SAAB Day: Trollhättan, Auction, Personal

The Saab auction in Sweden is a topic in fan circles, and there is great interest from Germany. The auction will run with German participation, that is now certain, and it is exciting to see how the prices will develop.

A look in the auction halls. Photo: Roger Larch

Especially with the Saab 9-5 sportswear you have to think about the motivation. Who offers a car that, contrary to all dreams, is not suitable for everyday use? Are they just collectors and museums, or are behind the bidding ambitious manufacturers from the Far East, who would like to have the latest state of Saab technology on the dissecting table? To know the answer to this question would be interesting.

Free ride to Trollhättan

There was the “Trollhättan Package” that GM had squeezed out of the Swedish government. In return for the long-term safeguarding of Saab jobs, the state invested many millions in an improved infrastructure. An expansion of the rail network, new modern train stations and a new construction of the E45 from Gothenburg to Trollhättan. GM has not kept its promises, the jobs that were guaranteed to be gone have disappeared.

For Trollhättan has from Saturday an improved connection to the Swedish west coast. The route, partially blown into the rock, will shorten the journey time. A lot of political celebrities are on site to put the building into operation. For us as fans a small advantage, because the new E45 saves when visiting the Saab city the detour via Uddevalla.

Matthias Seidl to Opel

He worked closely with Victor Muller, and he was one of the strongest personalities in the battle for the cult manufacturer from Sweden. Matthias Seidl, most recently as Vice President Global Sales & Aftersales at Saab Automobile, will be the new head of sales for Opel from January 1, 2013. Before that, he worked for the Volkswagen Group for 20 years, including as COO at Volkswagen of America, Executive Director Sales American Region for VW and Audi, Managing Director of Audi Australia and Director Asia-Pacific and Regional Manager Western Europe at Audi.

As a Saab blogger, you have a slightly split relationship with the Rüsselsheimers and see the change with a laughing and a crying eye. One thing is certain - Opel is getting an excellent sales manager! Our congratulations to Matthias Seidl.

Text: tom@saabblog.net

Photo: Roger Larch

 

6 thoughts on "SAAB Day: Trollhättan, Auction, Personal"

  • @ Tom Knecht: Thank you for your always informative contributions; But there is one thing I would ask you to explain to an interested layperson without any appreciable understanding of technology: Why do you describe the pre-series vehicles mentioned as “not roadworthy”? Do you fear negligent spread? Do you have to expect malfunctions? And if so: why?

    Thanks in advance for a few short comments.

    • It's not for nothing that people talk about collectibles at this auction and the term “pre-series” should say it all. The vehicles are built and configured by hand and are definitely not intended for everyday use. Naturally, these vehicles end up in the press after testing and do not come into customer hands. The fact that the blog team was able to move these vehicles was an absolute exception. The manual processing is unstable, there are better and worse vehicles. Naturally, and as already described, this also applies to drivability. Some drive excellent, some don't. You get the best impression when you examine the objects on site!

      • Thank you - now I'm a little in the picture. No, I will certainly not examine and buy. As a longtime Saab driver and fan, I am interested in the subject alone.

    • I interfere once:

      These “pre-production vehicles” are mostly not eligible for approval because the relevant reports are not yet available.
      Mostly just serve these pre-series vehicles to drive detailed test cycles and also create various reports.

      If, for example, no COC papers are present, no emissions report is available, etc. then a license in Europe should be almost impossible.
      A single purchase breaks (usually) all financial resources of the normal earner.

      The processing of the vehicles should actually conform to a large extent to the standard, whereby it can not be excluded that small details in the series will differ.

  • A nice picture to see so many new cars of the former SAAB car maker united in one picture. I get a little sad. But this is not just me as so. Since the bankruptcy petition, another 1 year has passed. How fast time goes by. I can only congratulate all new owners on the purchase.

    • Hello Saab fan,

      yes, my heart also bleeds when I see these beautiful cars ...
      It is really sad! Sadness would also be a good name for the last Saabs, which were screwed together by ANA:

      Saab 9-3 handles sadness!

      Sunny greetings from the (slightly) snowy Oldenburg

      Andre

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