Future plans for SAAB

mumblin deaf ro

Good interview with Christian Von Koenigsegg on future plans for SAAB: new 900, higher prices and cargine technology on the way. Some of this may be pipe dream fodder but nice to hear all the same.

http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/News/Search-Results/Industry-News/CAR-interviews-Christian-von-Koenigsegg-on-the-future-of-Saab/

unkel

Enjoyed reading that. There's the usual blah blah like that and an EV on the way and since when do Saabs have excellent gearboxes?

But von Koenigsegg is clearly a realist who has thoroughly thought this through. Not afraid to share / buy in technology. Premium prices because Saab is back as a niche product, with an enthousiast following. A new small trendy car with huge margins like the MINI (that would be the first small Saab in about 30 years). I think this might very well work!

mumblin deaf ro

The only problem is that the hardcore SAAB enthusiasts buy their cars second hand. He needs to do what Jaguar have done - new attractive cars that still excite the (skint) purist.

Promising though.

unkel

mumblin deaf ro wrote: »

The only problem is that the hardcore SAAB enthusiasts buy their cars second hand.

Isn't that the same with most hardcore enthusiasts, exception perhaps for high performance cars?

pburns

I really like the way this guy thinks. The odds are stacked against them to an extent but some very successful people are behind this - not a jurrasic old organisation like GM.

If they get the next 9-3 right (recession permitting) it would be very high up on my wish-list. Scandinavian design (think IKEA) is ****-hot amongst the middle-class chattering class. It wouldn't take a marketing genius to accentuate this... Am I the only one bored ****less with the Germans and their chase down-market and into ever more ludicrous niche products?

The IT nerds love their Audis and BMWs but surely there are c. 125,000 people in the world who want something a little more discerning?

VolvoMan

unkel wrote: »

A new small trendy car with huge margins like the MINI (that would be the first small Saab in about 30 years). I think this might very well work!

BMW would have you believe otherwise. Apparently it is very hard to get anything at all off a new MINI when buying new and it's always in the media how BMW are looking for partners to produce the next generation. For FIAT to make it financially viable to produce the 500 as well they had to base it on the Panda platform and jointly develop it with the Ford Ka, so I don't think this sort of car will work for a small independent company like SAAB.

unkel

VolvoMan wrote: »

BMW would have you believe otherwise. Apparently it is very hard to get anything at all off a new MINI when buying new

They might have YOU and anyone who has ever bought a MINI believe otherwise

Thing is, they didn't need to give a buyer a discount as the cars were selling anyway. <accountant> and I would absolutely love to see the sales vs cos figures for any of those optional packs. Pepper, chili? Yahoo!!!!</accountant>

L1011

VolvoMan wrote: »

For FIAT to make it financially viable to produce the 500 as well they had to base it on the Panda platform and jointly develop it with the Ford Ka, so I don't think this sort of car will work for a small independent company like SAAB.

It was more a case of "for Ford to make it financially viable to replace the Ka they had to stick a body kit on a Fiat Panda". The 500 was viable on its own and came out a long, long time before the new Ka. Fiat specialise in small cars and had floated the idea of a Panda based 500 relaunch in 2004.

Claiming the Ka is 'based on the 500' is entirely marketing spin to avoid admitting its based on a car that was announced in 2002.

mumblin deaf ro

I agree to an extent volvoman, but there still needs to have a progression for SAAB drivers. At the moment it's mid-range saloon or nothing. They need to be able to introduce younger drivers to the brand and then keep them later on. I feel that the small car market - aside from dragging down the average emissions across the range to meet legal requirements - acts as an introduction to the brand. That's why there's an A3 and a 1 series - they're not the shining lights of the range, but they widen the customer base with a view to future sales.

The small car market seems to me to be about two things: reliability for older drivers or else sexyness for younger (probably female) drivers. Neither of those groups fit with the typical SAAB constituency. The Volvo C30 was a flop and SAAB wouldn't want to fail that way too. Koenigsegg wants to get back into rallying so maybe there will be a hot hatch SAAB at some stage, but in my view their best bet is to become a swedish tuning house for other brands and a general repository of engineering excellence, making money (and kudos) from tweaking other brands. The next five years are about reclaiming the reputation built by the 99/900 and building from there.

Mr Benevolent

In other news, Von Koenigsegg has told the world that he has just recruited Ireland's only SAAB owner (Saab Ed) just to hear the agonised screams when they design a marketable car.

Three years later:

'We've come full circle,' said Von Koenigsegg 'Our newest car is a triumph of form over func... no, wait, function over for... no, scratch that. Anyway, here it is.' He gestured to a sleek form gently rotating under red silk. Suddenly Von Koenigsegg threw up his arms. 'Enough!' he cried, 'Bring out Saab Ed!' A dramatic clanking noise offstage resolved itself into a shipping container being lowered slowly from the ceiling. The audience shrank back as they heard the terrible oaths from within. 'SAAB forever, even if I drive a Fiesta!' and 'A SAAB is not a Vectra!' The voice gurgled into someone making 'brrrm brrrm' noises and laughing insanely.

As the box settled on the stage, Von Koenigsegg sprang to his feet and wheeled around to face the container. 'Saab Ed! Saab Ed! Can you hear us, Oh Mighty Enthusiast?' A ear splitting roar and a tattoo of blows dented the container from the inside. 'HEAR YOU? I CAN SMELL THE SAAB ON YOU, LITTLE MAN!'

Von Koenigsegg blanched visibly and began to back nervously away. 'Saab Ed!' he cried, his voice trembling as the monster began a furious assault on its prison, 'We come before you in the spirit of penitence! We have brought our latest design for your approval!' The pounding ceased. 'Really?' came the monster's voice, 'I say, how decent of you. Let me out and I'll have a gander at it.' Von Koenigsegg, knowing the monster's moods, began to shake violently. 'But... but what if the design does not... please you?' Coarse demonic laughter rang out. 'YOU KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN, VON KOENIGSEGG, YOU SIGNED THE CONTRACT!'

Von Koenigsegg hung his head. 'Very well. Release The One Enthusiast.' Minions rushed to the container, hands shaking as they undid the myriad bolts. Finally unlocked, one unlucky peon was pushed forward to open the reinforced doors. Slowly the massive door yawned open to reveal a terrible sight. So terrible, in fact, as to be indescribable. Members of the audience screamed in terror. One man vowed never to drive a SAAB again. The monster emerged howling into the light of TV cameras, and, snuffling horribly it slowly rotated its head towards the shape hidden under acres of artfully concealing silk. Bellowing loudly, it knocked Von Koenigsegg out of the way, sprang across the stage and tore away the silk with a dramatic flourish.

The audience held their breath as the monster beheld the product of so many fevered dreams. The monster's jaw hung open. Time seemed to stand still. Von Koenigsegg, winded by the monster, rose unsteadily to his feet and slowly approached the slack-jawed behemoth eyeing up the newest member of the SAAB family.

Finally the two stood side by side.The monster cleared his throat and spoke in a low, threatening rumble. 'New sheet design is it? Or is it based on another car?' Von Koenigsegg mopped at his forehead with a suit sleeve. 'Errr... ummm... well, it's... that is...' The monster arched a dangerous eyebrow. 'Yesssss?' it snarled. Von Koenigsegg's shoulders drooped, a broken man. 'It's... it's based on the Mk2 Laguna.' He flinched and prepared himself for the death blow he knew was coming. Instead, he looked up to see the monster almost smile. 'Laguna, eh? I like it!'

And they all lived crappily ever after.

mumblin deaf ro

PS: SAAB's design future is in Europe but its financial future is in China. BAIC (Its Chinese partner) has just bought the rights to issue the (12-year-old) 9-5 to the chinese market where European pastiche is the order of the day. SAAB will sell loss-making class-leading cars in Europe on the basis that the Chinese spin-off market will yield tens of thousands of euro-wannabe customers. in the meantime it will prostitute its tech and R&D knowledge as a tuning house-type service to major manufacturers.

PPS: welcome to my world - this post may never become reality.

unkel

unkel wrote: »

Enjoyed reading that. There's the usual blah blah like that and an EV on the way and since when do Saabs have excellent gearboxes?

There's not much wrong with them tbh, the gearbox's on the hpt take up to 400bhp no bother.

VolvoMan

mumblin deaf ro wrote: »

The Volvo C30 was a flop and SAAB wouldn't want to fail that way too.

I actually think the C30 would've been a success if it had a bigger boot and was in the slightest bit sporty to drive. It would've made a great upgrade for the MINI owner who wanted a similar amount of style with added practicality. The car could've done so well for the brand, only it was so poorly conceived. Although, in saying that, sales do seem to have picked up a good bit of late.

godtabh

Confab wrote: »

In other news, Von Koenigsegg has told the world that he has just recruited Ireland's only SAAB owner (Saab Ed) just to hear the agonised screams when they design a marketable car.

I own a saab. Great car. Put a good marketing team behind it and it could sell very well. Nothing wrong with the car itself