The Future of Saab?

dhanley

I think i know the article you're talking about, but remember that it was more of a drastic change than that, particularly when stopping and turning were taken into consideration.

blckislandguy

Lets assume that Saab had made all the right product moves over the last 25 years, where would they be today in the US market? Lets assume that in the early 80's Saab moved upscale with leather, sterios, heated seats, moon roofs, etc. to accomodate the emerging Boomer class that was tiring of college kid type cars as they made a few bucks for the first time. Then in the 90's and beyond Saab to hang onto its market position as The Winter Car offerred a Haldex AWD system for all of 2K at retail as an option in all models ("Saab, Control All The Time"). This would have beaten back Volvo as they got rolling with their S70 series of AWD and also repelled the Audi quattro invasion. Curiously, not only did they never offer AWD, but recently in a stroke of genius they cut back and only offer heated seats up front. I don't think have ever had heated steering wheels! This sure hurts any attempt to be The Winter Car and could only have been dreamed up by an Atlanta based organization. (Yes, Saab, the car for the Northeast, was run out of GA for a while. I suspect that the US management confused being closer to your customer with being closer to the beach. No, I swear I am not making this up.)

Finally, in the late '90s lets assume that Saab had more of a performance option than just a 4 cylinder, turbo charged to within an inch of its life in the Aero. To accomodate the emerging performance market Saab would have had a decent 300 HP V6 with a turbo hanging off each bank in the 9-5 Aero and the 9-3 Aero would have received the turbo 4 now in the 9-5 Aero. Audi dealers would not be happy to have an 9-5 mop up the S4 market and generate showroom traffic. There might even be a diesel option in the 9-3 or 9-5 wagon. (l would have restricted the diesel option to the wagon to get a premium for it and to really carve out a niche.) This would have been a killer for all those that couldn't swing an E Class Diesel Wagon or wanted something different than an SUV. Additonally, the chassis would have been stiffened and the words "torque steer" would not be synonymous with Saab.

Besides changing the content to keep pace with demographic trends and the competition Saab should have developed a third model.. Seemingly all successful car companies have a three model lineup, with variants.

OK, where would Saab be today with appropriate content and a three model line of bona fide Saabs? IMHO they would be probably selling at least as many cars as Audi, the Johnny come lately to the party, and closing in on Volvo. The shame of it is that Saab was on second base and looking toward home plate when their competition was still trying to get on first base. Then they fell asleep in a nice Waspish way.

dhanley

I think it comes down to: what if vw had bought saab and not GM.

I agree, saab could be in audi's spot. Audi almost pulled out of the US, after all.

Does volvo really sell more cars than audi? I thought it was the other way around,

jchan2

would probably be the fourth best selling European car, behind M-Benz, BMW, and VW, and in front of Volvo and Audi.

Saab would also have built a home grown crossover around 2002ish if they made all the right moves.

Are they closing down the Aero Academy? 9-3 Aeros are not eligible, and they dumped all 9-5 trimlines, in favor of just 1 model. Will they still send 9-5 owners down to Georgia?

And if they made all the right moves this discussion would be called The Future of Audi....

Maybe Saab is headed for better days, we'll just have to see what GM shows us and put out a verdict...

blckislandguy

Yeh, lets close down the Aero Academy. We don't want to have too many people to have too much fun in a Saab. I say let anyone attend who wants to attend, Saab owner, prospect or whatever. The Aero owner though would have priority and pay less. Give the dealers free Aero school slots to be distributed to sales guys and customers when they meet certain goals.

Not so incidentally, has anyone recently priced out a two day Porsche school weekend? With less instructional content than Saab, a weekend at the Porsche North American school is about 4K per couple for tuition alone. Plus expenses. This new Porsche owner figured that the after tax 7K (two round trip airfare tickets, three or four nights at something better than a Motel 6, maybe $1500 in dinners, drinks, incidentals, a rental, etc adds up to 3K real fast) better belonged in his pocket.

jchan2

I was thinking that they could keep it running, but I guess the GM bean counters don't see the importance of having a free (or low cost) driving academy for owners.

jchan2

the Opel based crossover I proposed?

This sounds oddly similar. I'm looking forward to seeing them in Saab dealerships.

http://www.thecarconnection.com/Enthusiasts/Spy_Shots/Spy_Shots_08_Opel_Crossover.S178.A93- 84.html

mcclearyfl

As GM talks the talk about Saab, I read this industry comment: ""There's more possibility to move Saab because many people don't have preconceived notions about it," said Jim Hall, industry analyst with AutoPacific in Detroit.

Probably very accurate. The last true 9-3 Saab was manufactured in 2002, and the 9-5 (while very Saab) is dated. GM has lost much of its Saabophile base in favor of the mass public, whose fidelity is fickle. Ill-conceived 9-2 and 9-7 models just add to the sense that Saab has totally lost direction.

ateixeira

They added this to appease dealers, I bet. They wanted a truck to sell, the quickest solution GM could find was this rebadge.

It sells the soul of the brand, though, what happened to:

The State of Independence, where all cars are turbocharged?

At least the 9-2x was a turbo.

-juice

rockylee

I heard Saab is going to keep your aspirations of turbo engines very much alive. Don't you think the addition of AWD for all models will help ?

I am personally very excited by what the GM of SAAB had to say. I think the future is bright, and the future won't include rebadges !

Rocky

ateixeira

Dunno, I'm a skeptic. Management is always optimistic. Remember that crazy Korean that was in charge of Daewoo, and all his non-sensical quotes? He sounded like a drunk fortune cookie.

Saab could have been the US version of Opels, to keep a Euro character. But that's what Saturn is going to be.

So what will Saab be? More rebadged Chevys with extra sound insulation?

-juice

rockylee

-juice, have you read this article ?????

Related ArticlesFirst Drive: 2006 Saab 9-3 SportCombi Saab 9-5 Gets Modest Face-Lift for 2006 Model First Drive: 2006 Saab 9-7X More InfoMore Features More Personalities Features ToolsE-mail This Page To a Friend Inside Line Q&A: Saab USA's Jay Spenchian

PhotosSlideshow

(Enlarge photo) Jay Spenchian (Photo courtesy of Saab Cars USA)
(Enlarge photo) Saab, in the midst of its biggest launch year, introduces its first sport-utility vehicle, the 9-7X. (Photo courtesy of Saab Cars USA)
(Enlarge photo) Saab introduces the 9-3 SportCombi this year; it will use the SportCombi designation on all wagons. (Photo courtesy of Saab Cars USA)

His New Job? To "Invigorate a Renaissance Within Saab"
By: Anita Lienert

Date Posted 07-18-2005

Jay Spenchian, 46, named general manager of Saab Cars USA April 1, says his task is to "invigorate a renaissance within Saab." He presides over the General Motors Swedish brand during its biggest launch year ever, including the debut of its new 9-7X, the brand's first SUV. Spenchian joined GM in 1998, holding a variety of positions with Cadillac, including marketing director for the CTS, XLR and SRX, and Escalade brand manager. Prior to joining GM, Spenchian held brand management positions with The Pillsbury Company, Sara Lee Corporation, H.J. Heinz Company and PepsiCo Inc. He has a bachelor's degree and an MBA from Michigan State University. He was interviewed for Inside Line by Anita Lienert at the media launch of the 2006 Saab 9-7X in Quebec City, Quebec.

Word is Saab could get as many as seven new products. What's the plan for the next year or two and beyond that?
The 2006 9-7X, the medium-lux utility, and the 9-3 SportCombi, a wagon in the late fall as an '06 model. We have the 9-5 midcycle enhancement — exterior and interior changes, pretty significant from a visual standpoint. A lot of the same cues that are in the 9-3.

Any powertrain changes in the 9-5?
No. We're pretty happy with the powertrain. We'll have 260 horsepower at the top end on the Aero.

Is there a successor to the 9-5 in the pipeline?
There's a pretty strong successor in the pipeline off the global Epsilon platform. We are working on that right now.

When could we see that?
In the next three to four years.

As a 2008 model?
2008 or a little bit further out than that.

Can you tell me anything else?
We're looking at all-wheel drive as an addition…even though it's a shared platform [with the Cadillac BLS], it will be uniquely Saab.

What else are you adding to the portfolio?
The V6 engine, the 2.8 turbo that's being added to the 9-3 lineup across the board. That will be in the fall in conjunction with the launch of the SportCombi and the new 9-3 offerings, the convertible and the sedan. The Aero version will have 250 horsepower in a V6.

Beyond that?
The next year, we've talked about looking for a three-row vehicle in the utility area and also looking at another utility in the entry-level space, in the 9-3 space — an X3 fighter. That probably takes us out four to five years.

By 2010, what will Saab's portfolio look like?
It will look pretty strong because you'll have entries in all the major growth segments and then you'll have refreshes, totally new vehicles in two of the primary segments. With the addition of all-wheel drive and possibly some other potential engine choices we're evaluating, we'll have all the bases covered.

Are you trying for all-wheel drive across the entire lineup?
The goal is to do that if we can.

What's the time frame?
Four to five years out.

Is that one of the major goals?
It's one of the requests we've made. The folks in Sweden see the need for it, too. It's a good fit with the brand.

When will you publicly unveil the new 9-6X crossover based on the Subaru B9 Tribeca?
Not determined yet. Right now, we've made some requests from the folks helping us with the 9-6 about making sure we have the proper differentiation and the things that will make it uniquely Saab.

When is the earliest it could go on sale?
Probably spring of '06 — the earliest. Any later than spring puts you into the '07 model year.

Will the 9-4X crossover that's supposed to come off the Theta platform have more SUV cues, like the Chevy Equinox or will it be more of a tall wagon like the Saturn Vue?
Ours has an aggressive look. It would be competing head-to-head with the X3. It would be an aggressive wagon, but a little bit lower than a normal SUV. But it would have an SUV-like look. It would be like the Equinox, but sportier-looking.

Do you need the 9-4X in the lineup?
We definitely need it. If you look at the affluent lifestyles, people want versatility. They want packages where it's fun to drive — if they give up their sport sedan. The price point would allow younger families to get a chance to experience Saab.

So there is a 9-4X in the pipeline?
We are evaluating that segment for sure — it's pretty safe to say.

What is the time frame on the 9-4X?
Within four years.

By calendar year 2009?
Yes, calendar year '09, as a model year '10.

Isn't the 9-7X due to be replaced in about two years?
If this vehicle goes like we think it goes, there's a lot of us talking about how to extend its life. Potentially, the 9-6 and a 9-7 could coexist.

Why didn't you just wait until the Lambda-based 9-7 was ready for production?
We looked at it and thought this could make a very credible entry and pick up volume that we've lost. Thirty percent of Saab buyers leave the franchise because there's no SUV. And 40 percent have a different SUV.

What's the plan for the next-generation 9-2X, which was a modestly refashioned version of the Subaru WRX?
We are in the process of talking about that. All of us would agree that we'd like to maximize the differentiation. So, there's a desire to continue the relationship.

What's the time frame?
Nothing official yet. We've got a commitment for the 2006 model to continue. We've got it to a steady state now — a regular volume. The major change is all part of ongoing negotiations. It's an attractive segment. If possible, we'd like to improve on the differentiation.

Will the new one come from Japan or North America?
I don't know.

Saab lovers have been hoping for a modern-day successor to the old Sonett sports car. Is there something like that in the plan?
Possibly. Maybe as one of our upcoming concepts. We may test the waters. But nothing firm for production.

Would it be called a Sonett, and is that a good name?
We haven't decided. Globally, [the name] might be. There's a familiarity with Saab loyalists. I'm not sure what it says to somebody in the U.S.

When is the earliest that we could see that concept?
It won't be this year. I guess the earliest is our next concept car — not for the '06 auto show circuit, but maybe beyond that.

When production of the 9-3X moves to Russelsheim, Germany, will the

rockylee

This guy and the General will make the brand prosper, and I do have confidence in that. Yes, probably alot more than you. I think AWD and the new models will give SAAB a future as a premium world brand.

-Rocky

rockylee

http://gmtv.feedroom.com/iframeset.jsp?ord=842659 :shades:

rockylee

http://www.detnews.com/2005/autosinsider/0511/11/C01-379101.htm

Good article !

ateixeira

Spenchian held brand management positions with The Pillsbury Company, Sara Lee Corporation, H.J. Heinz Company and PepsiCo Inc. He has a bachelor's degree and an MBA

Brand management = rebadging.

He's not even a car guy. He knows more about baking, food, and soda!

Saab is doomed.

The article is out-of-date, for instance the 9-6x project is long gone.

-juice

jchan2

The 9-6X was aborted, so the article is out of date.
Agreed. Saab's pretty much doomed.

Unless GM can REALLY turn the thing around.
How long can the "Born from Jets" slogan last anyways? After a year everyone will know they used to build jets, so then what?

dhanley

I'll wait until i see some of the new cars. If they suck, saab is dead. If they're great, then not. Anything else is guesswork.

As is, i think the 9-3 is a very nice car and quite competitive. Potent v6, leather, sunroof, fogs, xenons, leather and a lot more for 32K. I don't really care if people like the marketing campaign.

dave

jchan2

is actually a very attractive car.

That convertible looks really stunning, IMO.

blckislandguy

Not only is he not a car guy, he can't seem to give a straight answer. This guy comes off as a little too slick with nice, bland answers. I wonder how much European car experience he has, if he has even ever owned a European import, if his passport is as empty of stamps as W's is, etc. Yes, I am saying that to market Saab successfully one should understand the sensibilities of Saab, Volvo, Audi, etc. and not just be a midwestern guy on GMs fast track.

OTH he did do a good job marketing the CTS.

I wonder what happened to the woman who was his predecsor?

merc1

Come on guys, who wouldn't want to buy a car with this on the hood?



M

stmss

Agree, another sales pitch. At 47 how long has he been at any of these companies. It appears to me that he may simply be a catalyst to stir some things up but won't be around long enough to see it all happen.

Will GM have the patience and money to carry through. I don't think so.

Everything is 4-5 years out. The competition is here now, where will they be in 4-5 years out - still ahead?

jchan2

Everything is 5 years down the road.

But five years down the road, where will Infiniti, Audi, Acura, Lexus, BMW, Mercedes, and Volvo be?

Far far ahead. Unless GM seriously pumps some money and marketing (and NOT the Born From Jets slogan) into the brand.

Bringing out a unique, three row crossover with turbocharged engines and AWD might bring in a little showroom traffic.

9-2 and 9-7 have gotta go.

nippononly

added a wagon variant of an existing model and gave it a turbo-charged version of a Caddy engine - this is giving people all this hope for the brand? Look at how many wagons Volvo sells in a year, the most similar example I can think of. Answer is, not enough to save a company. Volvo does much better with their SUV, which they got to design from scratch themselves.

Epsilon II is YEARS out, probably 2010 for the Saab model, which will be close to a decade the "old"/current 9-3 continues to run. And the 8 year old 9-5? Who even knows, right? Certainly nothing in the next two years. You can bet your buttons the 9-2 will drop off the radar within a year or two, once Subaru redesigns the Impreza for the '07/'08 MY. And the 9-7 is so badge-engineered, it mimics perfectly the "differentiation" between the four "different" models of the GM minivan. Painful. Gotta go. No way did THAT come from jets.....

stmss

and the Volvo SUV (and wagon) platforms and technologies are being filtered down to the Fords not the other way around as GM is doing.

adp33

that is because the Volvo platforms and technologies are better than what Ford has

you guys all assume that SAAB was this wonderful car company - they put a lot of junk on the road before GM bought them. Today's SAAB is more dependable than any car SAAB ever put on the road.

I'm not saying GM has managed the SAAB vehicles as well as they should have, but you guys sure have some rose-colored rear view mirrors.

stmss

all I am trying to say is that Ford has decided to leave their 'premium' brands intact and you don't see a rebadged Taurus showing up as V70 or a rebadged Explorer showing up as a Landrover. The technologies and platforms flow down, not up.

Both Saab and other GMs should benefit from cross pollination of technologies, ideas and even parts but the brand needs to stay distictively Saab. Ford has done this (ie Volvo, Jaguar, Landrover, AM)

nippononly

can you imagine the field day the press would have if Ford tried to pass off a rebadged Explorer as a Land Rover??!!

It's really surprising, actually, that they haven't criticized the 9-7 more on the same score. Seems like they have largely ignored that model instead.

stmss

yeah, I don't think the 9-7 is even on the radar screen of most critics. Most people wouldn't be listening anyway and most people wouldn't even know it existed. I have not even seen one on the roads other than at the dealer.

On the other hand Landrover has a brand name to protect and a loyal following of onwers and wanna be owners despite their cost, reliabilty and heavy depreciation. Sound familiar?

jchan2

Saab may not have built the most durable cars on the road in the 80's and 90's, but they certainly made cars with Saab DNA.

GM could have done a better job (like Ford with Volvo)

And there are people out there that still love their Saabs even though they have have had numerous repairs, break downs, and severe depreciation.

You have a loyal buyer base that knows a real Saab when it sees one. These buyers turned their backs cold on the 9-2X and 9-7X.

Some nice genuine new product would certainly enlarge the loyal buyer base

stmss

many of us Saab owners understand that they are not perfect but accept its shortcomings in exchange for a unique, fun ride with some character.

blckislandguy

IMHO the Saab customers have migrated permanently in two different directions. The quirky, artsy crafty types with more NPR opinions than cash now drive Suburus, sometimes called Lez-burus in working class enclaves near college towns. The people who came out of the 60's with good degrees and who got professional jobs now all drive Volvo/Audi/Bimmer or SUVs. They are not going back to old designs with front wheel drive and torque steer. End of story.

GM could throw billions into Saab to play catch up but it ain't going to work because the opposition is pulling ahead, the brand doesn't have much equity left, GM/Saab is saddled with high labor costs, slow moving bureaucracies, bigger fish to fry, etc. etc. The future of Saab has got to be no higher than 75th on a list items that the President of GM thinks about on a weekly basis. (First place position is will he keep his job after losing 14% of the total value of GM in the stock market in about two weeks.)

The only people who are going to make any money from Saab going forward are those smart enough to do an independent on line parts depot for Saab service parts/body panels, etc. when GM throws in the towel and no longer supports the line.

jchan2

True. But Saab could win over a new demographic- the same demographic it won over with the 900- yuppies who nowadays tend to lean towards a 3-Series, G35 or C-Class.

Make it a better car, price it lower, put out a longer warranty, advertise the heck out of the car, and hope that the yuppies start rollin in the door.

blckislandguy

You're right. They could take the 9-3 (which has gotten good reviews), call Haldex for AWD, expand the offerrings to a SuperAero version (Recaros, BBS, great sound system with a woofer in the rear, more boost to the turbo, AWD-of course) with lots of product placement with trend setters to get the show room traffic going, have a 7 year/70,000 power train warranty, etc. etc. for not much money.

Somehow I don't see the new guy doing it. (Anyone want to guess what his POV is? Coming out of Caddy and living in Dee-troit, maybe a 'slade?).

blckislandguy

The current, December 5, issue of Autoweek says that the current 9-5 has been freshened up for 2006 with a new grille and a different rear end treatment.

Then comes the punch line. "And then in about four years...Saab will have addressed the 9-5s biggest flaw..with the introduction of all wheel drive."

This is comical. These guys don't HAVE four years. Moreover, all the people they drag in and sell to the "new" '06 will already be out of the '06 and into another car by '10! That new '10 car will be German if they can afford it (the dollar will play a role in this) or Japanese if they can't or don't want to. End of story.

jchan2

Oh no oh no oh no oh no.

Can't Saab temporarily borrow Versatrak? Or any other AWD system GM has on the shelf? Can't GM get it? Saab doesn't HAVE 4 years unless they're totally overhauling the product line.

Speaking of overhauling the product line, here's my NEW (well not really, I just sorta tweaked it a little)

Saab 900- Compact Premium sedan, hatchback, and convertible.

Saab 9-2- Compact Premium SUV. The XC50 is coming. This can be Saab's answer. (And NO, I don't want a rebadged Saturn VUE)

New trimlines: S, SE, Aero (for 900, 9-2, 9-3, 9-4)
Trimlines: SE, CSE, Aero (9-5, 9-6)
the rest of the lineup is the same as the old one. scroll back a couple of pages and it'll be there.

Saab doesn't have 4 years! Can't GM get with the program?

nippononly

the 9-5 will be, what, 11 years old before they finally redesign it?

jchan2

yep. From 1999-2010 is 11 years, right?

dhanley

Way, way way too long on the 9-5. The flagship car can't be FWD and the oldest platform in the bunch.

blckislandguy

Haldex is a huge, worldwide manufacturer of AWD systems. Volvo uses Haldex. GM could simply call Haldex and they could have AWD 9-5 in prototype running around the GM proving grounds by next weekend. But, no this is GM. We're gonna have a committee formed to study this. Then we'll talk with the UAW.

Jchan2, sorry, I just didn't get your alphanumeric designations. But by the way, I think that the Saturn Vue looks pretty good. In retrospect THAT should have been the basis for the 9-7 not the Trailblazer. IMHO a AWD SAAB version of the Vue with leather, roof, sterio, and a Saab engine would have been a more commercially viable project than trying to get Saab buyers to buy a GMC truck. The Saturn customer buying expericence and demographic seems closer to Saab than anything else at GM.

Speaking of Saturn, without giving it too much thought, the Saturn customer seems to be domestic version of the Suburu customer. And the Suburu customer is the logical recruiting grounds for the Saab customer. (Of course, before Saab moved upscale its customers then were the fathers and mothers of today's Suburu customer.) So, anything that links Saturn with Saab has got to be good.

jchan2

After reading your post, I agree. The Vue would have been a better stop gap model, and the Saturn clientele would be perfect for Saab. Perhaps the young, Saturn clientele, after becoming a little older and making a little more money, could be sold a Saab.

And about the 9-5 AWD. GM should just hurry up and write Haldex a check for AWD systems on all of its models.

Perhaps Saab and Saturn could be saved together with a cross promotion plan and product sharing between the divisions. Saturn could fight the imports (which was its purpose in the first place) with the older Saab paltforms (not the current ones, but in the future) and Saab could get unique platforms that get redesigned every 6-7 years. The old platforms are then handed down to Saturn to be used for another 6-7 years, thereby saving on development costs. Saturn could save the Spring Hill plant, Saab could keep Trollhattan.

It works. Now all of us just have to pester GM to death, or one of us should become a GM executive in charge of Product Planning

And the kids of Saab owners could be sold a Saturn to start (not an ION, something better) then ideally they would trade up the ladder when their income and age rises. (sorta like the whole Scion-Toyota-Lexus thing)

blckislandguy

Lets not get going on the "GM Executive in charge of Product Planning". The current one is a mid-70's (no joke) ex-Marine Corps fighter pilot who within the last year or so landed his plane (he flies Warbirds on weekends and commutes to the office in his helicopter) without putting down his landing gear. This exec was born in Europe, once ran a major part of BMW, has lots of European experience, a great resume, and supposedly drives an Aero for his personal car.

But look at the result: market share going down faster than a plane without the landing gear deployed. Cars that no one really gets up in the morning and wants to buy. To move them they are sold with humongous subsidized leases (e.g., Saab) or at a deep discount (the rest of the line). Cars that are technologically a generation behind the competion: almost 100% recirculating ball steering, two valves per cylinder heads, solid rear axles, minimal air bags, unboxed frames, pickup truck interiors on their big SUVs, such a lousy inhouse 6.2/6.5 diesel they had to go to Izuzu to come up with the current one, etc. etc. All in all the kinds of vehicles that work great in the UP of MI but are not competitive in the global economy.

jchan2

True. The guy right now is Lutz. And I didn't know he drove an Aero. A 9-5 or a 9-3? Or does he have one of those 9000 Aeros?

Does Lutz read these boards? If he does I think he's realized he can save Saab and Saturn at the same time.

chris47

Yes yes - Porsche is looking for companies to buy and GM is looking for cash. How great would that be? Future Saab SUV's based on the Cayenne? All wheel drive systems from the Carrera 4? Unique, sporty sedans and wagons coming out of Trollhattan and Stuttgart?

Porsche seems to know how to make money while producing low to medium quantity high quality cars.

I can dream that GM will lose patience with Saab and sell it off to Porsche for a good price. I certainly won’t be buying a Chevy Malibu with a Saab badge pasted on in a few years.

http://www.leftlanenews.com/?p=769

dhanley

Well, that's certianly an interesting idea, but porsche is totally un saab-like.

Saab=safe, practical "economical" cars with some performance

porsche=performance machines.

I think that GM makes some sense and could work, but they're botching it.

dave

jchan2

since they're so different, that's why they'd work. There would be zero brand overlap.

blckislandguy

Without looking at any numbers, it seems to make sense from an organizational point: a northern European culture, emphasis on engineering, complimentary product lines, complimentary sales areas within the US (Porsche does best where it is warm, Saab where it is cold) which for each is their major market, etc. etc.

BUT where would VW fit in?

jchan2

VW should just let Porsche and Saab be an independent company called Porsche AG.

Just kidding. VW could help in Saab's development of a fitting Crossover.

The two companies would work. But Porsche probably isn't interested in an acquisition.

dhanley

I think acquisitions only make sense where there is a chance for component sharing. All porsche could share is the cayenne.

At least VW has turbocharged engines and FWD platforms. But saab competes with audi, and VW to some extent.

OTOH, i'm not a businessman.

blckislandguy

Lets not look at components that one can buy anywhere from anyone. Lets look at synergies: Saab and Porsche could make some nice music together. The customer bases while not identical do overlap, Porsche would do better in cold regions and Saab better down south, the head counts could go down world wide (you wouldn't need two CFOs, for example), overhead would decrease (the 18 or so people now at Saab US Hqs in a basement in Detroit could just move into Porsche North America without anyone missing a beat), Porsche could show Saab how to make money at the Aero Academy, and so forth.