by Red J
November 27, 2011 in Saabology, ssd
I think it has ben a long time since the last snippets post from Saabsunited, but the reasons, at least from my side have been many and different.
It is a long time since I’ve posted about the Saab Sales Data. First of all, Saabsunited will reopen the SSD section of the site, but it is not the top priority now, and we all know why. Despite this I keep collecting the data and finding more reliable sources for the registration numbers.
by Red J
November 23, 2011 in Saabology
Today is the last day of the French dealer tour. The French, as well as the German tour, was divided into two groups, in order to visit the whole country in only two weeks. Today the cars made their last visits, one group in Bayonne and one in Toulouse. I don’t know who will stay in the south and who will go north, but the information we have received says that one group will be heading to Belgium and the other to spain.
According to SAABLOG-In the Saab 9-5 SC and the 9-4x will be at the first motor show of Waregem(Belgium), just between Gent(B) and Lille(F)
by JasonPowell
November 10, 2011 in Editorial, Hirsch, News, USA
I will do my best to have a flow to this post as there is a lot going through my head. I will start with Hirsch and what this means to the dealer body and what some dealers have already started doing. Hirsch offers dealers something very attractive that not all major car manufacturers offer or at least not to this extent. With Hirsch, we have the opportunity to sell something other than just the car. We can sell dash kits, performance exhaust systems, body kits, wheels and performance upgrades that increase horsepower by 30 hp. This can all be done in house without having to send a customer elsewhere and provides the dealer with a great opportunity to make a little money but more importantly, satisfy that customer want or need for something different. When I posted about Hirsch finally being available for the Canadian market, people again voiced there concerns about price differences between USA and Canada and I do believe from the performance side of things that our pricing is the same or very close. When you take a new or pre-owned Saab and add even $2000 worth of Hirsch product, you really don’t affect a finance payment by much. It may be a total of $40 per month on a 60 month term. Watch out, here comes the salesman side of me. You can break that down and it’s a little more than $1 per day to have some style and horsepower.
Read the rest of this entry →
by Red J
November 8, 2011 in Saabology
Swade has already said at Inside Saab that the dealer tour in Germany was very successful, and therefore other countries were also planing to make something similar.
Well Austria was the first one, and the Austrian Tour is currently on-going. Tomorrow the cars will be in Vienna.
And France is the next one announcing a Dealer Tour with the 9-4x and the 9-5SC.
by Red J
November 5, 2011 in News
Today the Saab dealer tour in Austria started in Salzburg, the city where Mozart was born. It seem that although Saab was able to sell much in Austria this last month, at least the interest is big.
After the jump you will find the first report from Mr. Mladeck, the Saab Country Director in Austria.
by Red J
November 4, 2011 in News
Blackburn based Bay Horse Saab will start an Autumn Sale this Saturday on all Approved used Saabs. Plus with every purchase, an iPad 2 is included!
by Red J
November 3, 2011 in News
The German Dealer Tour is coming to an end, and it seems like it has been a very successful event. Maybe because of that or maybe because the cars are almost in Austria, from next Saturday and during the next Week the country director for Austria Mr. Stefam Mladek and his product manager Mr. Thomas Kraupp will visit all Austrian dealers driving a 9-4x and a 9-5 SC.
by Jeff
March 24, 2011 in Editorial, News
An article from automotive news spiked my interest this morning. As GM tries to consolidate its dealership network into a tighter more integrated group, some dealers face the threat of becoming used car dealerships or worse, shutting down. These same dealers are now applying to become Saab and Volvo dealers.
Which leads me more to this question for US readers– what’s going on with your dealer? Is their stock finally replenished to where it was a few years ago? If your Saab dealer was part of a larger automotive group (especially GM brands), has your dealer segregated its showroom space to a different building? You’ll remember GM set a deadline of 3 years to achieve this goal. From Swade’s interview with Mike Colleran last September:
Second, the requirement to have separate showroom space was one that GM and Saab/Spyker agreed upon when signing the deal to sell Saab. In short, there was a three-year time period set and all selling spaces should be separated by that time (Feb 2013). Connected to that is the fact that it’s quite normal for brand management, whether it be GM, BMW or Audi, to ask dealers for separate space on their lots.
If your dealer has multiple brands, how do you feel they’re doing pushing Saab vs. other makes? Have you been contacted by your dealer recently to come in to see their new inventory (aside from the standard SCNA mailers for national service promotions).
by Red J
February 12, 2011 in Saabology
Lately Automotive News had an Interview with Kurt Schirm, the SCNA Dealer Council head.
One day later (February, 7) SCNA had a meeting with the dealers at the NADA convention in San Francisco. And according to another article at Automotive News SCNA had a lot to tell.
Sales
SCNA is forecasting 15.000 till 20.000 sales in the US this year. They hope the 9-4X, which will arrive in May will help reach this figures.
Portfolio
Saab showed its dealers a picture of 16 different vehicles that are being considered for the Saab portfolio.[In summer 2011 Saab will have 7 different vehicles in its portfolio]
Dealers at the meeting say there was a hatchback model that might be a 9-3 variant. It had a Porsche-like rear with a fin, said one dealer.
Another vehicle was a sports car.
“I saw it and said, ‘Wow, now that’s a Saab!’” said Lynn Thompson, general manager of Saab of Southwest Missouri, Springfield, Mo. “It was something cool.”
Dealerships
Saab wants to rebuild its dealer network. One of the possibilities is adding well performing multi brand dealers.
New promotion
Saab will send/has send promotion kits to its dealers for a new promotion called “Independence Day” to celebrate the first anniversary since Spyker purchased Saab.
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The sales forecast is the expected one. To reach 80.000 units world wide they need to retail between 50.000 and 60.000 units in the three big markets S,UK,US.
16 different vehicles is quite a lot, it would be interesting to know which of them can be build on Phoenix, and which require a different platform.
by Swade
February 7, 2011 in Saabology
Whilst I’ve had email dealing with Kurt Schirm for some time now, we first met in person just a few months ago at the LA Auto Show. Like all the dealers I met there, Kurt’s passion for the brand was obvious and he was a wonderful guy to talk to about Saab and the future.
Automotive News have just published an interview with Kurt and I think you’ll see that passion come out in his heartfelt descriptions of life under GM, the sale process, and the outlook for the future. Kurt gives some sage words of wisdom about how it feels at the coalface when it comes to selling Saabs and the message that needs to be promoted in 2011.
Example:
What can Saab do to help dealers sell more cars?
I think it’s really just staying focused on creating the brand, relaunching and re-educating. In a lot of instances, educating for the first time the U.S. consumer base about the brand, really digging into the history and heritage.
I think that’s one of the things that makes European cars special and makes them worth the premium. You know, there is a heritage and history to each of the brands that makes them worth more than the sum of the sheet metal and components.
Saab has a very rich history, especially for a company as small as Saab, [such as] the level of engineering, the number of innovations that they’ve brought to the industry, the number of patents, the number of industry firsts. It’s really an impressive story. And the way they think about engineering, it’s always to bring things to the simplest common denominator so they don’t overcomplicate design when it doesn’t need to be.
We need to pound that message as to what Saab is, what the brand means, and what products we have in our current portfolio that are the embodiment of that heritage. We need a very well thought out efficient method of communicating that.
I think Kurt’s right on the money here. I’ve always been a solid believer in Saab’s heritage playing a part in building their future. The first thing that got me interested in Saab was my first ride in a Saab 9000. The second thing that got me interested in Saab was the incredibly engaging story of where they came from and why they did things differently to other car companies.
Saab need to promote their product first and foremost, but they’ve got a lot of other great stories to tell, as well, and I hope they dig deep and bring them all to the proverbial table.
Recommended reading.
Thanks to Gerhard for the tip!
by Swade
October 21, 2010 in Saabology
I’ve been scouring some US Saab dealer websites this evening and I’ve noticed a few things. You want the good news or the bad news?
OK, the bad news first – some of these websites are absolutely terrible. Seriously.
Slow loading times. Bad formatting. Cheesy graphics. Difficult navigation. Some pages had absolutely no content on them, despite there being a link to that page promising something. One multibrand dealership, on the “Specials” page linked from their Saab website, had nothing but big SUV’s showing (and they weren’t 9-7x’s).
The web is one of the early points of contact for many potential buyers today. I hate saying this, but some of the websites I saw tonight were letting the Saab brand down, but more than that, some of them are quite possibly hurting the site owners’ businesses.
The good news belongs to the customers of a few dealers who have some special lease deals going on some 2010 stock.
I don’t want to single any dealers out and thereby put others at a disadvantage, but I saw a number of lease deals online that were under $300 per month for 2010 model Saab 9-3s, which is a daily cost that amounts to less than I spend on lunch most days. All of those come with various terms and conditions, of course, so read the fine print.
To put that into some sort of perspective……
Leasing is pretty uncommon here in Australia when it comes to private purchasing. From what I can tell (I’ve never done this myself), operating leases, where you basically rent the car for three years and hand it back at the end of the period, are a business-only proposition. When purchasing for private use and ownership, people tend to buy their cars rather than lease and they’ll either use their own money, or borrowed money.
If I were to buy a Saab 9-3 from a dealer here in Oz, I’d be looking at a minimum of $40,000 plus on-road costs for a base model. If I were to finance that amount over three years, I’d be looking at repayments of at least $1300 per month.
At an average of around $43 a day, that’s a lot of lunch.
If you’ve got cheaper and more accessible options, then consider your own situation before acting but even if you can’t use them right now, consider yourselves fortunate for having them to think about.
by Swade
September 7, 2010 in Saabology
Just to keep the news rolling on….
One of my good mates in Saab dealer-land is Darryl Carl at New Salem Saab. He’s a guy whose family has been in the Saab business more than just about anyone, and who very nearly had to close up shop when things got difficult around 12 months ago.
With some good outside-the-box thinking (the Albany Speed Shop) and a bucketload of hard work to secure financing, New Salem Saab are still in business and I’m pleased to report they have recently received their first delivery of the new Saab 9-5.
If you’re in the area, drop in and say g’day to Darryl and take the new 9-5 for a spin. I’m sure he would love to see you!
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I met Darryl in person for the first time last week in Boston and he was kind enough to dig something out of the storage cupboards and present it to me. It’s one of the best Saab items I’ve ever received – a genuine 1978 Saab Turbo rain jacket!
Will have to get a photo up soon.
by Swade
September 1, 2010 in News
Things are moving along…..
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Trollhättan, Sweden: Saab Automobile is continuing to restructure its international sales organization with the appointment of a new importer for the Portuguese market, Hipogest Group.
Effective from 1 September, Hipogest’s automotive division will take over all marketing, sales and distribution responsibilities from General Motors Portugal, following the purchase of Saab Automobile by Spyker Cars N.V. of the Netherlands five months ago.
Lisbon-based Hipogest is a Portuguese company with many years experience in all areas of the automotive business and will be responsible for supplying and maintaining a national network of dealers in Portugal.
Announcing the appointment, Saab Automobile CEO Jan Åke Jonsson said: “We are delighted to welcome Hipogest to our organization. The company has a solid track record and shares our vision for success through an absolute focus on customer service and a long term approach to business partnerships.
“The Portuguese market is an important part of Saab’s representation in southern Europe and we look forward to enjoying a long and fruitful relationship with Hipogest. With the introduction of the new 9-5 sedan and other new products imminent, we are at the start of an exciting product offensive for Saab. It’s a perfect time for Hipogest to be joining our new organization.”
Hipolito Pires, Chairman of Hipogest, said: “Hipogest are delighted to represent Saab in Portugal. We are joining the sales organization at the beginning of a new chapter in Saab’s history and greatly look forward to supporting the company’s development as an independent business backed by a great brand and new products.”
by Swade
July 13, 2010 in Saabology
I’m going to sound like a broken record here, but I love it when Saab dealers get an older Saab into the showroom. This is the heritage of the brand and they’re such a curiosity that it’s an instant conversation starter for a prospective customer coming in off the street.
If I were king, I’d make it mandatory.
Salesdudes at City Saab in London can currently enjoy talking with customers about what is possibly the only 2-door, 7-seat wagon in history – the Saab 95.
It stands out like a beacon in its Sunset Orange paintwork. The car is owned by Simon C and is on loan to Saab City for the display.
The car is a credit to Simon and any previous custodians as it looks to be in absolutely immaculate condition.
You can check out this car out on Flickr. It really is outstanding.
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by Swade
June 18, 2010 in Saabology
How many times has a station wagon finished on the podium of a world class rally? Not often, I’d wager. Maybe not at all.
Erik Carlsson drove a Saab 95 wagon to fourth place in the 1961 Monte Carlo rally, and that might be as close as a wagon ever got in a big one. It’s just one of the reasons I love the Saab 95. Another is the fact that it’s the only wagon I’m aware of that had seven seats but only two doors!
John Carter, a Saab dealer at General Sales in West Chester, PA, has just purchased this very tidy 1968 Saab 95 as a weekender for he and his fiancée. It’s a little of a work in progress, but the basics are all there with probably just some paint repair needed to get it looking tip-top.
As you know, I love it when Saab dealers are so into the brand that they purchase an oldtimer. It shows an understanding of the heritage and a commitment to relating it customers and carrying it on.
Click to enlarge
Congratulations to John on the acquisition and I hope that on the days you bring it in to the office that it’s a great conversation starter.
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