We visited Fjallbacka during the Swedish summer 2011. I’d heard about Fjallbacka only through some books that I’d read by a Swedish author named Camilla Lackberg. It was only an hour or so from Trollhattan, so it made for a nice afternoon trip.
Fjallbacka sounded nice in the books that I’d read, though you never know how that’s going to translate in reality. I didn’t really have any idea what to expect when we got there. As it turns out, the place was beautiful. I could live there, if only I could afford it.
West-coast villages in Sweden are going through the roof now, with a lot of interest coming from wealthy Norwegian oil-money types. The cars in the driveways were evidence enough, let alone all the Norwegian flags on the boats (you’ll see a few in the photos).
Not so much a Saab event, but a Trollhattan event…..
Last night I popped up to the Saab Museum, which was the start and finish point for the Grense Rallyt, a smaller regularity rally.
There were only 18 vehicles in the field, but it was nice to see them come back to the museum and cross the finish line. I thought I’d share some of the photos from the event with you here.
I have to confess that I don’t know much about this event and where it fits into any larger schedule of historic rallies here in Sweden. It felt like it was part of a larger series, however, given the number of officials and sponsorship that was present.
Regularity rallying is not your full-tilt type of rallying. Regularity involves completing stages as close as possible to a designated average speed. It requires precision calculation and communication between driver and co-driver, rather than flat-out speed and handling. That’s why you’ll see some cars below with minimal modification.
It’s fantastic that a sponsor like Teknikens Varld magazine was able to support the event and I hope there were more people there in the morning to see the vehicles and the level of support provided by Teknikens. Motorsport needs this kind of sponsorship to survive, so it’s great that they were able to help out. The white Porsche is a Cayman R that they’re currently road testing.
I’ve been writing about Saab on the web for nearly seven years now and anyone who’s been following Saab’s journey over that period will know that there has been a lot to read and write about over that time.
I’m fortunate now in that I’m employed by Saab to write for them. I have never been able to claim a lack of bias in my writing, and that’s especially so today. I’m comfortable with that, as I’ve never pretended to be anything but an enthusiast.
Whilst I’m paid by the company, I still try to make sure that there’s some level of balance in what I write. I won’t air all of our dirty laundry, but I will report the bad news. I’ll also make sure that the good sides of this company that are overlooked in the mainstream media get some time in the sun, too.
I’ve been labelled by one editor-in-chief as a corporate PR shill, which I think is a bit rich. Whilst I do have to liaise with PR about market-sensitive stories, and whilst I do maintain a page that speaks to tens of thousands of people per month, I actually sit outside of the PR department at Saab. PR’s job is to speak to the press. My job is to speak on a more personal level to the people and in time, when this is all over, include people in some good Saab experiences and stories. That’s the broad difference, as I see it.
I’d like Saab enthusiasts to be able to read articles on the web and make some judgements about those articles. Too often I hear people panicking about something they see in the news. Yes, we’ve been in some serious situations, but it’s worth bearing in mind that things are generally not as sensational as they are written up to be.
Here’s a few thoughts on some of the various types of information going on out there.
As you might guess, there are PLENTY of Saab owners in my address book. I’ve been in email contact with Clay M for a few years now and a few days ago, he sent me a link to an article he wrote outlining his purchase of a new Saab 9-4x Aero.
Actually, ‘outlining’ isn’t the right word for this one. ‘Detailing’ would be much more appropriate because he covers quite a lot of the purchase process, as well as detailed thoughts about the Saab 9-4x itself. As such, there’s something in it for everyone.
….several months ago, I decided to get the ball rolling on our 9-4X purchase and that’s where our dealership experiences begin. I’ll try not to name names, as everyone has a bad day at some point in time…but you can guess who I’m referring to, you know who you are, you can contact me directly for specifics, or you can take my experience as just a small sampling of what else is out there and what Saab Cars North America has to deal with.
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FOR SOME DEALERS OUT THERE:
I contacted approximately 20 Saab dealerships within a 1,000-mile radius from us and so begins my first rant. …. I initially contacted all of the dealerships online. My opinion is that if you’re going to have a way for the public to communicate with you online or by e-mail, make sure that the contact form works, goes to a real person, and a response can be expected in a timely manner. When I filled out the various information request/contact forms, a number of them were returned to me undeliverable due to a faulty e-mail address or other technical issue…unacceptable in my book. I also received a significant number of automated response e-mails, but never heard back from a real live person. I’m not sure how much more I need to wave my money around for people to take notice, but either of the above scenarios probably excluded that particular dealership from my list of potential contacts. If you aren’t going to monitor e-mails or online submissions, simply put your telephone number on your website and I will gladly call. Unfortunately, this is an issue that cost several dealerships my own personal business.
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FOR SOME OTHER DEALERS OUT THERE:
I will say that I made contact with a number of very nice dealers. Most of these individuals were very well-informed, courteous, and gave me a significant feeling of comfort in dealing with them. There were, however, several instances in which misinformation or lack of information adversely affected the potential of a sale.
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FOR ONE PARTICULAR DEALER OUT THERE:
Gebhardt Saab of Boulder in Colorado is probably one of the lesser-known Saab dealerships in Colorado. When I filled out their online contact form, I received a very prompt response from Gregg Sunfield. Gregg was knowledgeable, courteous, and I instantly got the impression that he would go above and beyond to make sure we were happy before, during, and after the sale…and that’s exactly what happened…..
……One thing that I will say about Bob and Gregg is that they were both highly optimistic about the future of Saab, they are clearly dedicated to the brand through thick and thin, and I failed to receive a single ounce of misinformation from them……… the information they provided and the confidence that they offered was not salesperson-speak…it was based on factual information and was very well-founded. Kudos to each of them and to the entire Gebhardt family for getting it right!
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FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN A SAAB 9-4X:
Clay’s starting point for this review……
I’m setting aside all Saab-bias that I may have for this particular review and hope that it may be viewed from a neutral standpoint. Quality of materials and fit-and-finish is extremely important to me, as I absolutely can’t stand something cheap that’s trying to look expensive, nor do I tolerate any misplaced rattle, groan, or squeak. I don’t want gimmicks and bling…there is definitely something to be said for clean functionality. Handling and performance are vital…not only do these attributes influence the overall experience, but they also affect various aspects of safety. I don’t want a vehicle that feels like a brick on wheels, but by the same token, I certainly don’t want to feel like I’m driving around a slinky atop a waterbed. My experience with Saab in the past has proven that a delicate balance of the aforementioned characteristics is a shared ideal.
And his conclusions……
I simply fail to find any compromises on this vehicle and Saab has undoubtedly created a machine that they can and should be proud of in the 9-4X. And for anyone that wants to argue against the value you receive in the 9-4X regarding the purchase price…I argue that your comments will be unfounded. To us, the 9-4X is worth every single penny that we spent on it and we would do it again in a heartbeat if given the opportunity. BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Acura, Infiniti, Audi, Volkswagen…nothing could provide us with a better value and I am absolutely certain of that.
As much as I’ve reproduced here for your information, it really is just an introduction. Clay goes into an enormous amount of detail as to his research, purchase process and his first impressions on all aspects of the car.
If you’re a prospective Saab 9-4x purchaser, or just a person with an eye for detail, this review is going to make for very interesting reading.
From an internal perspective, it’s gratifying that we have people like Clay and Holly as customers and that we’re still making vehicles that satisfy their Saaby needs. If you look at Clay’s vehicle history, you’ll see that he’s owned a bunch of historic Saabs in the past.
It’s also a good reminder for us that we have to better support our distribution network and provide them with the materials and motivation to serve their customers well, every time.
The following is a query received here at Inside Saab. I tried to email a reply but it bounced, and I figured it’d be fun to place it here anyway to gather some thoughts from others.
I thought it might be useful to open it up to the masses for some feedback. It comes from Roberto A, in Mexico.
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We don’t have many Saabs here in Mexico, and most of them are from GM’s time, so try growing up explaining your friends that SAAB’s are your favorites cars with no classic examples.
I remember one time traveling abroad, I picked up a magazine and seeing a SAAB ad, the one of Saab vs Saab featuring both Viggens – that was the moment I came to love the idea, the company, the philosophy, the brand.
Now I’m in my mid-twenties and already have paid for my first car (a 2008 Nissan Sentra, a perfect fit for my everyday work commute in Mexico City, but not by any means an emotional car) and I’m looking a weekend car. As you could imagine I want a Saab, and here is my question: 900 turbo convertible vs Viggen?
Remember, it’s only for the weekends but there aren’t many spare parts in Mexico, and doubtfully mechanics, so it would be really painful to keep the car in shape but i’m willing to do it. Which would be easier to mantain given the spare parts in US market?
Just quickly, as much as I absolutely adore the Viggen, if you were looking for an absolute classic to keep for a long time, then I’d look for a good late model 900 Convertible. They’re just so very beautiful and still very rewarding to drive.
But if you don’t like the sun beating down on you all the time, then you should easily fall in love with a Viggen, too. (Just make sure it’s a Lightning Blue 3-door)
It’s been another big week or so in the immediate life and times of Saab Automobile. We’re relieved to be in calmer waters now, but we know that there’s a lot of work to be done and we have plans in place to do it.
You can read some initial information about Project Cheetah in English here, or in Swedish here. I’ll see if there’s some more information about this process that I can bring forward in the near future.
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If you’re still catching up on what’s happened with Saab this week, the best summary news article is at Bloomberg (as usual).
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And on the same theme, here’s some video of Victor Muller from yesterday, reacting to the reorganisation decision. Video picked up by Saabworld.
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Your must-read for this week is the Saab 900 Enduro website.
If you’re not familiar with it, the Saab 900 Enduro is a rather bonkers edition of the 900 that was commissioned by Saab Australia back when the 900 first came out. There were only 12 of them ever made and it’s thought that only half of those still exist.
I’m hoping to do a video with at least one – and maybe more – of the existing Enduros, some time in the near future. Contact was made earlier this year and we’re just waiting on some further restoration to one of the cars.
Should be fun.
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Those of you who are interested in scale model Saabs really, and I mean really, have to add Griffin Models to your bookmark list.
The site’s not complete, but when you visit, you can see some of the stuff they’ll be selling, as well as reading about how they’re making them. Hand made from scratch.
Great stuff.
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I have a couple of other links to send on, but they’re so big that they really deserve posts of their own.
I went to the Saab Museum this morning to take a look at some recent additions. The recent additions are not vehicles, but little stickers applied to the vehicles that were already there.
Click to enlarge
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Utmätt Gods translates to ‘goods sequestered for debt’ and the little stickers were applied to the collection by Kronofogden, the debt enforcement agency here in Sweden. As you can see above, the Aero-X has one. The Sonett and Saab 9-X Air both have one, too. Even UrSaab has one.
The labels were applied earlier this week, no doubt timed to precede our reorganisation decision. It’s Kronofogden’s way of claiming these vehicles as part of a group of assets earmarked for sale in order to pay debts that some of our creditors have asked Kronofogden to collect. I know that’s a shocking statement if you’re a Saab fan, but please relax and keep reading.
The decision yesterday to grant us reorganisation status means that no further action can be taken by Kronofogden right now, in respect of these vehicles. However, should our reorganisation fail, then the vehicles resume their place amongst the assets that Kronofogden would seek to liquidate in order to collect amounts owing to some creditors.
So, the vehicles are protected at the moment and of course, Saab will seek to repay all outstanding amounts (including those submitted to Kronofogden) and when that happens, the little stickers will be removed and so will any lien hanging over the vehicles.
It’s not a nice part of our current story, but it’s a part of it nonetheless and one that we will do everything to ensure is wound up with a happy ending, as soon as possible.
Trollhättan, Sweden: Swedish Automobile N.V. (Swan) announces that Saab Automobile AB (Saab Automobile) has launched an efficiency improvement initiative as part of a broader review of the company’s business plan for 2012 and beyond, aiming at creating a more flexible and more competitive cost structure for the company. This initiative also reflects the effects of the prolonged production stoppage since April of this year and is an important element of the voluntary reorganization plan that will be presented at a forthcoming creditors meeting.
During the coming weeks, Saab Automobile will identify areas throughout the whole organization where efficiencies can be gained. The initiative will focus on both fixed and variable costs and aims to create a lower and more flexible cost structure within Saab Automobile by eliminating duplication of work, streamlining processes, shortening lead times, improving coordination between departments and simplifying the organizational structure. As a result of this initiative headcount reductions cannot be ruled out. All improvements should be implemented before year-end in order for Saab Automobile to have a new, competitive cost structure for the 2012 financial year.
It’s a strange feeling, to celebrate entering a process that most companies would prefer to avoid. However, it gives you an idea as to how beaten down Saab has been in the public’s mind (and in our own, to some extent) when I tell you that there were, indeed, some small celebrations here today after the court in Gothenburg approved our appeal and granted us ‘reorganisation’ status.
For us as a company, it means that actions against us by unions and creditors are on hold (or withdrawn) whilst we reorganise our operations. It means that we have a stable climate in which we can get our house in order, organise our operations and plan for a re-start of production in an orderly manner without having to fend off arrows from so many different directions.
For our staff, who have done it tough in the last month but have still turned up for work and done whatever they could to keep things going, it means some welcome financial relief.
For our other stakeholders, who have supported us so much in some pretty dark times, I hope that it’s the light at the end of the tunnel getting a little bit brighter. We have a road map for where we’re going and today’s decision will be of great assistance in getting there.
For me personally, and I think for many others as well, there is the realisation that whilst this decision is a positive outcome (it beats the hell out of the alternative), it also means that the real work for Saab begins now (again). This decision gives us some space and some calmer waters in which to operate, but there’s still a hell of a lot of work to be done in order to bring this company around.
We have to negotiate with, and then pay, our suppliers. We have to get production up and running so that we can supply our distributors. We have to reorganise the company so that it’s more efficient and effective. We have to communicate our message effectively whilst giving the papers nothing to write about.
All of that’s going to require a lot of work, but I know that our people are up to the task. Today there was a brief moment where we could feel some relief, but the processes that will underpin our internal reorganisation are already in motion and this is where the real work begins.
I was chatting with a colleague this morning, and he likened this whole drama to a never-ending movie, with all its ups and downs, underdogs, villains and near-death experiences. We both agreed that it would be nice to write the final scene now, one where the main characters go off into the sunset to lead a normal, outwardly boring existence doing whatever it is that they do.
We design and build great Swedish cars. It’d be so wonderful to get back to doing just that.
If you haven’t done so yet, I’d recommend that you read In Saab’s Corner – a series of posts I did a few weeks ago outlining the many things this company has got going for it. We have a lot to share with the world and we can’t wait to do it.
Trollhättan, Sweden: Swedish Automobile N.V. (Swan) announces that Saab Automobile AB and its subsidiaries Saab Automobile Powertrain AB and Saab Automobile Tools AB (collectively Saab Automobile) received approval for their proposal for voluntary reorganization from the Court of Appeal in Gothenburg, Sweden today. The purpose of the voluntary reorganization process is to secure short-term stability while simultaneously attracting additional funding, pending the inflow of the equity contributions by Pang Da and Youngman.
The Swedish Company Reorganization Act says that an application shall not be approved unless there is reasonable cause to assume that the purpose of the reorganization will be achieved. In today’s decision, the Court of Appeal has found that such conditions exist, thereby overturning an earlier ruling by the District Court in Vänersborg, Sweden.
As a consequence of the Court of Appeal ruling, Saab Automobile will request for the bankruptcy filings by unions IF Metall, Unionen and Ledarna to be cancelled.
