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.
The most important info is that, albeit delayed, the launch of the Hirsch Performance products has taken place. The dealers were informed by SCNA at the US dealer meeting in June that products and the IPRO can be ordered from the 20th of June. Many dealers have already placed orders and the first parts and programming tools are on a ship to the US as you read this.
At the end of last year Hirsch had ordered a bunch of IPRO engine programming tools for the dealers in the US. The normal delivery time is six months but you have a free market for the electronic parts needed for the IPRO that allows you to speed things up by chosing the supplier with the shortest delivery time. Not so after the earthquake/tsunami in Japan. That market disappeared and parts like the touch screen were simply not available any more so they had to wait until now to get delivery.
As already known the distribution channel for Hirsch in the USA is SCNA. With logistics, cashflow and so on many processes had to be implemented in the existing distribution network. At SCNA are, like at any other local Saab sales organization I know, relatively few people dealing with many tasks, trying to do their very best. When looking at the issues Saab had to deal with since April I think it is fully understandable that dealing with the Hirsch Performance launch was not their first priority.
In the US like in any other market you have to do certain tests to be allowed to offer your products. Those approvals cost money you have to earn back. So based on expected sales Hirsch Performance had to decide which performance upgrades to take to the CARB approval. As mentioned before, these are the software upgrades available in the US:
9-3 2,0T MY 2007-
9-3 2,8T MY 2008
9-5 2,0T MY 2011-
9-5 2,8T MY 2010-
Those are software upgrades only, because they are relatively easy in approval. Much more difficult are upgrades that require additional hardware like the intercooler for the 2009 9-3 Aero upgrade. While this is bad news for owners of that model I also think it is understandable that there are limits to an initial investment when entering a new market.
For those who already bought a new Saab I’ve some additional good news. On the initial statement from January it was said that new cars have to be upgraded within sixty days from purchase to fully retain the warranty. This is no longer the case, you can upgrade your car at any point of the warranty period without negative consequences.
I know it has been a long wait for the US Saabers to get the Hirsch products available through the local Saab dealers but this wait is over now. Finally you can experience the feeling I had on my test drives with the 9-3 Griffin and the 9-5 Hirsch Performance.
If you want further information there are many ways to get it. Of course the best would be to see your local dealer because he is the one who knows if he has already ordered and how long it will take until he gets it. These requests at the dealer will show them that there is demand and will show them that offering Hirsch is a good idea. Of course you can also contact SCNA. Or check the Hirsch homepage for availability of the products in your market. As the dealers activate their IPROs they will also be added to the dealer list there.
An additional source for information is the Hirsch thread in the SU forum where you can ask your questions and get answers from fellow Saabers like me.
Missing from the above are two very important questions.
Are any of the 280 horsepower engines included. You mentioned the Turbo X as limited but there are many 2008 and 2009 280 engines out there.
Is the trial period available (since I also have a 09 210 horsepower car? In Europe you can get a download and then opt out if you are not satisfied. I spoke to two dealers last week and they said it was never mentioned for the US.
Also worth noting is that on new cars, the engine upgrade cannot be performed prior to delivery to the customer. This would have constituted Saab selling a different engine variant, and an entire other level of certification would have been required. Thus, though it might be unwieldy, and would prevent one from rolling the cost of an upgrade into their purchase, the earliest one will be able to upgrade an ECU is right after taking delivery.
You’re right Pierre, it’s all about aftermarket software instead of a new engine variant. So the Hirsch products can only be legally installed after delivery to the customer.
But since I bought my last few Saabs hirsched from the first day it just meant that I had a few minutes more for a nice chat and a coffee with my dealer in between selling the documents and getting into the car. I even could include the cost in my financing.
So after all it is not such a big difference.
Are the UD dealers not able to mount an IC? Or is legislative stuff with approvals?
Well, I’d expect that every Saab dealer around the world knows how to replace an intercooler. But I explained it already in my reply to rallyho.
I note that you ignore the comment on the trial period. So thank you for “cherry picking” your insults.
BTW, the dealers I spoke with last week never heard of a trial period. Hence my question and as “one in the know, having an inside track as you say, I would have hoped for an answer.”
BTW, if you work for the company, this is not good salesmanship.
What’s left to say about the trial period that I did not mention above?
I’m not working at Hirsch btw.
So you’re the one that feels insulted. LOL
From comment number 2:
To defend the US dealers – they don’t have their IPROs yet. I’m pretty sure that they will get a manual that explains all the functions despite they should have gotten detailed info via SCNA.. And yes, I know that the dealers are welcome to contact Hirsch on specific questions.
rallyho I can find nothing insulting in anything till72 wrote. Nothing at all. Not even borderline. He has been nothing but helpful to all in this thread.
Thanks, I had hoped that the infos will help to clarify some things. I even felt that Hirsch were very open in answering my (=your) questions.
Can anyone tell me how close the Hirsch upgrade will be to the upcoming Regal GS which will have 270hp (200kw) and 295 ft lbs (400nm).
If the Hirsch upgrade does not meet the specs of the GS, can anyone tell me what they are, and if they are lower why they are lower?
it’s still in homologation for the 9-3 but what I know by now is that it will have 260 hp/400 Nm. I don’t know why it’s ten hp less but since I’ve driven it I would not worry too much about it. This engine is a real blast.
Hum….Bummed that I will not be able to upgrade my 2006 SC Aero but when i sit and think about it…. no need for more than what I already have. The 2.8 it stout enough to deliver speed induced smiles but there are times I wish she (Ana) had just a little more zoom zoom…
A software “bug” included a list of Hirsch dealers. Sorry, someone had to type that list in.
Additionally, it was a list of selective dealers. They are small and they have never heard of Hirsch believe it or not.
How did a so called “bug” put selective names on a list? There are about 4 dealers in New Jersey but only 1 was on there so it was a matter of selective deletion. I am no computer maven but not stupid. This was selective.
The bug didn’t type it, the bug made it visible online.