Wa-Saab-i

[Slee_Stack]

OK, so it's not actually going to Japan, but the 9-3 and 9-5 will soon be Far-East owned: Article.

[DavidMorgan]

Originally Posted by Slee_Stack

OK, so it's not actually going to Japan, but the 9-3 and 9-5 will soon be Far-East owned: Article.

You don't say ..
Oh, the article is full of baloney .. the 2010 9-5 sold

[raquettelaker2]

Wow. Sooo wrong. It's only the old generation 9-5 and pre-2006 9-3 stuff.

[photousa]

Is it me, or does this sound like a really bad deal for the consumer and Saab enthusiast?

[Katsura]

Is it me, or does this sound really like a bad journalist being lazy and can't get his facts right?

[900t]

Originally Posted by photousa

Is it me, or does this sound like a really bad deal for the consumer and Saab enthusiast?

10 dollar DIC's! Sounds great!

[SaabKen]

Originally Posted by 900t

10 dollar DIC's! Sounds great!

Fine with me, as long as it's not laced with melamine ........

[photousa]

Originally Posted by 900t

10 dollar DIC's! Sounds great!

Warranty for a $10 DIC, 10 miles or 10 minutes, whichever comes first.....

[jglavin]

Originally Posted by photousa

Warranty for a $10 DIC, 10 miles or 10 minutes, whichever comes first.....

Well if they come in packs of 10, I'll take it

[SaabKen]

Originally Posted by jglavin

Well if they come in packs of 10, I'll take it

And I'm only willing to pay for the price of 9, 10th one has to be free

And they should be available at Walmart and Costco.

[TooMany2cvs]

Originally Posted by photousa

Is it me, or does this sound like a really bad deal for the consumer and Saab enthusiast?

<shrug> Why?

It's basically c.2004-era 9-3 and 9-5 tooling that's been sold. It'd otherwise sit on one side, or just straight to the scrap pile. They're going to be built for, and sold in, the domestic market only.

Why does it make the _slightest_ difference, other than putting a fair old chunk of cash (US$197m is one number that's mentioned) into Saab's bank account? How's that anything but good?

http://www.saabsunited.com/2009/12/s...baic-deal.html

[Krieg]

Hmm. What tooling could they possibly have bought for the "c. 2004 9-3"?

Most of the "c. 2004 9-3" is still in production!

So they bought the hood, front fender, rear bumper, door skin, and IP fascia tooling?

[Krieg]

I wonder what their idea of "enigneering for the local market" is.

I've got my money on them slapping a "BAIC" logo whetever a Saab badge used to be, and calling it a new model.

[The Swedish Bullet]

"I wonder what their idea of "enigneering for the local market" is."

It is only reasonble to expect that the world's safest, most durable cars would undergo significant "downgrading" if used as a prototype for what will be a Chinese family sedan... Therefore, I assume that their "engineering" job will consist of turning it into a nice-looking shiatbox, à la KIA Magenta. For starters: thinner sheet metal, lower-grade aluminum and steel for all parts, less paint, low-grade struts and shocks, synthetic seat fabrics (toxic fumes included F.O.C.), BAIC tranny, remove the catalytic converter, Chinese radio, door handles, wiper motors, lightbulbs... etc.

"I've got my money on them slapping a "BAIC" logo whetever a Saab badge used to be, and calling it a new model."

Agreed, and let us hope so. Surely this is already specified in the contract... I can't imagine the SAAB brand enjoys much awareness or carries much weight over there, therefore not necessarily somethingt that BAIC would have wanted to negotiate.

[900t]

Originally Posted by SaabKen

Fine with me, as long as it's not laced with melamine ........

Hell it is probably MADE of melamine... that said, using plastic to make a part out of plastic seems fine

I hear the 9-3SS is only intellectual property (ie blueprints), only the 9-5 is going with blueprints AND tooling. BAIC would have to make new tooling for 9-3.

Also Saab brand is not included, BAIC will have to sell the cars under their own name, or some other name, nothing 'SAAB'

[SaabKen]

Originally Posted by 900t

I hear the 9-3SS is only intellectual property (ie blueprints), only the 9-5 is going with blueprints AND tooling. BAIC would have to make new tooling for 9-3.

China has ALL the toolings for all past Saab models, as evidenced here: