P4 West: Saab Museum Saved!
January 24, 2012 in News
Saab 9-3 SS Racing edition is Saab Car Museum driven by Peter "Poker" Wallenberg, part in saving the museum now. Photo by Jörgen Trued
P4 West reports: The city of Trollhättan, SAAB AB and The Wallenberg foundations – those are the ones who make sure that the Saab Museum will stay in Trollhättan. Together they have paid 28 million SEK for the whole collection.
A lot has happened since Saab filed for bankruptcy in december. Two bankruptcy administrators were appointed and later on a third joined in.
They quickly realized that more money was needed to keep the bankruptcy proceedings alive and quickly it was established that the Saab Cars Museum could bring in the first millions.
And now it’s a done deal, the museum will remain in Trollhättan. The running costs of the museum, will be handled by the city of Trollhättan and Västragötalandsregionen (regional government). P4 West have previous reported that the region, the city and a collection of Saab-veterans wanted to take over the running of the museum.
SaabsUnited trivia: Jörgen Trued contacted Peter “Poker” Wallenberg some weeks ago, letting him know what was about to happen. Seams like the Wallenbergs acted in a very nice way. “Poker” is a true racing fan and active in KAK Royal Automobile Club of Sweden. He has/had a Turbo X and raced a Saab 9-5 SC as well as a Saab 9-3 SS in track racing. The 9-3 is in the museum but lacks the engine. Interesting enough “Poker” asked me some years ago if I wanted to buy that car without the engine.
Viggen said on January 24, 2012
great news!
XC99TF00 said on January 24, 2012
Fantastic! I am glad I still will have a chance to visit the museum in the future, having never been before.
julie@KellySAAB said on January 24, 2012
Thank you Wallenbergs, SAAB AB and Trollhättan! What great news and a bright spot for us all. Now if we can just keep this positive momentum…
Never Ever Give Up!
Griffin Up!
SAAB Up!
Baver said on January 24, 2012
Yes, and thank you to Jorgen for making contact with “Poker”.
M.A. said on January 24, 2012
HURRAY!!!
Thanks to all involved.
Now that the Museum has been saved, it’s the turn of the factory and the brand.
dave said on January 24, 2012
Great news !
agnlxx said on January 24, 2012
This is fantastic news!! If nothing else, preserving the Saab heritage and history needed to be saved. Saab On!
Toby K said on January 24, 2012
YAY!!
Well done! You can count on me to visit soon!!
Kyle Merrihew said on January 24, 2012
Great news! Now I just have to go over there and see it!
Thieuke said on January 24, 2012
YES YES YES Great news. Nice that it stay’s in Trollhätttan. Now, let’s see when we can visit the museum again!
Anders said on January 24, 2012
This message surely left a big smile (still there) on my face. Thanks to all involved. Hope a way is found to keep it up and running.
Just so happy about it.!
Anders
chris schell said on January 24, 2012
Also good news in that it generates cash to help keep the process moving forward.
dezzer said on January 24, 2012
absolutely brilliant news.
Alex740 said on January 24, 2012
This is great news!
Steve said on January 24, 2012
Hallelujah!
CoolCombi said on January 24, 2012
Holy Viggen! This is wonderful news! Even though I won’t be able to visit but maybe once in my lifetime, I’d be willing to buy an annual membership just to help them out!
Anddeu said on January 24, 2012
Fantastic! Puts a smile on my face.
GripenAustria said on January 24, 2012
YES!!!!
Things are looking up
GO SAAB
RemcoH said on January 24, 2012
This is really fantastic news!!
nickX said on January 24, 2012
this is indeed great!
I’m looking forward to come for a visit.
Andrei Iliev said on January 24, 2012
Finally some great news !!! I’m so happy !!!
saabaudi said on January 24, 2012
This is the first news of the last two years which creates a Saab concerning smile on my face.
SpinM said on January 24, 2012
Great, hope I’ll be able to visit this year.
Paul said on January 24, 2012
You’ll love it! We were there in summer of 2010.
Rik van der werf said on January 24, 2012
Well now we al have to go there…
Angelo V. said on January 24, 2012
Okay, we can cross that task off the list! Now, onto saving Saab’s FUTURE!!!! Occupy GM, Save Saab!
Nicola said on January 24, 2012
Thanks to everyone involved!
I was really hoping for this kind of ending about the museum.
Saab UP!
Beakon said on January 24, 2012
Great with some good news !
Big relief that it is saved.
xelav said on January 24, 2012
Good move Trued! Thanks! Amazing what you guys at SU achieve. Keep it up.
ThomasJ said on January 24, 2012
That was really great news!
Special thanks to Trued.
Peter Gilbert said on January 24, 2012
Because of my admiration for Raoul Wallenberg in Hungary in WWII He has always been my hero and the reason I was loyal to SAAB in the first place. Here the Wallenbergs have done it again together with Trollhättan and good old SAAB Group (SAAB parents).
I wonder if SAAB Group is in the bid?
Jamie Cleaton said on January 24, 2012
He was a great man who did great things. I wrote a college research paper about his actions in Budapest. Let’s hope some more great things are to come from his family. Could they be part of the all-Swedish scenario??
OliverH said on January 24, 2012
Those are real patriots.
Tack så mycket
saabsp said on January 24, 2012
Yes! That is great great news and has made my day. Nice one. Weldone Trollhattan.
BMW Rider said on January 24, 2012
That’s good news, at least the collection and heritage will love on. I hope the money goes to something more than paying the lawyers’ fees, however.
Tom Nelson said on January 24, 2012
I have never been so pleased to lose an auction. Our Rocky Mountain Saab Club bid on one of the US origin cars to try to save/bring it back for US display. We are now assuming that ALL cars in the sealed bid sale conducted last week will remain in the Museum. Superb result in the end!!
Paul said on January 24, 2012
zippy said on January 24, 2012
My hat goes off to the City of Trollhattan. At least one level of SweGov appreciates all of the hard work the people at Saab have done over the years.
Thank you SO much. I look forward to visiting sometime this year.
BrandslangNL said on January 24, 2012
When I first heard the news that the museum was to be sold, I cried… :’(
After reading this I can’t help but smiling all the time!!! I’m so happy the collection is saved and all of us Saab lovers can go and visit this wonderful collection!!
Dennis Hartman said on January 24, 2012
Damn glad I get to the museum will remain in place, now it will be a trip to Trollhättan in the spring with my employees at our SAAB workshop …
RS said on January 24, 2012
Thank you!
To be honest I think it would have been difficult to continue the over 60 year old brand in a credible way without the Museum.
Billy Rider said on January 24, 2012
Griffin Up!!! There is still hope!
stda1301 said on January 24, 2012
Great news. Thanx a lot.
Paul said on January 24, 2012
This is great news!!
karl said on January 24, 2012
Hey brandslang ik had t ook ff te kwaad hoor…
Hans H said on January 24, 2012
Grrreat !!!
Finally some good news.
By the way, when I read the news, there were 96 comments. A good omen?
Radu said on January 24, 2012
Now that’s a great news! When is cooking is cooking! Fingers crossed for the whole Saab story to end up well and keep Saab alive and production with the trolls! Youpieeee!
Daniel B said on January 24, 2012
THANK GOD!
Bengt in Scania said on January 24, 2012
At last some good news! I can take a trip up to T-hättan later this year and have my 60 years birthday party at the museum!
Michael Törnros said on January 24, 2012
Great news! I almost got tears in my eyes!
Thank you Trollhättan and the Swedish people that have been involved in this issue! It would been a extremly sad story if the grave yard was to be sold to different people, spliting the cars of the museum around the globe. Now we Saab enthusiast have some wind in the right direction 
Best Regards
Michael Törnros
Saab Turbo Club of Sweden
Trued said on January 24, 2012
Thanks, Michael.
We now need to stay shoulder by shoulder all Saab Clubs and blogs like SaabsUnited. We now have the momentum and need to show our support for the new owners of SAAB Automobile. Lets hope for a grand style reopening of the museum later in spring. That could be a great reason for a BIG time celebration in TRollhättan and by then we have new owners of SAAB Automobile as well. Might be something for the Swedish Saab Clubs to think about. I want to try out my NG 9-5 on Kinnekulle Race Track if that could be part of any festivities.
maanders said on January 24, 2012
Agree with everyone else…..this is fantastic news!!!
(It is confirmed, right? I don’t want to doubt, but there have been some media reports that have not always proved to be 100% accurate. The receivers have said “yes” to this, right?)
jouni72 said on January 24, 2012
Great!
Mandy said on January 24, 2012
Congrats for saving the Saab Museum AND
possible Saabsunited hotel discount in Trollhattan?
Great news that the Saab Museum will be staying on in Trollhattan. Brilliant work done in getting assistance from the Wallenberg Foundation. What a wonderful gesture by the Wallenberg Family. Reading of Saabsunited members from other locations wishing to visit Trollhattan and the Saab Museum at some point. Just thinking if Saabsunited maybe could make a deal with a couple of the hotels in town in order to arrange for
a special Saabsunited Members discount? That would benefit everybody, the visitors, the Museum
as well as the Hotels.
If you google: visittrollhattan, you may find the below tourist information link. The tourist information office is located just opposite of the Saab Museum entrance. There one can usually find some free brochures and maps.
The tourist information office is open most of the time during summer months. Don’t miss to visit the famous Lock area just a short drive outside the city at the Trollhattan Canal holding 4 large locks in use, along with a number of older locks no longer being used. Take a break at the lock area coffee shop, with great views overlooking the locks. Maybe during summer there could be a set “Meeting point” on a specific weekday and time at some city pub or other city location, where Saabsunited members/friends could be meeting up getting to know each other?
WELCOME TO TROLLHATTAN ALL SAAB FANS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE
http://www.vastsverige.com/en/Visit-Trollhattan-Vanersborg/
Trued said on January 24, 2012
You are so right Mandy.
Just like at the Oktoberfest, for the next Saab meeting in Trollhättan, we will arrange discounts.
Like I mentioned above it would be nice to have a BIG time reopening party in Trollhättan later in spring/near summer. Guess the Swedish Saab Clubs could do something.
The general meeting question, guess one can post in the FORUM here at SU ones presence in Trollhättan. If You want to meet up with people of the same “religion”.
____________
“Poker” Wallenberg also own the worlds only SAAB 92 with a Saab V6 engine built by Fridafors Bil AB. Who knows maybe he will park this car in the Museum. It would be nice to get in some great Showcars as well as the originals there today!
Piet-Hein Schlimme said on January 25, 2012
any thoughts of organising SU-days again, Trued? i have 3 weeks holiday in May, but no plans yet
would LOVE to visit THN again. especially after reading this good news! it would be a blast, i think: to continue to show the world (and potential buyers) The Brand is still alive.
Rune said on January 27, 2012
Move your vacation to August and join us in Belgium!
saab2t said on January 24, 2012
Really great news!!