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.
Friday, March 22, 2013
Friday, March 15, 2013
2013 Saab 93
Pictures from Swedish Auto Motor & Sport: Presenting the 2013 Saab 93 that never came to be. These are pictures from the designer, Jason Castriota, of how the car was going to look like.
Tuesday, December 25, 2012
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas everybody!
It's been ages since my last post. The spirit I felt for the future for Saab disappeared when Saab became an electric car venture. I feel happy for the people who got new jobs at the new Saab and I hope many of the old Saab workers will be back at Saab some day in the near future. And I still hope that someday someone will build the Pheonix based Saab 9-3 that I was dreaming of driving this winter. A car with electric four wheel drive, gasoline turbo engine, excellent driving characteristcs for both summer and winter and state of the art safety. But I will not follow every step of everything connected to NEVS and Saab cars. I do not have the time, the energy or the enthusiasm to do so.
This does however not mean that I do not care for Saab cars anymore. I still got my Saab 9-5 and I love it just as much as before. It is still the best winter car I have ever owned or driven. For use on sunny summer days I will keep my Saab Sonett V4. It is a fantastic car. A car built by the true Saab spirit.
For Christmas this year I got a great Saab present. A small bag with the great Saab aeroplane emblem! I will proudly use this bag knowing that the emblem is the symbol of great car history.
Finally I want to apologize to those who have written to me the past months. I am sorry that I have not responded. I have no excuse.
Saturday, September 29, 2012
GM dismisses Spyker's lawsuit over Saab
Early in August Spyker Cars NV, the former owner of Saab Automobile, filed a lawsuit claiming GM deliberately drove Saab into bankruptcy. Last night GM filed its respons to the court dismissing Spykers claim.
"The nub of plaintiffs' complaint is that GM declined to approve the transaction plaintiffs proposed to enter into with Youngman. But the relevant contracts did not permit Saab to consummate the proposed transaction without GM's approval," GM says in its respons.
In its lawsuit Spyker claims that GM had no right to say that it would not support the deal between Saab and the Chinese suitors as the technology which was to be shared between the partners where developed by Saab and was not GM's technology.
"Putting aside whether this argument is factually wrong, it misses the point. GM had the right to terminate its technology license and supply agreements with Saab if there was a change in control of Saab with GM's prior consent," GM says in its respons.
"This right was clear and absolute, and did not depend on how GM's technology purportedly was being handled," GM said.
"The nub of plaintiffs' complaint is that GM declined to approve the transaction plaintiffs proposed to enter into with Youngman. But the relevant contracts did not permit Saab to consummate the proposed transaction without GM's approval," GM says in its respons.
In its lawsuit Spyker claims that GM had no right to say that it would not support the deal between Saab and the Chinese suitors as the technology which was to be shared between the partners where developed by Saab and was not GM's technology.
"Putting aside whether this argument is factually wrong, it misses the point. GM had the right to terminate its technology license and supply agreements with Saab if there was a change in control of Saab with GM's prior consent," GM says in its respons.
"This right was clear and absolute, and did not depend on how GM's technology purportedly was being handled," GM said.
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Saab Powertrain chief to NEVS
Here is a piece of news that gives me some faith. Former head of Saab Automobile Powertrain AB, Kjell AC Bergström has joined the managment at NEVS. Bergström is the man who where supposed to retire a few years ago, but decided to keep working for Saab and see the Phoenix arcitecture develop into cars. Now he has joined NEVS as head technical development. So maybe there is a future for Saab after all?
Monday, September 3, 2012
NEVS finalize aquisition of Saab and right to use SAAB brand name
National ELectric Vehicle Sweden has today announced that the deal to buy the assets of Saab Automobile has been finalized. The company has also come to an agreement with the defense and security company Saab AB which gives NEVS the right to use the Saab brand name on future vehicles.
The press release:
The press release:
National Electric Vehicle Sweden AB has finalized acquisition of the Saab Automobile bankruptcy estates
Sep 03, 2012 10:00 CEST
National Electric Vehicle Sweden AB (NEVS) today announced that the company has finalized its acquisition of the main assets of Saab Automobile AB, Saab Automobile Powertrain AB and Saab Automobile Tools AB, effective August 31, 2012. The prerequisites for implementing the NEVS business plan are now in place. The acquisition includes IP rights for the Saab 9-3, IP rights for the Phoenix platform, tools, the manufacturing plant and test and laboratory facilities. The acquisition also comprises all outstanding shares in the property company which owned the Saab facilities in Trollhättan, Sweden. The transaction was conducted as a cash purchase. The purchase amount will not be disclosed.
”The Receivers are very pleased that the transaction involving NEVS and the bankruptcy estates, which all involved parties have intensely worked for over an extended period, is now complete,” said Anne-Marie Pouteaux, Partner, Wistrand, Hans L. Bergqvist, Partner, Delphi, Receivers in bankruptcy for the Saab Automobile estate and Kent Hägglund, DLA Nordic, Co-receiver in bankruptcy for the Saab trademark and trade name rights.
“The efforts to implement our business plan can now be multiplied, focused on the development of a world-class electric vehicle in Trollhättan,” said Karl-Erling Trogen, Chairman, National Electric Vehicle Sweden AB. ”In approximately 18 months, we plan to introduce our first electric vehicle based on Saab 9-3 technologies and a new technology electric powertrain. I would like to express our gratitude and thanks to the receivers for their cooperation during this very complex process.”
“Engineering and development of our first electric vehicle has been underway for an extended period in China and Japan, and now, with the manufacturing facilities in our possession, we are able to continue development work on site at Trollhättan,” said Kai Johan Jiang, CEO, National Electric Vehicle Sweden AB.
NEVS is wholly owned by National Modern Energy Holdings Ltd., whose founder and principal owner is Kai Johan Jiang.
NEVS has signed a licensing agreement with Saab AB regarding the rights to use the Saab brand name for its future vehicles. The vehicle manufacturing company is named National Electric Vehicle Sweden AB, “NEVS”. The vehicles and related products and services will be named SAAB. The present logotype will not be used.
Recruitment to the management team and key positions at NEVS is in progress. As of today, about 75 people have received employment offers.
”The Receivers are very pleased that the transaction involving NEVS and the bankruptcy estates, which all involved parties have intensely worked for over an extended period, is now complete,” said Anne-Marie Pouteaux, Partner, Wistrand, Hans L. Bergqvist, Partner, Delphi, Receivers in bankruptcy for the Saab Automobile estate and Kent Hägglund, DLA Nordic, Co-receiver in bankruptcy for the Saab trademark and trade name rights.
“The efforts to implement our business plan can now be multiplied, focused on the development of a world-class electric vehicle in Trollhättan,” said Karl-Erling Trogen, Chairman, National Electric Vehicle Sweden AB. ”In approximately 18 months, we plan to introduce our first electric vehicle based on Saab 9-3 technologies and a new technology electric powertrain. I would like to express our gratitude and thanks to the receivers for their cooperation during this very complex process.”
“Engineering and development of our first electric vehicle has been underway for an extended period in China and Japan, and now, with the manufacturing facilities in our possession, we are able to continue development work on site at Trollhättan,” said Kai Johan Jiang, CEO, National Electric Vehicle Sweden AB.
NEVS is wholly owned by National Modern Energy Holdings Ltd., whose founder and principal owner is Kai Johan Jiang.
NEVS has signed a licensing agreement with Saab AB regarding the rights to use the Saab brand name for its future vehicles. The vehicle manufacturing company is named National Electric Vehicle Sweden AB, “NEVS”. The vehicles and related products and services will be named SAAB. The present logotype will not be used.
Recruitment to the management team and key positions at NEVS is in progress. As of today, about 75 people have received employment offers.
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Bankruptcy administrators demand NEVS pays for Saab by Friday or no deal
Yesterday Swedish Radio P4 Väst reported that the company which has agreed to buy the assets of Saab Automobile, Netional Electric Vehicle Sweden, so far has only made a down payment of SEK 150 million of the agreed purchase price og approx. SEK 1.8 billion. According to P4 Väst, NEVS has had trouble getting the funding for the remaining amount.
Today Dagens Industri reports that the bankruptcy administrators have given NEVS an ultimatum: Pay by Friday of the deal is off.
NEVS does however say to P4 Väst that the company has access to the needed funds.
"We have the needed funds to go through with the business plan and close the deal," said NEVS spokesman Matthias Bergman to P4 Väst.
"It is a complex deal and we are working hard to close it as soon as possible. The funding is not one of the unresolved issues," he continued.
The question remains: Is NEVS a credible buyer of Saab?
Today Dagens Industri reports that the bankruptcy administrators have given NEVS an ultimatum: Pay by Friday of the deal is off.
NEVS does however say to P4 Väst that the company has access to the needed funds.
"We have the needed funds to go through with the business plan and close the deal," said NEVS spokesman Matthias Bergman to P4 Väst.
"It is a complex deal and we are working hard to close it as soon as possible. The funding is not one of the unresolved issues," he continued.
The question remains: Is NEVS a credible buyer of Saab?
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