GM Exec: No Plans To Pull Saab Out Of North American Market; Line Is Profitable In US

[mgescuro]

How is Saab "profitable" in the US?
With $4-10,000 in rebates??

I thought Saab was "almost breakeven" at best -- globally.

[Chaz_23]

Saab is profitable in the US? What are they going to tell us next, that GM is going to give money to the goverment instead of asking for it? Please, let marketers do the marketing. When managers talk, it's all bs.

[saturnista]

GM has four lambdas, why not make a few versions of the only thing Saab is good at: the 9-3 convertible? Why not a Buick version? Between China and the U-S a Buick ragtop would sell very well.

[gardnet1]

I just can't see Saab being profitable in the US. If so, they should try and sell them since Hummer is garnering any takers. Saying Saab is profitable, he is probably leaving out a lot of hidden costs such as R&D, dealership reorganization, Saab's share of the corporate marketing, etc. Selling Saab would allow GM to offload some very expensive and inefficient production/R&D facilities in Sweden and a bunch of dealerships. However, the execs probably don't want to because they don't want to part with all of those blond hotties!

[MOGI]

Originally Posted by gardnet1

I just can't see Saab being profitable in the US. If so, they should try and sell them since Hummer is garnering any takers. Saying Saab is profitable, he is probably leaving out a lot of hidden costs such as R&D, dealership reorganization, Saab's share of the corporate marketing, etc. Selling Saab would allow GM to offload some very expensive and inefficient production/R&D facilities in Sweden and a bunch of dealerships. However, the execs probably don't want to because they don't want to part with all of those blond hotties!

Would you? Private jets, and blonde hotties...I want to be a GM executive...

[DJ1BigTymer]

Originally Posted by sdotjoe

Are you talking about the Genesis??? If so, you're off your rocker if you think any SAAB is comparable to it.

Why don't you hang out in the nissan forums. All you do is come into the GM forms and bash them. We all know they have issue,and I agree that Saab should be sold off, but it seems that you're only here to gloat. /endrant

[camaro_freak]

Originally Posted by Hoboken Tim

Saab is profitable because all of their models are so old, that the tooling has long been paid for.

no kidding.. the architecture under the 9-5 is old enough to get antique plates....

seriously.. how old is this car now? It is in dire need of updating. The revised "Lone Ranger" frontend look isn't going to bring in many customers.

[eaton53]

Originally Posted by wescoent

I really like the looks of the new Saab 9-3... my only problem is those awful tail-lights.

I think the 9-3 Sportcombi is the best looking wagon out there.

[CamaroCrazy]

Originally Posted by camaro_freak

no kidding.. the architecture under the 9-5 is old enough to get antique plates....

seriously.. how old is this car now? It is in dire need of updating. The revised "Lone Ranger" frontend look isn't going to bring in many customers.

The platform dates back to 1998. The 9-5 replaced the 9000 in Europe for the 1998 model year and arrived in late '98 in the US for the 1999 model year. So yes, it is quite old.

[jc7222]

Match the options on a BMW 3 to match that of a Saab 9-3 and you will realize that it is not as overpriced as it may seem. One of the problems with GM is that they are trying to shove Cadillac down the European's throats instead of developing Saab. How much would any luxury car brand sell if they had 2 cars (1 virtually unchanged for 10 years) and a truck that screems Chevy?

If the new 9-5 and 9-4 and 9-3 are out and Saab still does not sell then even a hardcore Saab nut like me would have to admit that it should be sold.

[96_impala_ss]

Originally Posted by DW115

So is the Hyundai worth that type of money because its priced around there also and I think the Saab is a lot more vehicle

Hyundais are not worth more than $20,000

[96_impala_ss]

Originally Posted by CamaroCrazy

The platform dates back to 1998. The 9-5 replaced the 9000 in Europe for the 1998 model year and arrived in late '98 in the US for the 1999 model year. So yes, it is quite old.

and counting. The platform dates back to 1988 with the Opel Vectra.

[jbartley]

actually i believe this. the product line is a) old b) some rebadges and c) small.

[zl-1]

Originally Posted by godsthere

They should give Saab the Astra.

It's been rumoured that the NG 9-3 will be based on the Global Compact Car Architecture (I believe this is the correct name for the Cruze and NG Astra architecture) instead of EpsilonII, so... Saab will be getting an Astra... sort of...

[Hurricane]