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Saab (unofficial) ad competition – prize update

November 22, 2010 in Saabology

UPDATE: LA is over and done, so it’s the home stretch for the (unofficial) Saab ad competition!

One additional sponsor has joined the competition, taking the total prize pool to $1,350 plus fudge!!

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The growth of the prize pool is now almost as exciting as the Saab (unofficial) ad competition itself!

I’m pleased to announce there has been another contribution to the prize pool. The latest contribution comes from SoonSaab – an advertising effort aiming to assist Saab dealers in Germany. SoonSaab has offered a $100 cash donation to the prize pool.

The total prize pool is now as follows:

That’s $950 cash in total – to be transferred via Paypal.

But wait! There’s more!………..

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With the prize pool jumping up over the $1,000 mark, I think it’s more than appropriate to change the division of prizes and give more people a chance at being rewarded for their hard work.

As the prize pool may yet still grow in value, I’m hesitant to place a dollar figure on each of first, second and third place. I think it’s OK to state the intention, though, that first place will take up 55% of the pool, second place 28% and third place 17%.

If I can twist Matt’s arm a little, I’ll try and get each of the podium winners some fudge :-)

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The strong support for this competition in terms of both prizes and entries is a solid indicator of the interest level in Saab advertising and it’s success. Everyone loves a good ad. And everyone wants to see Saab advertising get better and better.

This campaign was never intended to provide Saab with ads to replace ‘the official stuff’. It was meant to generate ads from the people’s point of view and I think there have been a bunch of very worthy ads submitted so far. Some have been absolutely outstanding.

The competition winds up at the end of this month, so there should be a lot of great ads to look forward to between now and then.

Click here for details about how to enter.

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Saab to lock in sales for China, Russia, and share Phoenix platform with others

November 22, 2010 in News

There were a few news-ish pronouncements made during the LA Auto Show that didn’t receive a lot of airtime here on Saabs United because of the sheer volume of news and the decision to concentrate most on the Saab 9-4x.

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Sales organisations for China and Russia

It was mentioned in a couple of interviews, but most notably at Saab’s LA Auto Show press conference introduction for the Saab 9-4x.

During that press conference, Jan-Ake Jonsson mentioned that Saab would make announcements soon with regards to Russia and China:

Before the end of the year, we will sign agreements and create solutions for distribution in the very important markets of China and Russia.

China and Russia will join the 51 other countries where Saab are currently selling, or setting up market solutions.

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Sharing of the Phoenix vehicle architecture

This was first mentioned on site in relation to an interview that Victor Muller did with John MacElroy from Autoline Detroit.

CAR Magazine also have some information about it from an interview they did with both VM and JAJ:

Saab won’t only buy in technology from other manufacturers, but will sell its own Phoenix platform (which will underpin the next 9-3) to car companies as well.

…..Both execs are adamant that Saab can survive at a volume of 100,000 sales per year, but to do so it is crucial (as it is for every manufacturer) to drive down Saab’s break-even point.

One way of doing this will be flogging its Phoenix platform, offsetting the development costs and adding millions to the company coffers.

Reuters has more….

The company is talking to potential partners, Muller said, but he declined to name any. Muller said the company is in talks with “a few” potential partners to share its new Saab 9-3 platform.

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Finally, something we already knew, but it’s good to see in print again anyway….

The estate version of the current 9-5, which Muller calls ‘gorgeous’, will be unveiled at the Geneva motor show in March 2011 and UK sales will commence in July 2011.

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24 years of family Saabs

November 21, 2010 in Saabology

I know a lot of regular readers here at SU have grown up with Saabs in the family. Some of you have been driving them for 30+ years yourselves whilst some of our younger readers may have had the love of Saabs handed down from your parents.

Harry Wilks is a fine art photographer who’s typically better known for his photos of New York architecture than he is for automotive or portaiture work. He’s participating in an exhibition in New York this month, however, where those two styles combine for a family timeline spanning some 24 years.

The exhibition – Ordinary Things, When artists make their private life public – began on November 13 at Carrie Haddad Photographs, in Hudson, NY.

The first photograph in the set was taken the same year that Wilks’ son was born. The photo featured Wilks’ wife, Tamar Zinn, and their infant son posing in front of the family Saab 900.

What comes thereafter are 23 more photos – mother, son and Saab – in the same location year after year. The mother ages just a little as the son grows into a young man. The Saabs maintain a constant presence, even if they change over the years as well. The original Saab 900 is replaced with another 900 and then a Saab 9-5, all three in black.

It’s a beautiful set of portraits and all the better for us that the collection features three very elegant Saabs.

If you’re in the area and looking for a weekend drive over the next few weeks, the exhibition is on at:

Carrie Haddad Photographs
318 Warren Street, Hudson NY 12534

The rest of you will have to make do looking at the collection online.

Related: HarryWilks.com

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Saab 9-4x launch – some official photos

November 20, 2010 in Saabology

Saab’s hired gun photographer, Charlie Magee, ran around with his camera during the Saab 9-4x launch on Wednesday.

I’ve been fortunate enough to get hold of some of his images, which are ten times better than the ones I took (I’ve really got to get a better camera, lens, flash, brain, etc).

Enjoy these.

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Saab 9-4x vs Saab 9-5

November 20, 2010 in Saabology

Here’s an interesting one from comments. I thought I’d bring it to the front page for all to consider and contribute to.

First, Quickening wrote the following with regard to the Saab 9-4x…..

Hitting the market right when I’ll be on the hunt…at this point its between a 9-5 Aero and a 9-4x Aero.

To which SaabR responded:

I find this an interesting comment for two reasons. As someone who will be selling these cars to make a living, I ask:

1) Are these two models really likely to be cross-shopped or compared? Having been in the auto biz for over 24 years, I can’t say I’ve seen that many people trying to choose between a 4dr sedan and a CUV. (A wagon maybe…)

2) What would be the biggest reason one would choose the 9-4X over a 9-5, if they have historically driven sedans? More space? Better view of the road? Perceived off-road or inclement weather ability? (Of course we already know of the beauty of XWD in the 9-5)

I am not asking because I am trying to start something. I really believe that both of the cars will be important to us, but that the 9-4X will be the biggest draw for us. I want to see what the general consensus is and what thoughts people have behind rationale and thought process.

Rob

If you’ve got anything to contribute on the subject of large sedan vs crossover wagon, I’m sure Rob and others might appreciate your thoughts.

Both vehicles are going to be similarly priced so it’ll be interesting to see peoples’ reasoning for their choices.

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I saw the Saab 9-3 replacement

November 20, 2010 in Saabology

In my snippets posting from yesterday I mentioned “an appointment” that took me away from the LA Auto Show.

That appointment was at the hotel where I’m staying, along with all of the people from Saab Sweden who are here. The appointment was with Victor Muller and Jason Castriota and they were kind enough to give me a look at the computer design renderings of the car that will replace the Saab 9-3 in late 2012.

Yes, I saw it.

The hard part about writing this is that whilst I was allowed to see it, and whilst I’m allowed to write about the fact that I’ve seen it – I’m actually not allowed to tell you anything specific about it.

What I can say is this…..

It always takes me a little time to get fired up about new designs. It took me a full year to warm to the Dame Edna Saab 9-5, for example, which is a design that I really, really like now. My first reaction when Jason opened the lid of his laptop wasn’t overwhelming, but I definitely warmed to this vehicle over the course of the half-hour or so that we were looking at it and talking about it.

It was a little larger than I expected, but one of the things about seeing a flat, white 2D rendering on a computer screen is that you can’t see the contours that you can see with a painted, 3D model.

The car was in a very desireable and marketable body style and definitely carried the current design language in many respects, but also extended it quite considerably in others. The front, in particularly, painted a very nice portrait – even in this flat 2D form.

As mentioned, it takes me a while to warm to new designs. I don’t have a particularly good imagination. But I warmed to this and as I sit here now, a day later, writing about it, I’m very much looking forward to seeing it in the metal some time in the future.

It pains me to say it, but I won’t be able to answer any of the many questions that I’m sure are going to fill comments to this post. It’s the price I have to pay for being able to say anything at all.

All I can do is quote one of my favourite musicians and say: I’ve seen the future and it works.

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Autonews: Saab forecast and pricing for Saab 9-4x

November 20, 2010 in News, Saabology

I posted the price of the base model Saab 9-4x a few days ago. That model will sell for a smidge over $34,200. At that time, I couldn’t get any pricing information for the Aero model, although I was told it would be somewhere north of $45,000.

Automotive News have been speaking with Jan-Ake Jonsson and in their related story today, they’ve published estimated sales numbers and an estimated price for the Aero model.

9-4X output will average 12,500 units annually when full production is reached next year, said Jan Ake Jonsson, CEO of Saab Automobile AB.

Jonsson said it is a very conservative production forecast. Approximately 9,400 vehicles are intended for the United States, he said.

“It is not that we don’t believe in the car. We are trying to be responsible in how we set our volume,” Jonsson said during an interview at the Los Angeles Auto Show, where the vehicle debuted.

Conservative forecasting would seem to be the order of the day. Better to do that and exceed expectations than take a barrage from the press when forecasts are downgraded.

U.S. sales of the 9-4X will begin in May, followed by shipments to Europe, Australia, Taiwan and the Middle East starting in August.

The base U.S. fwd 9-4X has a sticker of $34,205, including freight. The Aero model has a sticker of $48,835.

9,400 units of this car in the US will mean some pretty good extra business for dealers and Saab sales over all – and remember that sales don’t start in the US until May next year, so it’s not a full year’s worth, either.

Pricing seems to be spot-on, too. I think this one’s going to do pretty well as long as they can promote it properly.

My thanks to John for the tip!

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LA Notes – Day 3

November 19, 2010 in Saabology

Today was my final full day here and I regret to say that I didn’t get to go over and have a look at the other hall here at the LA Auto Show. Fiat and Porsche were both over the other side and it would have been good to see what they had on show. Unfortunately I had to leave earlier than expected for an appointment.

I’ll write a little about that appointment tomorrow.

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On the plus side, I had the pleasure of catching up with a former TS correspondent and all-round great Angelino, 1985Gripen.

Gripen covered a Saab event in San Diego back in the Trollhattan Saab days and provided reams of entertaining content from that trip. He was also gracious enough to drive me up to Santa Barbara last time I visited here, to meet with the late, very great, Bob Sinclair.

We ate well, and it was great to catch up with Mike once again.

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Most of the press conferences were yesterday and because they have to allow space (for people, vehicle drive-throughs, etc), a lot of the manufacturers actually changed their displays overnight.

The Saab stand saw the addition of a 9-3 SportSedan in silver:

Saab Stand Day 2

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Other events from the show…..

Mazda had a cool 20th anniversary edition of the MX-5 on show:

Cadillac showed a small concept car, which is about as anti-Cadillac as you can get and therefore makes total sense:

Volkswagen had a “Caraoke” stand playing Eye of the Tiger and other things. Seriously.

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Chevy were offering drives of the new Volt at the LA Auto Show. I didn’t have time for one, but I did see them cruising around the perimeter of the LA Convention Center on brief trips outside for some fresh air.

This will sound like I’m anti-GM (which I guess I am to some extent) but the one thing that struck me about the Volt as it drove down the street – it already looks dated and kind of cliche.

Maybe the cliche thing is a bit harsh, but it definitely looks dated. With that body shape and black panel at the back, it could have come out around 2002.

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And speaking of the Volt, it won a Green Car award today. There were five finalists but the presenter was candid enough to admit that only two of them mattered as far as the award was concerned – the Volt and the Nissan Leaf.

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I don’t want to be all negatori (but I will).

I also saw the Mini Countryman on the street today and it’s one of the oddest things I’ve ever seen. It’s like an automotive version of Honey I blew up the kid!. It’s a shape that screams small car, but it’s far from small.

It’s so big it made my camera blur with fear.

BMW have effectively built a Mini X6. And it’s not right.

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If you live in or near LA, I can highly recommend you get along to the LA Auto Show. The venue is great and the displays are spacious and well set out.

I’d go so far as to say it’s the most accessible and best presented of the few Auto Shows that I’ve been to since running this website (Sydney, Detroit, Frankfurt).

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Tomorrow I catch up with another SU regular and local LA resident, DickL, for breakfast.

Dick lives very close to the house where the Saab 9-4x photoshoot was staged a few days ago. In fact, he saw the bus and a Saab sign outside the property as he was driving past, but wasn’t aware of what was going on.

After that, a little sightseeing and then I’m homeward bound, baby.

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200 employee contracts not renewed at Saab next month

November 19, 2010 in News

This story made the headlines in the Swedish papers earlier today (yesterday by the time the Swedes wake up).

Some of the wider-circulation newspapers made quite an issue out of it. This googletrans is from TTELA:

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200 may go from Saab

More than 200 people may not stay at Saab in Trollhattan.

The information came on Thursday and mostly temporary employees in production.
The day before was the negative decision: more than 200 temporary employees at Saab Automobile in Trollhättan will not be extended. The information went out of business today, but all concerned will receive a personal reply. Most of those concerned have contracts that extend to 22 December, according to Hakan Schött, IF Metall Club President at the Trollhättan factory.

- First, we are in a season, as always happens this time of year, and has the teething problems we had with the 9-5 now corrected itself. We can go with the solid strength, pure and simple.

But if there is an expected off-season, it might not be a shock to those affected?

- I do not know, and it is clear that we had hoped to give an extension, or even permanent employment. But there are many factors behind the decision – in particular that we have written down the [sales] forecast, “said Hans Schott.

It was in late October that it was clear that the sale of Saab in Sweden and globally do not come up to expectations. Last spring the target was 60,000 cars to be sold during the year – a figure that proved overly optimistic. In August, the number down to 45,000, and the latest interim report pointed to modest 30000-35000 cars.

- It has taken longer to restore confidence than we previously thought. The process has been slower and that’s why we wrote down as forecast, says Håkan Schött, which says that it is far from impossible that new jobs will be created ahead early spring.

- The season traditionally starts in the spring. People simply buy more cars then.

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Some people wrote to me about this, and wrote in comments, saying that Saab had laid off 200 people, which is not really an accurate description of what happened here.

Due to Saab having to lower their full-year sales forecast, they’ve also had to delay adding the second shift and from this report, it seems they’re likely to not renew some existing temporary employment contracts for 200 people at the plant. These contracts expire on December 22.

I’m not trying to downplay the matter as it’s obviously one that will effect those families quite seriously. But Saab have to match their staff load with anticipated production and it would be financially irresponsible of them to carry people when production doesn’t warrant it.

As mentioned in the story, sales are traditionally lower in the winter months but rise again in the spring and that’s probably the best chance for these contracts to be renewed or for new people to come on board.

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A closer look at the Saab 9-4x

November 19, 2010 in Saabology

I know the readership here at SaabsUnited is into details. I know that somewhere out there, someone is wondering what the tie-down hooks in the Saab 9-4x look like.

So I photographed them. And many other smaller bits and pieces of the Saab 9-4x for your viewing pleasure.

I know there’ll be something I missed, but here goes…..

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Let’s start at the back, where the 9-4x is set off with a set of tail lamps quite similar to those on the new Saab 9-5.

Here’s a look at the lamps once again with the 9-5-esque exhaust outlets thrown into the mix. The Saab 9-4x video featuring Christopher McKinnon had a good comparo sequence between the 9-5 and 9-4x and they really do speak the same design language.

Read the rest of this entry →

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Saab and the art of camouflage – part II

November 19, 2010 in Uncategorized

The Art of Camouflage is a clothing retailer in Holland. In late October, I featured a promotional video they’d made, which featured the new Saab 9-5 quite prominently.

You can watch it here if you like, though I don’t think it’s necessary to understand what’s happening here.

It seems they’ve done a sequel to the original video, or perhaps an extension is more appropriate. It’s been adapted for a particular event coming soon…..

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfsHR5X5Sec

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It took me a moment to get who the secret falconer was, so for those not familiar with Dutch folklore (like me) I sought out an explanation from Jos (thanks!)….

it is our traditional Sinterklaas, a bishop that comes in early December and brings gifts for the kids Hence the papal dress.

In early colonial America, when New York was still New Amsterdam, the legends were mixed up [a little and the outfit changed]

So now you know.

More good work by Art of Camouflage.

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by Swade

Saab GB have some work to do – Whatcar? survey ranks Saab last

November 19, 2010 in News

A recent survey released by Whatcar? provides what I think is a very disturbing result. I don’t believe that it’s an accurate result, nor do I think it’s been responsibly reported. None of that matters, though. It is what it is – Whatcar? have named Saab as the worst manufacturer according to their reader survey results.

Saab’s new owner, Spkyer, will be hoping the new 9-5 impresses you more than the ageing 9-3. More than 200 of you reviewed the saloon, estate and convertible versions of the 9-3, giving it decidedly average verdicts.

The old 9-5 isn’t included because it’s no longer on sale, but even its ratings wouldn’t have lifted Saab off the bottom of our table.

According to Whatcar? readers, Skoda were the best manufacturer, with their vehicles having an average rating of 4.4 out of 5.

Saab were 31st, and last, with an average rating of 3.3.

These results are based on owner/user-based reviews of their own cars. I’d query the placements of more than a few manufacturers, but it would be a pointless exercise. The reviews are over and done. More importantly, they’re published and accessible.

Saab has had a reasonable amount of negative perception over the last year or so because of the near-closure and sale of the brand. As is noted in the quote, they also have an aging Saab 9-3 as their primary seller, which might not have helped (although the quality and reliability of the Saab 9-3 has been rated highly elsewhere).

Whatever the situation, part of Saab GB’s job is to help buyers feel that they’re getting value for money, to feel good about their purchase. Saab make good cars, but the volume of noise made by the press in the last year or so has dramatically outweighed the positive messages – the right messages – sent out by the company and in Great Britain, that’s Saab GB’s domain.

As always with car companies, it’s all about the product. But the right message helps a lot.

Thanks to Ronan for the link.

UPDATE – comments are now closed. Please click on the headline to this entry to read them. Thanks to all for the robust discussion, but I think we covered all that needed to be covered.

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by Swade

Video: Saab 9-4x – the LA story

November 19, 2010 in Saabology

You can see two full videos in posts below:

Here’s the pacey, edited version of the big story from the last few days – the Saab 9-4x breaking cover.

It comes with an added bonus, too: they guy who was the first to order of a 9-4x from right there on the Saab stand! He liked the car so much he ordered one right here at the LA Auto Show.

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by Swade

Video: Saab press conference from the LA Auto Show

November 19, 2010 in Saabology

Following is the official cut from Saab’s 9-4x reveal at the LA Auto Show.

I got a bit worried that the doors wouldn’t open when the car was due to come out. I thought Saab was having a wardrobe malfunction. It was all as planned, however.

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Video: Saab 9-4x walkaround with Christopher McKinnon

November 19, 2010 in Saabology

You saw some photos from this yesterday.

Time for the video. Enjoy this tour around the new Saab 9-4x with Saab’s Global Product Manager, Christopher McKinnon.

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