Thursday 7th June 2012

Saab sold - but the buyer isn't who you'd think

Electric car consortium to turn Saab into a super-green brand

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The Saab brand has officially been sold to National Electric Vehicle Sweden (NEVS). The electric vehicle consortium sparked rumours of the sale by publishing the following statement on its website earlier this week: "SAAB Automobile, Trollhattan and Sweden stands for innovation and technology excellence. At SAAB Automobile, the engagement for future transportation solutions is pervasive."

This morning, the City-Director of Trollhattan Annika Wennerblom revealed that the final details of the Saab sale have been confirmed. The electric car consortium is believed to have bought the whole firm, excluding Saab parts, and is expected to start producing hybrid cars at Saab's Trollhattan factory.

It's been a troubled few years for Swedish automaker Saab; first Victor Muller stormed in and saved the firm at the last minute after GM decided to pull the plug. Then the 9-5 was launched to diluted applause, the 9-4X debuted in America and the UK arm's sales were on the up. Then Saab ran out of money, failed to pay its parts suppliers and stopped manufacturing cars back in April 2011.

Since then Muller strived to rescue the firm with Chinese backing, but that also failed and by the end of 2011 Saab was placed into administration. BMW showed interest (having agreed a deal to supply petrol engines for the forthcoming 9-3) while Chinese maker Youngman and Indian manufacturer Mahindra fought it out in the headlines to be the best suitor for saving Saab.

Despite their might, and financial muscle, it has been announced today that the buyer is neither, and the final party at the negotiating table was NEVS.

With NEVS Having worked on developing its own 9-3 ePower hybrid, you can expect a re-worked version of this to be the first to appear - though experts suggest this is still some years away from being fully production-ready.

The 9-3 saloon uses an electric rear axle and small petrol engine to drive the front wheels to create a full four-wheel-drive system. Coupled with the trick eLSD the 9-3 ePower actually promises to be the best-driving Saab of recent times. It's also thought NEVS has bought the rights to the Phoenix platform (the all-new vehicle architecture that was to underpin future Saabs), which it will re-engineer to make suitable for hybrid and electric powertrains and produce a range of new Saab-branded vehicles.

Follow the whole Saab Saga in the forums here

[Harji]

Fantastic news. I have a feeling that some Swedish thinking (the same thinking behind Saab originally and Volvo) may bring a new lease of life into Hybrid cars.

Good luck

[urquattro]

Good, and it has stayed in swedish ownership, not followed our brands east etc as cheap buys.

[dublet]

Lycka till.

[Carfolio]

Yet more undignified convulsions. It was doomed the second GM got hold of it. SAAB has taken 20 odd years to die, and it still hasn't gone. Imagine what could have been, had the right buyer been found first time around!

[B10]

So it is the company AND the brand that has been sold. To me a brand is not a company. Sorry being a bit of a pendant.

[Bill]

Carfolio said:

Yet more undignified convulsions. It was doomed the second GM got hold of it. SAAB has taken 20 odd years to die, and it still hasn't gone. Imagine what could have been, had the right buyer been found first time around!

I don't know, SAABs are traditionally bought by architects and hybrids are right up their street.

[davepoth]

I think this is their best chance of doing something interesting, out of all the other options that have come up. Best of luck to them.

[mat777]

Great - turn a maker of great cars into producer of stty "eco" hybrids that we all known are far from green at all. Way to ruin a proud brand

[tomoleeds]

SAABs main brand is the 93/95 a 4 door saloon, there are too many alternatives for there brand to sell,Ford Mondeo,Vauhall Isignia,Bmw 3/5 series,Audi A4. Mercedes C200/220,VW passat, plus Honda,Mazda, etc think a new saab brand should concentrate on doind something diffrent, but what i domt know?

[Chicane-UK]

[redacted]

[williredale]

I don't know but this could be something interesting. It depends what they make of it I guess and where the market goes.

I hope we're not sat here in a couple of years talking about the failure of Saab again...

[Luca Brasi]

mat777 said:

Great - turn a maker of great cars into producer of stty "eco" hybrids that we all known are far from green at all. Way to ruin a proud brand

This.

[farrendahl]

mat777 said:

Great - turn a maker of great cars into producer of stty "eco" hybrids that we all known are far from green at all. Way to ruin a proud brand

Personally I think thats a bit harsh, especially as the purchase of Saab will be what SAVES it from vanishing completely. If anythign that doesn't ruin a proud brand, it gives it a second lease at life.

[kwak]

[redacted]

[ewenm]

mat777 said:

Great - turn a maker of great cars into producer of stty "eco" hybrids that we all known are far from green at all. Way to ruin a proud brand

Name SAAB's last "great" car.

[billzeebub]

FFS..come back Vauxhall, all is forgiven!..

[mr2j]

21st century sonnett please.

[Roop]

SAAB, an iconic Swedish brand goes back to Swedish ownership. That's a win as far as I am concerned.

They have engineering and manufacturing expertise already and now throw in electric/hybrid expertise. It's got to be interesting...

[XitUp]

Hey, I said they should start making hybrids on that other thread ages ago. I want my cut!

mat777 said:

Great - turn a maker of great cars into producer of stty "eco" hybrids that we all known are far from green at all. Way to ruin a proud brand

Oh ffs, no car is 'green'. Hybrids are a lot less dirty than other cars. This is fact, get over it. And there is no reason a hybrid can't be interesting. A lot more interesting than a rebodied diesel Vauxhall for a start.

Luca Brasi said:

This.

[drpep]

More front wheel drive irrelevance... Next! (happy for the workers though)