What does Spyker see in Saab? What does it plan to do with the brand from now? How different will the new Saab be? New models? There are tons of questions we can throw at Spyker, the small volume Dutch sportscar maker who succeeded in buying Saab from GM. Well, Spyker has now shed some light on the matter.
Under the new masterplan, Spyker will now be called Saab Spyker Automobiles NV and this entity will operate Spyker and Saab as two separate companies. Saab will be repositioned as an “independent performance-oriented niche car company with an industry-leading environmental strategy”. The Saab Business Plan, drawn up by Saab management over the past ten months, will be executed and enhanced upon.
Saab will have three main model lines: 9-3, 9-5 and 9-4X. There’s a possibility of adding a smaller car line should the “positive development of the smaller car segment continues”. However, the “9-1″ is not included in the Business Plan and will need additional financing for development. Upcoming launches will be the new 9-5 this year, the 9-4X in early 2011 and the new 9-3 in 2012. Saab cars will use their “strong and unique brand heritage” to rival Audi and BMW.
Saab’s Trollhättan facility has full capability in developing complete vehicles and will continue to do so. Calling it one of the most efficient mid-size car plants in Europe, Saab Spyker aims for production and sales volumes to be rebuilt to “recent pre-crisis levels of about 100,000 to 125,000 vehicles”. This figure will include the 9-4X, which will be built in Mexico alongside stablemate Cadillac SRX. Beyond that, on-going collaborations with GM in parts sourcing will continue, but Saab Spyker will gradually reduce dependency on GM in this aspect.
How about Spyker, the car brand? It can benefit from Saab’s extensive global network of 1,100 dealers, its engineering know how and technologies. The two brands will share parts in the future.
Danny Tan loves driving as much as he loves a certain herbal meat soup, and sweet engine music as much as drum beats. He has been in the auto industry since 2006, previously filling the pages of two motoring magazines before joining this website. Enjoys detailing the experience more than the technical details.
X1 has sme1 to comPete to…!!
a new chapter has just begun……
"Beyond that, on-going collaborations with GM in parts sourcing will continue"
Of course it will continoue, as SAAB traditionally don't have own engines…
off topic, another crossover/SUV just revealed i.e. the Kia Sportage… and it certainly looks good though more or less copies the look of the Tiguan, in any case the Kia is better looking than the Hyundai ix35 cousin…
as for the 9-4X, or any SAAB for that matter… we in Malaysia can only dream, let alone own it… with the brand almost non-existent in Msia… and Saab itself almost died had it not for Spyker saving it at the very last minute…
saab's own engine is found in the previous 9-5. the current 9-3 engine is a shared development project with opel. mostly they were not able to develop their own engines as they were starved of funds and it also made better sense for GM to share engines to keep costs low.
paul…put a new kia sportage in your blog..it looks nice though..
neo still fasionable
9-4x good…but don use this concept…
AE said,
February 3, 2010 @ 9:09 pm
'saab’s own engine is found in the previous 9-5. the current 9-3 engine is a shared development project with opel. mostly they were not able to develop their own engines as they were starved of funds and it also made better sense for GM to share engines to keep costs low.'
I'm sorry, this is wrong. SAAB never had it's own engines. The first engine they used was a 2T from DKW. Then they switched to Ford and later GM/Opel and FIAT (Diesel). But of course they refined the engines, i.e. with their famous turbo.
Joint development with Opel? SAAB has 3.400 employees while Opel/Vauxhall has 47.500. SAAB has more than enough to do with designing new cars.
Of course there's nothing wrong with buying engines from other supplieres. Mercedes i.e. do the same (Mitsubishi, VW) and even Toyota is purchasing their small diesel engines from Peugeot…
Mode you have a big hole in your engine family tree. Triumph supplied the engine for the 99 and that was developed over many years into the engines that powered the 99, 900, 9000 1st GM900/93 and 9-5.
Mohd,
again, thanks for the clarification!
More TURBO CHARGING !!!