Saab is owned by Spyker, finally!

[bpsorrel]

For those who care, Spyker finalised the deal to buy Saab today! At last!

Saabs United

Now let's see what they can do....

 

[Lugy]

:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d:d

Aww, smiles not working today

 

[JasM]

Great news!

 

[bpsorrel]

My "Saab Spyker" is happy at last! LOL!!! (use your imagination and you can see him smiling... )

 

[Smarties]

This is great news. Now lets just hope that they can do a good job with it and recapture some old school SAAB individuality.

 

[A-AvantGarde]

As a recent Saab owner my bro-in-law will also be pleased.

I'm also keen to see them suceed although as it's been said before the prospect for low volume manufacturers isn't as bright as us car enthusiasts would like...

 

[mbenz76]

I used to like Saab but they seemed to lose their way in the last couple of years. Let's hope Spyker can turn it around.

 

[fuzzer]

lets hope they get back to what the 9000 was before GM got their hands on it

i really liked those cars when i was younger..

 

[moonloops]

Having owned a SAAB 9000, SAAB 9-3 Coupe and a SAAB 95 aero all I can say is I hope they push forward with cars that are a little different but handle much better.


The 95 was interesting - 250BHP and easily over 30mpg at silly speeds - not bad for a 2.3 Turbo


The SAAB 9000 I bought for £495 and nothing ever went wrong with it

 

[Michael G]

About time, lets hope Spyker can make Saab Saab again.
And lets hope this isn't another MG Rover fiasco.

 

[HR17]

Does this mean we'll start seeing warm SAABs rebadged with non-OEM Spyker badges off ebay?

 

[Vlad]

I really like the Saab brand, but I cant help but think its MG/Rover all over again.....Saab hasn't made a profit in 20 years and they won't have the development capital to plough into new models.....thankfully the new 9-5 is about to be launched so all of the development costs will have been incurred by GM, but after that its all looking a bit touch and go on the new model front.

In addition to that the cars are made in Sweden with a very high labour cost, so I'm struggling to see how this is all going to work out for the best, which is sad as its an iconic brand name.

 

[wemorgan]

but after that its all looking a bit touch an go on the new model front.

In addition to that the cars are made in Sweden with a very high labour cost, so I'm struggling to see how this is all going to work out for the best, which is sad as its an iconic brand name.

Sadly, I agree. They'll need to find a suitable strategic partner; Kia/Hyundai or Proton/Lotus?

 

[bpsorrel]

There's the issue. According to Victor Muller, Saab DID make a profit! The profit they made was absorbed into GM and it suited GM's board to show Saab as loss making, ready for the time when they would sell or kill them. (By all accounts this was decided when the idea of launching Cadillac in Europe was first discussed, before the BLS was created).

Personally, I don't think the Saab situation is anything like MG Rover. Saab have 2 new models ready, the NG 9-5 (which oddly enough I saw for the first time today on a trailer heading to Griffin House in Luton) and the 9-4X SUV. New 9-3 is being sorted and will probably be launched in 2 years. MG Rover had nothing and most importantly, the Saab brand has support and affection (as has been proven with all the Save Saab convoys and support all round the world) that Rover never had. Of course it's a massive uphill struggle for Victor Muller to bring Saab back into health, but I think if anyone can do it, he can. We'll see...

 

[Vlad]

Im struggling with the profit side of things....with an annual production of @ 125,000 cars, which is tiny for a car maker, the economies of scale just dont seem to be there, especially when you factor in the high manufacturing costs of being in Sweden + development of new models etc etc.

Unlike MG/Rover which from memory was effectively sold for a £1 and had £000's of millions of BMW money left in as working capital, Spyker have had to raise £400m of external funding.....which will be quickly used up I would imagine.

Dont get me wrong I would love Saab to survive and I am hoping that this really will be the case, but I can also see the danger of buyers thinking twice about buying a new Saab, as they will be worried about residuals on their cars and the long term future of the company....Saab will most likely resort to heavy discounting (which they are already doing) and that creates a downward spiral and suddenly the figures don't start to add up.

I hope that Spyker can get Saab onto a semi sound footing quickly and then flog it off to a larger manufacturer.

 

[Charles Morgan]

I really hope Saab is made a success, but volume alone really does tell a story. Given the enormous costs of product development, I fear the future is as a much smaller, more specialist manufacturer, rather like the Alchemy proposal that Rover specialise in MGs only. I am really not sure what Spyker brings to the party.

 

[grober]

I really hope Saab is made a success, but volume alone really does tell a story. Given the enormous costs of product development, I fear the future is as a much smaller, more specialist manufacturer, rather like the Alchemy proposal that Rover specialise in MGs only. I am really not sure what Spyker brings to the party.

Perhaps this answers some questions? Q & A with JAJ and Victor Muller - Saabs United

 

[macscrooge]

Fingers crossed!

Incidentally, picking up on an earlier posting, my 250bhp Aero is averaging (aided by some recent long runs) just shy of 36mpg!

 

[grober]

Saab CEO Jan Åke Jonsson retires

An update on SAAB management moves. Saab CEO Jan Åke Jonsson is to retire in September. Spyker CEO Victor Muller will take on the Saab CEO job in transition the meantime. They also confirm a move into Chinese and Russian car markets.

Saab CEO Jan

 

[219]

They could perhaps find a useful partnership with Bristol Cars - both manufacturers with links to the aero industry .

Possible outcome - the SAAB Fighter ? Only with 4 wheels this time

Maybe once again they will be regarded as 'Thoughtful cars for thoughtful people' .