It’ll come as no surprise that I’ve been annoyed with the knives the Swedish press corps has been aiming at Saab and Koenigsegg in recent weeks.
Earlier tonight, I shared an article from Allt om Motor (via dn.se, I believe) where the writer aimed his latest criticism at the new Saab 9-5. Blogo sent through the translation to that article, and he’s followed that up by sending through some of the comments that readers have left on the article.
It’s really heartening to see some of the Swedish Saab fans (and maybe some aren’t Saab fans, just fair-minded readers) taking the writer – Lasse Swörd – to task over his article.
Here are some of the comments as translated and sent in by Blogo.
I’d like to encourage any Swedes that see negative press reports to evaluate those reports, and where you see something that’s wrong, to write comments or even write a letter to the journalist concerned. It really does work.
Thanks again to Blogo!
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Håkan 25 minutes ago
Lasse, Lasse!
You do what most other journalists in Sweden do. Running with the pack, oddly enough. Ans none of you seem to do background checks. The important thing is to put a sensational headline to the blog/article/leader and then to argue for the title so that it will seem to be close to the truth.
What if someone instead were to try seeking the truth instead of trying to create your own and then day after day make the case for it? Then perhaps we readers could form our own view on things.
Many of these observations have revealed the facts to compare with. And of course, a four-wheel drive automatic transmission with a strong engine and heavy car will use more gasoline, but that can not be unique to Saab, I guess?
Should a small car be profitable for a manufacturer, several hundred thousand must be manufactured. And it’s not mass-produced cars that individualists want, I suppose?
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B 2 hours ago
The correct question is “Who is looking for a green car?”. Not the purchaser of an A6, 5 Series or E-Class anyway.
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ll0606 3 hours ago
Saab have to start somewhere to make money, and it can not be done with a small car in small volumes where the competition is pure murder. Saab must make lots of money on each car sold and I think we do best with a larger and more exclusive car. Saab is in need of a small car and a successor to the Saab 9-3. This is of course entirely clear but it must also have money and capacity to do so.
Saab has its new Saab 9-5 has a very attractive car that is bound to sell well enough that the model will provide a profit if it only comes into production, which we really hope. That the government with all its incompetent and totally senseless statements about Saab strongly contributed to Saab’s drop in sales is just too sad. That most of the government, including Maud Olofsson, the head chooses to discard both Saab and Volvo shows of course also to care very little about the Swedish car industry and all its employees. Saab and all employees in the automotive industry needs all the help available to them to succeed, even from you motor journalists.
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Emil 4 hours ago
Hello Lasse!
Now I have been looking for info about Volvo, Audi or a VW, which according to you has lower CO2 emissions than Saabs 139gr/km (160hk 2.0 tid).
Unfortunately, I can find very few comparable models. To compare a Volvo S80 with only 110 hp and Saab’s engine, I think is not fair.
Volvo S80:
1.6 D/109hk (?) 129g/km 10g lower emissions is not enough for green car class …
2.0 D/136hk 151g/km
2.4 D/175hk 155g/km
Audi A6:
2.0 tdi/170hk 149g/km
2.0 tdi/136hk 139g/km (same as Saab but less power)
VW Passat CC:
2.0 tdi/170hk 146g/km
VW Passat
2.0 TDI BlueMotion 110hk 129g/km … 110hk …
2.0 tdi/140hk 148g/km
2.0 tdi/170hk 163g/km (automatic transmission)
BMW (which you do not refer to) have a model (520D/177hk) emitting 136g/km …
If you start to compare the figures are not so bad for gasoline engines, so I do not understand your argument. Or do you have any other facts that I can not find on the manufacturers’ websites? One might wonder who buys a S80 or Passat BlueMotion with 110hp which still is not classed as clean…
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Arne Svensson 18 hours ago
Lasse Swärd is way out of line!
Talk about seeing things in black and white and even quite unfair criticism. Go back to sleep or wake up in real life maybe … and see what kind of cars people buy today. For example, how many of today’s Biopower cars are sold with automatic transmission? That’s right … out of line, yes.
Best wishes, Arne
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Daniel 20 hours ago
Lasse Swärd does it again (unfortunately). Talk about being negative. I would happily buy the diesel variant, which is quite competitive compared to similar sized cars. Just hope that they can get the estate version as soon as next year, which seems likely.
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Mikael Lindberg 20 hours ago
It’s really sad with all these negative analysis of Saab’s future. It makes you almost believe that the government and the media is stuck in a downward spiral, which always penalizes SAAB.
Saab was already before the reconstruction unfairly reviewed as automakers. Let Saab at least get a chance, now that they seem to be on the right track in developing new cars, or people think it is more profitable to send out 10 000-15 000 car worker in unemployment
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max 20 hours ago
Poor show DN. The aging Saab 9-5 was still in Sweden 4th best selling car 2008. Does DN believe that Saab would abandon the segment of the market? Demand for large cars in the premium segment are intact both in Sweden and the United States. It is mid-range and large cars that have margins and opportunities to make money. Small cars have to be made in huge volumes in order for them to become profitable.
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SType_R 20 hours ago
Another interesting question is whether it is true that they get out 180hp from a 1.6a. Awesome that the Haldex system is finally coming to 9-5 incl eLSD. But where is the V8? Certainly the environmental issue is valid, but there is a demand for larger engines still, especially in the United States. But perhaps it fits awkwardly with a Swedish environmental profile. However, the images are great. Sporty, stylish and hot. This will carry all the way!
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bossese 20 hours ago
Worse than the Volvo and Audi? S80 155g/km and 149g/km Audi with equivalent diesel engine! And 139 g / km on Saab. As usual, no know-how from DN so called. motor journalists. It will be fun to see what you will write when the deal is complete and everything has been delivered. ………………………
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