Press Release: Saab 9-5 Sedan earns Top Safety Pick 2011

June 17, 2011 0:18 Line

By: Swade

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The Saab 9-5 Sedan has earned the highest rating for crashworthiness in the United States. The “Top Safety Pick” is awarded by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS, www.iihs.org), a research and communications organization funded by auto insurers in the US.

IIHS performs full tests for front impact (offset) and side impact crashes. Seat/head restraints also undergo a simulated rear impact conducted on a sled to assess protection against whiplash injuries and the roof structure tested to assess vehicle rollover protection.

Vehicles are rated as “Good”, “Acceptable”, “Marginal” or “Poor” in the various categories. To receive the “Top Safety Pick” award, cars must achieve the highest rating in all four categories and should also be fitted with ESP®.

“We are very pleased with the 9-5’s performance. IIHS is an independent body and the results of their tests are easily accessible and objective information for car buyers. It is therefore important for us to achieve good results in this type of testing,” says Per Lenhoff, Head of Safety Development at Saab Automobile.

“Our main priority, however, will always be to protect real people in real accidents, not just to do well in crash tests. It’s the core of our Real-Life Safety philosophy,” continues Per Lenhoff.

Saab’s Real-Life Safety philosophy is based on the fact that no collision is ever the same. Saab safety engineers continuously study how Saab cars behave in real collisions on public roads. The results of these studies are the basis for continued development of both design and safety solutions in cars as well as of Saab’s in-house crash testing methods.

The Saab 9-5 Sedan has already received the highest rating, five stars, in the crash tests conducted by the European New Car Assessment Programme, EuroNCAP

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Saab Engineering Services now online

June 16, 2011 11:50 Line

By: Swade

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This is more likely a post for industry, but it’s also an interesting thing for Saab enthusiasts who enjoy knowing some of the wider aspects of the business.

Saab has a great deal of expertise in many areas and a new operation, Saab Engineering Services, is seeking to offer that expertise to clients around the world. Saab, of course, is uniquely positioned to do this because we’re all in one fairly compact place. Clients can visit and they don’t have to travel to different countries in order to see both engineering and design, for example. This is a full-service automotive engineering and design business that’s being offered here, and the only other manufacturer with a similar level of competence all in one place is Porsche.

In recent times under our previous owner, Saab was the global center of excellence within General Motors for structural design, electronic management systems, engine turbocharging, transmissions and electric drivelines, chassis development and safety systems. Saab are now looking to combine that expertise with a new entrepreneurial spirit in the form of Saab Engineering Services.

SES is now offering up Saab’s expertise in vehicle integration, electronics, powertrain development, sheet metal, interior design, vehicle testing, analysis, thermal solutions, special vehicle development, prototyping and production engineering (Saab’s prototyping facility was one of the largest in the GM group).

That’s a lot of experience we’ve got to share and it makes good business sense to do so.

The man behind Saab Engineering Services is Per Lindberg. He was there when the whole enterprise started in 2009. Saab were looking to seperate from GM, which they knew would lead to some seasonal surplus engineering capacity in Trollhattan from time to time. Why not perform this work for others in need of that sort of expertise when our excess capacity allows?

The focus is on long term relationships that can benefit both parties in a true win/win situation. Clients will get a full service engineering and design solution that can take them from conception to industrialisation. From Saab’s point of view, it may be possible to not just earn income through providing engineering services. They can also potentially share purchasing with some engineering customers, thereby driving down parts costs considerably.

Achievements of the Saab engineering team – just over the last few years since the decision to separate from GM – include the following:

  • Complete development of a working EV framework, electric motor and gearbox, control software, battery control and storage technology. The test fleet is now in production.
  • Development of the Phoenix platform which is scalable for different segments from C to E segment, including new fuel tank technology which will be lighter and cheaper than existing plastic tanks, eXWD system and an all-new bespoke climate control system.
  • Development of the IQon entertainment system.

Don’t let a 3-point list trick you into thinking it’s small. The items listed there are huge in automotive terms and generally require a great deal of time and money to develop. Saab Engineering has proven its efficiency in bringing these about in minimal time and all are destined for either testing (EV framework) or production (Phoenix and IQon) in the next few years.

The engineering business formally got underway last year (?) and already there’s a good number of clients in the books and a few more waiting in the wings. Some of them are household names in the automotive business, too, and very good potential customers and partners for Saab.

This is just another way that Saab is looking to expand its business and put its in-house knowledge base to good use.

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Saab safety – Film and Photo

June 15, 2011 12:40 Line

By: Swade

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It’s time for video #2 in our special “Inside Saab” series of videos.

A few weeks ago we brought you a ‘live’ crash test of a Saab 9-5 SportCombi. You got to see and hear what a crash test looks like without all the slo-mo images and with full sound, which is a pretty rare insight. Last week you got to meet one of our crash test dummies. It was a special look at what is a much more sophisticated piece of equipment than many people realise. Today, we tie these together and take a look at the film and lighting systems used for crash test videos.

Light is a key element of any form of photography or videography. When you’re filming at 1,000 frames per second, adequate lighting is crucial in order to ensure that the impact of the test can be properly assessed after the event.

As you’ll see below, Saab’s crash test facility has a lighting system that was built in consultation with experts in the field from Hollywood. It’s a system that is unique to Saab and we like to make best use of it.

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Swedish Automobile NV website now live

June 15, 2011 11:31 Line

By: Swade

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Our parent company’s name change from Spyker Cars NV to Swedish Automobile NV becomes official today and they’ve launched a new corporate website to suit.

The website is now live. I know there are some people interested in the whole company and not just the cars we make. Now is your opportunity to check the new site out.

Visit: Swedish Automobile NV.

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Two Saabs and 2,000 kilometers in two days

June 14, 2011 23:35 Line

By: Swade

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As mentioned the other night, I was up in northern Sweden for a few hours over the weekend, a town called Skellefteå, just over 1,000kms from Trollhattan. I was there with a couple of friends, Rune an Anna. We drove up there on Sunday and drove back on Monday.

The reason? Well, it all started back in the Swedish winter with an icy road, a bend and a telegraph pole…..

This photo was taken in the dark with a cell phone, so it’s a little blurry, but here’s a look at some of the damage.

The repair took some time to complete and the first opportunity to pick up the car was last weekend. I came along to share the driving responsibilities so this story is part vehicle comparison, part road trip and part lessons learned (more on that later).

Read more →

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Saab 96 crash test – 1967

June 14, 2011 15:31 Line

By: Swade

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I found some still images of some early crash tests back in April and published them here on Inside Saab at that time.

Last week, we found the film from one of these tests. It’s from August 1967, and involves a frontal impact test performed on a Saab 96 at a speed of 50 km/h. It’s enjoyable both from a technical point of view, as well as being a window back in time into how things looked and worked back in the late 1960′s. The track they use today for crash testing at Saab is still in the same location, though it’s now much more sophisticated – and indoors :-)

There is no audio.

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I’m not sure I would have wanted to be the crash test dummy used in that test – both seat and seatbelt technology has come a long way since that time. I have to say, however, that the passenger compartment of the 96 help up remarkably well from the impact, much better than many other cars from this earlier era would have done.

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Press Release: Saab Automobile, Spyker, Pang Da And Youngman Enter Into MOU On Distribution/Manufacturing Partnership For China And Equity Participation

June 13, 2011 16:45 Line

By: Admin

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Trollhättan, Sweden: Spyker Cars N.V. (Spyker) announces today that Spyker, Saab Automobile AB (Saab Automobile), Pang Da Automobile Trade Co., Ltd (Pang Da) and Zhejiang Youngman Lotus Automobile Co., Ltd. (Youngman) signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MOU). The MOU includes an equity participation in the total aggregate amount of about EUR 245 million as well as a strategic alliance consisting of a three partite distribution joint venture and a tripartite manufacturing joint venture for Saab-branded and child brand vehicles in China.

On 16 May 2011 Spyker and Saab Automobile signed a memorandum of understanding (the 16 May MOU) with Pang Da, China’s largest publicly traded automobile distributor with over 1,100 dealerships nationwide. That 16 May MOU included a strategic alliance consisting of a 50/50 distribution joint venture (DJV) and a manufacturing joint venture (MJV) for Saab branded vehicles as well as for an MJV owned brand (the so-called ‘child brand’) in China. It was agreed that Saab Automobile would have up to 50 percent in the MJV, with Pang Da and a to-be-selected manufacturing partner owning the remaining shares. Pang Da and Saab Automobile have now agreed with Youngman to become the manufacturing partner in the MJV (in which Youngman will take 45% of the shares, Saab 45% and Pang Da 10%) and the DJV in which Youngman will take 33% of the shares, Pang Da 34% and Saab Automobile 33%.

Under the May 16 MOU, Pang Da would take an equity stake in Spyker for a total amount of EUR 65 million, representing 24 percent of Spyker on a fully diluted basis. With Youngman entering as a new shareholder in Spyker, the equity stake of Pang Da in Spyker will remain at 24 % raising its investment to EUR 109 million. The share price remains at EUR 4.19 per share and Pang Da will have the right to nominate up to two members of the Supervisory Board of Spyker.

Youngman will take a 29.9 % interest in Spyker on a fully diluted basis investing EUR 136 million at EUR 4.19 per share. Youngman will have the right to nominate up to two members of the Supervisory Board of Spyker.

Spyker, Saab Automobile, Pang Da and Youngman will set up joint ventures with respect to the manufacturing of Saab branded and child branded vehicles and the distribution of Saab branded and child branded vehicles for the China market. Saab Automobile and Youngman will each have a 45% interest in the manufacturing JV and Pang Da will hold the remaining 10%. Saab Automobile and Youngman will each have a 33% interest in the distribution JV and Pang Da will hold 34%.

The MOU is non-binding and the transactions following the MOU are subject to agreement on definitive transaction documents and certain conditions, which include consents from certain governmental agencies and third parties.

Victor Muller, CEO of Spyker and Saab Automobile said: “Having entered the MOU on May 16 with Pang Da, we collectively immediately set out to identify the most suitable (manufacturing) partner to join Saab and our joint ventures. We are convinced that Youngman represents all the qualities required to make Saab and the joint ventures a success. This MOU not only shows the belief of Pang Da and Youngman in our products for the Chinese market, it also is a step that significantly strengthens Saab’s financial position and would secure the mid and long term financing of Saab Automobile. Both Pang Da and Youngman have demonstrated a similar entrepreneurial mindset as we have which we feel will be instrumental to establish Saab’s presence in China. I am very confident that based on their experience, proven skills, their ability to move quickly and their financial strength, we found the partners that are best suited to fully explore Saab’s potential in China.”

Mr. PANG Qinghua, CEO of Pang Da, said: “Since our visit to Saab Automobile in Sweden we are even more convinced of the potential of Saab in the global market and the Chinese market, the number one market in the world, in particular and we intend to fully explore it. Not only are we impressed with the current and future product line up that is very well suited to the needs of the Chinese market but we are particularly impressed by their design, engineering and manufacturing skills.”

Mr PANG Qingnian, CEO of Youngman said: “We have been in contact with Saab Automobile for quite some time and we are very pleased to have reached an agreement with both Pang Da and Saab. We feel that Saab as a premium European brand appeals strongly to the taste and preferences of the Chinese customer who is looking for top quality vehicles with the highest levels of safety, driving pleasure and comfort and an unmistakable design language. Youngman is an automobile industrial group that produces and sells Youngman branded motor cars, MAN brand heavy type trucks and automobile spare parts. Our Manufacturing facilities are state of the art and are exactly tailored to build Saab vehicles at the highest quality standards. We look forward to a long lasting and successful relationship with Saab Automobile and Pang Da both in China as well globally through our investment in Saab.”

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Not quite the Midnight Sun…..

June 13, 2011 0:19 Line

By: Swade

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It’s overcast here in Skellefteå so I can’t show you the midnight sun, but here are the five-minutes-to-midnight clouds and ambient light, photographed just fifteen minutes ago as I sit here writing this from the Scandic Hotel here in town.

Our ride for this day-long drive of some 1,058km was a 2010 Saab 9-3 SportCombi rental from Avis, which got fuel economy of some 10.5 litres per 100km running at occasional overtaking speeds :-) on 85% ethanol.

And the reason I’m here? I’ll get to that later in the week but it’s 15% northern exposure and 85% helping a friend – a long and slightly sad tale that will finally get its happy ending tomorrow.

I can tell you this much: the Avis rental is staying here and we’re taking another Saab model from the same year back home.

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Poll – Do you name your Saab?

June 12, 2011 22:21 Line

By: Swade

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I’ve done this before and I’ll probably do it again….

The first car I can remember is my grandfather’s brown mid-60′s Holden. It’s a little strange that that’s the first car I can remember because I would have travelled to my grandparents’ home – the only place I would have seen it – in my own parents’ car and yet I have no recollection whatsoever as to what they would have been driving at that time. I do remember Pa’s Holden, though.

The second car that I can remember clearest from my childhood is a Morris 1100 that was owned by my sister. She would have bought the 1100 when I was around 6 years old. It was white, had red vinyl seats and I used to ride in it everywhere because I never let my sister go anywhere without me (which must have been miserable for the guy who is now my brother-in-law :-) ). She called the car Bugalugs.

Despite this, I don’t come from a family of car-namers and I’ve never given one of my own cars a name, either. The only inanimate object that I’ve ever named is a bass guitar, which I called Veronica because of the big “V” at the top of the headstock. As far as I know, Bugalugs is the only car owned by our particular branch of the Wade family that’s ever had a name and I’m sure it was just a teenage phase and the novelty of a first car that made my sister do it.

Nevertheless, I’ve known other car-namers. A friend of mine owns a Saab 95 wagon in yellow that used to be known as “Sally Sunday” by its previous owner. And I’ve lost count of the number of people I’ve heard calling their Saab by the name “Saabrina”.

A simple poll, then…..

Do you name your car? Or not? And because it’s so common, do you name your car Saabrina?

Other names and explanations can be posted to comments if you wish. I’m sure there are some entertaining stories out there about names given (and if the story’s a little too personal – nudge, nudge, wink, wink – please remember this is a family site and keep it to yourself. Thanks).

Do you name your Saab?

View Results

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Results will be published next weekend, along with a few of the comments if they’re deemed entertaining :-)

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Saabosphere – links we liked this week

June 11, 2011 22:38 Line

By: Swade

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Welcome to the weekly roundup of Saab links we enjoyed reading this week at Inside Saab.

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A bit of internal follow-up first…..

The Lime Yellow Saab 9-3 Convertible Hot-or-Not poll has confirmed that the color, now no longer available on the convertible, to be officially HOT.

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Internal follow-up #2…..

An addendum to recent stories about the genesis of the Saab Convertible. This came in from Ed Iawanicki, a former employee of Saab in the USA back when the convertible was launched.

….I had to pick the car up from a photography studio in LA and drive it to Carson on a Sunday morning – this car was supposed to be secret and here I am driving down the 5 in a one-of-a-kind 900 convertible in a VERY cool color (that was never used in production) with the top down because at that point it wasn’t too clear if I put the top up that it would go back down. I was 21 years old and never so paranoid about my driving as I was that morning. Steven Rossi used to refer to it as “my girl Pearl”. 26 years later and I remember it like yesterday.

A great memory and a great story :-)

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To our friends down the road at Volvo, your decision to abandon the wagon market in the United States has been noted.

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Speaking of Saab wagons, ABC News reports that the Saab 9-3 SportCombi has been noted by the IIHS in the United States as being one of the 15 safest SUV’s on the market there.

Personally speaking, I’m a little surprised by the SUV classification for that car, but we’ll take it.

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Till72 over at Saabs United had the opportunity to take the Hirsch Performance Saab 9-5 for a spin and it’s fair to say that he enjoyed the opportunity.

Readers might like to note the carbon leather dashboard Hirsch installed, as well as the very subtle, but tasty body kit.

Hirsch Performance are the only official Saab tuning house and modifications by Hirsch retain the vehicles factory warranty.

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This could well be my favourite classic Saab (cue Clarkson voice) ……. in the world. I filmed it whipping past everyone at the Kinnekulle track back in 2007 and this photo is from the very same track – this morning.

It’s an early 1970′s Saab 99 fitted with a 16V turbo engine and making somewhere around 300hp.

I was meant to be at Kinnekulle today, too, for a Saab Turbo Club of Sweden event, but a time mixup saw me miss it. The photo was sent to me this morning by Peter S, the owner of Saab tuner Speedparts (his brother owns this 99 and Peter has a matching one in the same spec, but in red).

Wish I was there.

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I’m in for a long drive tomorrow and there’s even a chance I’ll get to stick my head in and see this: The Umeå Institute of Design Degree Show.

It’s 900+ kilometers north of where I’m sitting right now, but I’m heading up close to Umeå to help a friend pick up his Saab 9-5 (a long, sad story involving some ice and a telegraph pole).

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