Lately the Saab 9-4X has gotten much attention in the media with the top score in the IIHS' crash test, the first cars arriving at the dealers and even the first car going out to a lucky new 9-4X owner in Ohio. So first let's continue the 9-4X news with a note from Dutch Autokopen which tells us that production of the 9-4X destined for Europe will start in August and the first cars will reach European dealers in October. I assume this means that model year 2012 production will start in August. As reported earlier, all production for the model year 2011 has already been spoken for.
Dutch prices are EUR 74,995 for the Vector 3.0 V6 with 265 horsepower and EUR 89,920 for the Aero 300 bhp 2.8 turbo.
And let's stay in the Netherlands for the second note. Autozine tells us that the Saab 9-5 SportCombi will hit the showrooms in October. This assuming of course that the production in Trollhättan is restarted in August as planner.
Third and final note so far this day, is from Swedish media. Swedish media has had a talk with the FKG which is the trade association representing Scandinavian suppliers to the automotive industry. Svenåke Berglie, the CEO of FKG, demands that the different players in the process of approving Vladimir Antonov as part owner of Saab, shows their cards. He is obviously, like the rest of us, sick and tired of the games the European Investment Bank and the Swedish Government are playing.
"It's not fair what they are doing. Now is the time for those who say no to Antonov to show their cards. Neither the government or the European Investment Bank (EIB) has been able to say why they reject him," Svenåke Berglie said to Swedish Dagens Nyheter.
Anontov is scheduled to participate on a seminar held by the FKG in September, where he will be interviewed by Swedish TV4's reporter Lennart Ekdahl. Behind the initiative is Svenåke Berglie, who says that Saab must "bring in more resourceful ownership".
"It can be the Antonov," Svenåke Berglie says.
A blog fueled by enthusiasm about Saab, the greatest car company between the North and the South Pole. And their cars, which probably is the only cars that would start on a cold and crispy South Pole morning.
