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Automotive News & Views The Future of Saab?
1158 messages, Last post on Dec 03, 2009 at 12:52 PM
You are in the Automotive News & Views Forum. Your Hosts are steve_ & claires
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"I wonder how feasible it would be for Saab to mothball itself for 18 months or more, realign the cars to a few to focus on, wean a bunch of suppliers, dealers and workers out of the loop, and reposition themselves in a crowded market that may be significantly less crowded in a year or two." I don't know the answer to your question, Steve, but it's a good one. Coincidentally, I had a similar thought about Chrysler Corp. Since it's unlikely that Chrysler can last long enough for the Fiat-badged models hit its showrooms, it occured to me that one possible strategy would be to retain just the essential engineers and personnel to effect the model transition, to save cash. I'm sure management has thought of this, and, in fact, it may be pretty much what they're doing. Such difficult problems! |
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"Saab will be completely spun off from parent General Motors by January 1, 2010." Saab Tells Court It Will Be Sold by End of June (AutoObserver) 
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"Analysts have puzzled at the choice of Koenigsegg to take over Saab, given that, among other points, the company reportedly built just 18 cars last year. But Sweden Industry Minister Maud Oloffsen told a Swedish news agency that retaining production of Saab models in Sweden was a significant concern in deciding on a buyer for Saab." Niche Automaker Koenigsegg Takes Saab Off GM's Hands (AutoObserver)
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Replying to: steve_ (Jun 16, 2009 11:00 am) |
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"Reports last week from Sweden indicated some of the Koenigsegg Group's investors were considering pulling the plug on the plan to buy Saab because they were unhappy with the increasing amount of publicity and scrutiny of the deal." U.S. Investor Out of Pending Saab Deal (AutoObserver) (Dave, I guess they'll have to get the deal done before they can worry about cranking out cars). |
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Replying to: anythngbutgm (Nov 24, 2009 8:20 am) |
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Just look at some of the stats: Saab's U.S. sales had fallen 62 percent in the United States through October, to 7,441 units. That's on top of a 35 percent sales drop in 2008. ....Nationally, Saab had 2,300 Saabs in inventory as of Nov. 1 -- a 125-day supply. The brand sold just 513 units in October. And Saab dealers have been focusing on other parts of their operations for profits for a long time: The dealership made about a fifth of its profits from Saab, most of that in the parts and service department. (Saab dealer general Manager Geoff) Kelly has just 10 Saabs in inventory, including four he uses as loaners. He sold only one Saab in October and hadn't sold any this month as of Wednesday, Nov. 25. So if Saab dies, Kelly will concentrate on picking up business from Cadillac dealers whom GM will wind down by next fall, and he hopes to do some Saturn service work. "We think that we're going to be able to pick up additional business to offset" the Saab profits, Kelly says. ......For Kevin Jones, owner of two stand-alone Saab stores in suburban Los Angeles, the situation seems grimmer. Selling new Saabs this year has been unprofitable, he says. But the dealerships have stayed in the black this year with other operations. "We've basically been in the used-car business for the last two years with Saab's reorganization," Jones says. Jones' two dealerships have been selling 30 to 40 used vehicles a month, and more than two-thirds of those usually are Saabs. That compares with the three or four new Saabs the stores together sell each month. They have 13 new Saabs in stock. "So if they wind down, we've got 13 cars to move," Jones says. "And I'll be out there buying all the other guys' '08s and '09s." Michael Simon, general manager of Saab of Downers Grove, is part of a management group that took over the suburban Chicago stand-alone store in July under new ownership. The owners' investment comes to $10 million, including the facility and property. The dealership purchase included discounts on vehicles, so the store is selling Saabs at about $5,000 below invoice, not including GM rebates. "We thought with everything going on, this would be a great opportunity," Simon said. "If it all falls through, we're going to have to find a different franchise." http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091130/RETAIL03/311309958/1- 193 (registration link) And according to that article, the dealers already had to sign agreements way back in June that if the Koenigsegg deal fell through they understood that GM woudl be winding down the Saab brand. Looks like one of the two little Swedish brands has well and truly had it. Looking at the numbers, it doesn't seem like it will be missed at all in the U.S. |
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"a new one-off exotic-car maker, Netherlands-based Spyker Cars NV, formally confirmed yesterday it is talking to General Motors Co. about acquiring GM's twisting-in-the-wind Saab Automobiles. Spyker is backed by its majority owner, Russia's Conversbank Financial Group, which owns 29.9 percent of Spyker, currently best known for its gullwing C8 Aileron sports car." Another Exotic-Car Suitor for Saab (AutoObserver)  |
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