SAAB Needs Help. From BMW
Spyker, proud new owner of SAAB, is overwhelmed. Victor Muller is looking at what’s on his plate and is having an anxiety attack. “How will I ever get that done?” (And with what money?) Spyker needs serious help.
That’s why Spyker is talking to BMW. The Bavarians are supposed to assist Saab with the development and production of new cars, says Sweden’s Dagens Industri.
BMW engines and transmissions could be used in the new SAAB 9-2.
The new old retro-92 could be built based on a BMW Mini.
BMW diesel engines could power the 9-4X crossover, scheduled for 2011.
Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.
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Mr. Schmitt, I have always been and will always be a fervent reader of any of your posts, but I think, this time you're not telling anybody anything new. SAAB needs help to build the new 9-2? So what? And who expected anything else? SAAB are getting in touch with BMW to talk about a possible cooperation? Well, maybe some people thought they should have chosen Ssangyong! Not me, though. Saab will need engines and platforms to continue. BMW is a player who might be interested to provide for what SAAB need. As long as SAAB stay connected to the SAAB heritage, that's all fine with me. And by the way, I am exactly what "Autobild" would call an "Oberlehrer" in their online issue. I think the new 9-5 is just great. Even if I ought to know better. Yours, saabista63
With Mini coming out with 3 new models, I'm not sure they'll want to be sharing platforms with a potential competitor. On the other hand, by the time the 92 is ready the new MINIs will be getting old, might be a smart move to keep the factory busy. I'd love to see a mini-based 92, personally. Although if I owned a MINI dealership, I wouldn't be so enthusiastic about it.
a. On 4-cilinder diesels: Is there a ban on using the diesels from the GM-Fiat deal for the 9-4X? If not that is not the worst choice. b. On 6-cilinder diesels: How do they think they are going to fit the inline 6 in an engine bay constructed for 4-cil or V6? I can believe the talks on the Mini platform, but the engine deal for the 9-4X? Not for the near future.
Isn't this Saab's historical modus operandi? They have never been a company that can develop an entire car themselves, they had been sharing platforms and engines with various bedfellows for years before the GM era, and now it is renewed with BMW. That's they way I see it, but I know other commentors have so much more historical knowledge than I do.