Holy shit this is awesome!







http://www.automoblog.net/2009/06/16/koenigsegg-buys-saab/



http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/16/koenigsegg-meet-saab-saab-meet-koenigsegg/

If GM had just concentrated on making an better, union free American car instead of trying to buy up foreign car manufacturers, it might not belong to Obongo today.

I never have like the lines on a Saab though.

I never understood why GM bought it either.

Can they just buy GM?

Saab has some of the best automotive engineers in the world and has given us some of the greatest innovations in automotive history.

Koenigsegg is responsible for creating my favorite car (CCX). I was really surprised when I heard this, but I'm stoked to see what happens.



Here's the hilarious part: Volvo owns a (very minuscule) portion of Koenigsegg. IIRC, they bought some shares in exchange for Koenigsegg to use their windtunnel facilities.

So, technically, Volvo owns a portion of Koenigsegg, which owns Saab




(SAAB > Volvo)

Awesome! I can buy a Saab again!

Like what? Not a jab, I am simply ignorant of Saab.



 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saab_Automobile#Innovations

A guy I know has an older 9-3 turbo thats been well modded and puts down some pretty impressive numbers.

A (heavily modified) Saab 9-3 used to hold the open-class record for the Pikes Peak Rally. They may still, I'm not sure.



 

Well, maybe they will make SAAB a nice car again.

This deal makes no sense at all.  Koenigsegg has only 40 employees and built a total of 18 cars last year. Saab built over 5,000 cars last year for every one that  Koenigsegg built. Saab literally builds more cars in one hour, even at the depressed 2008 sales volume, than Koenigsegg builds in a year. Seriously, this deal had massive failure written all over it.

That said, Koenigseggs are awesome machines.

Indeed, this is another one of those, it does not make any sense deals.  Koenigsegg is a small company, microscopic by comparison to SAAB, what are they bringing to the table on this deal other than a front company for financing?

However, if SAAB started to mass produce cars designed by Koenigsegg, I would have to consider looking at one. I often though SAAB has to do an about face if they want to be taken seriously in this country and hit good sales and profitability.

several low volume automakers are looking for high volume car companies on the chopping block.

The reason is large volume makes money. low volume is expensive and may or may not make money.

The best example is the VW, Audi, Porche lines. They all share common components. The high volume VW's bring down the cost of the stuff that can be used in all 3 lines. Like the DSG. Now it may be beefier in an audi or porche, but the basic components are the same and the 2000 porches that would use it, are not enough to get a volume discount with the company that makes the cases or clutches or whatever. But say half of the vw's that come out come with a dsg, now you are talking 3 mil units per year(not positive of the number, but you get the idea).

So this is not as out to left field as you think. Now they can do more R&D and you will see more of their parts in saab cars to make their super cars more profitable(not cheaper.)

Porsche last year sold as many cars as did Saab. And Porsche is the most profitable car company in the world by profit margin, at least until the recent global financial crisis. Saab lost money at those sales levels, and despite being part of the second largest car company in the world with all the buying power that brought to them.  

This tie-up makes no financial sense absent significant Swedish government money and/or other considerations for the buyer.

While that may be, it is higher volume than koeing(sp).

And again porche is profitable because they have a high volume associate in vw.
I know that Mercedes and BMW are looking to do the same thing.

Mercedes picked poorly or whatever with Chrysler. Still doesn't change the fact it needs someone with higher volume to help.

This was written up in automobile magazine's recent issue.

I know MB and BMW are combining purchasing power and buying common components with GM. If you look at it the 7 series, S-class and Cad DTS  they are all generally the same size, width, wieght etc. They already use several common assemblies as well. I know the DTS is FRD but the steering and suspension parts are now common. In the future MB and BMW could be buying parts used in the full size SUVs for their RWD platforms. Jaguar and Rolls used stock GM transmissions for many years and those were the most reliable parts to those cars, so its not unheard of.

I think SAAB bought a lot of stuff from Suzuki or some other company that to me made no sense. I think it included AWD systems, engines and even rolling chassis?  It could be they lost money because corporate GM drained the accounts like MB did to Chrysler?

Its just incredible that the little company secured a govt loan for $600 million so easily. Thats every start ups ultimate wet dream.

I just hope Keonig runs like a bat out of hell with this and produces the lightweight, gull winged, safe, fuel efficent, medium cost sports car I have been dreaming of for years.