[nzsaab]

KiwiGuy - response to 9-4x comments

Below is not all the colours to be made availible, be sure to expect about 11 different colours. However heres 4.

 

[nzsaab]

Wow Kiwiguy, those pictures are very attractive! Would love to play that game sometime.

 

[Rally Red Lancer GTS]

I'm a sucka for a red 2010 Saab 9-5, boys!

 

[nzsaab]

Thats a great choice, I have seen photos of the 2010 9-5 Sedan in Red and its is very nice indeed. Prob my choice for the 9-5 Aero. Red looks fast and very sporty.

Just an update on my website. The 2009 Model Range page is now complete:

http://nzsaab.weebly.com/the-2009-nz-range.html

Feel free to take a squiz at whats on offer in New Zealand and read my little comments for each model. After I read what I wrote Im now convinced I should be writing the sales brouchers!

 

[KiwiGuy]

My preview of my 2008 Saab 9-3 Turbo X on Forza 3

 

[nzsaab]

Nice one there KiwiGuy, although I must point out there are a few issues with that game! The Turbo-X was only availible in Black with a black interior and very crazy looking 3 spoke style wheels.

The car in the pic is silver!

 

[KiwiGuy]

The original model came in black, and that was the colour I brought it in but my one is actually modified. Different front end, colour and wheels and can do almost 300km/h. Acutally, it also has a different rear bumper and side skirts, racing suspension and some twesking with the engine.

Did you not notice the aftermarket front end, nzsaab?

 

[nzsaab]

Yes I did notice the aftermarket front end, I must say I dont really like it. Very plastic looking.

 

[KiwiGuy]

More pics of my Saab

 

[nzsaab]

Im glad to see you are enjoying the 9-3 on this game! I hope the gamer people have made the game as similar to the real thing as possible. I have V8 Super Cars Race Driver and there is a 9-5 Aero HOT on that and its good but could be more realistic.

Have you heard of a new pc game out called GM Rally?

You can even have it in Russian!

I would kill to own this game! It includes 9-7x, 9-2x, 9-3 Sedan, 9-5 Sedan and other GM cars like Chevy

 

[KiwiGuy]

BAIC gets 2.9 Billion USD from Bank of China. Saab purchase soon?

From China Car Times and Reuters:

Early reports from Reuters are reporting that BAIC, Beijing Automotive Industry Corporation, has received a 2.9 Billion USD credit line from the Bank of China which could indicate that a solo bid on Saab is in the pipes after the deal in which Koenigsegg would take on Saab with BAIC help fell through:

Reuters reports:

BEIJING, Dec 4 (Reuters) – Beijing Automotive Industry Holding Corp (BAIC) has obtained a 20 billion yuan ($2.93 billion) line of credit from the Bank of China (601988.SS)(3988.HK), the bank said on Friday.

BAIC has said it might still be interested in buying General Motors’ [GM.UL] Saab unit, after a consortium led by tiny Swedish luxury car maker Koenigsegg, pulled out of talks last week. BAIC was a member of that consortium.[ID:nPEK20085]

BAIC declined to comment.

Major Chinese carmakers are hungry for money to upgrade their technologies, expand production scale and eventually tap into the global market, and it is reasonable for Chinese banks, controlled by the government, to provide them with liquidity.

The credit that BAIC, China’s fifth-biggest carmaker, gets is seen enough to boost the production scale of the Beijing-based automaker, which does not even have its own car brand.

Its four-year old Mercedes-Benz car venture with Daimler AG (DAIGn.DE) broke even last year and its tie-up with Hyundai Motor Co (005380.KS) has a long way to go before catching up with top players in the market such as Volkswagen AG (VOWG.DE).

“Twenty billion yuan is more than enough for production expansion,” said Li Chunbo, an analyst with CITIC Securities.

 

[Rally Red Lancer GTS]

Well, good then. Does that mean a new 2010 Saab 9-5 would come to America as an import from China, then? No other assembly plants anywhere else for Saab?

 

[KiwiGuy]

There used to be, but they either closed or production was shifted back to Sweden. It may be the case for Saabs having to be imported from China but only newer models since closing down and moving production from Sweden to China would mean that loads of jobs and money from the local economy would be lost and it would not go down well with the Swedish public or the government. The 9-5 as you mentioned, Rally Red Lancer GTS, probably will still be produced in Sweden for the European and American markets with additional production for Chinese market, should the purchase go ahead.

 

[chabbu]

It is rumored that Geely may bid for Saab as well.
Rebadged SMA Maples as budget Saabs anyone?

 

[KiwiGuy]

Geely is no longer bidding for Saab anymore. They are trying to buy Volvo instead.

 

[Rally Red Lancer GTS]

KiwiGuy, thanks for that explanation. I needed a bit of a news report for Saab to sort of put all of these changes for the Swedish automaker in to a current frame. I appreciate it. I do believe the Saab 9-5 Aero would look nice in my driveway but unless Barack can offer a rebate on it (see what happens when our U.S. domestic automakers get handed blank checks) I'm thinking it just plain costs too much. Plus, I love my wife and I's '08 Mitsubishi Lancer GTS so much it would pain me to leave it.

I just love discovering new rigs, though, and the new 2010 Saab 9-5 Aero looks fantastic to me. I don't know, there may still be a way for us to do dis.

 

[KiwiGuy]

Are there any tarriffs on importing cars straight from Europe into the United States?

 

[nzsaab]

Response to KiwiGuy

There used to be, but they either closed or production was shifted back to Sweden. It may be the case for Saabs having to be imported from China but only newer models since closing down and moving production from Sweden to China would mean that loads of jobs and money from the local economy would be lost and it would not go down well with the Swedish public or the government. The 9-5 as you mentioned, Rally Red Lancer GTS, probably will still be produced in Sweden for the European and American markets with additional production for Chinese market, should the purchase go ahead.

It seems I havent been as active on this thread as I would like. I should have been making things clear for all you readers. Sorry to all.

Ok, in response to the production questions:

Saab Automobile AB has recently moved all production to its Trollhatten plant in Sweden.

Heres the story (of my own knowledge) dating back a decade and to the future:

List is divided by model.

Second Gen Saab 900, 5-door and 3-door - Assembly in Trollhatten Sweden began in 1993 upto 1998 when production ceased.

Second Gen Saab 900, Convertible - Assembly on contract to Finland. Began (not sure, maybe 1995 or 96) ceased in 2003

First Gen Saab 9-3, 5-door and 3-door - Assembly in Trollhatten Sweden began in 1997 and ended in 2002

First Gen Saab 9-3, Convertible - Assembly on contract to Finland. Began 1998 ceased in 2003

Saab 9000 CS, 5-door - Assembly in Trollhatten Sweden, began 1993 ceased in 1997

First Gen Saab 9-5, Sedan and SportEstate - Assembly at Trollhatten Sweden. Sedan began in 1997 and ceased in 2009. SportEstate began in 1998 and is still in production. There have been 3 revisions (facelifts) to the original 1997 Sedan and 1998 SportEstate. The 9-5 was reported to be moved to be assembled in Germany at the Opel plant last year, however this never happened.

Second Gen Saab 9-3, SportSedan - Assembly at Trollhatten Sweden. Began in 2002 and is still in production to date. There has been 2 revisions of this model. The 9-3 was reported to be moved to be assembled in Germany at the Opel plant last year, however this never happened

Second Gen Saab 9-3, Convertible - Assembly on contract to Magna in Austria. Began in 2003 and ceased 2009. Production has now moved to Trollhatten Sweden where production will reopen in a few weeks.

Second Gen Saab 9-3, SportCombi - Assembly at Trollhatten Sweden. Began 2006 and is current. The 9-3 was reported to be moved to be assembled in Germany at the Opel plant last year, however this never happened.

First Gen Saab 9-2x - Assembly at Fuji Heavy Industries Japan. Began 2004 ceased 2006.

First Gen Saab 9-7x SUV - Assembly at GM Truck Plant in Ohio, USA. Began 2004 ceased December 2008.

Second Gen Saab 9-3, TurboX - Assembly at Trollhatten Sweden. Began 2008 ceased 2008.

Second Gen Saab 9-3, 9-3X - Assembly at Trollhatten Sweden. Began 2009 and is current.

Second Gen Saab 9-5, Sedan - Assembly at Trollhatten Sweden. Began 2009 to current. Production was originally intended to be in Germany however with the sale of Saab in the future, costs can be saved if atleast 90% Saab production is in centralised Sweden and ensures jobs for locals.

First Gen Saab 9-4x, CUV - Assembly in Mexico. Due to begin 2011. There are no plans for this model to be moved to Sweden because the majority of SUV and CUV vehicles is in North America.

Secon Gen Saab 9-5, SportEstate - Assembly in Trollhatten Sweden. Due to begin 2011. (Read Second gen Saab 9-5 Sedan above.)

Third Gen Saab 9-3 - Does anyone care? Thats not going to happen for years!

Im sure an interesting read is above for most.

It is open that Chinese production of old Saab models may occur and yes the new 9-5 may be produced in addition to Sweden. Here goes:

-BAIC have already purchased Saab's tooling for the Saab 9-3 Sedan model 2002-2006. (its slightly different to the current one, but not by much) This vehicle will not be a Saab car in China, it will receieve somebody elses logo and will look very different.
-BAIC are said to take the tooling of the outgoing 9-5 to China if the deal goes through to buy Saab. The old 9-5 will also not be a Saab. It will be another brand of car.
-It makes sense to produce the new 9-5 in China as this is the worlds biggest market and local production reduces costs. It has been mentioned that all Saab's markets on this side of the world, eg. New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Japan, Korea will recieve Chinese made second gen 9-5's! But only if BAIC buys Saab.


Hope this helps ya'll!

 

[Rally Red Lancer GTS]

Thanks, nzsaab, that helped me a whole bunch. I will continue to come to this thread to learn as changes come about.

 

[chabbu]

Geely is no longer bidding for Saab anymore. They are trying to buy Volvo instead.

No, I mean it was rumored that Geely was AGAIN interested in SAAB, but I don't know how serious they are.