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» Welcome to SaabForum.org: The #1 Saab Forum |
Welcome to SaabForum.org - a website and live community dedicated to everything and anything regarding Saab cars and SUVs. Thank you for stopping by! Please take a moment to register and setup a free account in order to take full advantage of all the features available.
Saab Forum - Our Saab forum with thousands of discussion topics.
Saab Forum Active Topics - Topics that are currently being discussed in the forums.
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 Report: Saab 9-2 plans proceeding, design influenced by brand's '50s teardrop models |
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Feb 26, 2010 - 4:02 PM - by Saab Forums
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Filed under: Saab, Design/Style
You wouldn't know it by looking at Saab's current automobiles, but once upon a time the Swedish marque was known for crafting almost impossibly rounded bodywork. Victor Muller, CEO of Spyker Cars, which just completed its acquisition of the Saab brand, plans to reintroduce such teardrop-shaped emotion back into the automaker's line with a new vehicle codenamed 92, or in more modern parlance, 9-2.
Don't expect to see the small, premium 9-2 before 2013 or so, when it would theoretically go up against machines like the Mini and Audi A1. According to Autocar, Saab would likely borrow a suitable set of underpinnings from GM's Opel division, as is the case with the new 2011 Saab 9-5.
If Saab is able to get this new entry-level model into production as planned, its inclusion would no doubt go a long way towards reaching Muller's stated goal of hitting 100,000 total sales per year for the newly acquired automaker. That's not too big a stretch considering that the brand sold 93,220 cars as recently as 2008. We wish him, along with the rest of those with a stake in Saab, lots of luck.
[Source: Autocar]Report: Saab 9-2 plans proceeding, design influenced by brand's '50s teardrop models originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 26 Feb 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Finally Final: Saab sale transfer completed between GM and Spyker |
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Feb 23, 2010 - 5:36 PM - by Saab Forums
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Filed under: GM, Saab, Earnings/Financials, Spyker
2011 Saab 9-5 - Click above for high-res image gallery After a Mullholland's worth of twists and turns, the sale of Saab Automobile AB to Spyker Cars is complete. The official transfer of ownership from General Motors to the Dutch supercar concern occurred earlier today, and now Saab will get down to the difficult business of becoming profitable.
According to Victor Muller, CEO of Spyker Cars, a man who is fast becoming something of a folk hero in Sweden: "Through this acquisition we add approximately 15 euros per share in equity and 60 euros of assets. With a well funded business plan in place we are looking forward to working with Saab's management on the realization of that plan and bringing exciting new products to our customers. Real Saabs, Saab Saabs." With a compelling new 9-5 waiting in the wings and a raft of vehicles ( 9-3X, 9-4) just around the bend, the Swedish automaker's short-term future looks bright, but even before those new products have run their course, the real battle for sustained profitability will begin, with Saab likely needing to partner with a larger automaker to share development costs for new models.
Finally Final: Saab sale transfer completed between GM and Spyker originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 23 Feb 2010 12:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Report: Ousted Russian investor wants in on Spyker-Saab deal |
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Feb 21, 2010 - 4:08 PM - by Saab Forums
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Filed under: Government/Legal, GM, Saab, Spyker, Russia
Vladimir Antonov will soon give up the position of chairman at Spyker because he stood between the Dutch company and its successful acquisition of Saab. Recent reports indicate that a Swedish government investigation tied Antonov and his family to the Russian mafia and money laundering. Those findings helped kill the initial deal between Spyker and General Motors and led to Antonov's subsequent departure.
Antonov has a different take on the story. In a New York Times op-ed called "A Misplaced Fear of Russian Money," he writes that the results of the Swedish investigation were "surreal allegations," and that he'll prove them untrue. He's hired a firm of private investigators to clear his name, and he plans to give his report to all parties involved, including the press, to show that he's just another businessman.
His goal is to get back in on the Spyker-Saab deal; apparently, Antonov sees enough potential there to go through these public motions. Although he's no longer a shareholder, he does remain a lender to Spyker, having tendered the company $100 million to help it buy Saab. That makes it simpler for Antonov to return to the Spyker party, say, if Spyker converts debt to shares, but first he'll have to get past the bouncers in Sweden and the U.S. government.
[Source: Auto News - sub req'd, Saabs United]Report: Ousted Russian investor wants in on Spyker-Saab deal originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 21 Feb 2010 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Saab-Spyker is Go: EIB reportedly approves 400M euro loan, Spyker shareholders agree |
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Feb 12, 2010 - 6:40 PM - by Saab Forums
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Filed under: Europe, Saab, Earnings/Financials, Spyker
Spyker-Saab is reportedly passing "Go" and collecting $547 million while they're at. According to Automotive News, the €400 million loan courtesy of the European Investment Bank (EIB) has received final approval. There's even more good Saab-related news (that almost feels weird to type) - Spyker shareholders have approved the "we're buying Saab" deal. The large loan is especially big news to Holland-based Spyker and Saab's worldwide legion of rabid fans, for it was essentially the last piece of the puzzle standing in the way of - as Reuters of all publications points out - "[combining] two money-losing enterprises."
Now that they have the loan and the shareholders' blessings, Spyker-Saab is looking to get their fledgling company list on both the London and Stockholm stock exchanges. Spyker CEO Victor Muller was asked if listing the company on the two new exchanges would make it easier to raise cash (duh), Muller replied that the end goal was to be "closer to investors." If we were flip, we might modify that to read "closer to investors' wallets," but we'll just leave it alone and hope that all this money goes into making the next 9-3 the very best Swedish hatchback it can be!
One last thing - perhaps we're getting ahead of ourselves by referring to the new company as Spyker-Saab. According to the Dutch supercar company's press release today, they have postponed changing their name from Spyker Cars N.V. to Saab Spyker Automobiles pending a trademark discussion with aircraft manufacturer Saab AB. That issue is expected to be resolved at the company's next annual meeting on April 22. Official press release after the jump.
[Sources: Reuters, Spyker, Automotive News - sub. req.]
Continue reading Saab-Spyker is Go: EIB reportedly approves 400M euro loan, Spyker shareholders agree to Saab purchase
Saab-Spyker is Go: EIB reportedly approves 400M euro loan, Spyker shareholders agree to Saab purchase originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 12 Feb 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Rumormill: Next-gen Saab 9-3 to see return of five-door bodystyle? |
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Feb 11, 2010 - 3:51 PM - by Saab Forums
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Filed under: Performance, Europe, Hatchback, Saab, Spyker, Rumormill, Luxury
 Saab 9-3 Sedan - Click above for high-res image gallery
Hopefully, and while Spyker's at it they'll bring back the 900 name. Don't count on that last bit, but according to a report by the Dutch site Auto Internationaal, Saab will be bringing back a five-door (as in hatchback) 9-3. To even the most casual Saab fan, this makes a ton of sense. In fact, Saab's decision (even though it was really General Motors' decision) to end production of the 9-3 hatch in favor of the 9-3 sedan is still both baffling and painful, all these many years later.
The thing is, Saab has always been, and will probably always remain a niche brand. The notion that by dropping the odd five-door (and three-door) body style in favor of a more conventional sedan body, stay a high-dollar front-dollar and poach sales away from BMW is as laughable now as it was back in 2002 when Saab/GM made the switch. Bringing back a five-door is most likely the brand's best shot at salvation.
Besides, five-door, luxury/performance niche vehicles seem to be all the rage. Look no further than the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo and upcoming Audi A5 Sportback. Let's not forget about the Caddy CTS Sportwagon, either. Not only that, you have a lot of people getting older and richer who spent their formative years in Subaru WRXs, Volkswagen GTIs and MazdaSpeed3s now looking for something a little more grown up and sophisticated. We really can't see any downside to hatch'd 9-3. Now if Saab would only bring back the longitudinal, backwards engine... though probably not, as the next 9-3 will likely be Opel Astra-based.
Gallery: First Drive: Saab Turbo X
    
[Source: Euro Car Blog via Auto Internationnal]Rumormill: Next-gen Saab 9-3 to see return of five-door bodystyle? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 11 Feb 2010 10:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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