New comes. Proven remains.

In December 2016 - almost exactly 5 years after Saab left the circle of active manufacturers - the last remnants of a big brand disappeared in the Stallbacka. Last week, the Saab logo was dismantled at the northern entrance.

The last day..

A ceremony at the end of an epoch

During a small ceremony, Jonas Hernqvist, previously at Saab Automobile and now Director Sales and Marketing at NEVS, presented the famous lettering to the curator of the Saab Museum. Peter Backström was on site with a converted Saab 9000 van to transport the sign to the museum with helpers.

There it will find its new location on the open-air site. The Swedish press noted the event as the day on which the last Saab lettering disappeared from the factory premises. And yet had overlooked the second driveway, where an identical sign greets visitors. That still stands, but not for long. It will also be dismantled next Wednesday.

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NEVS had called on Saab fans to post their memories of the globally popular motif on Instagram - as a well-intentioned, friendly gesture and as a small bow to the story. Peter Backström received a collage of the pictures from Jonas Hernqvist, two more collages were raffled among the senders.

And now? The fact that you have not dismantled the logos, put them on a flatbed truck and just driven away, speaks for a sensitive handling of the past. The new brand name stands for the dawn of a new era. The lettering on the driveway is both technically cool and valuable. It is compatible with the claim that NEVS places on itself. At the same time, it is a clear cut with the past. For now.

In the future, products for NEVS and the announced preservation and transcription of the Saab heritage must speak. We will see.

Saab is surprisingly durable

When a brand leaves the stage, it is usually quickly forgotten. We remember Rover, the brand that no one wants to remember. Or Lancia, another big old name. It's different at Saab! Again! The brand stays, and it turns out to be surprisingly durable. Which not only has to do with the announced return of Saab AB to the auto industry.

In Sweden, a strong annual decline in Saab sales was predicted for the German market from 2012. And was wrong! Sales of original Saab parts over the last 5 years can be described as stable, the decline is in a low, single-digit range. That in turn is amazing.

Germany is thus a very strong market for Saab. And also Austria. There, the small Swedish cult brand celebrates a revival this year with a rising sales of original parts. These gratifying developments are also due to the continuity in Eschborn, where reliability and long-term planning pay off.

Saab built long-term cars, Saab drivers like their vehicles. It also has something to do with sustainability and the knowledge that there will be no more supplies. Maybe you use your Saab more consciously and responsibly than it was years ago. With which Saab people would once again be trendsetters for an incipient rethinking.

However, the proven remains, the new is coming.

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Martin Kaufmann
Martin Kaufmann
7 years earlier

Tom, you are right - the old brands….
Somehow I'm infected there. In addition to the 9-5 chrome glasses, one of the very late Lancia Ys made it into our fleet last year. I very much hope that the spare parts supply will be maintained for a few more years. After all, the vehicle is practically a Fiat 500 ...

https://flic.kr/p/zkoS3N

Kochje
7 years earlier

As long as Orio supplies the necessary spare parts, I continue my great 9-5NG. My 900 convertible from 1987 and my 96-er from 1961 I continue to drive with the support of Saab clubs and suppliers where you can always find the necessary spare parts.
So even without this lettering at the entrance where Saab has always built his cars we will drive Saab.
But I am also very happy that this famous lettering is now going to the Saam Museum.
Hopefully you can continue to take these beautiful pictures of the Saab before this Merkmahl.

mountain saab
mountain saab
7 years earlier

The sign had to be dismantled with a VOLVO crane of all things….

Daniel
Daniel
7 years earlier
Reply to  mountain saab

I would say “After all, the sign was…” 😉 I'm not the only one who has both Swedish brands in front of the door? Even the customer service manager at my Volvo dealer still drives a Saab ...
But of course, you can read the message differently ... Who has the longer breath?

Thomas Zecher
Thomas Zecher
7 years earlier

When my brother presented his new Renault Zoe last weekend, he parked next to my 9k. I took up the talk and praised the 9k as “fully eco” because of its durability. And we want to see whether the Renault will still be in this good shape in 20 years ...

Chris 82
Chris 82
7 years earlier
Reply to  Thomas Zecher

The Zoe has no chance. He has his first recycling cycle in 10 years at the latest. The 9k is still there. Also, he has a head start on 20 or 30 years, so the longevity of all the modern boxes never have in life.

9.3Wolfgang
9.3Wolfgang
7 years earlier

Is already sad to look at. I'm glad to have made a great photo with my 9.3 sedan right on this sign. That will never happen again.

Mountain goat
Mountain goat
7 years earlier

Sadness still comes up ... I almost want to say: I just don't want to (!) Believe it! 🙁
The Orio paragraphs are stable or even rising, certainly has something to do with the blog. Positive news is reported and a SAAB in front of the door is still desirable for many (?). OK then. SAAB should stay long lasting!
Personally, I would like Orio to have a wiring harness ... then the SAAB world would be rosier again!

Daniel
Daniel
7 years earlier

One should not exaggerate with the Orio praise now. The majority of spare parts are for the youngest generation of vehicles and even there is not everything. Wear parts are still best to get. In older vehicles, on the other hand, it looks quite mau. Partly still remainders that are sold off, other parts are not even for money to get and nachproduziert there is nothing. Not worth it.

Detlef Rudolf
Detlef Rudolf
7 years earlier
Reply to  Daniel

Is it really like that? If so, it would be terrible for our well-preserved 9-3 I Cabrio (2001) - a few hundred thousand vehicles of this type are certainly still being driven worldwide.

Why shouldn't the post-production of parts be worthwhile here? In addition, the useful life of the vehicles is extended, as they are mostly only driven in summer - the production of parts would therefore still be lucrative for many years.

Daniel
Daniel
7 years earlier
Reply to  Tom

I can't see that I've generalized and I don't read your answer in a way that blog supporters shouldn't be criticized ...
But a few examples: Two-part servo pressure line for the original 9-3I is no longer available. Original exhaust with oval chrome trim no longer available. Emblems for 901 and others are partly no longer available (after an accident Hirsch could no longer get the lettering “SAAB” or was it “9-3”? For the CV. Pressure line for 9k automatic no longer available, not even as a reproduction . Gear parts for the 901, only a few remnants left. Control units, el. Seats 9k, no chance. Interior parts also very, very difficult, eg seat heating mats. These are just my personal experiences now.

As for the reproductions: The parts are partially not worth the unpacking. Chassis bushings as reproduction can be changed with every oil change because the quality is underground. I do not want to accuse the companies because the economic constraints do not stop at Orio and the other companies you mentioned. If the parts had the original quality, the 15 would last for years or more. It's not worth it to get 500 to produce something that will be on the shelves for the next twenty years.

Olaf
Olaf
7 years earlier
Reply to  Detlef Rudolf

I also drive the same guy (BJ 2000). Great car!
Last year, I was in trouble with leaking hydraulic cylinders on the soft top. All 4 cylinders leak. The former supplier does not exist anymore. I had then found a company in Lübeck who have overhauled my cylinder. So far, everything is tight.
In the US I had worried about Ebay an original SAAB drink holder which was installed in the radio shaft. This part was also no longer available.
What I mean by that: It can also be considered as a challenge to get parts that can no longer be ordered in other ways. Personally, this is great fun.

Herbert Hürsch
Herbert Hürsch
7 years earlier

Very fittingly, Tom's thoughts on the development of the spare parts business.

I am also more willing to invest in a good state of preservation. With another brand, I would probably look more soberly at the ratio of market value to investment ...

But SAAB is SAAB and there is no supply of new cars anymore. That's what makes all SAABs, regardless of age, feel classics. And if it is only (m) chrome glasses SC.

And apparently SAAB drivers have always been long-term owners. I've spoken to several older men over the past few months. All first-time owners, unfortunately none of whom wanted to sell their SAAB. Understandable if you have grown together and satisfied with your 20 for 9000 years ...

Olaf
Olaf
7 years earlier

The cars are just too good. The pressure to change the vehicle was not high enough. Maybe also a reason why SAAB is received.

Franklin
Franklin
7 years earlier
Reply to  Olaf

In addition, SAAB had always made model changes very sparingly. The cars were never artificially aged as it is the case with other brands.

Olaf
Olaf
7 years earlier

In addition to the SAAB fans who look after and care for their cars and ORIO who do a good job, the Saab blog also plays an important role.
He keeps the interest in the brand awake and he also enthuses one or two new SAAB fans.

dersaabler
7 years earlier

and yet there is a little sadness…. the stylized snowflakes do the rest

Franc troll
Franc troll
7 years earlier

This speaks very well for the good work with Orio! And, yes, nice that at least in the future a SAAB sign will be found in Trolhättan!