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Saabs made in Finland - Japan - US - Sweden? Posted by Scott Paterson [Email]  (#13)  [Profile/Gallery]
(more from Scott Paterson) on Wed, 9 Jun 2004 09:57:54
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With Saabs coming from Finland (since the 80's), Japan, and the US (9-7), the factory in Sweden is reported to be at only 59% production capacity. This isn't much of a suprise to me.
-Scott
By WIM OUDE WEERNINK | Automotive News Europe
The future of Saab's factory in Sweden has been thrown into doubt by General Motors Vice Chairman Robert Lutz.
"Who knows where Saabs will be built in future? There is nothing that says Saabs have to be made in Sweden," Lutz said.
Saab's plant at Trollhattan, Sweden, is operating at just 59 percent of capacity, according to consultant PricewaterhouseCoopers. The plant assembles the Saab 9-3 and 9-5.
General Motors has struggled to make Saab profitable since it bought 50 percent of the Swedish automaker in 1990 and assumed full ownership in 2000. Saab's losses in 2002 were 450 million euros, or about $551.5 million at current exchange rates. Last year's figures are not available.
Lutz said GM Europe will restructure radically its production capacities to improve utilization of its plants, a move that is likely to affect Saab.
"We like Saab, we like its design, we like its customers," Lutz said. "But Saab's problem is that its product line has been too narrow. That is why we have to do things differently."
Lutz added that Saab needed new models but was too small to develop them alone while it had total annual sales of just 130,000 and huge annual losses.
The 9-2X sport hatchback, which goes on sale in the United States this month, will be produced by Subaru in Japan. It is the first Saab to be built outside Sweden.
Saab's new 9-7X SUV, based on the Chevrolet TrailBlazer, goes on sale in the United States next February. It will be built at GM's plant in Moraine, Ohio.
"Saab has been trying for 20 years to reach sales of 150,000 units a year -- the critical volume it needs to be profitable," said John Lawson, from London-based analyst SmithBarney.
He said adding badged products from Subaru and Chevrolet will give Saab a good chance of reaching the target.
Lutz declined to comment on speculation that GM will produce Opel Vectras or Cadillac-badged Saabs at Trollhattan.
"There will be no badge engineering to produce a 9-3 with a Cadillac nameplate," Lutz said.
"We have said that we would like to expand the presence of Cadillac. If we do something, it will be an entirely new vehicle which may share certain components."
posted by 64.139.3...
_______________________________________ Saabnet.com Webmaster Saabs Owned: 1973 Saab Sonett III (Current) 1983 Saab 900 Turbo 1985 Saab 900 Sedan 1990 Saab 900 1992 Saab 900S 1999 Saab 9-3 Turbo 2005 Saab 9-2X Aero (RIP 95K/Accident-guy ran stop sign) 2005 Saab 9-2X Aero (Current) 2007 Saab 9-3 SportCombi 2010 Saab 9-3X Wagon Winner 1996 Saab Owners Convention Rally Novice Class Winner 1999 Saab Owners Convention Rally (All Classes) Also Founder of two non-profits: Poverty2Prosperity.org RunClubMenloPark.org
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