Saab is making cars again

unkel

After a few pre-production models back in September, the very first series produced Saab (a 9-3 Aero) under new ownership rolled off the production line this afternoon

That's the first mass produced Saab in 2.5 years. Fully electric Saab 9-3s are expected next year

MuppetCheck

Yay, you can buy an eleven year old design again. Seriously, those 93s are akin to what is coming out of China at this stage. Has an aura of MG-Rover about it.

I'd like one of the final model 95s and it's a good thing to see them back but the brand cheapening themselves producing that old thing again isn't.

Supergurrier

They have the parts and switchgear.
They bankrupt themselves the first time around overextending themselves to perfect the design/reflection of brand values on that car design
They need to get the money in

Seems like a no brainer to me

unkel

MuppetCheck wrote: »

I'd like one of the final model 95s

Me too. Things got quite complicated though after the bankrupcy of Saab when owner GM for some reason did not want to play ball on any kind of take over / restart / licensing

GM effectively killed off Saab twice, the first time a slow death by starvation from not feeding Saab with any must needed rejuvenating / investment capital to speak off over a 20 year period

jimmycrackcorm

All I can say is I love my 9-3 cabrio and I'll hold on to it as long as it lasts.

Fortunately I don't have to drive very much (cycle commute / wife car at w/e ) so I'll probably be dead before it.

colm_mcm

MuppetCheck wrote: »

Yay, you can buy an eleven year old design again. Seriously, those 93s are akin to what is coming out of China at this stage. Has an aura of MG-Rover about it.

I'd like one of the final model 95s and it's a good thing to see them back but the brand cheapening themselves producing that old thing again isn't.

Long product runs are part of their heritage. Like their aircraft heritage that they bang on about

Renegade Mechanic

Heh, wonder will they behave this time round or flip GM another birdie:D

Old diesel

Better to see them producing the 11 year old 9 3 design rather then not have them at all - imo.

Its a start - and a damn sight better then nothing I think

bazz26

Saab have more lives than a cat.

Lurching

Good on them.
I hate to see car brands die.

It may take a while to see any new models I'd imagine.
It'd be interesting to see them expand their range beyond 2 main models.

CianRyan

Is it wrong that the first thing I thought was, "For how long?"

hansfrei

Passats are as old. They might do a VW and add Bluetooth and DRLs to an ancient car.

lomb

If the 'new' cars are as poor and dated as the 93 convertible I drove then they are useless and destined for bankruptcy again. There are many better cars with huge R+D budgets like Audi, Bmw, Merc etc

Robxxx7

Long Live Saab

colm_mcm

hansfrei wrote: »

Passats are as old. They might do a VW and add Bluetooth and DRLs to an ancient car.

Passat came in late 05, 93 came in early 2002.

unkel

lomb wrote: »

There are many better cars with huge R+D budgets like Audi, Bmw, Merc etc

Yawn. There have always been better cars than Saabs for similar money. I'll still have a new model 9-5, thanks

hi5

Saabs have character, they stir the soul:)

rovoagho

Saw one of the last 9-5s just two days ago, first one I'd seen in a while. Still want one.

lomb

unkel wrote: »

Yawn. There have always been better cars than Saabs for similar money. I'll still have a new model 9-5, thanks

Go for it. I think they are 40k. Id say youd loose around 20k in the first week if you needed to sell;)

Mycroft H

Sooner have a Saab over a Passat, thank you very much.



VW, Audi, and BMW are now too common.

jimgoose

unkel wrote: »

...M effectively killed off Saab twice, the first time a slow death by starvation from not feeding Saab with any must needed rejuvenating / investment capital to speak off over a 20 year period

I think Detroit just wanted Saab to participate in the whole badge-engineering bit. When they proceeded to pour money into their own (uniquely Swedish!) R&D this exasperated the Yanks and they eventually pulled the plug.

lomb

Mycroft H wrote: »

Sooner have a Saab over a Passat, thank you very much.



VW, Audi, and BMW are now too common.

With a picture of a Dragon you need to lord it over the ordinary man and a Saab wont be any use for that. Guys they dont make good cars. They did innovate in the past but most would agree those days are a long time ago. They will also have poorly trained staff that are out of practice and angry with lay offs if rehired. I would say most will be Friday evening cars and I certainly wouldnt buy one.

MuppetCheck

Mycroft H wrote: »

Sooner have a Saab over a Passat, thank you very much.



VW, Audi, and BMW are now too common.

Common or not, I'd sooner have the better car.

rovoagho

Then you're a motorist, not a driver.

Mycroft H

MuppetCheck wrote: »

Common or not, I'd sooner have the better car.

It's all subjective.

CianRyan

I'd hardly argue over an old 9-3 and sn old Passat. Neither are praised for their sheer driving pleasure.

MuppetCheck

rovoagho wrote: »

Then you're a motorist, not a driver.

But the other options are better for both in this case. Why settle for a car that is neither the best all rounder or drive? For the name?

If there was some quirkiness or uniqueness like Saabs of old I can most definitely see the appeal, but the 93 is a white good.

bazz26

I hope they don't end up like the MGs and certain Chryslers being churned out these days where the only recognizable bit of their heritage is the badges. If they go down that road then they will just end up fecked again.

MuppetCheck

CianRyan wrote: »

I'd hardly argue over an old 9-3 and sn old Passat. Neither are praised for their sheer driving pleasure.

Take away driving pleasure (the current Passat has it licked incidentally), the 93 has a crap interior, and looks like Dame Edna Everage. Admittedly a younger version of the good Dame but like her all the same.

rovoagho

MuppetCheck wrote: »

But the other options are better for both in this case. Why settle for a car that is neither the best all rounder or drive? For the name?

If there was some quirkiness or uniqueness like Saabs of old I can most definitely see the appeal, but the 93 is a white good.

It was a joke, but that being said, the last 9-5 can hardly be called bland. It stood out when it first hit the road, and it still stands out today. The engineers and designers had finally taken Saab back from the bland-loving parent company middle-managers, they just picked the wrong time to rebel.

I'll take a 2nd-gen 9-5 over anything on the market at the moment, precisely because it's unusual and dares to be different. I just hope they crack out a few more of them now, otherwise they'll be too rare when they get to 10 years old, which is when I traditionally buy cars.

I would never buy a car in the 9-3 vein, so they don't really blip my radar. The last small Saab I loved was the Turbo. I shouldn't need to specify the model name, there has only ever really been one "Saab Turbo" as far as I'm concerned.

Mycroft H

The 99

rovoagho

Despite the fact that they only stopped making them when I was 12, the 99 never really caught my attention. And you know the car I'm talking about.

Mycroft H

Well it can only be only one acceptable other. Though I do have a soft spot for the 9000 2.3t. Fun learning to drive in one of them.

rovoagho

Very nearly bought a V6 9000 CSE many moons ago, but it was too much of a risk. Nearly worth it for the color combo though, scarab green over that lush black Saab leather.

Renegade Mechanic

lomb wrote: »

With a picture of a Dragon you need to lord it over the ordinary man and a Saab wont be any use for that. Guys they dont make good cars. They did innovate in the past but most would agree those days are a long time ago. They will also have poorly trained staff that are out of practice and angry with lay offs if rehired. I would say most will be Friday evening cars and I certainly wouldnt buy one.

Oh ho ho Swedes are not like us.... Attitude wise, I reckon those that are re-hired will be cool.

Old diesel

jimgoose wrote: »

I think Detroit just wanted Saab to participate in the whole badge-engineering bit. When they proceeded to pour money into their own (uniquely Swedish!) R&D this exasperated the Yanks and they eventually pulled the plug.

Exactly - that's exactly what they wanted to do with Saab.

Getting the mk 1 9 5 to 4/5 star NCAP rating on a 1988 platform - shows what Saab could do.

Most other manufacturers had the luxury of been able to develop brand new platforms to do the same thing.

Makes one wonder what they could have done if they were left to produce a brand new platform of their own

unkel

Old diesel wrote: »

Getting the mk 1 9 5 to 4/5 star NCAP rating on a 1988 platform - shows what Saab could do.

Indeed. What particularly strikes me is that when NCAP first tested the 9-5 in '98 (on a 10 year old platform at the time as you say), it was the safest car they ever tested!

Mycroft H

unkel wrote: »

Indeed. What particularly strikes me is that when NCAP first tested the 9-5 in '98 (on a 10 year old platform at the time as you say), it was the safest car they ever tested!

Yet still not surprising coming from a manufacturer who pioneered things like SIPS (side impact protection system), collapsible steering columns and the dual brake circuits!

Old diesel

Mycroft H wrote: »

Yet still not surprising coming from a manufacturer who pioneered things like SIPS (side impact protection system), collapsible steering columns and the dual brake circuits!

This is why many get excited by Saab - its like - theres "potential".

We think of Classic 900s and think - if only they could recreate that - from scratch - completely new platform - no GM nonsense.

In our heads that would sound amazing - forgetting of course that in the modern motoring world - youd get styling something like a 900 classic - but the chassis would end up coming off a Kia Optima type yoke - and thus be boring :D:D.

rovoagho

SIPS was invented by Volvo. Dunno about dual circuit brakes, but collapsible steering columns aren't a Saab thing either.

Mycroft H

rovoagho wrote: »

SIPS was invented by Volvo. Dunno about dual circuit brakes, but collapsible steering columns aren't a Saab thing either.

They were the first mass manufactured car with diagonal-dual circuit brakes. And The collapsible steering column was introduced in the Saab 96.

Kaiser D

Give it 10 years and we'll be posting them in the bangernomics thread :pac:

rovoagho

Mycroft H wrote: »

They were the first mass manufactured car with diagonal-dual circuit brakes. And The collapsible steering column was introduced in the Saab 96.

I'm pretty sure collapsible steering columns were in mainstream American cars far earlier than that, but I couldn't swear to it right now. Too late for research!

toyotaavensis

I think the thing nobody has mentioned about SAABs is that they are so comfortable. I used be in a 9-3 with leather interior every day and have never found a car seat that came close to it.

I wanted a 9-5 2.0 with the lpt when I got the avensis but couldnt find a good one at the time. Unfortunately the avensis will never break so I wont be getting my SAAB for a while.