Tuesday, January 26, 2010

SAAB saved by the Dutch - Spyker Automotive is Buying the Former Swedish Car Maker


Instead of going back to Swedish Ownership, another European based company is going to rescue Saab.


Want a REALLY exclusive super car? Buy a Spyker - they only sold 23 cars in 2009 compared to hundreds of Ferraris, Lambos, Bentleys, Astons, etc... Unless of course you have the BIG bucks for a Veyron (Bugatti).
Hmm. . . make that 22 on the road now... (moron)


So, Spyker saves the day for Saab. Sweden should be happy...


Saab got a new life Tuesday as General Motors Co. agreed to sell the Swedish car brand to the small Dutch luxury carmaker Spyker Cars NV.

The Swedish government has agreed to guarantee up to 4 billion kronor ($550 million) in loans through the European Investment bank to make the deal happen, Industry Minister Maud Olofsson said.

The deal would be a coup for Spyker and a lifeline for Saab, which has lost money for years under GM's ownership and was slated for liquidation. Saab has around 3,500 employees in Sweden.

But it's also a huge challenge for Spyker, which sold only 23 cars in the first half of 2009, its most recent reporting period, and posted a net loss of 8.7 million euros. The 6-year-old company has yet to make a profit, but it says funding for its operations have been guaranteed through 2010.

The sale of Saab is "great news for Saab employees, dealers and suppliers, great news for millions of Saab customers and fans worldwide, and great news for GM," said John Smith, a vice president at GM who was in charge of the negotiations.







Is this serious? Looks like the whole family is inside based on the struts being maxxd out.



Friday, January 8, 2010

Dutch automaker Spyker Offers To Buy Saab

I've test driven SAAB 9.3 and 9.5 a few years ago and found them to be fairly competent cars.

I actually kinda liked the convertible 9.3 Aero - the salesman educated the build quality to me and my friend and that probably had something to do with it.

It's a shame nowadays with cars no longer knowing who their real father and mother is what with every make and model being built and assembled in bits all around the world.

Saab started as a Swedish company - building jets and the like. Then GM bought them and imo, tarnished their reputation a bit as they didn't know what to do with SAAB - like an ugly step sister or something.


here's the one my friend almost bought - she ended up buying a Honda Accord instead... Definitely not as much fun as the Saab 9.3 Aero would've been

love it or hate it lime green color.... i kinda like it


Case in point, troubled, bloated GM has been wanting to dump SAAB and even to the point of killing the brand entirely if no suitor is found.

Now, Spyker is vying for the SAAB brand... a Dutch company... I would think the SWEDISH car company Koenigsegg would be a better fit - for the sole reason SAAB would be returning to its home once again.

Silly, and irrationally romantic notion, I know.... so here's some latest news scoop on the future of SAAB. . .

Dutch automaker Spyker submits bid to buy Saab from GM; Detroit automaker skeptical


, On Thursday January 7, 2010, 7:50 pm EST
DETROIT (AP) -- Hopes to keep Swedish car company Saab alive flickered Thursday as Dutch exotic automaker Spyker Cars made another bid to buy the troubled brand from General Motors, but a person briefed on the dealings said GM remains skeptical that Saab can be saved.

Spyker confirmed in a statement issued Thursday evening that it made the last-minute offer, which came a day after GM's interim CEO, Ed Whitacre Jr., said he was not optimistic about Saab's survival and the Detroit automaker would begin closing factories later in the week.

"We believe the Saab brand has lots of potential and would be keen to close a deal as quickly as possible," Victor Muller, CEO of Spyker, said in the statement.

The statement gave no financial details of the bid, but said Spyker has had a "constructive dialogue" with GM.

GM will review the Spyker bid, and potentially one from another suitor, as well as talk with the Swedish government about possible financing. But it will proceed with phasing out Saab, said the person, who asked not to be identified because the negotiations are private.

A final decision could come early next week, the person said.

GM, according to the person, questions whether Spyker has the expertise to run Saab. GM likely would have to continue producing vehicles for a new buyer and would essentially be a partner with the company.

Saab's board, which is controlled by GM, is expected on Friday to begin legal steps to liquidate the company, the person said.

GM and Spyker have been discussing Saab over the last month. GM has also heard from other suitors after an attempt to sell the brand to a consortium led by Swedish sports car manufacturer Koenigsegg Automotive AB fell apart in November.

But Whitacre said Wednesday he is not confident a deal can be reached.

"It's real easy. Just show up with the money and you can have it," he said. "Nobody's come with the money, so were in the wind down deal here."

Spyker is a niche company that manufactures a small number of exotic sports cars that fetch $200,000 or more. In 2008, the company produced just 43 vehicles and lost euro24.8 million ($35.7 million). It sold only 23 cars in the first half of 2009 and would be a credible buyer for Saab only if its bid were supported by other investors.

Spyker was founded in 1999, adopting the name of a defunct brand of Dutch cars that were built in the early 1900s.

Saab still employs about 3,400 people worldwide, most of whom work at its main plant in Trollhattan, Sweden. The brand also has some 1,100 dealers.

On Dec. 18, GM announced its intention to close down the storied Swedish brand. It is eliminating Saab along with Pontiac, Hummer and Saturn as part of a restructuring plan that will leave it with four core brands: Chevrolet, Cadillac, GMC and Buick.


Thursday, January 7, 2010

Spyker C8 Spyder and C12 Zagato pictures





At first I wasn't a fan of the Spyker C8 Spyder and C12 Zagato. When I first saw on at the Festivals of Speed in St Pete, Florida, I thought it was overly busy in it's design. But when I went to the exclusive Jet Port reception and had a chance to sit in the one similar to the one pictured here in blue, I changed my mind and found it uniquely charming and quirky with it's 4 spoked wooden steering wheel and flip switches that were of the quality I had foolishly hoped would be on a Mini Cooper. But apparently you have to spend 6 figures to get nice switches to play with and not some plastic chrome plated junk that won't stand up to man-abuse.

After hearing this thing run in person, I was equally impressed with it's aggressively brutish exhaust note and could only imagine the joy driving it on open roads could bring.
The styling has aeronautical flair to it. Touches like multiple air ports in the rear remind me of WW II fighter plane gun ports.

Plenty of gorgeous leather makes you want to take your shoes off before entering the cockpit.

Like the shiny stuff? They make up in the interior all the chrome you can handle.

















Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Win This Dodge Viper SRT 10 Convertible



I just checked out the WinaHemi.org website to see if they updated it for the May 2010 drawing for a brand spankin new 2009 Dodge Viper SRT 10 Convertible and sure enough, they did. Why i say new? ok, it's not a 2010, but the odometer reads 6 miles at the time the pictures were taken...


It's a beauty too, Hemi Yellow with two bold black racing lines bisecting the car down the middle front to back.





Thanks to Boniface Hiers of Melbourne, Florida for donating this amazing Muscle car to the "Can't Remember Shit Foundation of Brevard", also known as Brevard Alzheimer's Foundation.
You can see more pics and get tickets for the drawing by going to WinaHemi.org








Here's some more specs on the car:
2009 DODGE VIPER SRT 10 CONVERTIBLE
8.4L V10 SFI Engine
6 Speed Manual Transmission
Viper Yellow Clear Coat
Preferred Suede & Leather Trim Seats Black
18x10 / 19x13 Forged Aluminum
6 Spoke Wheels
Dual Black Painted Stripes
Aero Group
(Front Spoiler / Rear Winged Spoiler)

Saturday, May 15, 2010 | Wickham Park Pavilion | Melbourne, Florida 32935
6 p.m. until 8 p.m.
(No attendance required to win.)