NEVS news

[Dave T]

When the BBC reports that Saab is building cars starting today, it must be true, not just an overly optimistic press release.

BBC News - Saab to resume making cars in Sweden

Saab will restart production on Monday as the firm's new owners look to get the carmaker back on track.

Saab went bankrupt in December 2011 and was bought by a Chinese-Swedish investment group, National Electric Vehicle Sweden (Nevs), last year.

The carmaker will restart production of its 9-3 sedan model at its Trollhattan factory in western Sweden.

The firm will initially make a petrol-powered version of the car with the aim of launching an electric version later.

"It's very similar, you can't change or develop very much in a year. We acquired the assets in August last year," Mikael Oestlund, a spokesman for Nevs was quoted as saying by the AFP news agency. .....

However, Mr Oestlund said that initial production would be modest.

"We don't want to make promises or forecasts we don't know we can fulfil," he said.

"We are humble and say we'll start the production volume with low figures and be able to increase over time according to the market's demand."

[colombo]

Competitive? These are starting prices from that other Swedish car maker. SEK 200 000

V40 - 213 000 SEK
S60 - 241 000 SEK
S80 - 282 000 SEK

S60 T4 with 180hp starts from 251 000 SEK, and T5 with 245hp starts from 296 900 SEK, and they are base models. If you want equipment level Summum, add 50 000 SEK.

More prices from other manufacturers.

3-series 268 000 SEK
C-Class - 279 000 SEK
CLA - 269 000 SEK
A3 - 212 000 SEK
A4 - 285 000 SEK

No idea where you got the prices from. Here are the prices from BMW.se price list:
BMW 320i (184hp) , base price 303 000 SEK...
BMW 328i (245hp) , base price 335 000 SEK...

I am not even bothered checking the others...

[nordwulf]

The 316i starts at 268.000 SEK. Agreed the NEVS 9-3 has the large 2.0 liter and probably more standard equipment than the base models of other competitors. But if that will be enough for a model that is one or two generations behind the competition? You also have to keep in mind this car company has only been in business for 2 years.

SEK 279 000 is about US$ 42,500 but this price includes taxes so comparing this to US competitors is difficult.

Sveriges Radio reports they can only sell a 1000 of these in Europe because they don't meet pedestrian crash protection requirements.

But for the 9-3 model, now being built is a cap on sales in Europe - 1000 cars per model.The reason is that the model does not meet the latest demands in Europe in terms of crash protection for pedestrians in an accident. This means that you can only sell a limited number of copies. idea is that the models will later be upgraded to the stricter requirements.

The Wall Street Journal mentions they only have a few thousand petrol engines so it doesn't look like they even plan on selling too many 9-3 with a petrol/gasoline engine.

GM isn't actively supplying the new 9-3, even though it once made many of the parts needed to complete the sedan's production. However, in buying Saab, NEVS acquired a stockpile of a few thousand two-liter, four-cylinder engines made by GM. Those engines are slated to be installed in many of the nonelectric 9-3s expected to come down the assembly line in the near future.

It looks like this first NEVS 9-3 will end up at the Saab Museum.

NEVS has had a number of offers to buy the first car to roll off the production line, spokesman Mikael Östlund said, but the vehicle will initially be shipped to China for a certification process. It will then travel back to Trollhättan, where it will end up at the Saab museum.

More financial details:

Mr. Jiang's effort has been costly. NEVS posted a loss of 121.4 million kronor ($18.5 million) on sales of 13.5 million kronor for the nine months spanning April through December 2012, according to documents filed with tax authorities in Sweden. Financial results for 2013 aren't available.

A portion of the price of getting Saab up and running again has gone to paying suppliers—burned by the brand's past—to get back on board after the plant in Trollhättan had sat idle for 2½ years. Many suppliers had incurred large losses in connection with the bankruptcy filing by the Spyker-owned Saab Automobile in 2011, and the new owners of the brand had to invest "substantial amounts" to regain their trust, said Per Svantesson, NEVS vice president of purchasing.

Find the WSJ article here: Saab Brand Makes Its Latest Comeback - WSJ.com

[Dave T]

Sveriges Radio reports they can only sell a 1000 of these in Europe because they don't meet pedestrian crash protection requirements.

The Wall Street Journal mentions they only have a few thousand petrol engines so it doesn't look like they even plan on selling too many 9-3 with a petrol/gasoline engine.

MSN reports a production rate of 10 per week. See, that's how the same news can be spun different ways. 1000 per year in Europe due to pedestrian crash protection versus 10 per week, which is extremely low.

Saab 9-3 going back on sale in Sweden China - MSN Autos

n September, the factory's 600 workers in Trollhättan built two 9-3 sedans to demonstrate that the assembly line still worked. Now, NEVS says it's planning to build 10 cars per week and "gradually increase the production volume" when it releases an electric version by next spring, spokesman Mikael Östlund told MSN Autos.


...

The company also plans to hire 100 new factory workers by the beginning of next year.

The company will be losing a lot of money. 700 workers making 40 cars a month. That means the monthly salary of 17.5 workers to make one car.

The link also mentions that NEVS has no dealers and will be selling online with factory pickup. A company needs dealers for service though I suppose a company could survive without a dealer sales network.

[nordwulf]

News release from NEVS in Swedish, translated through Google:

Tomorrow Tuesday begins the sale of Saab cars

Tuesday, December 10th at 14:00 begins the sale of Saab cars on the Swedish market directly from Nevs website.

Nevs use one for automakers new sales channel by initially selling directly through the website. Simultaneously, Nevs a personal customer relationship through all phases of direct contact from sales to delivery of the car.

- We want a close dialogue with our customers from the start. In our direct contact, for example, we quickly capture the views and wishes, which helps us in our goal to provide customers with a first class experience and a caring nurturing, says sales manager Jonas Hernqvist.

Saab 9-3 Aero Since 2014 is fully equipped and has a gasoline engine at 220 hk/350 Nm. The price of a six-speed manual gearbox is 279 000 SEK including VAT, + 10 000 with six-speed automatic transmission. The price includes three years of free service, three years of vehicle damage warranty, two years of roadside assistance and winter tires on aluminum rims.

After delivery of the car, we want to continue to offer a safe car ownership. For service and repairs, we refer to Saab Genuine Service workshops.

The first vehicles of this limited edition will be delivered in spring 2014. Then we will offer the customer a special brand experience when the car pulled up at the delivery center at its plant in Trollhättan.

Here you will meet representatives from Nevs that, besides the presentation of the car, talks about how we see the future of the automotive industry and our planned route to becoming a leading electric vehicle manufacturer.

A visit to our highly efficient factory and a visit to Saab Automobile Museum is also part of the experience.

For further information contact Nevs customer service.

Telephone: 0520-855 00

E-mail: customersupport@saabcars.com

[tunnanxwd]

Someone in another post mentioned that other manufacturers should pay attention to this personal touch taking factory delivery. Both Saab and Volvo had a Euro delivery program and would then ship your car home.

Chevy, with the Corvette, has the coolest of all. Not only can you opt to take delivery at the Bowling Green KY plant, you can also opt to build your own engine. A Master Tech is assigned to you and every valve. seal piston and ring installation is done by the customer. That is "uber cool".

[Shazam]

Someone in another post mentioned that other manufacturers should pay attention to this personal touch taking factory delivery. Both Saab and Volvo had a Euro delivery program and would then ship your car home.

A lot of Euro companies do this, and it is very cool. I believe it will be a dying program though due to more and more production being moved to North America.

Chevy, with the Corvette, has the coolest of all. Not only can you opt to take delivery at the Bowling Green KY plant, you can also opt to build your own engine. A Master Tech is assigned to you and every valve. seal piston and ring installation is done by the customer. That is "uber cool".

That would be pretty cool. I can't imagine that would be free though; slowing down production and having to do it off line.

[nordwulf]

That would be pretty cool. I can't imagine that would be free though; slowing down production and having to do it off line.

Cost is $5,800 in addition to the $990 cost for Corvette museum delivery and $800 factory buyers tour.

European Volkswagen customers can choose to take delivery at Autostadt in Wolfsburg or the factory in Dresden.

[Shazam]

Cost is $5,800

Expensive, but I guess I can understand.

in addition to the $990 cost for Corvette museum delivery

What? They charge you nearly $1000 to pick it up from the museum, which is right around the corner from the factory?

and $800 factory buyers tour.

What do you get on this tour!?!?

[Dave T]

This is way too expensive. I could see the cost of having a tutor help build your engine but $800 for a factory tour and $900 for museum delivery?