Moscow we have TWO (!!) official SAAB dealers which extend their credentials. No prices for the year 2010, no 9-3X, no promotion, nothing.
What are the plans for Russia?
I ask this question on behalf of the entire Russian Saab Community. We are seriously concerned…
1) (When) Will European deliveries re-commence?
2) Will the Aero-X see production as Saab’s halo car?
3) Thanks for all your hard work, plans to bring back the hatch, etc.! (Okay, not really a question. But still. ^_^)
Will future Spykers get rid of all those Audi parts?, I’m not talking about the engine.
Will we see more diferent exterior colours instead of different shades of gray, at least for the 9-3?
Why are you showing foto’s of the new 9-5 estate to the press and not to the dealers who are waiting for the new models to come and who have to be motivated to stay with the brand.
Oh! Another one!
4) When will the Saab USA website be redone to look more like the other global sites? The UK site in particular is great – the US one is a bit of an embarrassment!
Is the new 95 in full production now (seems rather quiet from the Trollhattan plant) and any benefit for Saab from the sale of technologies of the older Saab models to the Chinese company?
Morale of our friends at the Trollhattan plant?
When do the new 9-5 become available for dealers?
When are the official prices being released so lease companies can add the 9-5?
I can answer about the morale in Thn.
It’s very high, there’s a whole new feel to the entire town. Hopefully all the carbuilders feels it too and wants to come to work every day and make kickass quality cars!
Wish I had more time to think of some other questions…whichever you think are appropriate Swade…
1) What kind of mass marketing campaign do you have in mind in the USA to tell the general public know Saab’s current and future status? Viral, guerilla, and SaabUnited can only go so far. Doesn’t have to be terribly expensive either, one or two runs in a popular program would be enough to get the positive traction and word of mouth going. Just today, two coworker lady friends of mine asked me what SUV they should be looking at. I told them they should wait a year until Saab’s 9-4X comes out. Their answer: “Didn’t Saab go out of business?”
2) Leasing must come back to the USA. In Miami alone, I read somewhere that leasing makes up more than half of BMW’s 3 Series transactions. When can we expect this to return to the States? If Chrysler can do it, certainly SAAB can as well?
3) Speaking of Miami, we have a god awful dealership. I don’t want to call them out by name, but Miami is one of many North American cities that should be of importance to Saab but have awful dealer representation in the form of poor appeal and run down showrooms. What’s in the pipeline to bring Saab’s many run down showrooms up to more competitive standards, especially when practically all premium/luxury nameplates have made this effort. This brings people into showrooms.
4) If Hummer does indeed disappear, would Saab be proactive in converting Saab/Hummer dealerships into perhaps Saab/Spyker dealerships? Someone here on SaabsUnited suggested this, and frankly its a great idea. There are quite a few dealers that are Saab/Hummer hybrids, mostly in upscale cities, and of these the majority are relatively new and the opposite of the “run down” concern. Would be an excellent cross promotional opportunity that I think would benefit both brands in the form of giving Saab more prestige and giving Spyker more exposure in the form of an increased dealer network.
VM talks about getting back old Saab customers, but are they confident they will return with Saab climbing up the price scale?
In my opinion Audi, BMW and Mercedes are seriously overprized, and I would not even consider a Saab which is delivering the same value for money.
There are so many good cars offering better value for money today.
Am I alone, I wonder?
I can only agree with Ken.
Saab aim shouldn’t be Audi, it should be VW.
Good cars, ok quality, good equipment and affordable prices….
In relation to Saab Australia.
Whats going on?
Perhaps the most important question, will the NG9-3 have hatchback variations?
What will happen to Saab Germany, which is now a just a part of Opel in R
Any plans on bringing a diesel engine to the US? The TTid is such a lovely engine, would love to see it here.
More details on the 92 (including proposed front and rear end design)?
When will be delireved my new Saab 9-5 Wagon?
Is Saab going to get a new logo?
This would mark “Saab’s Renaissance”.
Both Spyder and Saab are joined by the aviation origins.
Thank you, David.
1) Will there be upgrades to the current 9-3, before a new 9-3 will come out in 2012 as announced? Diesel XWD, new 2.0 direct ignition engine as in ng 9-5 in 9-3 as well, hybrid, interior upgrades? The 9-3 still will earn the bulk of the money for Saab in 2010/11.
2) Will there be hybrids in 9-5 (or even in current 9-3)? When will Saab be ready for that?
3) How to deal with more powerful Diesels both for the 9-5 and the 9-4x, any plans? What plans for the 9-4x engines overall?
4) Isn’t an own platform for the ng 9-3 planned for 2012 a big financial and operational risk for Saab, given its tight financial restrictions? What means 2012, model year 2012 or 2013?
5
1. What do you (VM) think about the engine-range availible for the all new 9-5? In my mind it is missing a powerfull V6-diesel.
2. Is the 9-4X going to be availible with both FWD and XWD? A FWD-version seems to be a good way to cut emissions and uppgrade fuel-efficency.
3. I belive a future 9-2(?) should be competing against Mini, Audi A1 and BMW 1-series. Do you share that thought? What is the key-USP (unique-selling-point)in a future 9-2?
Comments are now closed as the interview is in less than 10 minutes from now and I’ve only got around 10 minutes with him. Only so much I can get to.
Thanks very much.
Comments on this entry are closed.