Saab Location: The Swedish patient
Yesterday evening a friend called me and asked what the Indian prospect for Saab was. Indian prospective More fun then, I told him after reading the text on Saabsunited, that was a typical Victor Muller story again.
Because these texts sounded familiar and the choice of words like “... we know it, but we are not allowed to say it ...” I had read over and over again over the past few months. I seem to have been right with my spontaneous answer. The prospect's lawyer is ex-Antonov spokesman Lars Carström. This is exactly the reason why the bankruptcy trustee canceled the meeting at short notice after making sure that it was “the Carlström”. Lars Carlström has built a certain reputation in Sweden since he leaned very far out of the window for Antonov.
If there really is a prospective customer from India who does not come from the corner of two friends Antonov and Muller, then he has chosen his lawyer very badly. More likely, however, is that in fact the new prospect comes from the supposed corner, this is also the primary communication on Saabsunited. Unfortunately, in the recent past, with all the good intentions, has become the mouthpiece of certain interests again and again. The friends on Saabsunited will hopefully forgive me for that remark.
Frankly, I've heard too many fantastic announcements in the past few months and I've gotten quite suspicious. Because sooner or later all announcements vanished into thin air, I just think of the announced liberation, also known as “The Deal”.
Good, sponge over it. I prefer to stick to facts that come firsthand. The fact that there are legitimate prospects is not the question, also that the bankruptcy trustees are now cautiously optimistic, is known.
They are European, Swedish and Asian bidders for Saab, and Trollhättan does not look that bad. Many jobs will probably be saved, and the factory halls in Stallbacka will not be empty in the future.
But that still does not mean that in the future there will be automobile construction in Trollhättan as we knew it. The Turkish prospect, for example, primarily wants to start car manufacturing in their own country and under a new name with Saab Technik. But there are also buyers who want to revive the Saab name ...
Our friends from Detroit spoke again at the end of the year. GM will check every offer, you hear from the US. Whatever that is supposed to tell us.
The cautious positive signals currently outweigh. But it's all about Trollhattan, the jobs and the future of the region. Only secondarily to the Saab brand.
Let's stay calm as usual. Let's put our expectations on a realistic, slightly lower level. Because then we can only be pleasantly surprised.
Text: tom@saabblog.net
A little mainstream is probably necessary to get enough buyers. There is only a certain group of buyers for these so-called SUV models - the 9-4 X was actually very well received by this group (as is so often the case, it depends on the eye of the beholder).
Only SAAB would have to produce the right models.
The ones you absolutely want to have.
The current ones, including this strange 9 4x, do not evoke this feeling in me.
(Unfortunately, they are all too mainstream for me.)
Easy, folks ... and Markus is right at least on one point:
“Saab would have needed buyers of new cars and will hopefully need them again.
no manufacturer can only live from his own biography, however nice that may be.
The only way to show saab the greatest solidarity is by buying cars - as far as possible in the future. "
There's something going on here ... great entertainment at prime time. 😉
ps: I agree with 900 that in the past vm was not supposed to publish every possibility, that was a mistake.
But I think he learned from it - later it got less.
He's probably also experienced such a situation for the first time - and if you don't make any mistakes here, you're a genius and there are very few of them.
Still, Mahindra is just a press release and a little more restraint as on Tom's blog is advisable in some situations. In the past, VM would have been a bit reluctant to be involved in public relations. Much bad press and reputation loss for SAAB would have been to avoid.
@ Marcus: As you know, the contact of VM with saabsunited is extremely tight, so what's your problem?
saab900
where do you see ONE (a problem) with Marcus ???
thanks, gallix, I have none.
I also don't have the impression that this blog is cautious here - in my opinion, this is where the most speculation is.
if saabsunited vm is close, this blog is close to saab germany.
that is everybody's right, i still have a differentiated opinion.
I have to get rid of one thing:
Saab fans everywhere talk about how long their cars will last and how they want to drive their saab olange.
that's not negative in itself, but:
Saab would have needed buyers of new cars and hopefully will need them again.
no manufacturer can only live from his own biography, however nice that may be.
The only way to show the greatest solidarity to saab is by buying cars - as far as possible in the future.
Marcus, I think now it's good 😉
Hello Tom,
it is your blog and you determine the rules that unfortunately cannot be read anywhere. I have not attacked or insulted anyone - I just gave my opinion.
obviously you don't like it - accepted, although I would have expected more sovereignty.
i don't tend to step in and therefore I wish you much success with your blog - this was my last contribution, because at over 50 i don't need to be disciplined like a schoolboy.
Greetings and a good slide
marcus
+ 1 😉
About 50 and so impulsive. Things are there.
rather "put 6"
saabsunited is certainly more positive about vm than this blog.
but to speak of a control by vm, I think not fair to the local machinists.
Where is the tolerance for other opinions?
saabsunited is still very topical and an excellent addition to this blog - especially together with arild's blog from norway.
only the mixture from the different sources provides an overview and the eternal vm-bashing is just boring and it has always been for me.
the current information from sweden is optimistic and i hope that the konkusverwalter corrects his mistake very fast and speaks with mahindra.
Hi all,
Here in Hamburg something would calm down, if just after the experiences within the last hours, also the bankruptcy administrators sees someone on the fingers.
For this reason, we would not find it helpful if VM completely disappeared from the scene - we therefore do not share “Saabfan's” view.
Greetings from the Hanseatic city
Joachim
I do not think anyone has to look at it. VM has no influence whatsoever. Once he has filed for bankruptcy, he is outside. Only he has not understood that yet and continues to pull his strings. Unfortunately, saabsunited is still fully VM controlled.
Dear Tom
I would be very happy if Mr. Muller and Mr. Antonov could say goodbye to the “SAAB story” this year. You should now turn to other speculations and visions (playgrounds)! You have had your chances. A little distance would do the two gentlemen very well and would certainly also have a calming effect on the car brand. “We” have had enough rumors and wild stories for a long time anyway …….
So there is something going on in the background - but the great wish remains that not every party seeks the expanse of the brisk American appearance.
It would of course be great if some of the production halls could also be used to manufacture SAAB automobiles in the future - albeit on a smaller scale than before.
Future information in this direction (like even better news) are gladly accepted.
Greetings from Schleswig-Holstein
Julie