Saab plans broader model range

[Guest Josh]

Saab is on the verge of a major new product offensive - but the company's manufacturing base might be moved from Sweden, General Motors chief Rick Wagoner says.

'I've seen Saab's forthcoming product portfolio and I've never been more optimistic about the future of the company than I am today,' he told What Car? today.

'Our plan is to deliver a wider range of models with shorter life cycles compared with the Saab of old, which relied on a few models in production for a long time.

'Now we just have to make a business out of it. The notion of 500 engineers working away somewhere in Sweden is very romantic, but it's not the way the industry works any more. If a Mercedes can be built in Alabama, then why can't Saabs be built in Uzbekistan?'

Wagoner also said that GM's purchase of Daewoo (now Chevrolet) to serve as a manufacturer of low-cost cars could make way for Vauxhall to make more upmarket models. 'In time, we will let Vauxhall drift upwards,' he said.

He also confirmed that the Vauxhall name would not be dropped in favour of the Opel brand which is used on the Continent.

http://www.sky.com/skynews/xml/article/0,,...-217083,00.html

[Clownzilla]

I have to agree with Mr. Wagoner, it would be nice if they were, but SAABs don't have to be built in Sweden. I personaly think that the rebadge virus (aka. 92x, 97x, and soon to be 96x), will be a temporary endevor. I think, over time, that SAAB will get its groove back. I'm tired of people saying the SAAB is osbolete, with some work, they can be a fantastic Euro-import company for GM.

[wildcat]

GM's priorities stink, big-time. They need to help Buick before they help Saab. Why is it that so many articles come out about GM's plans for everybody but Buick? <_< Is it feed every brand before Buick? Buick is not to blame for GM's problems, but GM is to blame for Buick's problems!

[Clownzilla]

GM's priorities stink, big-time.  They need to help Buick before they help Saab.  Why is it that so many articles come out about GM's plans for everybody but Buick? <_< Is it feed every brand before Buick?  Buick is not to blame for GM's problems, but GM is to blame for Buick's problems!

[post="16676"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Well, I think Buick is important for the future of the GM lineup, but GM is a series of brands, and with little money, improving everybody takes time. I also have a feeling that SAAB is going to get a lot of rebadged jobs from other markets (not sold here), which is fine and most of all INEXPENSIVE. There are some good Opel's, Holden's, and according to this article soon to be Vauxhauls, that will make great SAABS. That would be relativly cheap to do, and would create a relative succesful franchise. Buick will have to take some more work, and the Buick style will have to be more unique, with some USA flavor. In all, I want Buick to do well, but I want all of GM to do well too. Oh, and the Lucerne in a pretty sharp car.......good start.

[buickguy]

I don't get the neglect of Buick by GM. It makes no sense. If Saab can get a rebadged Rainier, then why can't Buick get a rebadged Saab convertible..like, now. Buick is selling a lot more cars than Saab...Saturn and Cadillac for that matter, yet GM treats Buick like a problem. Buick needs more cars. Has Buick ever had a car..not a truck, that was a bad seller? Not really. I bet you if you threw a Buick front and tailights on the Saab convertible...it would be the hottest selling ragtop in the U-S.

[Clownzilla]

I don't get the neglect of Buick by GM.  It makes no sense.

If Saab can get a rebadged Rainier, then why can't Buick get a rebadged Saab convertible..like, now.

Buick is selling a lot more cars than Saab...Saturn and Cadillac for that matter, yet GM treats Buick like a problem.   

Buick needs more cars.    Has Buick ever had a car..not a truck, that was a bad seller? Not really. 

I bet you if you threw a Buick front and tailights on the Saab convertible...it would be the hottest selling ragtop in the U-S.

[post="16845"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

I think with all of the unseen euro-imports, SAAB will be easier (and cheaper) to fix than Buick. Buick needs some deeper work to come out of their slump. I agree with people though that Buick needs a resurgance. The Buick vert is not a bad idea though, with some work.

[thegriffon]

They may just do that.

[91z4me]

I don't get the neglect of Buick by GM.  It makes no sense.

If Saab can get a rebadged Rainier, then why can't Buick get a rebadged Saab convertible..like, now.

Buick is selling a lot more cars than Saab...Saturn and Cadillac for that matter, yet GM treats Buick like a problem.   

Buick needs more cars.    Has Buick ever had a car..not a truck, that was a bad seller? Not really. 

I bet you if you threw a Buick front and tailights on the Saab convertible...it would be the hottest selling ragtop in the U-S.

[post="16845"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Buick is getting like $3 Billion. They have got quite a bit coming. At least 2 crossovers, a proabably RWD sedan, a slight chance of a RWD coupe, and a vert should come soon either on Epsilon as a hard top like G6 but with less fastback lines or it could come off of the low cost RWD architecture (sigma lite/Zeta).

Also part of the reason that Buick needs less direct attention than SAAB is that they ARE selling more cars. Buick faithful will walk in and buy the replacement for their current Buick. Buick will be the #3 selling GM unit for quite a while in NA without to much intervention.

SAAB on the other hand is having an identity crisis. The 9-2x and 9-7 were cheap and they get SAAB something different than what they normally have had. The 9-3 is pure and true SAAB as is the new 9-5. Besides SAAB is more important to GM Europe than GMNA right now. A lot of their engineering dollars are coming from GME so it doesn't impact Buick much.

[wildcat]

Buick is or was supposed to be getting $3 billion, but nothing we've seen so far or that has been announced --other than the Lambda crossover -- could amount to comparatively much of that $3 billion, if it's still earmarked for Buick. They must not be getting it, if recently Lutz (when asked about halo cars) said they had neither the capital nor the platform to build a Buick Velite.

[Clownzilla]

I want a new SAAB Sonett, Olds vert, Buick vert, hybrid cars, hydrogen cars, 6 speed automatics, and on, and on, and on..........but the truth is that GM does not have the cash to help everyone at once. SAAB is just easier to fix and get on its feet than Buick. Remember SAAB only had 2 cars a few years ago, and they were old, old, designs. They are doing much better now, even with the rebadges. They wil do better if they bring over Euro-cars, which will be cheaper than helping Buick RIGHT NOW. Bill will, and is (Lucrene) getting help, it will just take time. Trust me, if GM had Toyota cash, we would be driving everything stated above right now, plus have a full line of world class Buicks...............but the sad truth is they don't. So right now we just have to embrace the Lucrene and wait for our (Buick Fans) day to come.

[Clownzilla]

Bill will, and is (Lucrene) getting help, it will just take time. Trust me, if GM had Toyota cash, we would be driving everything stated above right now, plus have a full line of world class Buicks...............but the sad truth is they don't.

[post="17514"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Bill = Buick.....typo :lol:

[91z4me]

Buick is or was supposed to be getting $3 billion, but nothing we've seen so far or that has been announced --other than the Lambda crossover -- could amount to comparatively much of that $3 billion, if it's still earmarked for Buick.  They must not be getting it, if recently Lutz (when asked about halo cars) said they had neither the capital nor the platform to build a Buick Velite.

[post="17437"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Just because they don't have the capital or platform right now to build a Velite doesn't mean that they don't have other models coming which are using that $3 billion.

[TurboRush]

Buick is getting like $3 Billion.  They have got quite a bit coming.  At least 2 crossovers, a proabably RWD sedan, a slight chance of a RWD coupe, and a vert should come soon either on Epsilon as a hard top like G6 but with less fastback lines or it could come off of the low cost RWD architecture (sigma lite/Zeta).

Also part of the reason that Buick needs less direct attention than SAAB is that they ARE selling more cars.  Buick faithful will walk in and buy the replacement for their current Buick.  Buick will be the #3 selling GM unit for quite a while in NA without to much intervention.

SAAB on the other hand is having an identity crisis.  The 9-2x and 9-7 were cheap and they get SAAB something different than what they normally have had.  The 9-3 is pure and true SAAB as is the new 9-5.  Besides SAAB is more important to GM Europe than GMNA right now.  A lot of their engineering dollars are coming from GME so it doesn't impact Buick much.

[post="17146"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Out of these posts, I think you are mostly on the right track...... Allot of technology is coming from europe and if we just toss them in the back seat, we will be allot slower at catching up to competition. If they were to give saab more money and power over their engineering, they could pump out some amazing things! but that is for GM to decide of course..... They are slowly taking away bit by bit essential links that makes saab a saab and some of those links include product devellopement and advancement. They will not be able to advance in technology if they arent given the resources and allowances to do so. UUURRRGGGGGGGG :angry:

GM could learn allot from their european brands..... holden as well has some interesting things....

[Clownzilla]

Bottom line........the future of SAAB will be Opel, Holden, and Vauxhall

[Dsuupr]

I don't get the neglect of Buick by GM.  It makes no sense.

If Saab can get a rebadged Rainier, then why can't Buick get a rebadged Saab convertible..like, now.  

Buick is selling a lot more cars than Saab...Saturn and Cadillac for that matter, yet GM treats Buick like a problem.   

Buick needs more cars.    Has Buick ever had a car..not a truck, that was a bad seller?   Not really. 

I bet you if you threw a Buick front and tailights on the Saab convertible...it would be the hottest selling ragtop in the U-S.

[post="16845"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Give GM a chance to show what they spent the 3 bil on before condeming them for killing a great car line. The Lucerene is definitley a step in the right direction for Buick, and I think with a little more time we will see the others that those above have written about. Edited September 22, 2005 by Dsuupr