ARCHIVED FORUM -- March 2012 to February 2022READ ONLY FORUM
This is the second Archived Forum which was active between 1st March 2012 and 23rd February 2022
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Saab 9-3 production restarted today at Trollhattan. Swedish market only. Order by internet from 10th Dec.
Other 9-3 variants plus electric powered versions in 2014. Parallel production in China from next year.
No indication whether there will be right hand steering options.
Graham
I finally updated my iPhone to ios7 the other day after resisting it for so long and was looking at the impressive 3D flyover within the maps. Impressive enough that I investigated how they did it and it turns out that the technology used was originally created by Saab! Ok it was originally meant for guiding missiles to their targets and nothing to do with the cars but still...
If you think nobody cares, try missing a couple of payments.
Designed by the same guy as the Maserati GranTurismo , but without the benefit of being at Pininfarina
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jason_Castriota
Beo Century ,Beoplay V1, Beocenter 6, Ex-Beolit 12, Beotime , A8. Beolit 15 , Form 2i , Beolab 2000, Beoplay A3.Beosound 1
I mean the car that never was, on the previous page of the thread! Not the 9-3
So SAAB seems to be up and running again. Good news I guess. I just hope they could make it turn over a buck, and keep production in Sweden!
Too long to list....
Excellent news. maybe i will buy a brand new car for once in my life. A 900 Classic replacement. Super cool, fast and unique.
Beosound Stage, Beovision 8-40, Beolit 20, Beosound Explore.
vikinger: Saab are not the only cars to have always had front wheel drive, but as I've posted before, a couple of years ago my friend got his brand new rear wheel drive Jaguar XF stuck on an icy car park and I had to rescue him in my 9-5. A current neighbour couldn't get his rear wheel drive Mercedes C class to mount a 100mm rubber ramp in the icy weather last week. BMW spent a fortune advertising that you got a better drive with rear wheel drive. A few days of icy weather soon reveals the truth!
Saab are not the only cars to have always had front wheel drive, but as I've posted before, a couple of years ago my friend got his brand new rear wheel drive Jaguar XF stuck on an icy car park and I had to rescue him in my 9-5. A current neighbour couldn't get his rear wheel drive Mercedes C class to mount a 100mm rubber ramp in the icy weather last week. BMW spent a fortune advertising that you got a better drive with rear wheel drive.
A few days of icy weather soon reveals the truth!
Reminded me of this. First one to spot the proplem...
Stonk:Reminded me of this. First one to spot the proplem...
--mika
GM did quite the number on SAAB, and taxpayers still had to bail them out.
I certainly wish the new SAAB the best. In US the niche that loved SAAB shifted to Subaru, probably never to return. Subaru is everywhere. SAAB is practically nowhere. Plus, Subaru won the street performance niche, and even re-badged the Imprezza hatch as a SAAB. What a messed up story.
But maybe if B&O did the sound????? They could call the entry system BeoPlay and the high end system Bang & Olufsen.
Too much coffee this morning.
Stonk: vikinger: Saab are not the only cars to have always had front wheel drive, but as I've posted before, a couple of years ago my friend got his brand new rear wheel drive Jaguar XF stuck on an icy car park and I had to rescue him in my 9-5. A current neighbour couldn't get his rear wheel drive Mercedes C class to mount a 100mm rubber ramp in the icy weather last week. BMW spent a fortune advertising that you got a better drive with rear wheel drive. A few days of icy weather soon reveals the truth! Reminded me of this. First one to spot the proplem...
'Proplem' is sort of appropriate in this context!
symmes: GM did quite the number on SAAB, and taxpayers still had to bail them out. I certainly wish the new SAAB the best. In US the niche that loved SAAB shifted to Subaru, probably never to return. Subaru is everywhere. SAAB is practically nowhere. Plus, Subaru won the street performance niche, and even re-badged the Imprezza hatch as a SAAB. What a messed up story. But maybe if B&O did the sound????? They could call the entry system BeoPlay and the high end system Bang & Olufsen. Too much coffee this morning.
No B&O, but they are up and running.
http://www.saabsunited.com/2013/12/the-first-new-saabs-have-been-ordered.html
saabcars.com
I have always had a soft spot for Saab, but never owned one. We did rent a Saab 9-3 convertible once for a long weekend and thoroughly enjoyed it. Great driving car, comfortable, great top. GM didn't do them any favors, they turned into an Opel with the ignition key in a funny place IMO.
Interesting and astute observation Symmes as to what has occupied the niche Saab used to. It's always somewhat puzzled me that Subaru is so beloved by the tree huggers even though they don't make a hybrid and their mileage figures aren't that outstanding compared to other brands.
Jeff
I'm afraid I'm recovering from the BeoVirus.
Jeff: I have always had a soft spot for Saab, but never owned one. We did rent a Saab 9-3 convertible once for a long weekend and thoroughly enjoyed it. Great driving car, comfortable, great top. GM didn't do them any favors, they turned into an Opel with the ignition key in a funny place IMO. Interesting and astute observation Symmes as to what has occupied the niche Saab used to. It's always somewhat puzzled me that Subaru is so beloved by the tree huggers even though they don't make a hybrid and their mileage figures aren't that outstanding compared to other brands.
The history of the ignition key location is interesting. The old Saab V4/ 96 had a very effective column gear change. When car security started becoming an issue most manufacturers moved to putting a steering lock onto their cars, but Saab decided that it would be safer to lock the gear change. The next models ... combi's 99’s and 900's etc moved to having a gear change on the floor, so the ignition switch followed the gear change.
Interesting Graham! The only story I heard over here was that it was allegedly a safety thing so you wouldn't hit the keys in an accident with your face. That never made sense, as how could you get your face around the steering wheel to hit the keys? Your explanation makes sense!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5Ul9-8DUHU
http://tinyurl.com/qj9cjsf
Jeff: Interesting Graham! The only story I heard over here was that it was allegedly a safety thing so you wouldn't hit the keys in an accident with your face. That never made sense, as how could you get your face around the steering wheel to hit the keys? Your explanation makes sense!
It was not so much the face... it was the knee. Graham's story is correct and quite well known actually.
Vähintään yhdeksänkymmentä prosenttia suomalainen!
tamtapir: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5Ul9-8DUHU
The car and jet plane connection. The only thing the Saab representatives I dealt with could come up with was the black panel technology... Quite sad, really...
vikinger: symmes: GM did quite the number on SAAB, and taxpayers still had to bail them out. I certainly wish the new SAAB the best. In US the niche that loved SAAB shifted to Subaru, probably never to return. Subaru is everywhere. SAAB is practically nowhere. Plus, Subaru won the street performance niche, and even re-badged the Imprezza hatch as a SAAB. What a messed up story. But maybe if B&O did the sound????? They could call the entry system BeoPlay and the high end system Bang & Olufsen. Too much coffee this morning. No B&O, but they are up and running. http://www.saabsunited.com/2013/12/the-first-new-saabs-have-been-ordered.html saabcars.com Graham
Saab failed to have an up to date model line up. Re-introducing old models is not going to work is it? They had some great concept cars, sad to see they never made it to production. Fact is Saab was too exclusive for it's own good. Worldwide sales figures from 1990 up to their demise varied rougly between 70,000 and 130,000 units a year. These numbers simply are not good enough if you want to keep your cars technology and model line up up to date and still show a profit. Sad but true. Anyway, here is a video about the last real Saab
I might be wrong, but I think it will work to re-.intruduce an old model.In this phase we are now, when cars, stereoes, computers, clocks, has to change as fast a cloth, every year.How inspirating is it ?When manufacturers had a slow shift of models, I remember that I , as a consumer, had enough time to learn the market, whats avaliable out there, and had time to see products enough many times to actually want themToday, it all change so fast, that my lust for consuming have completly died.
My re-capped M75 are my precious diamonds.
Beocool,
I agree that reintroducing old models is not going to work, but if you read the links you will see that the new owner is rebuilding the supply chain using the last 9-3 model which will have a face lift next year with an electric version. Then they will move to the Phoenix platform.
Saab were doomed from the day that GM decided to close them having absorbed many Saab patented ideas..... Then refusing to licence those same ideas to any new owner. GM were the cause of Saab's demise.... corner cutting and rebadging, although in reality Saab did always change the wheelbases and chassis to their own specifications, arguably taking away any potential profit.
One of the things that Saab owners actually liked was the fact that the models were never changed at a rate as great as other manufacturers. They used to have so many innovative and safely features that one model could stay ahead of, or equal, the competition for many years after its initial introduction.
As far as the UK or other right hand steering wheel markets are concerned I doubt very much whether we will ever see a new Saab model again. The dilemma for me, based on personal preference, is to find a high traction front wheel drive (none GM) car as a replacement. Most alternatives seem to be only rear wheel drive or fuel hungry four wheel drive.
Saab are a bit like Liverpool football club. A great past, but overtaken by BMW, the Manchester United of car makers. But who knows what a new season will bring?
vikinger: Beocool, I agree that reintroducing old models is not going to work, but if you read the links you will see that the new owner is rebuilding the supply chain using the last 9-3 model which will have a face lift next year with an electric version. Then they will move to the Phoenix platform. Saab were doomed from the day that GM decided to close them having absorbed many Saab patented ideas..... Then refusing to licence those same ideas to any new owner. GM were the cause of Saab's demise.... corner cutting and rebadging, although in reality Saab did always change the wheelbases and chassis to their own specifications, arguably taking away any potential profit. One of the things that Saab owners actually liked was the fact that the models were never changed at a rate as great as other manufacturers. They used to have so many innovative and safely features that one model could stay ahead of, or equal, the competition for many years after it's initial introduction. As far as the UK or other right hand steering wheel markets are concerned I doubt very much whether we will ever see a new Saab model again. The dilemma for me, based on personal preference, is to find a high traction front wheel drive (none GM) car as a replacement. Most alternatives seem to be only rear wheel drive or fuel hungry four wheel drive. Saab are a bit like Liverpool football club. A great past, but overtaken by BMW, the Manchester United of car makers. But who knows what a new season will bring? Graham
One of the things that Saab owners actually liked was the fact that the models were never changed at a rate as great as other manufacturers. They used to have so many innovative and safely features that one model could stay ahead of, or equal, the competition for many years after it's initial introduction.
The only front wheel drive car that comes to my mind straight away is an Audi A6. Although this is probably even more Manchester United than a BMW. If I insult anyone it is unintentional, I don't know anything about football... Another front wheel drive I liked was the Citroën C6, but that is no longer in production.
beocool: tamtapir: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5Ul9-8DUHU The car and jet plane connection. The only thing the Saab representatives I dealt with could come up with was the black panel technology... Quite sad, really...
As we all know, the connection was that a plane manufacturer was building the cars. Building cars kept the plane manufacturer in business after WW2.
GM turned out to be the sad part.
vikinger: beocool: tamtapir: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5Ul9-8DUHU The car and jet plane connection. The only thing the Saab representatives I dealt with could come up with was the black panel technology... Quite sad, really... As we all know, the connection was that a plane manufacturer was building the cars. Building cars kept the plane manufacturer in business after WW2. GM turned out to be the sad part. Graham
Yes, but my point is that there never was a technological benefit from that connection or if there was Saab failed to market that idea. All they could tell was that they made planes and that made them special as a car manufacturer. To me that connection can only be special if there is a benefit in terms of technology or design. Apart from the black panel one could argue that the curved windscreen on the 99 and 900 was also a feature borrowed from aircraft design, but the idea got abandoned ages ago with the 9000 already.
The 99 and 900 were special cars, no doubt. I mean you don't see an engine that is installed "backwards" with power delivered from the front of the engine, which was transferred with chain driven gears to the transmission on every car. And I always loved the seats in a Saab. Special yes, connected to airplane technology, no.
In my opinion Saab died a long time ago when the original 900 went out of production. What they produced afterwards was just not special enough. I miss the old Saabs, the new ones, not at all.
Saab already charged a premium . The ones that weren't leased though, they were pre-registered and gathered dust outside Vauxhall/Opel dealers even at huge discounts.
The stop of SAAB production has of course many reasons, often debated.One reason, to my, opinion is also the lack of support from the population in its own country, SwedenThe earlier models in the 60´s and the 70´s did never meet up in mechanicaly quality compared to Volvo. In Sweden, Saab was always being harrest and joked about because of quality issues.Unfortnually, this bad reputation followed Saab here in Sweden through out the decades nomatter what they did.The swedish people really never acknowledged that since the 9000 series and models after SAAB had an incredible high mechanicly quality. They just run and run like as well as the VolvosSo, among many reasons, I also blame the population here in Sweden for not giving SAAB its deserved reputation the last decades. Then when it came close to the closing of the factory, everybody just turned, and felt sorry for SAAB, quickly it became a cult car and many wanted to buy it.....but too late.
I did hear (too young to remember) that Rover was ridiculed here back in the UK for quality issues, Lancia (Italian) stopped selling cars in the UK due to the amount of rust corrosion). Swedish cars in the UK were always seen as expensive for parts and now most people in the UK that enjoys cars and reliability seems to buy German.
I really like the Saab 93X diesel but they are still rather expensive second hand. I am really surprised that B&O didn't stick to its Scandinavian neighbours and fit there sound systems in Volvo rather than its German neighbours.
Beosound 8, Beotime, Beocom 4, Beo 5, Lutron Rania, MacBook 15" (Mid 2015), iPad Pro, iPhone 6S, B&O Play H3, Beolit 12, Form 2, A8 Headphones, B&O Play A1, B&O Essence
Chris, something has for decades gone wrong with the international distribution chain of parts of Swedish cars.I know the swedish cars have this reputation in other countries, but over many decades, for instans parts to Volvo were redicolous cheap here, people bragged often about changing big parts in a Volvo or a SAAB cars were like buying grocieries and compared often to single screws that costed 80-90 euros for a BMW .Today, it seems like parts to a Swedish car is more or less as expensive as any cars, but SAAB and Volvo were incredible cheap to repair in its own country for many decadesAnd yes I agree, I would have loved to see intergrated B&O in cars manufactored here.
From the saabsunited website. His book is currently only available in Swedish, but will be published in English in June.
A grumpy old Saab driver. Sounds like me!
"We rarely conduct book reviews here, but when a book as hilarious as “A Man Called Ove” pops up, using the word “Saab” no less than 120 times, then we probably should say a few words. The novel is penned by Swedish author Fredrik Backman, but good news everybody: An English translation is in the works!
Ove, a widower at 59, is a devoted Saab owner living in Sweden. I do not see Ove as the kind of man likely to turn up at our festivals and similar, but a devoted non-turbo fan nonetheless (at one point Ove drives a 9000i). I suspect that for Ove, driving Saab comes natural and he sees little reason to celebrate this because there really is no alternative for him.
The book explores Ove’s persona which his surroundings perceive as ‘bitter grumpy old man’. Ove sometimes asks himself why one is considered grumpy, just because one isn’t walking around with a fake smile plastered on his face all the time........"
it's sad but good to hear this news.
I have worked in the car industry for over 25 years and SAAB still is an incredibly strong and uber cool brand and could have competed against the such as Audi (look where they have come in such a short time and building a 47 car model range).
GM need their heads examining especially when they invested all that money into Chevorlet Europe only to pull out suddenly and Ford announce that they need to re-enter the premium market as this is a profit rich growing area; and they sold JLR and Aston Martin.
It clearly shows a case of an unloving parent with no passion or understanding of their customer base.
Long live SAAB.
we tend to forget there is more to design than designing.
vikinger:
I loved the book. Very funny!
//Bo.A long list...
BeoBoy68:Agree Chris, SAAB 900 was the best SAAB ever made. If you have an opportunity to buy one take it... Right either that SAAB should produce a compact sport car like the Audi A1.
Som people think this is the best car that Volvo ever built, but I dont Think ANY car company can go ahead building a product that a few want to buy.
m6lpmrh
/***
That Volvo was most likely their first SUV they built.Very smart car. Not even WV Caddy is that smart.
NEVS has lost a Chinese investor and has put Saab development and production on hold again.
Saabsunited.com are reporting that Mahindra and Dongfeng want to invest, so it's not over yet. Not looking good though.
BO: vikinger: I loved the book. Very funny!
Just read it during my DK visit, recognize some Ove behavior in myself
Collecting Vintage B&O is not a hobby, its a lifestyle.
But another part of Saab lives on well.http://www.saabgroup.com/en/Air/Gripen-Fighter-System/?id=3&epslanguage=en
SAAB is on the brink again. Nevs having big trouble.
bayerische: SAAB is on the brink again. Nevs having big trouble.
Looking really serious (again)!
Nevs reorganising through some sort of bankruptcy.
Saab AB the aircraft manufacturer has withdrawn the licence for cars to carry the name Saab.