The second life of the others
Sometimes the look back helps if you want to look ahead. At the Techno Classica there were trends for the future. Although beyond Saab, perhaps still pointing the way for the future of the brand and its vehicles. But at least a food for thought. In addition: a visit to Volvo ends differently than planned. And a frightening confession.
The German manufacturers are leaders when it comes to second, third and fourth recycling. Mercedes dealers have been restoring old star chariots for decades. And Porsche earns really good money with the classic business. An ingenious, sustainable perpetual motion machine, where the same vehicles are always serviced and restored over and over again. An infinite cycle that constantly pours money into the coffers.
Relatively new in the business is Jaguar - Land Rover. The Classic department had a well-made stand in Essen and impressively presented what was possible. Two open E-Types, one restored, one in good used condition, showed what the customer can expect. The second life, as a perfectly made new car from the factory.
The second life as Land Rover interprets it
An interesting subject that best demonstrates a perfect 1955 Series I Land Rover. According to factory specifications - rebuilt with the highest degree of authenticity - as many original parts as possible are preserved. Everything else is new, strictly according to the original specifications. The “Reborn” Landy rolls to the customer with a 12 month factory warranty. Either pure, as it rolled off the production line in 1955, or with additional upgrade options that make driving more pleasant and safer.
The price, from € 85,000.00, should not be a hurdle for the targeted landlords. Style and class have their price. Another, not yet restored Series 1 Land Rover shows the initial state. It is the last “Lights behind the Grille” type and was delivered in Melbourne on May 11, 1950. JLR Classic, on the worldwide search for exciting vehicles, bought it. Now he is waiting for the right customer. His second life is said to cost from € 100,000.00.
The second life of old vehicles could be a business with a lot of future. Digitization is rolling full force onto the new car market this year. Virtual cockpits and displays, with more and more online offers and assistants, are now available for almost all brands and in almost all price ranges. The customer will love it - in the beginning. After a certain time, he may wish to return to his analog comfort zone. Without the cloud, without a legion of assistants, without an unrestricted flow of information.
Anyone who is annoyed, and who can afford it, could sooner or later cherish thoughts of escape. And JLR Classic can fulfill them. An 1950 series 1 Landy gives you, at least for a few hours, the feeling of the Scottish Highlands with freedom, adventure and self-determination.
A model for Saab? Perhaps ! A second life for a brand that should actually be dead - but is still breathing. There is a lot of charm in the idea of a factory restoration. A classic 900 rebuilt according to factory specifications, with a new car (!) Guarantee, that would have something. A 9000 Turbo, with upgrade options as an individual Business Express, why not? The second life for Saab. Strong classics, technically improved and up to date. And then please under the official license of Saab AB.
A model for the Saab future, maybe a blogger craze. But also a food for thought for companies that deal with old cars and with Saab in particular.
A frightening confession
Every visit to Essen also leads to the stand of the other Swedish brand. It plays the map with its historical vehicles quite well, but also shows the latest model. I am actually more interested in the classics than the new release. Actually…
This year Volvo presented some James Bond vehicle, and the reader notices at the latest here that everything was different. Because it was the XC40 that I found exciting. Ironically, an SUV, and that was really unplanned. The beginning: There was this Sweden flag on the hood. A small, nice detail, as I would have always wanted to Saab. A styling gag that aroused curiosity in me for more. For example, on the interior.
And then the Volvo surprised me at the latest. Allegedly, many former Saab designers work at Volvo, and Simon Padian is also on the payroll in Gothenburg. And I find it very difficult to admit: I like little Swede. The XC40 design has an enormous feel-good character, you discover many beautiful details in the material and design. Sit down, feel good immediately, when has this happened to me since 2011?
Never, and that's the frightening thing. Volvo and Saab have always been rivalries. One reason for my decision to keep the Gothenburg brand off the blog. And now this ... How to deal with it?
Perhaps a quick look at the price tag helps to cool the spontaneously awakened love for the Volvo XC40. 58,000.00 € are quoted for the exhibit. A lot of money. Especially because it's not a Saab.
The XC40 has something, Volvos have become very nice again in recent years and I also like the way they present the cars, I was inside the XC40 for the first time in February at the presentation at the Wiener Eistraum, Vienna Volvo Icecube. I found the seats comfortable, but couldn't find a seating position from which I could see all the displays on the digital tach without it being covered by the steering wheel. Despite the shape of the SUV, the entry was not the most comfortable - it rarely happens that I hit my head when getting into the car. Despite the little subjective criticism, I like it
Unfortunately, the processing is no longer so good in modern Volvo.
I can not understand what some people find about this SUV.
But the price is actually okay if you compare. The new Tiguan also costs over 30.
That with the flags, can be solved quite easily with a few stickers from the tank or elsewhere.
Then the shadow of a moose on the hatchback and the Volvo is perfect!
Would have a new car ago, then I would only consider a Volvo in question, but not the XC40 (which reminds me too much of BMW and Co., for example, in the area of the C-pillar to the first X3), but the fabulous, new V60 , Also in the customer dialogue I find Volvo z.Zt. very committed and helpful. So thanks for the post, Tom!
Hi,
The XC40 starts from about 32000 €.
This flag has only the First Edition models on the hood. Unfortunately you can not reorder.
Greetings from the Vorharz
Elmar
Thanks Elmar! Would have been nice if the nice flags were so 😉
It is clearly a rather arrogant sign of an affluent society when old sheet metal is made usable again for EUR 100! I've lived in sub-Saharan Africa for nine years, there you could do so much good with so much money. And there are plenty of old Land Rovers there too….
The detour to the Volvo XC40 I can understand well. I also like it very much, but the price is beyond my imagination, one could almost say, they are just spinning the Swedes (or Chinese)
Happy Easter to all, we enjoy our Saab on these days off!
The price of Volvo is very confident. The leasing rate should, as so often, put it into perspective. To my mind, it is too expensive, even if it is well done.
Wherever bloggers' eyes may fall ...
... I like how he shares it with all of us.
There is always sympathy for one or the other car of the past and also for some vehicles of the present. If it were different, his enthusiasm for SAAB would only be worth half to me personally ...
Just my 2 cents.
So the factory restoration is a great and certainly profitable thing. Only - where there is no work, there is no restoration.
And I do not personally see a rivalry between Volvo and Saab. My vehicle history was always balanced here. What else should be an alternative to a Saab? The bling-bling pseudo-premium models of Audi / BMW / Mercedes but probably not, right?
Exactly Griffin, certainly no car from the VW Group, never ever! If there were only two brands left, I would buy the other!
In essence, it is about a restoration according to factory specifications. The plans and the knowledge for them are (still) available. Under the license of Saab AB, that could be anywhere - if Trollhättan as the location were the optimum.
Unfortunately, until now only the proven workshop.
I've also planned for next month to give my 98er 9.3 a GR by a professional hand.
Will not be cheap. But it's worth it as Tom has emphasized so often, from an ecological point of view.
In addition, much too much heart depends on the driving experience, which a modern Volvo can not guarantee to give me.
I like the new generation of Volvos more and more ... and the XC40 has done it to me in particular. Maybe it's worth a closer look ...
I'm so annoyed with my everyday car, a VW Tiguan, that I think the idea of giving analogue vehicles a new life is outstanding. At the moment I have the impression that the Wolfsburg-based company has not only "adjusted" the software for the diesel, but also installed various electronic, acidic "predetermined breaking points after 8 years" in my gasoline engine. Too good to scrap, too expensive to drive ... I'm looking forward to being able to bring the 28-year-old 9000er out of hibernation in the next few days ... that his first life will last a long time!
I was just at Volvo - the Volvo dealership next door. For me, too, the XC40 is the first Volvo that smiles at me. But I was there because my right xenon headlight had given up in the 9-5. Stupid. But the friendly service technician said: "Sure, we're happy to help with a Scandinavian colleague's car." Without prior notice, this not exactly cheap exchange was done comfortably.
Thanks for the interesting thought games, also for SAAB! 🙂
In fact, I have seen more “fully restored SAABs” in the last two years ... B. at the Heuschmid company in the south of the republic. I can well imagine that these analog SAABs have a future. But then “the rest on the streets” should also be secured ... 😉
I can understand the “flag fun” - I would have had Frede on too.
This is one of the reasons why Fjällräven is so sympathetic ... 😉 Stop typically Swedish ... 🙂
That was again an interesting post in the blog regarding the possibilities for SAAB. This time not only nostalgia, but an option for the future. But the comments on the Volvo XC 40 from the pen of our SAAB Boggers I find exciting, especially as I am with this car (XC 40 T4) toying. BUT on Tue, 27. March was in the technical supplement to the FAZ read a clear warning. Restrained, however, as one would expect from the FAZ otherwise.
Flower
And as if it were intended, Volvo calls the slogan for the vehicle “typically different”
Pure Saab passion would look different.
It is now very drifting away from SAAB.
Exactly this digression has been making the blog so exciting for years. I appreciate that very much, well written.