Thursday 4th March 2010

Spyker Boss Tackles Mille Miglia In Old Saab

Yes, it's a publicity stunt, but at least Spyker is serious about Saab's heritage

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Saab and Spyker may have only just got into bed together, but the top executives of the two companies are already planning to get cosy in the cockpit of a historic Saab 93 rally car.

The plan is for Spyker boss Victor Muller and Saab CEO Jan Ake Jonsson to tackle the Mille Miglia in a 55hp, 748cc two-stroke Saab 93 similar to the car that took class victory in the 1957 road race. The announcement has been made at the Geneva motor show, where the historic 93 is sharing stand-space with the all-new Saab 9-5.

"Unique cars like the 93 are a key part of the Saab brand's wonderful heritage," says Victor Muller. "I shall enjoy driving it and being able to share in some of Saab's history."

Muller and Jonsson's planned adventure is a clear sign that Spyker wants to take Saab back to its roots with future models. The quirky 93 is a world away from the conventional new 9-5, and reports doing the web-rounds suggest that future Saabs (the first of which is expected to be a small hatch) will owe more to the teardrop-shaped cars of the 1950s than more recent Saab offerings.

Quite how Spyker - a company that last year produced just 45 cars - will cope with the challenge of running a volume car maker remains to be seen.

Nonetheless, Spyker remains bullish and confident. "One thing we do know is how to build a brand," says Spyker's marketing boss Hans Van Rennes, "And Saab already has a great history on which to build."

Saab could help out Spyker in other ways, too, as Van Rennes explained to PH at the Geneva show: "We currently have 1100 Saab dealers worldwide. If just 5 per cent of those signed up to sell Spykers, too - something we're looking at doing - we would more than double our global dealer network."

Spyker's latest creation - the C8 Aileron Spyder - recently began production in Coventry. The £180k super-coupe is powered by a 400bhp, 4.2-litre Audi-sourced V8, which runs through the rear wheels via either a six-speed manual or a six-speed ZF auto, with handling tuned by Lotus.

[TUS 373]

Great idea, good fun and good PR.

Like the look of that new 9-5 too (loved my old 9-5, hated my 9-3 Aero - utter garbage).

[G0ldfysh]

good luck to them hope they can produce cars a bit more distinctive

[dele]

Fair play and good luck

[soad]

Best of luck to Saab. Old rally car looks sweet.

[patmahe]

If more high up guys in car companies actually drove the cars (old and new) that they built and so understood the ethos of the manufacturer and it followers better, it would lead to better more distinctive cars all around.

At least this shows Spyker are not only serious but interested in SAAB's past and future. Good luck to them.

[G4HKS]

Best of luck to them - I think it's a great PR opportunity and the marque deserves to do well after years of GM buggering up the brand. I think the new 9-5 looks great - let's just hope Spyker can hold it all together.

[Lakelord]

Good luck to them and more importantly, good luck to the future of SAAB. I hope Spyker can re-create the brand image after GM made such a huge balls up of it.

[Mike69]

What everyone else said, really!

[Twincam16]

Could this suggest a future Saab presence in rallying also? An IRC entry would really say 'we're back', and also give them a proper identity after years of GM confusion and mismanagement.

I mean, if the BLS is to be believed, it seems GM saw Saab as a kind of European Cadillac equivalent.

[MKnight702]

patmahe said:

At least this shows Spyker are not only serious but interested in SAAB's past and future.

Um No, it shows that Victor thinks that the Mille Miglia will be a bit of a laugh.

[LukeBird]

Good luck to Spyker!

[tgx4776]

Victor Also just took delivery of a brand new 9-5 (the same as shown above).

[mark3man]

MKnight702 said:

patmahe said:

At least this shows Spyker are not only serious but interested in SAAB's past and future.

Um No, it shows that Victor thinks that the Mille Miglia will be a bit of a laugh.

Another take is that whilst sports car makes are chasing their 'average CO2 emissions" (or whatever it is) by offering a Ferrari running on old chip-fat and similar improbabilities (like that baby Toyota badged by Aston Martin) Spyker have cunningly done the job in reverse.
I do hope that this alliance of a financial engineer who gets a few sports cars made as a side-line can provide enough backing for SAAB to get back into the business. They have serious brand loyalty, good cars with some exceptional features, loads of sporting history - and a recent owner who acquired any good idea they had for himself, to pour into his own sinking ship of mundane saloons and vast pick-ups .
Quite a rant from an old man.....I feel so much better !

[tgx4776]

mark3man said:

MKnight702 said:

patmahe said:

At least this shows Spyker are not only serious but interested in SAAB's past and future.

Um No, it shows that Victor thinks that the Mille Miglia will be a bit of a laugh.

Another take is that whilst sports car makes are chasing their 'average CO2 emissions" (or whatever it is) by offering a Ferrari running on old chip-fat and similar improbabilities (like that baby Toyota badged by Aston Martin) Spyker have cunningly done the job in reverse.
I do hope that this alliance of a financial engineer who gets a few sports cars made as a side-line can provide enough backing for SAAB to get back into the business. They have serious brand loyalty, good cars with some exceptional features, loads of sporting history - and a recent owner who acquired any good idea they had for himself, to pour into his own sinking ship of mundane saloons and vast pick-ups .
Quite a rant from an old man.....I feel so much better !

VM claims to have 1 billion (euros?) secured already and the new 9-3 has been in development for two years. They may also partner with Lotus seeing the ties with Spyker. I wouldn't complain if they did.

Edited by tgx4776 on Thursday 4th March 22:37

[davepoth]

VM does seem to be that rare breed of man - Car Company "White Knight" who can actually get funding. A decent small hatchback will do them wonders.

[White Mouse]

On a similar note, a group hoping to number ten Saabs, and using Saab chase cars, is being entered into the RAC Rally (26th to 29th November), to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Erik Carlsson giving Saab its first win (of three), in 1960. My photo shows Jim Valentine's handsome example at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

This is particularly aposite with the recent rescue of Saab by Spyker and gives GM the finger for their seemingly interminable mucking about. Pistonheads' members have demonstrated that there is still a lot of loyalty and affection for the marque. Motorsport News and the Saab Owners Club have shown enthusiastic support for the event and it would be great if Spyker could add theirs. I'm sure it could generate cheap and effective PR for them in the same way as the Mille Miglia entry.

I'm reluctant to post a chap's email address online but if anyone wants to know more, to participate or best of all, can provide sponsorship or support, please feel free to PM me and I'll be happy to pass on messages.

Cheers.

[Twincam16]

tgx4776 said:

mark3man said:

MKnight702 said:

patmahe said:

At least this shows Spyker are not only serious but interested in SAAB's past and future.

Um No, it shows that Victor thinks that the Mille Miglia will be a bit of a laugh.

Another take is that whilst sports car makes are chasing their 'average CO2 emissions" (or whatever it is) by offering a Ferrari running on old chip-fat and similar improbabilities (like that baby Toyota badged by Aston Martin) Spyker have cunningly done the job in reverse.
I do hope that this alliance of a financial engineer who gets a few sports cars made as a side-line can provide enough backing for SAAB to get back into the business. They have serious brand loyalty, good cars with some exceptional features, loads of sporting history - and a recent owner who acquired any good idea they had for himself, to pour into his own sinking ship of mundane saloons and vast pick-ups .
Quite a rant from an old man.....I feel so much better !

VM claims to have 1 billion (euros?) secured already and the new 9-3 has been in development for two years. They may also partner with Lotus seeing the ties with Spyker. I wouldn't complain if they did.

Edited by tgx4776 on Thursday 4th March 22:37

I'd like that. A mentalmobile in the vein of the Lotus Carlton - but with 4WD for Saab - would do nicely.

[tgx4776]

Twincam16 said:

tgx4776 said:

mark3man said:

MKnight702 said:

patmahe said:

At least this shows Spyker are not only serious but interested in SAAB's past and future.

Um No, it shows that Victor thinks that the Mille Miglia will be a bit of a laugh.

Another take is that whilst sports car makes are chasing their 'average CO2 emissions" (or whatever it is) by offering a Ferrari running on old chip-fat and similar improbabilities (like that baby Toyota badged by Aston Martin) Spyker have cunningly done the job in reverse.
I do hope that this alliance of a financial engineer who gets a few sports cars made as a side-line can provide enough backing for SAAB to get back into the business. They have serious brand loyalty, good cars with some exceptional features, loads of sporting history - and a recent owner who acquired any good idea they had for himself, to pour into his own sinking ship of mundane saloons and vast pick-ups .
Quite a rant from an old man.....I feel so much better !

VM claims to have 1 billion (euros?) secured already and the new 9-3 has been in development for two years. They may also partner with Lotus seeing the ties with Spyker. I wouldn't complain if they did.

Edited by tgx4776 on Thursday 4th March 22:37

I'd like that. A mentalmobile in the vein of the Lotus Carlton - but with 4WD for Saab - would do nicely.

They already have a highly advanced AWD system....... now Lotus just needs to get to work.