Mille Miglia Revisited: Classic Saabs Pay Homage to Historic Success

May 9, 2011 14:23 Line

By: Swade

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  • Saab Automobile team commemorates 1957 Mille Miglia class win
  • Driver line-up includes Saab Automobile’s Vice President of Vehicle Product Development and Spyker Cars’ Chairman of the Board

Trollhättan, Sweden. A trio of historic Saab 93s will take part in this year’s Mille Miglia, starting Thursday 12 May, revisiting the scene of one of Saab’s first successes in international motor sport.

Italian towns and hillsides reverberate once again to the distinctive crackle of a Saab two-stroke engine as the cars follow in the wheel tracks of Charlie Lohmander and Harald Kronegård, who won their class with a Saab 93 in the last 1957 Mille Miglia road race.

Driving the lead car will be Mats Fägerhag, Saab Automobile’s Vice President Vehicle Product Development, with Peter Bäckström, Manager of the Saab Car Museum, sitting alongside.

(more…)

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Press: Saab Cars North America Appoints New President and Chief Operating Officer

May 9, 2011 14:23 Line

By: Swade

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Trollhättan, Sweden: Saab Cars North America today announced the appointment of a new president and chief operating officer, Mr. Timothy Colbeck. The announcement comes as Saab is embarked on its biggest-ever product offensive with four all-new products since 2010 – the all-new Saab 9-5 Sedan, Saab’s first crossover, the 9-4X, the 9-5 SportCombi and the 9-3 Griffin range.

Effective Monday, May 9, Mr. Colbeck will oversee Saab’s largest market, North America. He will report directly to Saab Automobile Vice President and Head of Global Sales & Aftersales, Matthias Seidl and the Saab Cars North America Board of Directors.

Mr. Colbeck joins SCNA with 25 years of automobile industry experience in the United States with Subaru of America. Most recently he was the senior vice president sales. Under Tim’s direction, Subaru of America achieved record sales and market share in the last two years and was the only brand to achieve sales increases in each of the last three years. During his career at Subaru, Tim has been in various executive roles, with experience in sales, e-business, finance and fixed operations.

“Tim’s impressive accomplishments during his automotive career in rebuilding the Subaru brand are invaluable to the Saab team and represent his ability to further Saab’s vision for success,” said Matthias Seidl, Vice President and Head of Global Sales and Aftersales. “We are pleased to have Tim join our North American team during such an exciting time for Saab Cars North America and we are confident Tim will help increase our brand image and sales.”

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Poll follow-up: What’s your favourite color Saab 9-3x?

May 9, 2011 6:51 Line

By: Swade

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Our Saab 9-3x poll is over and done, with over 1,100 votes received – thankyou!!

The poll numbers turned out as follows:

  • Arctic White – 281 votes
  • Oak Brown Metallic – 196 votes
  • Laser Red – 179 votes
  • Jet Black Metallic – 169 votes
  • Carbon Grey Metallic – 119 votes
  • Glacier Silver Metallic – 102 votes
  • Diamond Silver Metallic – 60 votes

One of the reasons that I wanted to conduct the poll was to see how people’s preferences in the poll would match up with actual sales numbers on the ground.

I had a theory that the large number of Arctic White sales, for example, were because Saab themselves promoted Arctic White quite a bit at the vehicle’s launch and many of the test cars would have been produced in that color. That theory turned out to be wrong, however, as you can see from the poll. Arctic White is popular in sales terms simply because it’s popular in general terms.

But there are some interesting outcomes from the poll. It predicts good things, for example, for Oak Brown Metallic, which has previously only been available on the Saab 9-5. A lot of people seem to like its application to the more down-to-earth Saab 9-3x and it’ll be interesting to see how it goes (it’s only just been released as part of the new Griffin range)

In comments to the original post, many people asked what happened to the blue color options. Well, they fell victim to poor sales. When the Saab 9-3x was first launched, it actually had a very wide color palette, which included Titan Grey, Snow Silver, Pepper Green and Nocturne Blue. All four of those were dropped for MY2011, some of which would have been down to lower sales, and some to restricted paint options being available in a post-GM world. A new color will be added for MY2012, but you’ll have to wait a little to hear what that one is.

The only other mystery remaining now is what color(s) will be dropped from the current range? I can’t tell you that either, but I can tell you what were the three poorest selling colors in 2011 and it’s interesting to see the correlation (or lack thereof) between the sales and the poll.

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What do you want from Inside Saab?

May 8, 2011 23:18 Line

By: Swade

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Inside Saab launched a few weeks ago and whilst we’ve still got a fair bit of work to do with the site’s layout and design (we’re aware of some of the issues with images, polls, etc and we’re working on them), we’re pretty happy with the type of content we’ve been able to provide so far.

The purpose of the site is primarily to provide the type of stories that only the company can tell, from the inside. We’ll be covering other stuff as well, of course, but the ‘inside angle’ is the one that only we can offer with the right amount of depth.

There are plans for several types of posts that we haven’t tackled here yet. We want to get some Q&A sessions going with key people at Saab, for example. We’s also like to get to know our current Saab owners better by learning what you drive and what brought you to the brand. And then there’s the Saab Museum…….

We have to acknowledge that there are certain things we can’t do here on Inside Saab. Minute-by-minute coverage of the recent Hawtai Motor Group deal, for example. Being a company that’s listed on a public stock exchange, there are certain limitations on what you can say when it comes to the business side of being in the car business.

There is a long way to go in the development of this website, and we’d like to know what you want from it. How can this site serve your needs better?

Comments are open.

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Saab Convertible – by the numbers

May 8, 2011 6:58 Line

By: Swade

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2011 sees the 25th anniversary of the iconic Saab Convertible. Following are some numbers that relate to the Saab Converible and might be of some interest to the many Saab Convertible fans out there.

25 years of Saab Convertible production:

  • First generation (1986 – 1993) – 48,894 units
  • Second generation (1994 –2002) – 149,145 units
  • Third generation (2003 onwards*) – 99,535 units

*until April 2011

The latest Saab 9-3 Convertible is the result of 25 years’ experience in designing and engineering soft-top automobiles. To celebrate the Saab Convertible’s its first quarter century, here are a few fast facts:

3 – most popular colors are: Black, Steel Grey and Silver

6 – swiveling cross-braces are used in the soft-top to ensure it is tightly stretched in the raised position with a minimum of sagging

7 – hydraulic cylinders are used to execute four different movements in the operation of the soft-top.

11 – manual heat settings replace the automatic climate control when the soft-top is down. When it is back up, the climate control function is automatically reinstated, complete with any previously saved settings.

20 seconds – the time required to fully deploy the powered soft-top with the engine is running, making it among the fastest-acting in the premium convertible segment.

21 degrees – the ideal back-rest inclination for rear passenger comfort and this was a requirement for the 9-3 Convertible, despite the packaging constraints of soft-top stowage in the trunk.

26 meters – the total length of the hydraulic hoses used in the roof system

30 km/h – the maximum vehicle speed at which the soft-top can be raised. There’s no need to come to a stop to raise the roof if it starts to rain.

140 bar – is the hydraulic pressure required to operate the soft-top – 56 times greater than normal tire pressure.

181 – the number of moving parts in the soft-top mechanism. The main roof structure, including the front header rail, is made from magnesium to save weight.

366 – the number of Saab 9-3 Convertible Independence Editions being built.

1,500 liters – of water is sprayed over the Convertible’s soft-top in a special chamber to check weatherproofing.

3,500 kilos – or more than twice the weight of the car, is the impressive load that the windshield header rail and its supporting A-pillars can carry. Necessary strength for rollover protection and good torsional rigidity.

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Events – Saabs United Days and Saabs @ Carlisle

May 7, 2011 5:01 Line

By: Swade

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THere are a number of Saab enthusiast events coming up to start the northern spring/summer Saabing season. Here are some details on a couple that you may want to attend if they’re in your neck of the woods.

Swedish Day UK (late addition)

When: 8th May (tomorrow, as I site here writing this)
Where: Haynes International Motor Museum, Sparkford

It’s a little late to post this one, but it’s turned into a wonderful annual event and if you’re in the UK and at a loose end on Sunday, then I can highly recommend you get along to Sparkford and say hello.

Full information on the event: Swedish Day UK

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SaabsUnited Days

When: 14-15th May
Where: Trollhattan, Sweden.

What: SaabsUnited Days is a get together for anyone who loves Saabs, particularly those who are regular readers of the Saabs United website. Saabs United has partnered with ANA, the Saab dealership in Trollhattan, to offer a range of activities and special offers. You’ll get to see the Saab 9-4x and Saab 9-5 SportCombi, as well as whole heap of other stuff. There’s free admission to the Saab Museum on Sunday 15th, too.

I’ll be back in Sweden on the 14th and will be doing my best to catch up with everyone in attendance in Trollhattan on the Saturday night. If all goes well, I should have a little personal surprise in store, too.

Click here for the full details about SaabsUnited Days.

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Saabs @ Carlisle

When: 20th-22nd May
Where: Carlisle Fairgrounds, PA.

What: The Carlisle Import and Kit Nationals are on every year, and every year, the event gets taken over by upwards of 200 Saabs from around the north-eastern United States. It’s typically amongst the single largest gathering of Saabs each year in the one place (and quite often the largest).

Pre-registration is now closed, but that doesn’t mean the event is closed. There will be a number of “Caravans” leaving from different locations to attend Carlisle and Saab fans heading to the event are encouraged to join in and increase the presence. I’ll bring more information about the various caravans as that information comes to hand (I’m waiting on details from one of the caravan convenors. If you know of a caravan that’s leaving, please let me know and I’ll add it to the update on this post).

Carlisle isn’t just a Saab event, of course, and there’s something there to capture everyone’s automotive imagination….

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Saab’s Iconic Convertible: 25 years of Raising the Roof

May 6, 2011 23:18 Line

By: Swade

Comments (15)
  • 25th anniversary of launch of Saab Convertible
  • Driving force behind growth of convertible segment
  • Established open-top car as practical, all-year-round transportation

It all began in 1986, when the first car in a production run of just 400 Saab 900 Convertibles for the US market was delivered. Now, three generations later, almost 300,000 Saab Convertibles have been sold around the world and the drop-top from Scandinavia is established as a global icon for the brand.

Whilst Saab did not invent the segment, its Convertible has played a leading role in growing what was once a small, market niche in decline. It injected panache and real-world credibility by changing perceptions about the feasibility of four-seater, open top motoring. The fact that a car designed to exploit sunshine and warm weather should be built in a land of snow and ice added to the Convertible’s mystique and its growing cult status.

Key to the Saab Convertible’s abiding appeal has been its ‘four-season’ capability. Here was a car that worked all-year-round, and was as comfortable and enjoyable to use in sunshine or rain and hot or cold conditions.

In European markets that are not known for their clement weather, countries such as the United Kingdom, Sweden and Holland, the Saab Convertible has accounted for as much as 50 per cent of total sales in the segment. Despite spending most of its time with the roof up and the heater on, this was a convertible that was not merely as a ‘second’ car, to be used sparingly when the sun came out.

Over 25 years, the Saab Convertible’s success has helped to mould the shape of the automotive landscape. Today, most manufacturers offer convertible models and it was the success of the soft-top from Saab that provided their inspiration. The launch of the Independence Edition Convertible, celebrating Saab’s rebirth as independent company, is now also a fitting tribute the Saab soft-top’s first 25 years.

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Saab test production as Hawtai tour Saab factory

May 6, 2011 15:26 Line

By: Swade

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I’m playing catchup here, having just arrived back in Australia.

While I was in transit, representatives from Hawtai Motor Group arrived in Trollhattan and toured Saab’s factory. At the same time that was happening, Saab were recommencing limited production aimed at making sure that everything was working OK on the production line. Full production should recommence in the next week, though an exact date hasn’t been tied down as far as I know.

The following was in my inbox when I got home, for distribution here in Inside Saab:

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Yesterday the production staff were on site to get information and to conduct a test run of factory equipment and build a small number of cars. Production manager, Stig Runesson, says that the activities were successful from several perspectives.

“I think most people appreciated getting to work, to get information and to touch materials and cars again. We chose to run a part of the test batch of cars during the Hawtai visit to give our guests a chance to see how things work here and it went very well.”

The purpose of the limited production run was primarily to test the equipment. Some maintanence work has been done as well as re-balance work, installations and completions, before the production start of the Saab 9-5 SportCombi and model year 2012. A test run like this is very valuable before the coming production start.

“In the tooling workshop we are now running try-outs and adjustments of certain tools. In the Body Shop we focus on getting the right dimensions and measures of the SportCombi and in the other shops we are have maintenance ongoing, and also improvement activitites with focus on quality. These tasks are handled with a limited number of employees on site,” says Stig Runesson.

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It would have been great to see come cars coming off the line once again. I’m going to enjoy reporting from home, but it’ll be great to get back to Trollhattan again and see Saab doing what they’re meant to be doing – building great cars.

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Report: Saab residuals up in British market

May 6, 2011 10:53 Line

By: Swade

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“The rise in forecast values for the Saab 9-3 over the last ten months has been driven by an increased confidence in the brand; allied to an improved product content creating a better future used car,”

We were all pretty pleased to see that quote in a report in the motoring press today, commenting about the fact that Saab’s residuals have improved by around £1,000 in the British market place. (The report is based on a Saab GB press release, which you can view here for the full facts).

The improvement is said to be based on several factors. The first is some renewed interest and increased confidence in the Saab brand since it became an independent brand under the ownership of Spyker Cars.

More specifically, there is also the desirability of the new Saab 9-3 TTiD range, which offers a full-sized, powerful Saloon or SportWagon with the benefits of emissions under 120g/km. Low emissions means big taxation benefits for customers and Saab’s corporate customers are taking notice.

How much notice? Saab’s sales in Great Britain were up 73.1% in the first quarter of this year and Saab GB have had to increase the size of their corporate sales team to deal with the increased demand.

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A few days ago, in a post called Relief and Determination, I wrote about my belief in the future of Saab Automobile, based on the fact that there was just too much good stuff going on at this company, and too many people interested in it, for it to shut down.

You can call the type of innovation and success reflected in this story “Exhibit A”. Saab are making great products for markets around the world. I really believe that the Saab 9-4x is going to have a similar effect on Saab dealers in the US has what the sub-120g 9-3 range has had for British dealers.

Bottom line: there’s a lot of incredible stuff happening at Saab. We just need to tell people about it more and show them the product. It’s all about the product.

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A few Saab stories to warm you up

May 5, 2011 9:56 Line

By: Swade

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Greetings from Hong Kong! I’m on my way back to Australia for a week or so. It’ll be great to be home again.

We had a cold snap in Trollhattan just before I left. I had to walk to the bus stop amongst falling snow a few days ago. Snow!! In May!!?? I guess we’re not in Kansas anymore….

Anyhow, given that I’m now slightly out of touch with what’s going on there in Trollywood (until I get home, at least), I thought I’d share a few stories I’ve heard over the last week or so. Being in Saab’s home town, you get to meet a few people who have been around the company for a long, long time. Even if they don’t work there, they still seem to be part of the Saab family simply because they’ve got so much shared history with the company and its people.

I’ve met a few people like that recently. One of them I’d like to meet again, with my camera, so that I can take a few photos and share his story properly.

Others have shared a few short stories, which I’d like to pass on here because they made me laugh, made me smile, just made me feel good.

The first one comes from taxi driver yesterday. He’s been doing the corporate run between Trollhattan and Landvetter airport for too many years to remember and he told me a bunch of stories yesterday. The one I’d like to share is more like a quote than a story.

We were talking about the recent troubles at Saab and he said

“I tend to see Saab the same as I see my grandson. He never knew that he couldn’t swim, so he just went in and started swimming. Saab are the same. They can’t imagine that they can’t survive, so they just do.”

How true.

The second is another short snippet about the Saab 99 and the effects it had on people back in its day. I was at dinner a few nights ago and talking with a guy who I’d guess would be in his early-mid 50s now. He was a youngster in the late 1960s when the Saab 99 was released and his father was choosing between that and something new that Volvo had released at the time.

He chose the Saab and ended up getting a new one most years from the early 1970s onwards.

Around 1972, the family had their new 99 and they went on a trip from Sweden down to Austria and Germany. When they pulled into a service area in Germany to fill up the car and stretch their legs, everyone – everyone – in the service area came over to look at the Saab. They were particularly curious about one item. Everyone wanted to see…….

……..those fantastic new headlamp washers and wipers in action!

The car was a hit everywhere they went and I guess it cemented the Saab-buying habit in the family. A few years later, they bought a 99EMS and my friend had just got his driver’s licence. Naturally, he tried to borrow his father’s car whenever he could.

“It became very easy to offer the girls a lift in that car and have them accept……”

:-)

Saab – inspiring people and easing them into relationships since 1947………

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