UK sales go though floor, last seen approaching earth’s crust…..
Time for a little more sales data. This time it’s the UK’s turn.
Saab Great Britain are the one entity I’ve never had much to do with. I’ll send them an email shortly and seek a comment on this, but they might be too busy crying in their Weeties to reply.
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Saab Great Britain sold 929 vehicles in January 2008.
This was a 39.56% decrease on the 1,537 vehicles sold in January 2007.
That’s just 0.44% off being a 40% negative hit in sales.
To put it in perspective, there’s usually only two months in any given year when Saab GB’s sales are measured in just three figures. That’s February and August, the months before new registration plates are introduced each year. So the pain is very likely to continue in February.
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I can’t help but think that this has GOT to be at least partly due to people waiting for XWD. It’s either that or Saab have misread the market in pricing the 2008 car. Most likely a combination of both.
The 2008 model is newly styled and looks brilliant.
It’s quieter.
It’s got that TTiD engine available in Europe.
It’s received nothing but positive reviews as it’s done the rounds of the press.
It’s an improvement on the outgoing model in every way and yet the only market where there’s an increase so far is Sweden, where the BioPower version is doing quite well.
Get that XWD version out there and maybe surprise the market with a price revision. These puppies deserve to be driven.
Anyway, I’ll try and find a contact at Saab GB and shoot off an email.
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There is something else too. A new Mercedes C Class and a new Audi A4 must have dented sales somewhat. The new C-Class has been getting rave reviews everywhere. The new A4 is just in the release phase here at the moment, and I’m fairly sure that many leasers or buyers were waiting to order the new A4 or the new C Class.
In this segment, dynamic ability counts for a lot in the UK, and until we get XWD here, I think we can see this continue.
Another reason I believe is directly linked to emissions. Compared to the competition, Saab engines aren’t as clean, especially the diesels. Mercedes, BMW and Audi have newer diesels which are now more powerful and cleaner.
The sooner Saab get access to the new 2.9 diesel engine the better.
The TTid engine is another possible reason, I believe a LOT of buyers would wait for this engine, but it has also taken its time to get here. Heck, I wanted one and was told I would have to wait! So maybe other UK buyers are waiting too?
I really doubt anyone but us Saab faithful are waiting for XWD. They majority of the car buying public probably doesn’t know anything about it.
The UK dealerships I have expereinced sucks, see my post @ saabcentral for my experience.
In short:
I booked test drive twice from saab website, and both times sales personnal wasn’t ‘expecting’ me.
I wanted to test drive Aero 2.8, despite being one of the biggest saab dealers in country, they have’t got one in stock, and after 3 weeks wait, still can’t locate one locally.
Turbo-X release date is ‘unknown’, so I can’t book test drive on that either.
Sales (apart from one guy, who was nice to me) don’t seem to care they want my money and attitude is bad.
So in conclusion, Saab UK has an older product not as competitive and flashy as the newer rivals, don’t have all the models in stock anyway, trying NOT to sell it to it’s customers.
I’m not surprised the sale data was CRAP.
XWD - no ad campain, no info, no BUZZ in auto magazines, no kidding no one knows it.
Maybe they will try harder when it’s ready to launch, but now they’ve delayed it until 09 model for Turbo-X, which is also delayed.
It sounds like a bunch of amatures trying to make a hack at selling cars.
If you think I’m grumpy today, that’s cause I am, the sort of dissapointment parents felt when their kids ain’t doing well in school.
I think the incredibly poor residuals of the 9-3 really don’t help.
I was poised to order an Aero TTiD SportWagon, but the written quote the dealer offered me (fat discount with low apr PCP) was no longer available when I went to order (2 weeks after the test drive). Without the low rate finance, I’d be looking at a loss of £15,000+ in three years (AUS $33,000 & US $30,000) & that was with a 16% discount on the list price !
The TTiD is superb (have owned a TiD saloon for three years), but the new models are priced far too high compared with the much more slowly depreciating (German) competition.
I’ll have to wait for a used example to show up, or Saab to see sense with their pricing !
Probaly the price. Sure, it is a good car but people want new things when paying premium prices. And don’t count on buyers waiting for XWD or TTiD - most of them have probably not even heard of it.
Saab is in a very special situation. It has been a lame duck for years. Now there is a plan and new era will begin with new models. I think they should be open with this and price the two old models they have in a reasonable way. Normally, the values of used cars of the “old” model goes down when a new model with a new design arrives - even if the models are changed every 4-5 years. Imagine what gonna happen to the values of the 9-5 (that will be 12 years old) and the 9-3 (that will be at least 8 years old) when the new ones hit the market… A nightmare for the seller…
Saab must lower their prices a bit.
I believe an Aero TTiD XWD is the answer but marketing has to be good. A diesel with XWD has to be a priority for Saab in europe. Diesel sales are much higher in most of europe than petrol equivalents and many countries in europe is an headache for Saab. Look at Germany.. Car manufacturers sell a s*itload of cars there every year but not Saab. Poor marketing is one thing, not having the same options as Audi and BMW is another. So bring out the TTiD XWD. It will sell and sell well.
/Tom
I ordered my TTid in October 2007 and with all delays it arrived only this week.
Maybe it’s the same problem in the UK?
/bjorn
As I read it that figure includes both 9-3 and 9-5. Has 9-3 dropped as much or is it just 9-5 ?
It’s no surprise they are not marketing xwd because of its limited availability.
And, still, in Europe the diesels are far more important than the xwd+V6 and there have been delays with the TTiD.
The source that I have for British sales (SMMT) doesn’t break down the model types, unfortunately - SW
Not. Enough. Advertising.
Most people aren’t car nuts like us and keep up to date with the latest developments. Average Joe out there won’t be aware of what’s going on in the car world unless it’s shoved down his throat.
Show people on the television that Saabs can now (or will soon) have XWD and the TTid’s and people will wake up to the fact that Saab IS actually moving forward. It might actually get people into a Saab showroom as well as the Audi/Merc/BMW/Volvo showroom that they would have only thought to go to.
The recent advertizing I’ve seen for Saab hasn’t been on TV, it’s been print. Full page ads for approved used cars, quarter page ads for anniversary editions. C’mon!
Björn wrote: “I ordered my TTid in October 2007 and with all delays it arrived only this week.”
I don´t think that´s an especialy long wait. I´ve worked as a salesman for Opel, Chevy US, Peugeot, Mazda, Subaru and Skoda. Opel, Mazda and Skoda often had a 12-16 week deliverytime for a standard vehicle.
Poor residuals, bad model specifications & option choice, prices not competitive etc etc.
Saab GB are doing a great job!! Don’t worry, they will soon boost their sales by ‘persuading’ Hertz, Avis and associates to ‘buy’ some metal!
Advertising is a factor, no doubt, but SAAB GB have actually been pushing the TTiD hard recently - major poster advertising campaigns in Belfast and London that I have seen, promoting a very aggressive Laser Red TTiD with the tagline Leaner, yet meaner.
Does this convert into sales - of course not.
I am a major Saab fan, you’d know that, but even I am having trouble justifying to myself whether at the end of my current lease in Dec08 to replace my MY06 9-3SW1.9 (150) with another. Currently I could get a new A4, C-class or 159 all better equipped and for similar money. I could also get a Lexus 220 for much less money, a VW Tiguan or a JAg X type. All of these cars (ok, not the x-type) are up-to-date, fairly sporty, sufficiently bling and prestige that the 9-3 is just going to look like a ‘good for its age’ also-ran. The facelift helped, but we all know where the scars and wrinkles are.
Do I want to be driving a 9-3 in another 3 years time when the basic model shape will then be 9 years old? I think not.
I would rather wait for the 9-4x (provided it looks better in the flesh as SW suggests) or even better again the 9-5, but both seem to be deferred well beyond my expiry. Don’t know what to do - might take a 12 month lease on a Lexus and see what Saab’s got in the market at the end of that.
Saab have really stretched the patience of their core customer with the timelines and have no chance of appealing to ‘convert’ purchasers who will scarecely realise that the 9-3 IS substantially revised - they probably wouldn’t notice (if you’re not a fan of a brand, could you tell one model year from another?). And how often have you derided such an uodate by other manufacturers as a make-over or tarting-up? I doubt anyone in the UK fleet market will be able to content their employees with such an aged model line-up when all the competition have just launched superior products.
The +++side? Well, the new 9-3 (MY2010) has a chance of being introduced mid-cycle of the A4, Cclass, 3series - but only if SAAB gets a move-on!!!
Unfortunatley the new 9-5 looks likely to clash with both a new 5-series (already on the road being tested), new A6 and new e-class, so thats going to be tough!
The 9-4x arrives against an old x3, current VW Tiguan, but new XC60 so has an evens chance. in this expanding sector in the UK.
Here’s hoping no more delays - people need to product on the road - and the showroom going by accounts above!
Just seen the comments from Bob - indeed, saw a line-up of MY07 9-3SWs last night in the rental car section in Belfast. It is a bad sign commercially that they are able to secure such good deals from Saab GB (who obviosuly need the sales to meet targets), but then again a good thing if it (a) puts more metal on the road and more importantly (b) gets a few genuine Saab ‘virgins’ get behind the wheel. If even a few people a week who had never driven a Saab got behind the wheel, that would be something.
I would prefer of course if SAAB GB could organise this rather than Avis
Does anyone else remember when in the 80s Saab GB offered the opportunity to ‘take a beautiful Swede home tonight’? The idea of course was extended test driving for one/two days - be interesting to know how many conquest sales that led to……
I’ve recently (Dec 07) bought a MY07 9-3 1.9 TiD pre-reg Conv at about GBP 6-7k less than any of the MY08 Convertibles. I’ve had a look at the newer MY08 models and couldn’t really find a reason why I should spend so much more money purely on exterior & cosmetics.
Mark.. I do not know what kind of pricing Audi has in GB och Ireland. But when I compare the Aidi A4 to the 9-3 TTiD Linear Active with similar equipment the Saab is about 45000 SEK cheaper than the Audi and has a 180hp twin scroll turbo engine. And I realy cant see whats so special about an Audi contra a VW other than that the udi is smaller…
I think that Saab is on the right way here in France . A lot of add on TV , and always more and more Saabs on the road !
Tompa, in GB terms the 9-3 and A4 are pretty close in price, the leasing specials make that even closer, so there is little to choose. The A4 is much more common sight on roads, so I don’t want that, but do I want to pay more for an ‘old’ Saab model’?
I might, just.
Others who are not particularly fans of Saab will not. Period.
And if you discount the price further, then the prestige is gone and that matters also. People don’t want to drive around in ‘bargain bucket’ specials. I think UK drivers probably are most status conscious as often cars are part of a package of employment and therefore the cost of the car says something about the importance of the job…….well it used to more than it does since UK tax had made company cars less attractive and more drivers now take cash instead.
That doesn’t help Saab by the way - if you were spending your own cash, would you want to take a 40-50% depreciation hit after 2 years? That’s why I lease the Saab, I couldn’t contemplate buying one outright the way I might if it were an Audi or 3-series.
Is Saab GB correct to target A4, 3-series when really it is not now in that space? I don’t know. Alfa 159 and Volvo s40 are easier prey and where the conquests are more likely to come from.
Golfhunter, good news - certainly could do with more on the roads - have rarely seen any on my hols there in recent years.
Mark-
In October 08 I will replace my MY06 Aero 2.0TSW. This is my fourth Saab running. Will I buy a fifth? I don’t think so as Saab GB have really pxxxed me off for several reasons!
Bob- I think we could compare notes! I have never found the dealer(and we have only one in NI) to be either supportive, interested, knowledgeable or even mildly interested is selling me a car. I’ll not ‘go off on one’ about the car breaking down in my drive home from collecting it and the blase attitude regarding all that…….
)much more satisying than my 9-3! So let’s not be sniffy guys. Saab are going to have to keep their current customers happy ‘cos they re 2 years away from gaining any credibility suficient to gain conquest sales.
I really think I might take a break and see what comes up in a couple of years’ time. If I’m thinking of that, maybe you are then you can be sure others are, and that’s how pepple wander and find that other cars can be satisfying to own.
I actually enjoyed my previous MY06Astra 3-dr SRI (black with body kit
Too little too late. Too little too late. Too little too late.
Isn’t that what we’ve all been saying/hearing since 2006? Updated 9-5! “That’s it??” Updated 9-3! “That’s pretty cool, I guess… but where’s XWD?” XWD coming in June! “What? June? What do I do with my $40k now?” 9-4X coming soon! “Hey look, an Acadia… err, with a funny looking back seat. Coming when? Eh, just give me the damned Acadia.”
Saab is making a dire mistake. They’ve already fallen behind. Being on schedule, for them, is no longer ON schedule. They have a 10 year old car, and a 5 year old car. They need to make a move, and make it quick. Someone has got to push the schedule if the company is going to stay afloat.
Dear Tompa
the problem was not the waiting time as such, it was more the fact that the car was promised for November last year. If there are many people in the same situation then there is certainly an unexpected back log.
Mark-
My dealer is the only ray of sunshine on a gloomy day! Fortunately, they are one of the few remaining family owned dealers left. They have sold Saab since the early 60’s even though Saab GB have done everything to persuade them not to bother!
Bob, you’re lucky, NI used to have about 3 family dealerships, now only one and they are not the importer, merely an outlet and service depot. Teh main dealer was taken over by local mega-dealer and whilst this has led to a shiny new showroom, shared with Porche, free coffee and buns, kids areas and free courtesy cars, the service itself is worse than ever - very superficial. No, I think I can get a better experience elsewhere for a while and I am one f those people who gets excited by new product - and the 9-3 facelift is just not enough, the dash is ‘less’ than it used to be and the coulour choice remains limited and uninspiring. Lex220d or AR159 looking good at the moment….
The Alfa 159 is indeed a beautiful car.. Lexus´es doesn´t do anything for me other than give me stomackcramps. The “ugly stick” comes to mind.
But I realize that the 9-3 has to be a bit cheaper than an Audi A4 even though I´d go for the 9-3 any day no matter an equal pricetag. Audi´s are so uninspireing, grey and sort of just blends in among other cars. But thats my way of thinking and my taste and alot of people would go against me on it.
/Tom
Saabs are considered gaz gusslers by London authorities (read: Ken L), I guess that does not help the sales.
Our Saab dealer is taking on Hummer to try to stay in business. I was wondering why but now I know - with only two cars and two variants (wagon & vert) it’s hardly surprising that Saab is suffering. Its GM cousins (Vauxhall, etc) are coming to the market with the vehicles Saab should be first out with.
In VAG, Audi get the pick of the crop of engines, VW next, and Seat & Skoda raid the parts bins to put together their cars. Saab is Skoda in GM these days.
How are they to retain any kind of market identity when they are being raped by the likes of Cadillac with the BLS.
My 9-3 (06) is old-fashioned when compared to an A4 or C-class. The problem is that it will take Saab so long to turn this around I wonder whether they will be sold just for GM to save face.
I often forget how spoiled we are in the U.S., and I’m not just talking about gasoline and car prices. That kind of a waiting period would never fly in the U.S.
We’re used to “instant gratification”. By the time we walk onto a dealer lot we’ve already researched the car, test driven the competition, and want to drive home in our new car THAT DAY. There’s no way a dealer would stay in business having to wait months for a car to come in (as is the case with the TTiD and the Opel, Mazda, and Skoda Tompa mentions). By then we would have already changed our mind!
Generally in the U.S. we drive home with the car we bought that day. The downside is there’s no “special order”, you pretty much only have the choice of options in the car or color the dealer has on the lot or other dealers in the area have on their lots. However, most features are pretty commonly desired (auto transmission, sunroof, etc.) so the dealers stock more cars with those options on the lot.
mark_belfast: a few years ago one of the major car rental companies (Enterprise) rented Saabs at the local airport (Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, California). I was speaking with a salesperson at my local Saab dealer about it once and she said that it was great for Saab. They had a lot of people coming into the showroom who would never have considered a Saab before had they not had the opportunity to drive one as a rental car or received a ride in the rental car from someone who had rented it. The salesperson was sorry to see Enterprise stop renting them.
you may have all missed the point on where all the sales have gone. the published figures are registered cars not sold cars, dealers up and down the country have registered cars in thousands to keep the figures up and claim registration bonuses over the last year. we have now reached saturation point as dealers now are awash with pre-reg units. this is good if you are looking for a deal on a newish car but catastrophic for residuals. this has taken many dealers to the brink of failure (remember those family run businessses) as they cannot afford to register 10-20 cars and then dump them in the market place at £5000 under list price. hence registrations are down.
perversely enough actual new car sales to the customer at my dealership are up on last year