UPDATED – Wheels article added
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I had a few emails come in yesterday telling me about big articles in various car magazines relating to Saab.
In the UK, CAR Magazine has a big feature article on the Turbo X and Per Eklund.
In the US, Automobile Magazine has a big feature article, as well as a big, glossy fold out advertisement showing “The Saab Squadron”. The ad shows the whole range but with a big focus being the Turbo X. The feature article is seven pages long and choc-full of Turbo X and XWD goodness.
For us Aussies, I’m told that Wheels magazine also has a feature on Saab’s resurgence and future, rather than on the Turbo X, most likely stemming from the recent Ice Experience that a bunch of Aussie journalists participated in.
Click to enlarge the scanned copy of the Wheels article. Thanks Turbin!
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Unfortunately I can’t find links to online articles pertaining to these big print articles yet. Many of these mags hold the online version for a few weeks after the print version comes out, so we may see them soon.
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Hopefully this means that Saab in it’s various jurisdictions is now gearing up the advertising budget, ready to promote this XWD system like they’ve rarely promoted anything Saab-ish before.
It’d be about time.
Swade – I was just looking at the time and saw that your entry was dated May 01, 2008. It is still 15:29 this end of the world. Does that mean you see things earlier then most of us? Great write-up on the ad budgets filtering thru – seems like crumps, hopefully they will stir the necessary soul who left the fold.
Steve, see CAR have belatedly added the 9-4x scoop pics you showed weeks ago.
Also claiming 9-4x will have 3 rows . …..I wish (I know, crush zones etc etc, here we go again, but I would love that functionality).
Yes, I was very happy to see the print add in automobile magazine. In all of my years owning Saab’s I have never seen a print add this extensive. For me, it was great to see it. It gave me hope, just sayin.
Wow, can’t wait….Saab customers should be crashing through the door any minute now. Would be kind of a shame to disturb the crickets though.
Pardon the generic image. I’ll get a real one soon.
This has got to be intentional- as tight as things have been at GM, and with the beancounters over everyone’s shoulders, it’s not really a surprise that Saab has been spending less than peanuts on ads for a while now.
I bet the plan all along was to withhold funds and hold on for dear life until after the buzz was generated by XWD, 9-4x, 9-X Concept, and the Turbo-X. Then open the marketing tap and hope for the best. It’s about maximizing the little that’s been given in the first place…gotta get those ’08 9-3s moving, right?
The May “Wheels” article is mainly on the Saab 9-X BH, Saab’s potential future, past failures and Micheal Mauer’s frustration which led him to defect to Porsche. An interesting read.
Wheels haven’t done an article on the Turbo X as yet IIRC. This months article is all about the resurgence of the company.
Swade, I agree with Markac about the wheels, it is an interesting read, There is also a secondary artical where SAAB submitted the 9-3 Convertible Biopower for the Design awards. The judges did not like it very much and their quote at the end of the article is “who buys these cars”. I have the mag if you want me to scan and email you the articals.
Thanks for the heads-up on the Wheels article gents. Turbin’s sent one in, which is now added to the post.
Yep there are!! I just received in the mail a brochure inviting me to buy a Black 93 for 50k in order to pay homage to a Turbo X 93 that costs 90k. nice huh!!! Here, buy this inferior car, and you can be reminded of it each and every day!!
Now THAT is an AWESOME sales angle!!!!
The Wheels judges also canned the Biopower sign. The Eos won best exterior and the Civic Type R won best Interior/Overall.
There is also a one-page article about the Turbo X in the latest issue of Car and Driver. No new information in there, except that they mention if you want to have XWD on the step-up 9-5 model, you’ll have to wait until next year. It sounds like some reporter didn’t get their facts straight or we’ll be in for a big surprise.