Swedish site The Local claims that Saab produced $531 million in black ink in 2009. Not possible, right? General Motors was, after all, all too ready to walk away and let the Born from Jets automaker die a pauper's death. Well, it seems as though all automaker profits come chock-full of asterisks, and the half a billion dollar profit is certainly no different. Saab was reportedly able to make with the dough by brokering deals with creditors to write off 75 percent of its debt and by selling technology, tooling, and manufacturing rights to Chinese automaker BAIC for $164 million.
Without Saab's extraordinary efforts to remain in business, the company would have lost $752 million in 2009. The Swedish automaker sold a mere 38,756 vehicles during the tumultuous year, generating revenue of just $820 million. We're thinking that there is little chance Saab will be able to pull big-time kroner out of its collective hat in 2010, so the automaker will probably have to rely on its new-for-2010 9-5 and newly leaner organization to book profits in the future.
Saab: A History in Pictures - Click above for high-res image gallery
Sure enough, fans of the Dutch-owned Swedish manufacturer will descend on Aurora to participate in this year's 2010 Saab Owner's Convention. Why Aurora, Ohio? Because 30 years ago, that was where Saab took the checkered at the "Longest Day at Nelson Ledges" 24 hour endurance race. To mark the occasion and celebrate escaping the steely death grip of General Motors, the three-day event will feature a keynote address from none other than the company's charismatic head honcho, Victor Muller. Word has it that Saab's current chairman, Jan-Åke Jonsson will say a word or two as well. Perhaps tellingly, in past years, GM sent lower-level executives to gladhand at the Saab Owner's Convention, but this is the first time in memory that such high-ranking officials have committed to make the scene.
Meanwhile, a track day will kick off with test drives of the new 9-5 Aero Sedan open to any and all who choose to participate. Saab will also have a 9-3 Aero Convertible on hand to pore over as well. As you might have guessed, there will also be a handful of car show events on the schedule, complete with awards for people's choice, Concours d'Saab and best Saab Fleet in North America. Fortunately, the whole collection doesn't have to be in Aurora to pick up the gold on that last one. The shindig starts tomorrow, Thursday, July 22 and runs through Sunday, July 25, so if you've got a Saab-loving bone in your body, you know where to be. Hit the jump to see the full press blast.
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Chris Shunk, Alex Nunez, Chris Paukert and Dan Roth wrap up the 4th of July long weekend with Episode #185 of the Autoblog Podcast. Topics are Toyota's valve-spring recall, a new engine in the Mercedes CL-Class, the Bugatti Veyron's speed record, and the newly teased Volvo V60 Wagon. We go off on a Saab tangent and finish up by responding to your questions before wrapping at an hour and twenty minutes. Thanks for listening, see you next time!
Autoblog Podcast #185 - Valve Springs, Speed Records, Wagons and Tangents
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2010 Saab 9-5 - Click above for high-res image gallery
The 2010 Saab 9-5 hasn't even lost its new-car smell yet and already tuners are coming out of the woodwork to churn out power upgrades for the car's three available engines. If you happen to find yourself in Europe and holding the keys to a brand-spanking new 9-5, Hirsch is claiming that it can pull up to 335 horsepower from the Aero's 2.8-liter turbo V6 engine. That's around 35 more ponies than what Saab shells out from the factory - not huge numbers, but still a useful increase.
According to enthusiast website SaabsUnited.com, Hirsch can bump the output from the not-for-North-America 2.0-liter turbo-diesel from 160 horsepower to 190, and the 220 horsepower four-cylinder engine can be massaged to 260 ponies with a little effort. It isn't immediately clear how much the Hirsch upgrades cost, or what goes into pulling the ponies from the existing engines. We're guessing the program is little more than an ECU reflash, possibly with a less restrictive exhaust or air intake to boot, but we could be wrong. Either way, we wouldn't be surprised to see similar efforts pop up in our neck of the woods soon.
Saab 9-4x concept - Click above for high-res image gallery
Judging by the latest spy pics, it looks like the Saab 9-4x is fully baked and ready to hit the streets. Saab has stripped the camo off the integration prototypes for the new 9-4x crossover and it doesn't appear to have changed much since the original concept debuted at the Detroit Auto Show two years ago.
AutoExpress reports that production has begun at the same Ramos Arizpe, Mexico plant that produces the Cadillac SRX, although our sources indicate that production is still a few months off and considering the time frame, it's safe to assume that the production 9-4X will debut at the Paris Motor Show this September.
Like the concept, the production 9-4x will likely be powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four, with an optional 2.8-liter turbo V6 from the Turbo-X and the in the Cadillac SRX. AE is also reporting that the Saab will offer a 2.9-liter turbodiesel developed with VM Motori which might be the V6 that was once planned for the European market Cadillac CTS.
If Saab is going to survive, much less thrive on its own, it's going to need more fresh product to supplement the just-launched 9-5. An all-new 9-3 is going to play a big part in the revival of the Swedish brand, and Saab is reportedly hard at work on a new platform for its mainstream model.
The new platform, reportedly dubbed the "Phoenix Architecture" will likely also underpin the next generation 9-5, although it may adopt some pieces from the current model such as the Hi-Per strut front suspension. Prior the GM bankruptcy, it had been decided that the next 9-3 would move from the mid-size Epsilon platform to the compact Delta platform. At this point it looks like Saab will stick with the downsizing plan with it's internally developed compact as it targets the Audi A3 is its main competitor. The hardcore Saab fans out there will also be glad to hear that the new model will include a revival of the dearly departed hatchback form factor.
Powerplants remain an open question for Saab, with BMW still likely to be the front-runner as a supplier. The 1.6-liter engines from the Mini Countryman are one probably candidate, with the 184 horsepower turbocharged Cooper S being a range topper. Before the new 9-3 arrives in 2012, Saab may also do a refresh of the current model, adding the 180 horsepower 1.6-liter turbocharged inline-four that recently debuted in the new Astra.
2011 Saab 9-5 - Click above for high-res image gallery
Except for a few very low volume manufacturers, it's almost impossible to sell any significant number of cars without spending some dollars on advertising and promotion. Yet that's exactly what Saab has been doing in the months since it was sold by General Motors. Apparently, that's all about to change in a really big way as Saab prepares to start selling its all-new 9-5. Because the 9-5 is at the heart of the company's efforts to reclaim the sales volume it has lost in the last several years, it makes sense that Saab would wait until the new car was ready for customers.
Saab is planning to spend $150 million on marketing its handsome large sedan, starting with its home-market introduction in Sweden this weekend and continuing through the U.S. introduction in August. According to BusinessWeek, Saab also plans to cut its worldwide dealer body by up to 10 percent by the end of next year to cut costs as it aims for profitability in 2012.
Since this is 2010, the marketing push will go well beyond the usual print and broadcast advertising with a major online and mobile push that includes applications for the Apple iPad and iPhone. Later this year, we can probably expect a similar effort for the introduction of the 9-4x crossover.
Jason Castriota at work - Click above for high-res image gallery of the Bertone Mantide
Intriguing news comes by way of BusinessWeek this afternoon indicating that Saab has hired American designer Jason Castriota to serve as its head designer. Surely you remember Castriota, the man responsible for such memorable designs as James Glickenhaus' one-off Ferrari P4/5 by Pininfarina and the somewhat controversial but striking Bertone Mantide.
It seems that the 36-year-old Castriota's first assignment at the reborn Swedish automaker will be redesigning the firm's bread-and-butter 9-3 range into something a bit more unique and upscale. Expect to see the first fruits of his labor sometime in 2012, which, incidentally, is the year that the quirky company hopes to regain profitability.
We have no idea what the designer has in store for the 9-3, but it had better be good to take on the likes of the BMW 3 Series, Audi A4 and Mercedes-Benz C-Class. For what it's worth, company CEO Victor Muller said, "The 9-3 design as made by him is basically done, and I can tell you it is spectacular. It is truly aircraft-inspired and Swedish-clean."
Sounds promising... but what else would Muller say? In any case, we're anxiously looking forward to our first glimpse at Castriota's first mainstream project to date. While we're waiting, weigh in on whether Saab's hiring move was a good one or not with our poll below. *UPDATE: Official Saab announcement added after the jump.
When Saab first showed the 9-X Biohybrid concept at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show, it was expected to evolve into a production model based on General Motors' compact Delta architecture which forms the foundation of the Opel Astra and Chevrolet Cruze. Now that Saab is owned by Spyker Cars, CEO Victor Muller is reportedly looking for a new platform partner in Munich.
According to Swedish daily Dagens Industri, Saab is negotiating with BMW about getting access to the Mini architecture for a new 9-2 model to slot in underneath the 9-3. Before the teardrop-shaped runabout can become a reality, Saab needs to successfully launch both the 9-5 sedan and the 9-4x crossover.
There is no word yet on whether Muller is said to be in exclusive talks with BMW, or if Muller and Co. are in discussions with other automakers about supplying platforms and parts for the planned supermini. For its part, news agency Reuters quotes a unnamed BMW spokesman as saying "We are in talks with several interested parties who have interest in our technology... there are no contracts with Saab at the moment."
The 9-4x, which shares its platform with the Cadillac SRX, is expected to finally launch early next year. But for the model to be successful in Europe, it will need to have a diesel engine option, and Dagens Industri is also reporting that BMW could also provide engines options, although that could be more problematic. The 9-4x has a transverse mounted powertrain, but all of BMW's engines are longitudinally arrayed, which would require significant re-engineering. A tip of the hat to William!
2010 Saab 9-5 hits the handling track - Click above to watch the video after the jump
For a while there, it seemed like the 2010 Saab 9-5 might have never seen the light of day. Thankfully, that worry has been wiped away, and we've now had our chance to experience the 9-5 firsthand in Gothenburg, Sweden.
In this video, available after the jump, Saab's performance integration manager of vehicle dynamics, Stefan Rundquist, pilots the new sedan around a Swedish handling track, pointing out the different features that make the 9-5 an enjoyable steer (complete with moose test footage!). Maybe it's not the most interesting footage ever released - "We have a high level of front-end grip... Um, we also have a very high level of rear-end grip..." - but it's always nice to see a sporty sedan being put through its paces.
We know we're pretty impressed with now the 2010 9-5 turned out, and we're eager to get another stint behind the wheel, this time in America.
2010 Saab 9-5 - Click above for high-res image gallery
A funny thing happened on the way to bankruptcy court for General Motors. As part of a bid to have its red-stained slate wiped clean, it moved to divest itself of a number of brands in its bloated portfolio, with Pontiac, Saturn, Hummer and Saab all earmarked for sale or closure. However, only one brand inspired sufficient passion among both owners and those with the financial wherewithal to rescue it from GM's 'wind-down' apple polishers. Oddly enough, it was the tiny Swede that successfully swam out to the life raft. Saab, the marque with the smallest and oldest product lineup, lowest volume, and the poorest brand recognition among American consumers somehow found a way to survive.
How, exactly, did this come to pass? For starters, unlike any other of GM's death-row divisions, owners and fans rallied in dozens of countries, urging anyone who listened to "Save Saab." Now, we're not naïve enough to think that a band of loyalists were all it took to change the course of automotive history, but it's telling that there were no pitchforks and torches - or even a handful of picket signs - produced over the axing of the other brands. Saab remains a seldom understood, much loved brand, and we know that the displays of unity from Saab's scorned faithful stoked the fire of unlikely suitor Victor Muller, CEO and owner of Spyker Cars, as his team waded through a stomach-churning series of negotiations. After watching from the sidelines while bids by other small automakers and investment groups fizzled, the Dutch businessman and his team eventually pried the battered brand away from GM - but not before Saab had been partially liquidated.
While Muller clearly has an affinity for the Swedish marque, he insists it wasn't boyhood sentiment that drove the purchase - it was the company's robust Trollhättan operations and a raft of promising, almost-here product that pushed his team to persevere. That stream of shiny new tin begins with the car you see before you: The 2010 9-5. Click through to the jump to see if Muller and Company have good reason to be optimistic.
With Volvo forever separated from Ford, the Swedish automaker needs of a new leader, and a report from Automotive News shows that that search may start and end in the country's own back yard. Swedish Business daily Dagens Industri claims Jan Ake Jonsson, the current CEO of Saab, is on the short list of names who could one-day run Volvo. Volvo's current CEO, Stephen Odell, will reportedly leave the Swedish automaker for a post as head of Ford Europe.
The Swedish paper reports that Jonsson has already been contacted for the position, though the current Saab boss told the news outlet that he promised Spyker CEO Victor Mueller that he'd stay on a while longer. That doesn't sound like a long-term commitment to Saab, but it doesn't say that Jonsson has his bags packed, either. We're sure, though, that new Volvo owner Geely would calm a lot of nervous Swedes by appointing the native Jonsson to the top Volvo spot.
2011 Saab 9-5 - Click above for high-res image gallery
Autoblog has learned that newly emancipated Saab is already looking to boost its enthusiast portfolio with higher-output engines and performance parts, albeit in a temporarily limited fashion. According to company sources, the Swedish automaker is seeking to enhance the performance potential of its 9-3 and the new 9-5, but it remains hamstrung by agreements signed with Saab's previous owners that lay out chapter-and-verse about what power levels its products can offer through 2012. Why? Because "We can't modify these licensed architectures in such a way that it will compete with General Motors products." In other words, production-line models with stouter drivetrains have been ruled out for the next couple of years, leaving Saab to pursue other ways to bring more power to the people.
As such, company executives have been in talks with leading European Saab tuner Hirsch Performance AG (with whom it has a longstanding relationship) to develop new dealer-installed performance parts to be offered in North America and other markets. As Hirsch is not a well-known entity outside of Europe and diehard Saab enthusiasts, Saab has not yet decided under which name it will market these upgrades. However, these dealer-installed improvements could take the form of everything from ECU upgrades to aero kits, brakes, exhaust systems and other bolt-ons.
Discussions are ongoing, but names under discussion for the parts range include Hirsch, Saab Performance Group (SPG), as well as the Viggen moniker, both of which have been attached to high-performance Saab models in the past. It's possible that different names will be adopted for different markets, leaving the door open for Hirsch in Europe and another designation in North America.
When we first heard that Spyker was sniffing around Saab, our thoughts immediately leapt to visions of C12 Zagatos on every street corner, or at least in every Saab showroom. Believe it or not, our whimsy-laced version of reality may come true. According to Bloomberg, the Dutch supercar manufacturer has said that it plans to nearly double the number of Spyker dealerships around the world from 35 to 60. How? The company plans to use portions of the old Saab dealer network.
If you're wondering how dealerships that struggled to move $30,000 9-3 sedans are going to manage to talk buyers into the driver's seat of a $215,000 C8 Aileron, you're not alone. Odds are the Spykers will serve as halo cars for the rest of the Saab fleet, but there are other hurdles facing the company's plans for expansion - production.
Spyker is a notoriously low-volume manufacturer - we're talking somewhere in the mid-double-digits each year, or about one car per every proposed dealership. Is the company planning on borrowing some of Saab's production might to get a few more models out the door annually? Hard telling. For now, the only real sharing going on between the two automakers is in tiny parts like windshield wiper motors.
2011 Saab 9-5 - Click above for high-res image gallery
Just five months ago, Saab was on the verge of liquidation, never to be seen or heard from again. But now that Spyker has purchased the Swedish automaker from General Motors and the company's finances appear to be approaching normalcy, there is suddenly a bit of confidence emanating from Trollhatten. Saab CEO Jan Ake Jonsson spoke with Aussie site Drive and discussed what it will take for the company to break even and eventually turn a profit.
Jonsson claims that Saab could see black ink in the balance sheets by the second half of 2011, provided the company averages 80,000 to 85,000 global annual sales. That's a real possibility considering the struggling marquee managed 98,000 sales in 2008, though 2009 was a lost year considering the fact that GM shuttered Saab production for months on end. Many car buyers also shied away from Saab given the uncertainty surrounding the brand's future. Jonsson says Saab will be "quite profitable" at 125,000 units.
Jonsson tells Drive that dealers are getting vehicles again, and new product is on the way. The 2011 Saab 9-5 is scheduled to arrive in July, followed by the 9-4X sometime in 2011. A sportier 9-3 with aircraft-inspired styling will reportedly arrive sometime in 2012. Saab also feels that it has room to go in emerging markets like China and India, and company executives are pondering a smaller Saab to help further boost sales.
2011 Saab 9-5 - Click above for high-res image gallery
Saab is continuing to claw its way back from the automotive grave. The company just announced that it will once again return to the land of maple syrup and Mounties in 2011. The svelte Swedish machines will be distributed by International Fleet Sales, and both Saab North America and IFS say that so far, around 20 dealers have raised their hands to sell the cars.
Our neighbors to the north will be able to sink their teeth into a total of five models once the new dealerships get off the ground, including all of the multiple flavors of the 9-3. If all goes well, the 9-3X crossover will also touch down on Canadian soil, along with the all-new 2011 9-5.
Saab expects to be doing business in Canada by fall of this year, so if you're north of the border and hankering for a slice of Saab-Spyker goodness, you don't have long to wait. Hit the jump for the press release.
Hold on to your Dubbelmossas, rally fans. Legendary Swedish rally and rallycross driver Per "Pekka" Eklund is coming back, and he's coming back hard. How hard? A Saab 900 Turbo 16S built to Group A specs.. Sure, it's not diamond tough hard - like this - but we're still impressed. Not only that, but he'll be campaigning the 26-year old front-driver in the ADAC 24 Hours of Nürburgring. Also of note, it's been thirty years since Eklund competed in a 24 hour race.
Fear not though, as this particular Saab 900 Turbo sounds totally up to the task as it's capable of producing 310 hp and a punishing 384 pound-feet of torque steer. Says Eklund, "When I got offer to be able to compete with a classic Saab 900 Turbo on the Nordschleife, I immediately loved the idea." Who wouldn't?
Will the 64-year old Eklund be up to the task of racing around one of the world's most difficult tracks in the middle of the night in car built (probably) the same night Mondale was defeated? We'll go ahead and guess yes, he'll be just fine. As for a Saab holding together for 24 grueling hours, hey, anything's possible. The fun starts on May 13th.
Trollhättan fans aren't quibbling in light of the gallows rescue Saab recently received from Spyker Cars, so perhaps everyone got distracted letting out a collective sigh of relief instead of checking the lineup's option sheets carefully. Whatever the reason, it turns out that Saab is back to relying on four-cylinder engines for all its 9-3 and 9-3X powertrain needs.
Never a stranger to odd powerplants or engines from disparate manufacturers, Saab's long tenure as a ward of General Motors led to the appearance of Ecotec four-cylinders along with a version of GM's "high feature" V6. The LP9 turbocharged 2.8-liter V6 was a delightful mill in the last Turbo X we tried, but there's plenty right with the four cylinder engines that remain standing.
At this point, we're just champing at the bit to try out the new 2010 9-5, a model slated to come to market soon with the 2.8-liter turbocharged V6 Aero first, followed by a 2.0-liter turbo four model shortly thereafter as a 2011 model.
For many moons now, your humble Autoblog crew has been following the new Saab 9-5 around the globe. Not intentionally mind you, but it seems that Saab has been dragging their 9-5 show car out to every show we've covered since before Obama was elected. Which is many, many shows (turns out it's been since Frankfurt). And while we're big boosters of the new 9-5, something's always been... lacking.
That's right, a fifth door. And this totally suspect, but nonetheless quite intriguing, photo seems to indicate exactly that - a Saab 9-5 Estate (also called the 9-5 SportCombi, maybe) - is nigh. That's yet another victory in the eventual, inevitable and ultimately exciting comeback of the once totally dismissed station wagon.
Now it's true, we've covered this territory before. More than once. And back then we felt the same way about the upcoming 9-5 Estate as we do now - it's very, very sexy. Or at least, as sexy as a wagon can be. Which, to us auto journo types, is quite sexy. Regardless, too many a Saab'o'phile, the very essence of the brand is a hatch. Without that fifth (or third) door, a Saab just isn't very Saab like. Therefore this here blurry image, which looks like it was hastily photographed from a presentation or sales brochure, fills Saab boosters with great hope. Go, go Griffin.
BAIC C71EV - Click above for high-res image gallery
It didn't take long for Beijing Automotive Industries Company (BAIC) to start making use of the old 9-3 and 9-5 tooling it bought from Saab last fall. After grafting on a new nose and taillights, both have been reborn as the C60 and C71.
It's not clear what's propelling the regular versions of these two reworked Saabs, however, there was a second ex-9-5 on display dubbed the C71EV. That version had a battery pack inserted into the floor and featured what BAIC was labeling as a fast battery switch system (ala Better Place).
The sign next to car claims a 90-mile range, but we think that's highly optimistic given the size of the sedan and the comparatively small battery pack. Of course, that's assuming this is actually a functional car.
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