UPDATE 10:30
Swedish NDO (Riskgälden) to held a press conference on Saab at 13:00 (CEST)
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In this series of “The plot thickens” news, today ttela.se has published another article that hints that NEVS may be the new owner of Saab Automobile AB.
In that Article Bo Lundgren, the Director of Riksgälden(the Swedish Debt office and current owner of Saab Parts AB) says that they will keep Saab Parts as they are not getting the 2.2 billion Swedish Crowns they paid to the EIB.
The Debt Office does not believe that parts company, Saab Parts AB is worth the 2.2 billion that the National Debt Office is out with since they loose Saab loans from the European Investment Bank (EIB). At a sale of Saab believes the Debt Office Director Bo Lundgren is not that the buyer is interested in buying Saab Parts and thus thinks the Debt Office to keep the company.
– We will take over Saab Parts AB if a purchaser of the estate does not want it. A buyer today would put a value on Parts that are less than what we want out of the company, says Lundgren to Swedish newspaper Svenska Dagbladet.
He also says that Saab parts AB should expand and also distribute parts for other brands, which is good for former Saab owners, as a big after sales company is more convincing when they talk to any supplier to make some spare parts for former Saab models.
He also opens to expand the business. With over thousands of authorized sellers of spare parts, he means that the company could deliver to other makes.
– But I will not lead the company, he says.
(Translation by Googletrans)
This means Sweden is ready to disconnect any form of “new Saab” from the old one, and show the owners there is no continuity. Not that I believe there will be any parts or repairs problems, but that Saab will not be resurrected – it might be created anew, but more and more it seems it will be nothing like the Saab we’re wishing for.
Now, where’s the cool offer I got on the Citroen DS4…
I kind of have agree with you. Day by day, and story by story it seems as if there will never be the Saab I loved and grew up with. But who knows, until we get an official press release on the fate of Saab, I still have hope that from the Ashes a Phoenix shall rise.
press conferences are just PR chit-chats, no matter what they say, I wan’t to see the car and then judge the company. We didn’t like GM, but we liked Saabs, that were made under their regime. I just hope there will be as much as possible old engineering team, if so – company policy is less important. People at Saab shown us, they can go against, even big, spoiled corporations, and design good cars.
Company policy is paramount – with all due respect to the old engineering team, people come and go, and many people retired and switched jobs over the 20-year-long GM ownership. But what drove Saab into the ground was not the lack of engineering talent, and the abundance thereof didn’t save it. What drove Saab into the ground was a chaotic, myopic strategy and corporate policy.
The new guys do not seem to be willing to build a continuity between the six-and-a-half decades of Saab automotive heritage and the new company. I do hope for the people of THN to get as many rewarding jobs as possible from the deal, and possibly also from other sources, but I would find myself extremely disappointed seeing the brand I love die in such a way.
I understand your philosophical and economical point of view, we all know what killed Saab, but again – I’m waiting for the car, not the press conference. If i’ll see a prius-clone, or other kind of electric kitchen device, electric toothbrush, hairdryer etc. – I’ll be disappointed.
The only hope is that new owner will use the Phoenix platform properly.
Back to the topic – is the newly formed company, producing Saab cars, going to be linked anyhow with Saab Parts? Or are they going to be two independent, different companies, not connected in their business? Or maby some sort of cooperation?
Why is every discussion about electric and hybrid cars here always tainted with Prius comparisons? Why are we not talking about a Tesla-clone? Come on people, the Prius was launched in, what was it, 1997 and the world has not been standing still since then. The fact that other OEMs are now looking at EVs does not mean they all build a Prius. I don’t like using my own new employer as an example here since I want to prevent from being seen as biased (which I am not), but just look at the Volvo V60 PHEV as an example of where hybrid technology can go as well.
That Prius line is getting a bit old now…
People are always affraid that ther’s something wrong to be happen. And prius, besides his marketing succes, is a sign of something wrong for us, who like Saabs.
on the other way, of course there is Tesla, there is quite good looking Fisker… are they stil burning?
I like Saab as well and I am not too keen on Priuses either, but I don’t believe for a moment that Trollhättan will churn out Prius-like cars under an owner like NEVS. Have a little faith in Saab engineering, brother.
Because the Prius actually sells, and is a reasonable, functional car, while Tesla buyers are on first-name terms with the management, there are so few of them. And you can get the Prius without the awful styling and douchebag stigma now as e.g. the Auris Hybrid.
That said, NEVS is talking about ELECTRIC cars which, for now, remain a very impractical solution. The whole thing about Saab has been about building vehicles that drove like sports cars, but were actually very useful and practical daily drivers. For now, electric is hardly the latter, and I guess won’t be for many years. A natural gas turbine generator coupled with electric drive would have been perhaps…
I agree. I would hope that NEVS starts out with hybrids and develops full EVs on parallel, as battery technology improves and becomes more economically viable (and it will). I do believe that a Saab-NEVS tandem has a chance of becoming a front runner in this growing segment (because growing it is, and it will continue to do so).
To get back to the Prius discussion: I uphold my point that in many hybrid-related discussions on this forum, the Prius is used as a cheap excuse to make a caricature of a segment that offers a much wider selection of vehicles. As said before: if NEVS owns the company and starts developing hybrids and EVs, Saab engineers won’t come up with a Prius clone. We all know they won’t. So stop pretending like there is a golden rule that reads “Hybrid equals Prius”. That’s all I am saying.
Now off you go 🙂
Because a Prius, to me, represents popular, practical and soul-less. I have never in my life seen a Prius with aftermarket wheels, for example. While I don’t necessarily like most aftermarket wheels, it IS an indication of trying to make your vehicle unique, better.
Prius owners do not give a crap. They are the opposite of me.
Bravada,
this was always about Saab 2.0, a completely new Saab. Will their products be better or worse than the old ones? I don’t know.
And at the end of the day a DS4 is not bad at al, if it fits you best …
No matter who will buy Saab Automobile AB at the end, there will be a big cut with the past, IMHO.
+1 on Red J.’s comment.
There has to be.
Red J +1
…and then we decide if we like the new cars, or no.
Nice car, and quirkier than even a SAAB.
I´ve also taken a close look at the DS4. But I was negatively surprised by the AT (EGS) that comes with it……
The car dies a bit in every gear shift. I say No Way José!
Originally I move in on Citroen because of the DS5 Hybrid which also comes with the AT EGS, According to the sales person the EGS is saved by the electric motor on the rear axle that make a additional push every time tha AT shift gear.
Also looking at Alfa Guilietta/159, Honda Accord, Volvo V40/V60, Peugeot 508, KIA Sportage, Hyundai Veloster, Subaru XV.
The DS5 is a dud IMHO, it looks great at first sight, but it has no outward visibility to speak of. I almost ran over a pedestrian during a simple right turn, because she was absolutely obscured by the front pillars from most angles.
My Citroen salesmen weren’t very fond of the hybrid setup – it’s expensive, limits cargo space and the gearshift is reportedly narcoleptic. I had no problem with the regular AT though, it delivered smoothly.
But what kills the DS4 and DS5 for me really is the lack of voice control! How am I supposed to use the Bluetooth function to call somebody? The only way I found was to actually DIAL (i.e. to browse the phone book via the dial)
I wouldn’t be caught dead in a KIA or Hyundai, and I don’t get the thing about Subarus. The V40 seems promising, the V60 is comparable to the old 9-3 (a bit worse on some accounts, but a worthy replacement), the 159 is a great car all around at a reasonable price (co-developed with Saab after all), though rear legroom is more severely restricted than in the 9-3. The Giulietta didn’t have the similar appeal to me, sorry FIAT, but the 508 turned out mightily fine, with really good infotainment and nav.
… but with terrible seats and you need to pay Saab money in order to get any hp.
The thing is at first glance many cars are good purchases. After a while it just starts to make so much sense why we’ve tried many different makes and then suddenly stopped looking after owning a 900, 9000, 9-3 or 9-5.
There is no other route than go up market or classic after this experience. Lets hope it doesn’t end here though.
What NEVS should/must do is put one he$$ of a warranty on any new cars coming out of THN to make a comeback. That is if we’ll see new vehicles in the future?
Time for a reality check…
Yesterday, Swedish newspaper SvD talked to the head of The Swedish National Debt Office, and it’s not pretty…
The state took Saab Parts AB and Saab Tools AB as securities when they in turn secured the EIB loan on 2.2 billion SEK. The state had to repay the loan to the EIB and now they want the taxpayers money back. Seems like Saab Parts AB is not at all worth any 2.2 billion SEK, but rather only 1.2 billion SEK. The reason seems to be disruptions during the bankruptcy and the bankruptcy of the US operation. The article also mentions problem with warranties and the fact that many dealers have found parts from other sources. If the state cannot sell it for a reasonable price, then they will keep it. He goes on to talk about expanding the operation to include parts for other car brands to make the operation more profitable and to generate some money back to the state in the years to come.
Saab Tools AB is also a problem. It is valued to about 500 million SEK. If a buyer wants to produce any of the current models, they have to include Tools in the purchase. But, while Tools were supposed to be a debt free operations it somehow built up debts before the bankruptcy. And since the state is a unprioritized creditor, it’s a long shot getting any money there. The article goes on to reason that the Debt office will try to persuade a buyer to free Tools of it’s debts.
http://www.svd.se/naringsliv/branscher/industri-och-fordon/riksgalden-fast-med-saabs-reservdelsbolag_7261067.svd
Lets hope that a potential buyer also can take over Saab Parts. But if not, it is good that the future of the parts is secured.
How about parts for NG 9-5´s 2010/2011. I´m, seriously thinking about getting a 2011 model this autumn, but I´m hesitating. Garantees I can take, but what about parts? Anyone who knows wheter Saab parts also will supply parts for NG 9-5 (and 9-4X for that matter..?)
If I am to be 10000% honest, I wouldn’t buy it. I know that there are a number of issues surrounding parts for the new 9-5 & 9-4x. A number of customers cars are not operational due to lack of parts and considering the small series in which the car was produced, spare parts have become very expensive… =(
We’ll see if there is an improvement but this has so far kept me from buying one…
So,
It´s buying one and putting it in the garage then:)
It´s just so tragic. Such a beautiful car and you can´t dare to drive it…
What´s interesting is that they still sells and the price tag is kept rather high up (don´t get me wrong. compared to what it DID cost new when Saab was still alive it is cheap, BUT thinking of tha fact that it is a car that you might not get any parts for it´s rather expensive…)
Let´s see what happens. I´d love to get my hands on one, but up till them my 2010 9-5 Griffin has to do:) (And that car is still a great car)
Anyone know of an aftermarket crash-resistant “bubble” I can place my NG 9-5 in, so that I can continue to drive it in peace?
I must second on that. It’s the same here in Hungary. Some of the few people owning ng9-5 can’t ride it because absolutely no parts were available after a moderate crash. Although the item itself wasn’t available from anywhere, the price tag was around Eur 1000 for a wing mirror, if I’m not mistaken. As sad and horrifying as it gets, it seems true. At least, for the moment.
I fear it’s the same with the 9-7x, does anyone know? I’m intensively planning to buy one, from around 2007.
From FinnFemFel, ” it somehow built up debts before the bankruptcy.” Was that more of VMs shennigans?
Well, Spykers offer to buy Saab Automobile was at best built on a shoestring operation and in the end they probably had to cross every possible line to keep the patient alive while they waited for Youngmans money. They should have bankrupt the company already in the summer of 2011 instead of totally running it into the ground.
And don’t think that wasn’t considered at the time. I remember it was seriously under discussion in July of last year. It’s just that some people within the Saab leadership did not want to give up until every last option, no matter how remote, was explored. And indeed, there was the constant prospect of getting large-scale funding deals like the Chinese agreement done, while short-term the company was kept afloat through other, smaller funding solutions. That’s why it took as long as it did before bankruptcy became a fact.
Lundgren actually says “We will take over Saab Parts AB if a purchaser of the estate does not want it”. Notice the “IF” in that sentence. He hasnt said that they are taking over… not just yet.. 🙂
I really don’t like where it is going right now. Prospects with a battery factory and a detached, NDO-owned Saab Parts & Tools, are sounding like such a wastage. Let’s hope these tendencies will be taking a U turn or a right angle turn anywhere near… Fingers crossed for a favourable swerve of the proceedings…
Honestly, how can anybody take this seriously anymore?
SAABS have not been built in over one year, the dealer network is destroyed, the factory is going to seed, the brand name is irrevocably damaged, I can’t even remember the names of SAAB heros of the past (i.e. JAJ?), SWADE has moved on, and so forth and so on.
It is finished.
Yep, looks like your’re right.
Let’s keep it real guys!
Saab was never one company in one location.
Parts was for instance in the town of nykoping.
Marketing in the city of gothenburg.
Economy in the city of Stockholm.
Production in Finland, swizerland and even Mexico.
And alot of the R&D was done by consultants from companies all over Sweden aswell as international firms.
A new Saab company needs to be very lean and cost efficient to survive the future. Letting parts expand it’s business while suppling parts to new and old saabs seems reasonable. NEVS can invest 2.2 billion in R&D or marketing instead of putting into parts, seems like a good strategy.
Not going to happen. NEVS is not Mahindra. They most likely have zero interest in Saab production. 200 million euro will be used on battery research -somewhere. If they get all the other assets for 1.5 billion SEK that sounds like a bargain to me.
It could also become like Tesla. Less cars manufactured in 4 years than Saab/Spyker in a month.
Leaving aside whether the new owner takes parts or the NDO, let’s look at why the parts department was valued so high but is now not worth realistically any more than 20% the previous value. As owners we think of parts as a market we must enter when our Saab requires repair or maintenance. However due to pricing or availability through the dealer network we would often avoid that whole distribution and go to the aftermarket. In short we were stuck paying the piper for certain items from to time but that was our view of parts.
However the real value of the parts sales is really a circle. In the North American market for instance Saabs carried a 4 year warranty. It worked something like this. A car comes in for warranty repair and the dealer purchases parts for the repair through Saab Parts. However he then is reimbursed by Saab Cars for the cost he paid for the part plus a handling profit. So in a sense the very largest customer for the parts company was Saab itself. In the end it was a zero sum game as the money went in a circle. It also meant there was a great volume of parts “sold” as the dealer had great incentive to change as many parts as he could get away with. Remember the dealer also got to charge for labor at his normal rate to Saab as well.
The other market that was very lucrative is “crash” parts. In this case money is coming from us through our insurance companies to the dealers parts department and back to Saab parts. Fenders, hoods doors, trim, little bits to engine and suspension. Charge whatever you want and it will sell because the insurance contract requires repairing the car. But. . . there is a catch here.With a new or almost new car it may not be uncommon to see a parts bill of $8,000 or more to repair a front end crash and then when labor and paint is added have a bill approach $20,000 in total. However when a car becomes older than 2 or 3 years, the total value value drops and the insurance company will simply write off the car and NO parts will be sold for it as they will scrap it. So the best money making section of the parts business requires a constant flow of new cars being sold. Essentially no new cars and within a few years crash parts volume is reduced dramatically.
But the last part of the picture is equally grim. So when you had a minor accident or need part which is Saab supply only you bit the bullet and went to your LOCAL Saab dealer to get what was required. They were really the customers of Saab parts department, not us end users. Well for so many of us the nearest dealer is gone from 5 miles away to 250 miles, and how much loner will they be there without any new cars to sell?
There is of course some value to the parts division, but only a fraction of what it was when there were new cars being sold with warranties, valuable new cars involved in accidents and a viable dealer network sales distribution system. The value can also only continue to decline and although I hate to say it do so rather rapidly. Assuming that any “New” Saab will not be part of the “old” Saab parts division, within 10 years it will be gone altogether.
Excellent explanation and shows how looking at the big picture could of maximised value.