Saab at Mille Miglia – a fan’s view

May 19, 2011 17:53 Line

By: Swade

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We’ll have some material on the Mille Miglia from the inside perspective tomorrow.

Today, though, I’d like to draw your attention to an absolutely brilliant collection of photos from the Mille Miglia, taken by some Saab fans in Italy.

Saabnews.it is an Italian Saab fan site and it’s typical of why Saab enthusiasts are the best automotive enthusiasts in the world. The dedication of the average Saab fan is without peer and the collection of photos from this event by the moderators at Saabnews.it is a prime example.

I’ve posted a few photos below with their permission, but please head on over and view the full collection for yourself. You’ll be AMAZED by the number of shots there:

2011 Mille Miglia at Saabnews.it

Click to enlarge.

Saab at 2011 Mille Miglia
Saab at 2011 Mille Miglia
Saab at 2011 Mille Miglia
Saab at 2011 Mille Miglia
Saab at 2011 Mille Miglia
Saab at 2011 Mille Miglia
Saab at 2011 Mille Miglia
Saab at 2011 Mille Miglia
Saab at 2011 Mille Miglia

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Saab 9-4x is in production

May 18, 2011 15:06 Line

By: Swade

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This is just a short one, but when I heard it an hour or so ago, I figured it was one of those little milestones that ought to be mentioned.

It’s with no small amount of joy that I can point out to you that production of the 2011 model year Saab 9-4x started on Monday 16th of May.

The 2011 models were all ordered by Saab dealers back in February and the model year’s entire production run is completely accounted for. Production of 2012 models will begin in a few months from now.

Vive la 9-4x!

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Saab Design chief Jason Castriota named as one of the Top 100 creative people in business

May 18, 2011 13:27 Line

By: Swade

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Jason Castriota, Saab’s Executive Director – Design, has been honored by Fast Company Magazine as one of their Top 100 Creative People in Business for 2011.

The Fast Company list of 100 Most Creative People spans entertainment to medicine to technology to social enterprise. People honored in 2010 include artists Lady Gaga and Jay-Z, thinkers such as Chris Andersen from TED Conferences and various executives from Nike, Nokia, Microsoft and Nissan.

Jason Castriota was appointed the head of Saab Design in June 2010. Prior to this appointment he had previously held positions as Design Director at Stile Bertone and Chief Designer, Special Projects at Pininfarina. He began his own US-based design consultancy business prior to taking up the position at Saab Automobile.

Jason Castriota’s first public design statement at Saab was the PhoeniX concept vehicle, which debuted at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2011. He is now leading the design execution for the new Saab 9-3, which is expected for release in the final quarter of 2012.

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Saab 9-4x – reviews at a glance

May 18, 2011 10:48 Line

By: Swade

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Saab recently hosted members of the automotive press in Washington DC. Their mission – to drive the all new Saab 9-4x crossover.

It’s fair to say that the reviews have been very positive for the Saab 9-4x. It’s been noticed in Saab-land, too. Just Saab, a dealer in Ohio, tweeted the following this morning:

In over 16 years with Saab, I cannot recall better press toward a new model than the new 9-4x. It’s almost euphoric. Great Job Saab team!

Naturally, we’re pretty happy with the outcome of the road reviews. And we’re equally happy that our dealer network and customers are excited about it, too. This is a vehicle that Saab has needed for some time and we’ve finally done it, and more importantly, we’ve done it right.

You should rarely take one review as the chapter-and-verse about a vehicle. Different reviewrs have a different emphasis. Accordingly, here’s a sample of some of the reviews that have come online recently. We recommend that you check them out at your leisure:

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Autoblog: “From its cantilevered roof to its sweeping “hockey stick” greenhouse, ice-block blue headlamps and full-width LED taillamp band that echoes that of the 9-5 sedan, Saab has done a remarkable job imbuing brand hallmarks old and new into this simple two-box form…..

…..the 9-4X clearly skews toward the sportier end of the luxury crossover arena, eschewing leather-lined kinschleppers like the Lexus RX and Volvo XC60 in favor of chasing sportier entries like the Audi Q5, Mercedes-Benz GLK, and BMW X3.”

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AutoGuide: “Saab hasn’t been cruising on easy street, but the 9-4X could be the x-factor that changes negatives into positives.”

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Car and Driver: C&D took a comparative approach, looking at the 9-4x in comparison with it’s sister vehicle at Cadillac, noting that Saab engineer Peter Dörrich was the chief architect behind both vehicles. You can see Peter’s view on the “Saabness” of this vehicle in this video, shot in Los Angeles last year.

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LeftLane News: “Unlike the SRX, the 9-4X’s steering felt linear and direct, if a little light on feel. Reactions were quick at any speed, with positive turn-in and good straight line stability. Despite the Aero’s big 20-inch wheels wrapped in performance-oriented tires, the 9-4X was nearly silent on the highway. That bling hardly disturbed ride quality, either, which was several notches above the SRX. Where the Cadillac is wooden and confused over undulating surfaces, the 9-4X happily took anything in stride. Body lean is modest, as it should be in a soft-riding crossover.”

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Motor Authority: “Cargo-wise, there’s lots to love here. Although the floor is a bit taller than you might expect, there’s a ‘hidden’ compartment under a large portion of it; rear seatbacks also fold flat, and they can be adjusted for rake to three different positions. The cargo management system is very useful, with a bar that can be configured to split part of the space off—to keep grocery bags from tipping, or suitcases from sliding around the space.”

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Winding Road: “The controls enhance this feeling of refined responsiveness. The steering has a well-chosen ratio with decent on-center operation. The brakes are firm, with a pedal feel that should be studied by some sports car makers. Best of all, the automatic transmission, especially in sport mode, anticipates the downshift you will need so that you seem to be in the right gear for acceleration much of the time.”

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Victor Muller addresses Saab workforce

May 17, 2011 13:05 Line

By: Swade

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Saab Chairman, Victor Muller, addressed the assembled Saab workforce at 12:30pm today.

UPDATE: Notes from Victor Muller’s address are now posted below.

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Notes from the address by Victor Muller to Saab employees – Tuesday 17 May

- Victor began the address with a heartfelt apology to staff for having put them in this position. He mentioned a commitment made to Jan-Ake Jonsson when they made the Saab purchase that they would not let this company slide and he is very mindful of that commitment. Of course, this is a different situation to the purchase, however, because now Saab are their own masters.

- “I got us here. I’ll get us out”. There was a definite feeling of personal responsibility in the address.

- VM was heartened by the good news that Saab has received through this situation, the reviews of the Saab 9-4x from the drive event in Washington DC, in particular. Whilst it’s been a bad time for Saab, there have been encouraging things happening on the product side.

- In speaking about press coverage of the situation, VM said that whilst the press have applied a high level of scrutiny to Saab, the only reason they’ve been able to do this is because we gave them the opportunity to do so.

- On the collapse of the Hawtai deal, VM indicated that there were a number of potential suitors at the time the deal was done. Hawtai had great potential but the deal was ultimately thwarted by the regulatory structure and the challenges that would provide to getting the deal done in a timely manner. Indicated that Hawtai executives were heartbroken when they had to advise that they couldn’t complete the deal.

- The collapse of this deal was quite unfortunate, but it did give Saab the opportunity to learn from it and construct a better deal second time around.

- Pang Da will make for an incredibly good partner and their focus on sales and distribution should mean more business for Saab, plus the opportunity to execute parts of the deal straight away such as the commitment to purchase cars straight away. Buying cars is Pang Da’s business and does not require regulatory approval, which is the benefit of this deal for Saab at this time.

- It is too early to say what the medium-long term ramifications of the recent stoppage will be for Saab, but as well as challenges, there are also opportunities and the deal with Pang Da presents such opportunities.

- The required negotiations with suppliers, as well as supplier ramp-up time mean that it could take several weeks for production to recommence.

- VM is mindful of the fact that Saab operates in a glasshouse environment, where everyone is watching what we are doing. We have to take steps and build strength in the organisation so that we are protected from this sort of situation ever happening again.

- As with the sale process from GM, the recent situation has demonstrated the loyalty and commitment of Saab employees once again. VM expressed a profound gratitude for their loyalty and vowed to reward it with a healthier company. He will continue to source deals and partners that can assist in building stability into the Saab business.

- His final words: “Never, ever give up”

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Saabs United Days a success

May 17, 2011 8:30 Line

By: Swade

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I got back from Australia in to Trollhattan on Saturday evening, just in time to take in Day 2 of the Saabs United Days event on the weekend.

Saabs United Days was a gathering organised by the Saabs United website, aimed at giving a chance for readers of the website to get together, share some Saab experiences and attend various presentations to give them a better understanding of the Saab company and brand.

Day 1 was conducted mostly at ANA, which is arguably the largest and most trafficked Saab dealership in the world, located right here in Trollhattan (the new Saab of North Olmstead showroom in the US might be the single point of argument about size).

There were plenty of new Saabs to test drive. All variations of the new Saab 9-5 were on offer so that people who’d previously not had a chance could get to sample the new Saab 9-5 Sedan range. Attendees also got an exclusive small-setting opportunity to spend some significant time with the new Saab 9-5 SportCombi and the new Saab 9-4x, neither of which are released to world markets just yet.

Reports say that a number of vehicles were sold at ANA on the weekend, which is a great outcome for both ANA and Saabs United.

I joined the group for Day 2 of the event, which was hosted at the Saab Museum in Trollhattan. Aside from the opportunity to check out the various historical Saabs in display (with free entry for SU Days attendees), there were also a couple of presentations made giving people an insight into how Saab operates as a company.

A team from the Saab Technical Development center presented on how Saab use modelling and simulation to enhance the model development process. Everything from design to supply and even safety is enhanced by Saab’s greater use of modelling techniques. In fact, where Saab used to build mules every six months to test a generational change in the development cycle of vehicle, they can now test significant changes to development vehicles every six weeks using computer simulations.

This presentation also included a segment about the Saab IQon vehicle entertainment and integration system. The IQon system drew a great amount of interest at the Geneva Salon when it was unveiled earlier this year and that interest level hasn’t dropped off at all, with plenty of questions in the group Q&A session that followed being about IQon in particular.

The second presenation addressed Saab’s production facility – how Saab actually goes about making cars. We had a photographic tour around the factory, as well as some detailed insights into how Saab use ‘Lean’ production methods to constantly improve their production process. It was a very intensive presentation and one for the real Saab die-hards, but an incredibly interesting perspective nonetheless.

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I’ve been writing about the Saab company for over six years now, until recently that was on the Saabs United website. One of the great aspects about Saab is the community that surrounds it – a very dedicated and passionate group of people who want to know more about Saab and why we do the things we do.

It’s easy to think of this gathering as being just a group of car nuts, but the fact that people were willing to travel from England, Finland and Holland to attend something organised by other fans just like them is indicative of the passion people have for the company.

I’d have to rate the first Saabs United Days an outstanding success. The fact that people are willing to organise and attend such an event is something that we at Saab really appreciate. It’s also a feather in the cap of the organisers and attendees, the people who are always needed to make such an event a success.

If you’ve got an event like this happening in your local area, please do contact me so that I can add it to the Events page on this site. I might even be able to get along and say Hi if the schedule works!

Photos by Rune at Saabs United. Used by permission.

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About Pang Da Automobile Trade Co

May 16, 2011 10:18 Line

By: Swade

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Saab has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Pang Da, otherwise known as the Pang Da Automobile Trade Co.

Interested Saab fans might be asking who is this most recent of suitors for Saab Automobile? Here’s a little of what I’ve been able to find:

  • Pang Da are essentially an automobile sales and service company. They are publicly listed, having raised close to $1billion in an IPO earlier this year, China’s second largest IPO for 2011 so far.
  • Pang Da have a sales, service and affiliate distribution network of more than 1,100 outlets across China and Mongolia.
  • In 2010, the company was ranked amongst the top 200 enterprises in China, and in the Top 100 service enterprises. It has consistently been listed first amongst automotive service organisations in China.
  • The company is based in Tangshan City, Hebei Province, around 150km east of Beijing.
  • As well as a number of domestic Chinese brands, Pang Da also distribute and service Toyota, Subaru, Audi, Mercedes Benz, Mazda and Honda vehicles in China.

Under the terms of the MoU signed between Saab and Pang Da, the deal is still contingent on certain conditions being fulfilled and documentation completed. There is still some distance to go, however it’s good to become acquainted with a potential future partner.

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Press release: Saab Automobile and Spyker Enter Into MOU With Pang Da Automobile On Distribution/Manufacturing Partnership For China And Equity Participation

May 16, 2011 9:03 Line

By: Swade

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Trollhättan, Sweden – Spyker Cars N.V. (Spyker) announces today that Spyker and Saab Automobile AB (Saab Automobile) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Pang Da Automobile Trade Co., Ltd (Pang Da), China’s largest publicly traded automobile distributor with over 1100 dealerships nationwide. The MoU includes a strategic alliance consisting of a 50/50 distribution joint venture 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. Saab Automobile will have up to 50 percent in the MJV, with Pang Da and a to-be-selected manufacturing partner owning the remaining shares.

Pang Da shall make a EUR 30 million payment for the purchase of Saab vehicles and is expected to make an additional EUR 15 million for the purchase of more Saab vehicles within 30 days subject to certain circumstances. Additionally, Pang Da will take an equity stake in Spyker for a total amount of EUR 65 million at EUR 4.19 per share (the weighted average of the ten last trading days), representing 24 percent of Spyker on a fully diluted basis, and will have the right to nominate a member of the Supervisory Board of Spyker and /or the Board of Saab Automobile.

  • Spyker, Saab Automobile and Pang Da signed an MoU on the formation of a joint ventures with respect to distribution and manufacturing in the Greater China market, subject to definitive transaction documentation and certain regulatory approvals.
  • Pursuant to the MoU, Pang Da will transfer EUR 30 million to Saab Automobile as payment for the purchase of Saab vehicles and an additional EUR 15 million within 30 days for the purchase of additional vehicles depending on certain circumstances.
  • Pang Da will take an equity participation in Spyker for a total amount of EUR 65 million at EUR 4.19 per share representing up to 24 percent of Spyker’s outstanding share capital on a fully diluted basis.

The MoU between Spyker, Saab Automobile and Pang Da contains the principles on which the parties will establish a 50/50 joint venture for the distribution of Saab-branded vehicles in China.

Read more →

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2011 Mille Miglia complete – all three Saabs finish the journey

May 16, 2011 0:31 Line

By: Swade

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Peter Backstrom, the director of the Saab Museum here in Trollhattan, oversaw the engine builds for the three Saab 93A’s competing in the 2011 Mille Miglia. Those engines were built not to be outstandingly fast, but to be very, very reliable (whilst still being quite quick for such a small engine).

That strategy has worked for the second consecutive year, with all three cars in the 2011 Mille Miglia finishing the event in fine style.

Brescia, Italy: The 2011 Mille Miglia contest ended on a high Saturday night, as all three competing Saab 93s safely returned to the enthusiastic crowds in Brescia. The number 332 car, piloted by Spyker Cars Chairman Hans Hugenholtz and his wife Laurence, was the first Saab car to finish the third and final leg of the 2011 event. Earlier on Saturday, the classic Saabs had departed from the Castel Sant’Angelo in Rome, after which they made their way back to Brescia over a course that brought them past Viterbo, Siena, Florence and other highlights of the Italian landscape.

Here are some more photos from the final day. Click to enlarge. We’ll get more information and stories from the guys as they come back into Trollhattan and regain their senses after a hectic week’s driving.

2011 Mille Miglia
2011 Mille Miglia
2011 Mille Miglia
2011 Mille Miglia
2011 Mille Miglia
2011 Mille Miglia
2011 Mille Miglia
2011 Mille Miglia

Congratulations to all three teams on the successful completion of the event. I can’t wait to see the full set of photos and video.

Coming soon!

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Mille Miglia photo and video update

May 15, 2011 9:11 Line

By: Swade

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News from the Mille Miglia has been difficult to come by as we only have a very small team in Italy for the event and they’re almost all involved in either competition or support. It doesn’t help that I’ve been flying between Australia and Sweden for the last few days. We will get a more complete story in the coming hours, however.

Until then, here are some photos from Day 2 of this beautiful event through the Itlian countryside.

Click to enlarge.

2011 Mille Miglia
2011 Mille Miglia
2011 Mille Miglia
2011 Mille Miglia
2011 Mille Miglia
2011 Mille Miglia
2011 Mille Miglia
2011 Mille Miglia
2011 Mille Miglia

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We’re also thankful to the Saabway Club, from Italy, who had members present to shoot a fantastic video of all three Saabs at the beginning of the event….

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