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Re: Can a small independent carmaker survive? Posted by JerseySaab [Email]  (#666) [Profile/Gallery]
(more from JerseySaab) on Sat, 9 Apr 2011 12:28:52
In Reply to: Re: Can a small independent carmaker survive?, JohnA  [Profile/Gallery]
, Sat, 9 Apr 2011 11:01:17
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That's fine in the short term, in the long term developing and tooling for new platforms, let alone drivetrains, can be a killer for a small manufacturer, and a bad mistake or two can sink the company.
That's where being part of a larger car company has its benefits, as the basic design and tooling can be taken from higher volume vehicles, spreading out those fundamental costs across a very large number of units as has been done with the current GM-based platforms. (Though I think the GM-era Saab designs went a bit too far with too much generic GM content.)
I recently purchased a 1997 Saab 9000 CSE as a daily driver and it is a wonderful car, much more refined than my old "classic" 900 (which I still love as well and will keep), but still has that Saab feel. However I very much doubt that Saab could have afforded to develop the 9000 platform without the involvement of Fiat/Lancia/Alfa. To my knowledge, the 900 is the last platform independently developed by Saab, and that is heavily based on the 1960s-vintage 99, which was based at least in part on the 96, etc.
In today's marketplace it is no longer possible to keep the same platform for decades the way that was done with the 99/900 (or for that matter the Volvo 240). Even if Saab remains an independent company, deals of some type with larger manufacturers for drivetrains and basic platforms are going to be a necessity given the type of volume Saab is talking about (100,000 per year), the company just won't be able to afford developing its own. Can platforms and drivetrains be continuously sourced from outside companies (competitors) at a cost where Saab doesn't wind up pricing itself out of its target market?
Don't get me wrong, we're all on the same side here. I really hope Saab succeeds, but I'm realistic about the challenges they are going to face as an independent.
posted by 68.39.165...
, Sat, 9 Apr 2011 06:51:53, Sat, 9 Apr 2011 07:40:30
, Sun, 10 Apr 2011 16:35:52, Sat, 9 Apr 2011 08:54:55, Sat, 9 Apr 2011 10:29:27, Sat, 9 Apr 2011 10:54:46, Sat, 9 Apr 2011 11:01:17, Sat, 9 Apr 2011 12:28:52 <-- Viewing This Message, Fri, 8 Apr 2011 19:34:31
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