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Filed under: Safety , Tech , GM , Saab 2010 Saab 9-3X debut in Geneva - Click above for high-res image gallery Glimmers of hope are arguably about all Saab has to hang onto now, but the Swedish brand hasn't stopped reaching for them. Saab is currently in bankruptcy proceedings while parties on both sides look to extricate the quirky automaker from parent General Motors' web. Getting ready for that eventual separation, and to entice a buyer to make a hard offer in the meantime, Saab reportedly has signed a pact with GM to exchange technology for five to ten years. As part of the agreement, Saab will get access to GM platforms and in turn, GM will get Saab's safety, chassis tuning, and engine knowledge. Although it might appear to be a lopsided trade, Saab reportedly won''t share its most advanced turbo and safety technology, and in return, it will get... the chance to survive. Gallery: Geneva 2009: 2010 Saab 9-3X [Source: Sydney Morning Herald ] GM to engage in tech-sharing...
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Filed under: Marketing/Advertising , Saab , Lifestyle GM has been heavy in the entertainment sponsorship game, with a variety of scripted programs, award shows, and movies at some point being tied to GM product. Bumblebee has undoubtedly paid dividends for the new Camaro, and now the spy drama "Burn Notice," on USA Network, has done something of the same for Saab. An online game called "Covert Ops" was created that mirrored the show's plot line, featuring the main character, Michael Westen, driving around Miami in a Saab 9-3 droptop. Over the course of eight weeks, the game got more and more popular, with a final tally of 50,000 registered users and 500,000 unique visitors having tooled around in the virtual car by the time it was all was said done. With those kinds of numbers, that means Saab was exposed to nearly 25 times the number of people who actually bought Saabs all of last year. GM hasn't said whether it will continue Saab promotion on the show, but...
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Filed under: Government/Legal , GM , Saab , Earnings/Financials Two months. That's how long the world will have to wait for Saab to identify its new owner, according to Managing Director Jan-Ake Jonsson. Although he didn't specifically mention candidates, Jonsson told Automotive News Europe that, "There are about five we want to talk to. There are a couple more we are also looking into." Possible suitors include China's Geely Automotive and Dongfeng Motor Company , although there has been no official word from either. Private equity firms and representatives of retired Swedish workers have also expressed interest. Sweden's government, with an obvious stake in the company's future, has reportedly considered loan guarantees to the right successor. General Motors said it will end ownership of the brand on January 1, 2010. GM bought 50% of the company in 1990 for about $700 million, and paid another $125 million for the balance in 2000. With sales down 35% in 2008...
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Filed under: Wagons/Estates , Geneva Motor Show , Crossovers/CUVs , Saab Click above for high-res gallery of the Saab 9-3X Saab debuted its 9-3X at the Geneva Motor Show , and while it's a new market for the Swedish brand (we'll try to forget about the body-on-frame 9-7X, thank you), we suspect that the lifted load-lugger will probably outsell the standard SportCombi by a healthy margin Stateside, given America's appetite for such things. It's quite handsome in person and the inherently less-sharp handling of a sportstilts wagon ought to paper over the 9-3's occasionally soggy dynamics. Said another way, a lack of razor-sharp handling in the 9-3 platform would seem to be more appropriate/acceptable in a softroader than a sporty wagon or sedan. While basically the same as the 2.0-liter Sportcombi, the 9-3X has a 1.4-inch higher stance and standard Cross-Wheel Drive (XWD), a fantastically grippy system that figures to give the new model sufficient softroading abilities...
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Filed under: Wagons/Estates , Geneva Motor Show , Crossovers/CUVs , Saab Click above for high-res gallery of the Saab 9-3X Saab debuted its 9-3X at the Geneva Motor Show , and while it's a new market for the Swedish brand (we'll try to forget about the body-on-frame 9-7X, thank you), we suspect that the lifted load-lugger will probably outsell the standard SportCombi by a healthy margin Stateside, given America's appetite for such things. It's quite handsome in person and the inherently less-sharp handling of a sportstilts wagon ought to paper over the 9-3's occasionally soggy dynamics. Said another way, a lack of razor-sharp handling in the 9-3 platform would seem to be more appropriate/acceptable in a softroader than a sporty wagon or sedan. While basically the same as the 2.0-liter Sportcombi, the 9-3X has a 1.4-inch higher stance and standard Cross-Wheel Drive (XWD), a fantastically grippy system that figures to give the new model sufficient softroading abilities...
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Filed under: Etc. , Euro , Saab , Volvo Saab and Volvo have been down this road before, back in the 1970s. In fact, the two Swedish automakers were a hair away from merging 240s and 900s back in the day, but instead followed separate paths. Now, with both brands facing difficult sales numbers and uncertain futures, Bob Lutz thinks a merger sounds good once again. Lutz thinks it'd be a way for Ford and General Motors to both rid themselves of problematic business units. The soon-to-be former Car Czar for GM offers no insight about how the merged companies might actually make money - both automakers have lots of red on the balance sheets - and while Volvo has secured a promise of $546 million from the European Investment Bank, Saab's been having a tougher go of it. In the end, a merger between Saab and Volvo would be great for their parent companies, but we're not yet clear on how exactly it would benefit the Swedish brands as they hold on for dear life. [Source: thelocal , Photo...
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Filed under: Car Buying , Saab Damage control must be in full swing at General Motors these days with the recent announcement that Saab and Saturn are on the outs and Pontiac will forge on with a reduced product portfolio. Just yesterday, Susan Docherty, VP of Buick/Pontiac/GMC, published a post on GM's Fastlane blog saying that "Pontiac is alive and kicking, and we are still part of GM's future plans." Fair enough, but what about Saturn and Saab? A few weeks back, Saturn General Manager Jill Lajdziak sent reassuring letters to the owners of Saturn automobiles suggesting that the brand will live on, even if that means bringing in products from other automakers. Now, Mark C. McNabb, Vice President of GM's Premium Channel, has done the same for Saab owners. The two notes follow a similar pattern, first reminding owners why their specific brand is different from the rest and then highlighting why its corporate parents are pushing it out of the nest. The underlining theme...
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Filed under: Marketing/Advertising , Videos , Saab , Lifestyle Click above to watch the video of the Saab Performance Team This latest video of the Saab Performance Team is just as depressing as it is cool (additional helpings here and here ). The cool part is obvious: when's the last time you saw a guy put a yellow convertible on two wheels across a frozen lake and drive it with one hand on the wheel? Depressing because it reminds you of how cool Saab is, which leads to remembering that Saab is bankrupt . Still, it's well worth the watch, and you even get footage of the coming 9-3X , and proof that the company should be saved, if only for the Performance Team. Follow the jump to check it out. [Source: TurboNines ] Continue reading VIDEO: Saab Performance Team practicing with new models VIDEO: Saab Performance Team practicing with new models originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 01 Mar 2009 16:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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