I received an email overnight letting me know that the tentative 2009 pricing I brought you last month was been revised, and the prices have been raised just a little more! As my email correspondent pointed out, it’s probably all about positioning Saab for the next round of new models.
One thing’s for sure: they ain’t going to be cheap. So they better be good!
Here’s the revised price list for 2009:
Saab U.S. Model Year 2009 Pricing (excludes $ 775 destination charges)
• 9-3 2.0T Sport Sedan 1SA (Touring): 30360
• 9-3 2.0T Sport Sedan 1SB ( Comfort): 34150
• 9-3 2.0T Sport Sedan 1SC (XWD): 36395
• 9-3 2.0T Sport Sedan 1SD (Sport): 37140
• 9-3 Aero Sport Sedan 1SE (V6T XWD): 43605
• 9-3 2.0T SportCombi 1SA (Touring): 31790
• 9-3 2.0T SportCombi 1SB (Comfort): 35315
• 9-3 2.0T SportCombi 1SC (XWD): 37810
• 9-3 2.0T SportCombi 1SD (Sport): 38305
• 9-3 Aero SportCombi 1SE (V6T XWD): 44885
• 9-3 2.0T Convertible 1SA (Touring): 42130
• 9-3 2.0T Convertible 1SB (Comfort): 44455
• 9-3 2.0T Convertible 1SD (Sport): 47345
• 9-3 Aero Convertible 1SE (V6T): 51330
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• 9-5 2.3T Sedan: 40405
• 9-5 Aero Sedan: 41425
• 9-5 Griffin Sedan: Hasn’t been announced yet.
• 9-5 2.3T SportCombi: 41675
• 9-5 Aero SportCombi: 42790
• 9-5 Griffin SportCombi: Hasn’t been announced yet.
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• 9-7X SUV 4.2i: 42615
• 9-7X SUV 5.3i: 45345
• 9-7X SUV Aero: 49105
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With thanks to you-know-who-you-are!
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Yes because raising the prices will make them fly off those lots…
No they will have to whole sale them at some point in the year killing any residual value. Sounds like a premium brand to me..:/
When I saw the headline, I thought, “Good, Saab finally smartened up and LOWERED the prices across the board.” Sales are bad, so it makes sense.
Oppps. I was wrong.
SaabUSA raised them! In a economic recession when sales are flat, they RAISE them!!!
I can’t stop laughing.
The least expensive 9-3 with a V6 is now more than $43K? And no more 2WD Aero? These prices are meaningless because they will have to offer large rebates if they want to move any cars at all. Curious to see what the differences are going to be between the Comfort (Arc?), Touring (Linear?) and Sport (Aero?) versions. It’s mid-October and still no sign of the 2009 models on http://www.saabusa.com.
I heard some dealers are not ordering any 2009 models until they clear out most of their 2008s. Selling new cars is tough without the availability of leasing.
Wulf, for a basic rundown on what Touring, Comfort, XWD, and Sport entail, follow this link:
http://www.edmunds.com/new/2009/saab/93/101024931/comparestyles.html
It is mostly accurate.
I think Saab went the wrong direction with pricing.
They should be lowering prices in an economic recession, and not raising them, especially when the 2008s are languishing on dealer lots and require $5K+ in cash back just to move the metal…
I sometimes wish Saabs had better residual so I could justify buying a new one… Without better residuals, why not just get a nice year old used one that’s been depreciated quite a bit?
I agree these will end up well below MSRP, but it’s still disappointing. I was hoping for a reasonably priced 2.0T sport with Aero suspension and seats, but it appears that version is larded with everything, and priced like the current 2.8T V6 Aero. That ain’t gonna do it against the Acura TSX and Jetta GLI, not to mention the new A4. I wish I could grab a FWD V6 Aero now.
Don’t forget, GM has made the 9-3 ineligable for GM Employee Purchase for MY09. I’m thinking this will be a significant blow to their recent sales numbers … I guess they are trying and bolster profit to some small degree with this move. They should realize that a car on the road, even at no profit to a loss, is advertisement. Further the extra vehicles help dealers stay afloat with the small kick-back they get for selling to employees.
This move may have a more pronounced impact than anticipated.
The most significant thing I take from this is that you can no longer buy any Saab for less than USD30K. I remember at the Saab 60th Anniversary media event in San Diego one of the points that Jay Spenchian kept driving home to the motoring press assembled at the presentation over breakfast is that you can get into a Saab for under $29K, or roughly the price of a Toyota Camry or Honda Accord (I believe those were the two cars mentioned). “A Saab is more affordable than you think”. At that time (just around the time of the BFJ campaign) they were trying to let people know that Saabs are more affordable than most people think.
The increase is $1700 for most folks, but more like $4200 for GM employees who are losing their 9-3 discounts. Kiss those sales goodbye.
However, the increase could be offset by heavy cash incentives, so the price may not be much higher than an existing 2008.
I will say, though, that the employee sales will go away…
Maybe the cash back will go to $6K instead of the current $5500? That would only mean an increase of about $1200 over the current 2008 model…
I dont see the point of raising prices just to discount (heck of a place to leave out an ‘o’, zippy! – SW) the heck out of them to sell cars. Didnt SaabUSA reduce prices three or so years ago to stop the discounting only to start discounting less that a year later. US$6000 for AWD? The XWD Aero costs more than a Turbo X. Are they insane. Get a TurboX while you can. Sales will be below 20000 in 09, or even worse. I am fearful that Saab wont be aruond in 2010.
Let’s look at the competition. You can get an Audi A4 Quattro with the same kind of 2.0L 211hp engine for $32,700. The 9-3 with XWD starts at $36,395. The A4 3.2L V6 starts at $40,000. The 9-3 V6 XWD is $43,605. I checked out the 2009 A4 and it is way ahead of the 9-3. And it is less expensive. Well, that is going to be difficult choice..
The MB C300 with V6 starts at $32,900 and the BMW 328 with V6 is $33,400. Yes, we have heard the argument that a turbo 4 is way better than a regular V6 but that’s not how the American consumer sees it. The BMW 328 V6 xDrive is $35,300 and MB C300 4Matic is $36,200. The 9-3 V6 XWD is $7000 more….!
You sometimes wonder what these high-paid execs are thinking.. MY2009 is going to be a lot worse than 2008 for Saab… And we all know how good 2008 was.
If it were the Hirsch ones that would be reasonable but we are not getting those in the US. 2009 is not looking so good. That new 9-5 better be KILLER!
You crybabies! The US prices are still stinkin´ low! Welcome to the other side of the puddle.
A 9-5 comparison between the Swedish and US Saab market..
Saab 9-5 Aero SC:
USA= 42.790 USD
Sweden same specs= ca 57.000 USD (With the less expensive BioPower 2,3t since 2,3T is not avalible in Sweden anymore).. Oh, I wonder what the price is in Norway or the Netherlands.
I guess most carmanufacturers outside the US has to be represented there.. But I hardly believe they want to and can make money (Other than Ferrari, Porsche, Koenigsegg etc). Saab need the Mexico plant, thats for sure.
A fully loaded 9-5 Aero SC is about $80,000 in The Netherlands. But then again, the competition is just as expensive. I wonder if Saabs are more expensive than the German competition in Europe. It’s often easy to forget how fortunate US car buyers really are.
I just saw a Saab dealer ad for a new 2008 9-3 ($21,779. MSRP $29,190) and 9-5 ($30,009, MSRP $39,010). Curious to see how low they will go with all the 2008 inventory they still have.
With higher taxes, more expensive fuel, etc., etc., how do people in Europe and Australia manage to pay such high prices for their cars? One-car families? Lower depreciation? Hell, for the cost of two Dutch 9-5 Aeros, you could buy a 3-bedroom house in many parts of the US!
I don’t begrudge you guys getting a broader product range than the US. After all, you’re paying for it. However, the US market offers the prospect of high sales volumes if a car gets marketed properly. Unfortunately, for years Saab has been sending the signal here that its cars are not really worth the MSRP. They’d be better off setting a lower price on a no-haggle basis and then sticking to it all year long.
I thought the TurboX was a MY08 vehicle only … why does the incentive chart for GM employees list it in the MY09 too?
https://www.gmfamilyfirst.com/ip-gmemployee/do/tab_regional
Wulf.. Saabs and Volvos are about the same as the competition.. BMW, Audi and Merc excluded… Those three are a tad more expensive.
Fat Lady has microphone switched on and the orchestra is playing…only a matter of time….adios Saab USA
Well, I suppose those higher prices are what’s needed so we can help finance GM as it buys Chrysler:-0!