Trollhattan Saab has changed!
The site you're viewing now is the original Trollhattan Saab weblog, though it's now an archive only and no new material is posted here. As of February 2009, all new material is posted at our new site - Saabs United.
Please join us at Saabs United and get your daily Saab fix from Saab sources all around the world.
I have a dilemma. It’s consumed a fair bit of my morning here. Will bring more info when it’s resolved but it involves one unhappy dealer boss and one set of wheels.
——
How big is the current crisis in the Automotive industry?
There’s a realistic chance that the Tokyo Motor Show may be cancelled this year.
The Japan Automobile Manufacturers’ Association is debating whether to cancel the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show, a JAMA executive said today.
The discussion is driven in part by the decision of some non-Japanese automakers to shun the October venue amid the global financial crisis. But some Japanese exhibitors also are proposing that this year’s event be canceled.
That’s big.
——
Saab and GM need to move quickly on this possible plan to provide Saab with some more autonomy. At the very least they need to make some sort of formal announcement about Saab’s ongoing viability.
In Ireland they release interim car sales figures through the first 10 days of the month. The total market was down 68% for those first 10 days, but Saab sales were down by 96% in that period, from 139 vehicle last year to just 5 this year.
I’m sure the uncertainty is playing in this market and others, too. GM and Saab should address that asap.
Thanks Ronan!
——
And on that, despite the good feeling about Saab possibly becoming a lot more self-determining, let’s not forget that GM aren’t out of the woods yet.
Despite receiving billions in federal loans designed to prevent the automaker from failing, General Motors Corp.’s chief executive said a bankruptcy protection filing could still be possible, according to reports.
GM doesn’t want to file for Chapter 11, but the Detroit-based automaker’s viability is “not 100 percent” certain right now, Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner told The Wall Street Journal for a Tuesday story.
Still, I don’t think this would mean the end for Saab.
——
Reuters have a good list of top quotes from the Detroit Auto Show.
“We, the German auto industry, have decided to use exactly this crisis to go on the offensive and win market share.”
MATTHIAS WISSMAN, PRESIDENT, GERMAN AUTO INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION, VDA
My thoughts exactly. One man’s crisis is another man’s opportunity.
——
The big news of the day, though, is that the Barrett Jackson of GM Heritage vehicles starts soon.
From Jalopnik:
For those of you not keeping track, tonight at 7pm EST the Speed Channel will be broadcasting live this significant and historical auction. The Heritage Center collection will be auctioned off throughout the week ending on the Sunday, the 18th.
There’s one Saab being auctioned. A 1995 Saab 900 that was used at Pikes Peak.
I’ve heard about one party that’s interested in acquiring the vehicle, and I hope they do as I know it’d go to a good home.
–
15 responses so far ↓
1 SAABoy
// Jan 14, 2009 at 11:18 am
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9rDS1HqiL4&feature=related
The pikes peak viggen?!
2 swade
// Jan 14, 2009 at 12:18 pm
No. A Saab 900 SE that was painted up an used 5 years prior. A little known model compared to Per’s Viggens.
3 NineTwoX
// Jan 14, 2009 at 12:54 pm
It sold for $8470.00 US. Not a bad price.
4 aeronaut
// Jan 14, 2009 at 1:12 pm
watching the auction right now. they are selling 200 of GM’s Heritage Collection in this auction. the 900 NG ‘Pikes Peak’ SAAB, lot # 34.1 has been sold for $8470 USD.
5 aeronaut
// Jan 14, 2009 at 1:19 pm
not really a great price, the 2004 Saturn Vue ‘Spring Custom Special’? sold for $8470 also.
i am waiting for lot# 1317 – 1967 Ford Mustang ‘Eleanor’. Nice car.
6 aeronaut
// Jan 14, 2009 at 1:26 pm
they were just saying that sales at the auction as compared to last year are up and that the ‘global financial crisis’ does not seem to be having any effect. early going though.
7 Karen
// Jan 14, 2009 at 2:45 pm
How big is the current crisis in autos? Global recession/credit squeeze if not freeze. Pretty bad for autos because the first thing you do NOT do if you’ve lost your job/afraid you might lose your job/and really can make do with your current car – is to NOT buy a new car.
Guess they thought they solved that problem with leasing. Too bad auto sales figures are based solely on new cars – someone should be tracking used car sales because that is where people will go if they really need to replace their vehicle.
In 1998, I had a gentleman doing interior painting on a big old beautiful house I had just bought. I went shopping for a ceiling fan. Came back and told him there was one I really liked, but it was $700 and I thought that was too indulgent. He said, “$700? That’s a car.”
everything is relative, but the use of credit hit a brick wall in October, impacting new cars the most.
8 Dippen
// Jan 14, 2009 at 9:13 pm
Sales down 96%?!
I just hope that media stops its doom & gloom-news.
9 ctm
// Jan 14, 2009 at 9:49 pm
I don’t know about Ireland… But of the first ten days of the year in Sweden, five is by most people considered as part of the long Christmas holiday. Guess car buying is not on peoples mind at that time. And the numbers are way too smal to make any trend of. Heck, even something stupid like the largest dealership being closed a few days due to renovation would probably have an impact on those figures.
But I agree that the long term situation of Saab needs to decided upon very soon.
10 aeronaut
// Jan 14, 2009 at 10:20 pm
people will put off buying new if they think that great deals are coming as the ‘global financial crisis’ becomes more severe. media hype is definitely playing a big role in deepening the crisis.
here in eastern Canada christmas spending was up 12% from last year but this wasn’t carried for long in the news.
11 Dippen
// Jan 14, 2009 at 10:27 pm
ctm>true, x-mas is usually a non-buying period for cars:)
i guess or my hope is we could see a bit of light in the tunnel on April/May figures from Bil Sweden.
Riksbanken (central bank of Sweden) has cut the repo rate and that is good . That makes car financing cheaper for customers.
12 Dippen
// Jan 15, 2009 at 12:36 am
hm a bit off-topic but talking about Irish economy,news just came in that it looks pretty bad on the economic front in Ireland
13 Dippen
// Jan 15, 2009 at 6:25 am
AFP:” General Motors has confirmed that it will not be exhibiting at this year’s Tokyo show, casting doubts over the future of the biennial Japanese motor show.”
14 ctm
// Jan 15, 2009 at 6:57 am
Dippen,
It’s the only way to prevent Putz running around in public making an *** out of himself again…
15 Dippen
// Jan 15, 2009 at 8:00 am
ctm> hehe yeap. as long he keeps away from public & media then i am happy.
btw Anette Hellgren from Unionen and Paul Åkerlund from IF Metall at Saab have also critizised Putzzies remarks.
Will post a translation soon on