We’ve published a few articles on Saab sales over the last few days, Swedish sales in particular.
I’ve got a couple more charts for you, just show how much of a “year of two halves” it really was.
First, the quarter by quarter sales for the Swedish market. What you’re looking at here is a graph that shows each quarter in 2010 in comparative terms against the corresponding quarter in 2009. So, for example, Q1 2010 had only 47% of the sales of Q1 in 2009, hence the negative figure on the chart. In contrast, Q4 of 2010 was 95% higher than Q4 2009.
Saab’s ordeal was basically an 15-month-plus affair from the beginning of 2009. They had to endure 12 months of being talked down by GM, as well as a complete shut down of their factory, bankruptcy process (with significant consequences for suppliers) and being put into liquidation prior to the sale to Spyker in February 2010.
Even after the sale documents were signed, there was a 7-week start-up process and a global product pipeline to feed.
Take account of all of that, and you can see why it might have taken half of 2010 just to play catchup and hit a quarter when Saab ended up on level terms with the year before.
Here’s another look at things.
This chart shows Saab’s cumulative sales for 2010, as a percentage of the same month in 2009. e.g. Jan-May sales in 2010 were 29% below Jan-May sales for 2009.
Saab finally eclipsed their 2009 total in September and finished 2010 23% ahead of the previous year. All of that is on the back of only 8 effective months of production and even less time selling the new low-emissions TTiD’s (released end of September) and the new 9-5.
January is traditionally a slower month in Sweden so Saab may not keep up the 1,000 car month initially, but there’s a lot in store for 2011.
A full year with those diesels. The 9-3 Griffin will be available. The 9-5 SportCombi will be released, as well as the less impactful Saab 9-4x.
After a slow start, it was a great end to 2010 for Saab. 2011 shows a lot of promise.
Upbeat reporting of results in UK press
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12125648
Saab’s quarterly sales more than double
Saab is continuing its efforts to boost sales The number of Saab cars sold in the last three months of 2010 was more than double a year earlier, the carmaker’s Dutch owner Spyker has said.
It’s not only the sales figures for Saab UK, but also they point on that Saab sold 31.000 cars world wide in 2010. Interesting.
9-3 Griffin? Have I missed something important?! Do tell…
And do we have an idea as to where the 9-5 SportCombi will be launched/shown? I’m crossing my fingers for New York in April!
The 9-5 SC will be presented at the Geneva Motor Show (3 -13 march)
THE 9-3 Griffin will be a end-of-live version of the current 9-3 with some updates in the interior and exterior.
Aah, very good, Red J. A Geneva World launch might well mean the first US showing for the 9-5 SC in New York. I’ll hope for the best, and of course, I’ll be there!
And that makes sense, regarding the 9000 CD and OG 9-5 Griffin Editions. Thanks for your reply!
“January is traditionally a slower month in Sweden so Saab may not keep up the 1,000 car month initially, but there’s a lot in store for 2011”
The Swedish market rised from about 20.000 units(Dec 09) to nearly(30.000 in Dec 10) The pace is high and therefor I think
January going to sell at least 1,000 cars. I would be disapointed if the sales were under that level. Swedish market are in a good pace and on it´s way up. And I truley beleve that they going to make it, say 800 9-3:s and 200 9-5:s. The Saab 9-3 is going to take the 4:th place in the registration statistic. So Saab dont let me down now, pleas!!