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Re: In the eighties BMW and Audi had Posted by Justin VanAbrahams [Email]  (#32) [Profile/Gallery]
(more from Justin VanAbrahams) on Wed, 6 Apr 2011 13:09:58
In Reply to: Re: In the eighties BMW and Audi had, James, Wed, 6 Apr 2011 10:40:38 Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup |
It's a sticky wicket. You obviously want margin over volume - much less risk in margin. But I don't think you are going to lure mid market buyers away from known quantities on a risky brand with an uncertain present and future. The only way to be successful in that is to produce a clearly superior product and, let's face it, there is no magic in automobiles anymore. Nobody just magically produces a superior car. Better cars cost more to make. To beat the 5-series, Saab needs to make a 7-series and sell it for the same price. For obvious reasons that cannot be done.
If I were in Saab's shoes, I would perhaps try an alternative approach - I don't think they will succeed following convention. I love Saab and I love Saabs, but if I was going to spend half my annual salary on a car today it wouldn't be on a Saab - I can't afford the depreciation!
I don't know if it works out for Saab's manufacturing, but I would try really hard to produce a variety of cars on the existing 9-3 platform. It's paid for, fairly well explored and refined, and competent. I'd make me some minimalist Ariel Atom competitor, or beat Toyota/Subaru to the punch and drop a swoopy FT86-esque sports car, maybe even try my hand at a Mazda 5-esque mini-minivan. As much as I loathe thinking it, Saab could make very good use of a K Car revival.
Crowding its way into saturated markets with middle of the road products isn't going to work out. What is the possible incentive for a buyer there? Having a Saab badge? That's weak sauce. You gotta do something that nobody else is doing and hope it sticks. That is precisely what made Saab cool in the first place, and if you believe everything that the industry is saying about "smaller volumes of niche cars" is the key to the future, hey Saab, now is your chance.
posted by 207.15.18...
, Thu, 7 Apr 2011 11:40:32
, Tue, 5 Apr 2011 20:16:36, Wed, 6 Apr 2011 00:44:38, Wed, 6 Apr 2011 13:09:58 <-- Viewing This Message, Thu, 7 Apr 2011 10:42:44, Fri, 8 Apr 2011 10:01:09, Tue, 5 Apr 2011 17:00:53
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