Koenigsegg Declines Saab

Saab and GM can't get a date for the dance:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,576594,00.html?test=latestnews

David

Bummer. I could only imagine what a Koenigsaab was going to be like.

booo-urns!

im guessing koenigsegggggggggggggggggggg realized they couldn't handle the takeover of another brand where they have to sell cars in the 5 digit arena.

I completely understand why no one wants to buy Saab. I have never wanted one either.

There really doesn't seem to be a lot to salvage here for a potential buyer. The only possible bright spot is the 9-5, and a 9-3 that seems stupidly expensive and no one is interested in the thing, so what's the work with? A brand with a single possibly sellable model doesn't seem like a smart pick-up right now.

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: I completely understand why no one wants to buy Saab. I have never wanted one either.

I still want a Saab. But it just happens to be an 86 900 Turbo SPG. GM sucked the life out of Saab.

I think if the deal went down, Koenigsegg should have jumped on the retro bandwagon and built their take on a SAAB 93b complete with 2 stroke. And then a V4 powered modern 96 when the EPA says no to the stroker.

The company has been running it's innovation meter on E for a while now. The GM rebranding machine destroyed all the creativity.

SAAD

pres589 wrote: There really doesn't seem to be a lot to salvage here for a potential buyer. The only possible bright spot is the 9-5, and a 9-3 that seems stupidly expensive and no one is interested in the thing, so what's the work with? A brand with a single possibly sellable model doesn't seem like a smart pick-up right now.

I think the bigger issue is the fubar distribution network or lack thereof and the spoiled brand. The 9-3 is a good car and sells at Camry prices. $11k off MSRP is normal. The new 9-5 should be good. A small sportute 9-4x should be good too. I think Konigsegggg realized that it will be impossible to convince people to return to Saab or switch from the competition in sufficient numbers to make a profit. Even if their cars were superior, most people will still look elsewhere for reasons like brand cache, perceived reliability, name recognition, dealer proximity, certainty of warrantee and future service, etc.

SAAB does make good cars and if they go under it will be a shame. There is a lot of Engineering talent there, but they have been hamstrung by GM with having to us corporate platforms and such. I remember reading before the Konigsegg deal that SAAB was considering doing development work for other car companies. They have more turbo experience than anyone else, I think I read that someplace, and the engine managment system they developed is the most sophisicated in the world.

I hope they can continue to make cars but who knows, things are tuff for everyone right now.

Saab needs to be totally reinvented. And they will need to fold in order to do that unfortunately. Anybody who buys them now will be saddled with an existing lineup that isn't competitive in the market place, and doesn't turn a profit. The current 9-3 and new 9-5 may be great cars, but if they aren't selling and making profit, who cares. So you're looking at a 5-7 year cycle to replace those models with someone that is more "Saab like." Nobody is going to lose money for 5-7 years on existing vehicles, whilst spending vast sums of money to create new vehicles. Not even a Chinese buyer.

Like I said, Saab needs to be reinvented. Think Mini and Elise style cars. Lower volume, unique vehicles using sound powertrains from a parent company.

Saab did what Subaru is doing now. They went upscale, and mainstream. They lost their core audience in exchange for increased production volume. But unlike Subie (so far) Saab never made money despite the increase in sales.

Chris H.

The thing is the new 9-5 does seem like it's going to be a great car based on it's design and the fact that's finally based on a good platform, not one that robs it of its 5 door awesomeness that the last one did. A new 9-3 is allready in the works and the 9-4x has been seen as a really good cuv if it could just arive. Really, it's a great time to buy Saab except for the lack of confedence from people, a good solid marketing campeign can shape it up. Look at ford, 5 years ago they made nothing in NA that anyone wanted, now they are better than ever. Images can change. Also the swedish gov't really needs it to survive and will offer lots of money to do so but someone just needs to accept responisbility. It's also of note that like the article says, unlike with saturn when that fell through, GM is looking at options. I know they wrecked things for the last 20 years but its seems like they finally know what they are doing with it and have given it a lot of good product.

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/25/gm-swings-the-axe-9-000-opel-jobs-likely-to-be-eliminated/

It's only speculation but the logic isn't hard to follow. :(

Looks like the old Saab 9-5s (not the new 2010 model) will be made in China, as a firm there has bought the tooling. Still no deal on the whole company, though.

STOCKHOLM, Dec 3 (Reuters) - Swedish carmaker Saab has sold the production equipment for its old 9-5 models to Beijing Automotive Industry Holding Corp (BAIC), a paper reported. Sweden's Ny Teknik newspaper, quoting unnamed sources, said that a deal has already been struck between Saab and China's No. 10 automaker for the production tools for the old 9-5 sedans. The report, appearing on the newspaper's website on Thursday, said Saab had begun dismantling the production line for the old sedans in October as part of a plan to send the equipment to China and make way for its new 9-5 line due to start production early next year.

Full article at Reuters

i read somewhere that Spyker was interested in buying Saab...

A few years ago when gas was cheaper, no one would buy a Saab because for the same money you could get a big 6 or V8. The turbo 4 was perceived as just too downscale, despite good levels of power and reasonable NVH. Fast forward a few years and many manufacturers are going to smaller plants with DI/turbos etc. to make good power while returning better mpg. Saab's strategy looks pretty smart now; unfortunately the 9-5 got long in the tooth before a replacement was funded.

Disclosure: I recently bought a used Saab and love it. The '04-'06 9-3 was a serious contender in my price range owing to its 5-speed auto and good power and fuel economy. Ended up with an '02 9-5 wagon for the additonal Labrador room. Parts prices haven't been the fright I anticipated [h/t: genuinesaab] and the owner/enthusiast community has been a superb resource for takeoffs, deals, and tech info.

I really hope Saab makes it. The upcoming 9-5 looks like a winner and their technology is very good, especially forced-induction.