by till72
Last week I posted about Hirsch Performance finally being available in the USA. The discussion that followed in comments was quite emotional and made it clear that a lot of questions are still unanswered. What is needed are reliable info and facts. So I picked up the phone and had a long chat with Erik from Hirsch Performance to get into the details of the processes behind the US launch and to hear about the challenges.
by Swade
March 11, 2011 in News
Back in January, Saab Cars North America launched a new marketing campaign called “The Story of Saab”.
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCK55wht8BQ
The campaign also included a number of print ads, which Saab shared on their Facebook page. We shared them here on Saabs United too, as they became available. They’ve been used in magazines and newspapers since then, with other ads appearing on billboards in major cities.
They’re now moving on to the next step. Here’s what they said back in January…..
Online/social-media will be an important part of this campaign. Saab will preview the television commercial January 30th on its Facebook page. In addition, Facebook followers will be asked to write ads for the company, one or more of which will be used in future online advertising.
And here’s what they’ve announced in a new press release, today:
‘The Story of Saab’ Goes Social on Facebook
- Program enables Saab fans to create and star in their own web banners
- Select consumer-generated web banners to be used for national campaign
ROYAL OAK, Mich., March 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Saab Cars North America has debuted a social media effort within Facebook designed to tap into the passion and enthusiasm that Saab fans and owners, present and past, feel for the brand.
Through Saab’s Facebook page, fans can write and star in their own Saab web banners using a template that mirrors the look and feel of “The Story of Saab” online and print creative, post to their Facebook wall and share with friends. Saab will choose a selection of the consumer-generated banners to run on an array of websites that could include AOL, MSN, the websites of The New York Times and Wired, among others, in late March.
The first of its kind social media program is an extension of “The Story of Saab,” a multi-media, multi-faceted national advertising campaign, which debuted in the U.S. in late January.
“Saab has an incredibly loyal owner and fan base. Over the past year we have heard from fans all over the world and they are so passionate about the cars they love. Who better to tell the Story of Saab than the people who make it what it is,” said Nicole Jankowski, Saab Cars North America’s Marketing Communications Manager.
Purchased by entrepreneur Victor Muller, CEO Spyker Cars N.V. in 2010, Saab is working to regain its place as an independent and viable automaker in the minds of potential consumers in the U.S.
“Saab fans are a very devoted and passionate group,” said Jennifer Swantek, Vice President, Account Director, McCann Worldgroup Team Saab. “As we were working to relaunch the brand, we knew it would be important to find ways to leverage Saab’s loyal fan base. People want to share their passion for the Saab brand. They just needed an outlet. Now, through Facebook, we can give our enthusiasts that voice.”
“The Story of Saab” was created by McCann Worldgroup Detroit’s Team Saab for the U.S. market. Team Saab also has the responsibility of creating the global launch campaign for the company’s next product, the 9-4X. Team Saab also partnered with iWerk, a Royal Oak, Michigan based software development company, to create the Facebook technology.
Willing entrants to the competition will need to enter it through Saab’s Facebook page. It’ll be open to US residents only, so all you budding European or Asian designers will have to sit back and watch this time.
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I made some ungracious remarks about some aspects of this competition that annoyed me. I’ve since had an opportunity to bring these issues up directly with the McCann team and consequently, feel it’s inappropriate to keep them on site.
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I hope that as many of you US-based Saab nuts enter the competition as possible. It’d be great to see an SU reader with some of their work posted to the online masthead of the New York Times.
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by Swade
March 10, 2011 in Saabology
I’m hearing a lot of talk about the need for Saab to fix leasing in the United States.
I’ve just taken a look at Saab’s latest leasing offers in the US, and I’m struggling a little bit to see what’s so lacking. In saying that, I fully acknowledge that I live in a market where leasing is not commonplace for private buyers. I’m therefore a little unfamiliar with the options available to customers outside of what’s on the manufacturer’s pages.
The numbers I’ve reproduced below are all from the websites of the manufacturers mentioned, except for the Audi A6. As I couldn’t find lease offers for the Audi A6 on their website, I used LeaseCompare (3.2l FWD model, 15K miles p.a., 780 credit score, $2,600 downpayment).
The Saab 9-5 lease is based on a Turbo4 Sport Sedan, so it’s not as well equipped as some of the higher end Teutonic competition. It’s still a cracking drive, though, and if you opted for a Hirsch upgrade (when they come online) then it’d be even moreso. I think the price differences noted here are pretty compelling.
| Vehicle | Lease term | Initial payment | Monthly lease |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saab 9-5 Turbo4 | 39 | $3,558 | $399 |
| Volvo S80 3.2 FWD | 36 | $3,029 | $399 |
| MB E350 (1) | 33 | $3,184 | $639 |
| Infiniti G37 | 39 | $2,499 | $359 |
| BMW 528i | 36 | $3,204 | $579 |
| BMW 335i Xdrive Sedan | 27 | $4,154 | $429 |
| Audi A6 3.2 FWD Premium (2) | 36 | $2,600 | $578 |
(1) I couldn’t find a Mercedes E Class offer on any model less than the E350 (if in fact they offer a model smaller than the 350 in the US).
(2) The base model A6 seems to be called ‘Premium’. Maybe I should have used a higher downpayment (upping the downpayment to $3500 lowered the monthly cost to $551).
As mentioned, these figures are from the manufacturer’s own websites and I haven’t gone to the trouble of comparing all equipment levels, etc. I’ve chosen the most basic models I could get a lease figure for and threw in the BMW 3-series for the benefit of those who might have doubted the validity of including a 5-series.
The G37 comes up smelling like roses in this comparo, but bear in mind the loss of rear leg room (some four inches) and a significant loss of cargo space in the trunk as well. The G37 is a bit bigger than the 9-3, but it’s more expensive as well (see 9-3 leases, below).
It might just be me, but if these lease offers are correct, then the 9-5 should be seen as competitively priced. If there’s something I’m missing, please let me know in comments.
IF the 9-5 is indeed competitively priced, as it seems, then maybe there’s something else that needs to be fixed – customer trust, dealership experience, marketing, equipment levels, etc.
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The Saab 9-3 is going for $299 a month for the 2011 models and there’s 0% finance available on both 2011 and 2010 Saab 9-3 models.
That is unbelievably good value, if you ask me. If I could get a 9-3 for $299 a month, I’d be all over the sucker.
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by Swade
March 9, 2011 in Saabology, ssd
Accusations have been voiced that I passed over Saab’s US sales data for February because numbers were lower that desired.
Actually, it had more to do with numbers coming out on the same day that the PhoeniX concept was released (we did around a dozen entries that day related to Geneva events and the US sales numbers came late on that day). They weren’t picked up later as a front page item because they were mentioned and discussed a little in comments already.
Lest I continue to have to wear darts being fired in my direction, I’ll share the numbers and some other ‘hard stuff’ here on the front page.
LOTS to come after the jump…..
by Swade
February 18, 2011 in Saabology
Apparently we’ve got the OK to show this here, and you’ve got the OK to attend, as long as you RSVP beforehand.
Saab of North Olmstead has built a brand new, state of the art ‘Iceblock’ showroom and they’re having a big party to celebrate the opening.
Victor Muller will be there, and you can be too.
Click….
I know we’ve got a lot of Saab fans in Ohio who read SU. This event is a fantastic chance for you meet up, as well as seeing the newest showroom in the US, the Saab 9-4x and 9-5 (if you haven’t already seen it), the guy who saved Saab Automobile, and all the other entertainment that will go along with such an event.
The important thing is to RSVP Jim at the dealership. His email address is jim@saabohio.com so get in touch and let him know you’re coming.
by Swade
February 15, 2011 in Saabology
I ask these sorts of questions from time to time. I’ve already surveyed SU readers about automotive plans for 2011, but not specifically about the Saab 9-4x.
Now that we’ve had a better look at the Saab 9-4x, and especially now that the first evaluation vehicles are rolling off the production line in Mexico, it’s fair to say that people considering the Saab 9-4x might be getting slightly itchier trigger fingers.
So……
The Saab 9-4x is scheduled for customer release in the US market in May 2011 (August for Europe). I’d love to hear your thoughts and intentions for this newest vehicle to Saab’s range.
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 8, 2011 in Saabology
I’ve just had some (update) information about the Saab 9-4x DjupStrupped through to me and figured people might want to know what’s going on with Saab’s first ground-up crossover when it comes to market.
The following table summaries some of the key equipment and the manner in which it will be available amongst the three model lines of Saab 9-4x that will be offered in the United States.
This is not an exhaustive options listing, obviously, but has been put here just to provide a basic overview of some of the packaging that will be available for the 9-4x.
Equipment included in the various packages has been listed below the table.
| Saab 9-4x | Saab 9-4x Premium | Saab 94x Aero | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interior | Leatherette | Ventilated Leather | Ventilated Leather |
| Auto | Standard | Standard | Standard |
| Panoramic Moonroof | Option | Option | Option |
| Power Pack | Option | Standard | Standard |
| Spare Wheel | Option | Option | Option |
| Navigation | N/A | Option | Standard |
| Tech Pack | N/A | Option | Standard |
| Tow Pack | Option | Option | Option |
| RR Pack | N/A | Option | Option |
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Power Pack: Auto dimming Inside and Outside Mirrors, Memory Mirror Settings, Power Adjustable Pedals, Power Liftgate, Riewview Camera Displayed in Inside Rear View Mirror, Heated front Seats.
Tech Pack: Front and Rear Park Assist, Bi-Xenon Cornering Headlights.
RR Pack: Rear Seat Dual Display DVD Screens, Remote Control, Auxiliary Jacks, 2 Wireless Dual Channel Headsets, Heated rear Seats, Tri-zone Auto Climate Control System.
Tow Pack: Trailer Hitch
Interior Colors: Jet Black, Gray, or Parchment
Exterior colors: Diamond Silver*, Black, Atlantic Blue*, Zodiac Black*, Crystal Red*, Ice Pearl*, Birch White, Cobalt Gray*, Moreland*
* = metallic (extra $)
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For those coming across the Saab 9-4x for the first time….
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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
February 2, 2011 in News
Goodbye to the old.
Hello to the new.
Saab’s US website has now come into line with the international site and updated themes from many countries around the world. Now, all the people seeing those groovy new Saab ads on TV and in print will land somewhere inviting when they look up saabusa.com.
We’ve been talking about this (and a few other things) for a long time. It’s great to see it all coming together, at last.
by Swade
February 2, 2011 in ssd
Sales for January 2011 are as follows:
Saab 9-3
- 512 Saab 9-3s were sold in January 2011. This is a rise from the 429 sold in the same month last year.
There are 2,798 Saab 9-3s currently in dealer stock in the US.
Saab 9-5
- there were 146 Saab 9-5s sold in January 2011. This is a rise from the 65 sold in the same month last year.
There are now 1,840 Saab 9-5s currently in dealer stock in the US.
Total
There were 658 Saabs sold in the US in January, which is up from the 511 sold in the same month last year (incl 17 units of the Saab 9-7x).
There are now 4,638 Saabs in dealer stock in the US.
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On the bad side……
Comparing all brands, Subaru spent the least in January 2011 at $548, followed by Porsche at $656 per vehicle sold. At the other end of the spectrum, Saab spent the most – $8,124 – followed by Cadillac at $5,641 per vehicle sold. Relative to their vehicle prices, Saab and Chrysler spent the most, 19.9 percent and 15.6 percent of sticker price, respectively; while Porsche spent 0.75 percent and Subaru spent 2.1 percent.
Someone’s going to have to come up with a sales strategy that doesn’t involve giving cars away. I still prefer the better equipment theory, with a touch of competitive leasing thrown in. To their credit, Saab are now working hard on the awareness side of things.
Thanks to John.
by Swade
January 27, 2011 in Saabology
I talked about Saab’s US advertising blitz a few days ago and today, it’s begun. It’s understood that they’ll have four days of significant advertising in the Wall Street Journal, for starters.
Thanks to Steve for this snapshot from today’s WSJ (pages A10 and A11)….
I know it’s unclear, but Saab have posted some clear versions of the new ads on Facebook so we can all see where they’re going.
The first ad (which you can see in the WSJ, above) is made up of the following two parts. Click to enlarge.
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The second ad is made up of the following two parts:
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We’ve had a lot of conversations about advertising here on Saabs United. I imagine people should be well pleased seeing Saab tell the story of the support Saab received.
Personally, I think it’s a very human story and it’s well worth the telling. The photo of that young lady in the first ad is directly from the St Petersburg Saab Support Convoy (though the sign she’s holding has been photoshopped, understandably).
I don’t know who’s composed the ads and I don’t know how much the public conversation about advertising has influenced the content, but I think the conversation has definitely been effective and for that reason, my thanks go to everyone who took part in it.
by Swade
January 26, 2011 in Saabology
There are a couple of updates to be posted following yesterday’s publication of a Hirsch dealer list for the United States.
Timing
People should note that Hirsch won’t be available in the US until the second quarter of 2011. A more exact date is not known. The publication of a preliminary dealer listing doesn’t mean it’s available now.
The reason why it will take until Q2 is that certain equipment is needed to do the software updates and they’re trying to secure adequate supply and distribution before things get underway.
Completeness
As mentioned, the list was a preliminary list and in fairness, it was too early to place it online. It had a good list of Saab dealers, but there are more who are very likely to jump on board (it’s a dealer’s choice as to whether they opt in).
Hopefully a complete list will become available in Q2.
Canada
Questions were asked in comments to that post about availability in Canada and whether or not Canadians can go south of the border, get tuned and still be covered by warranty. From what I’ve heard, the answer is “No” to that particular scenario….. BUT……
The good news is that SCNA are currently working with Transport Canada and plan to launch Hirsch products there (no timeframe given) and of course, they’ll be covered by warranty there just like everywhere else.
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by Swade
January 25, 2011 in News, Saabology
Hirsch recently loaded up the dealer listing for the United States on their website. As you can see, it’s a small selection of dealers, but most of the Saab-populated areas should find themselves with some coverage.
The Hirsch website’s listing seems to be sorted by the name of the town the dealership exists in. I’ve organised this one by state, which hopefully might give you a quicker reference.
UPDATE: Whilst this list does appear on the Hirsch website, since posting it here, I’ve been advised that it’s a preliminary listing and may not be a complete representation of dealers that will carry Hirsch products. More may opt-in in the near future.
Also note that Hirsch products won’t be available in the US until the second quarter of the 2011.
Thanks to Sapan for the tip.
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California
Continental Motors, 617 South Coast Highway, Oceanside, CA-92054, Phone +1 760 722-1868
Connecticut
Mitchell Saab, 384 Hopmeadow Street, CT 06070-Simsbury, Phone +1 860 408-6065
Iowa
Meyer Garage, 2687-480th Street, IA 50455-McIntire, Phone +1 641 737-2239
Massachusetts
Charles River Saab, 570 Arsenal Street, MA 02472-Watertown, Phone +1 617 923-9230
Shaw Saab, 22 Pond Street, 22 Pond Street, MA 02061-Norwell, Phone +1 781 982-7222
128 Sales Inc., 614 North Avenue, MA 01880-Wakefield, Phone +1 781 224-3700
Hyannis Saab, 600 Yarmouth, MA 02601-Hyannis, Phone +1 508 760-2700
Pioneer Valley Sales & Service, P.O. Box 254, MA 01373-South Deerfield, Phone +1 413 665-2140
Maine
Stetson Auto Sales, 1174 Eastern Road Route 131, ME 04864-Warren, Phone +1 207 273-2345
O’Connor Saab of Augusta, 268 State Street, ME 04330-Augusta, Phone +1 207 622-6336
Michigan
Saab of Troy, 1819 Maplelawn, MI 48084-Troy, Phone +1 248 205-1333
Trio Motors, Inc., P.O. Box 190178, MI 48519-Burton, Phone +1 810 742-7250
Minnesota
Morries’s Cadillac – Saab, 7400 Wayzata Boulevard, MN 55426-Minneapolis, Phone +1 952 544-0096
Montana
Dana Saab, 2046 Grand Avenue, MT 59102-Billings, Phone +1 406 656-7654
New Jersey
Reinertsen Motors Inc., 295 Route #53, NJ 07834-Denville, Phone +1 973 627-0616
New York
Sports Car Centre of Syracuse, Ltd., 3105 Erie Blvd. East, NY 13214-Syracuse, Phone +1 315 446-5010
Checkpoint Foreign Car S&S Inc., 487 Kenmore Avenue, NY 14223-Buffalo, Phone +1 716 836-2033
Brownell Motors, Inc., P.O. Box 413, NY 12524-Fishkill, Phone +1 845 831-3000
Pennsylvania
Kunkle Motors, RR 1, P.O. Box 386, PA 18612-Dallas, Phone +1 570 675-1546
Virginia
International Motors Ltd., 540 S. Washington Street, VA 22046-Falls Church, Phone +1 703 534 0770
Vermont
P J’s Auto Village, 2073 Williston Road, VT 05403-South Burlington, Phone +1 802 862-0875
by Swade
January 24, 2011 in News
The deal was closed in February 2010, but the initial deal to sell Saab to Spyker Cars was actually agreed on January 26th.
I’ve heard earlier today that it will be on this date in 2011 that Saab kick off a big advertising blitz in the United States, including:
It’ll be interesting to see the content of the print and TV ads as they come online.
The good news is that this campaign is apparently scheduled to run until April. That’s a long time to tell a story. I trust they’re going to tell the right one.
I believe the update to the SaabUSA website is due to come online very soon, too, so it’s going to be very helpful to have these points of customer contact properly sorted.
Things are moving, people.
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