GM Saab - production starts again
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Saab suffers from a massive drop in sales
After the sale in February, the small Dutch sports car manufacturer Spyker is behind Saab . Spyker makes 40 sports cars a year. Instead of the car elephant from Detroit, a 'little mouse' is supposed to ensure that the practically dead manufacturer in West Sweden becomes a viable and profitable company after 20 years with almost uninterrupted losses.
Victor Muller, the dynamic one , but also the financially weak Spyker boss from the Netherlands, wants to encourage the 3,200 Saab employees with research prospects: This year 50,000 to 60,000 cars are to be produced, and twice as many the next. 'With 100,000 to 120,000 Saab cars sold, we are in the profit zone in 2012', announced Muller at the Geneva Motor Show.
So that Saab sales, which were recently tending towards zero, can get going again, the new owners have the previous ones VW -Top manager Adrian Hallmark hired as the new head of sales. Its task is enormous: In February Saab sold 97 cars in its USA, which is particularly important after Sweden. Last year, total sales dropped from 95,000 to 40,000 cars. Sweden's state buyers of company cars have removed Saab from their lists because of the 'questionable resale value'.
New models are supposed to save Saab
Together with Muller, CEO Åke Jansson, who has remained in office, spreads undaunted optimism: 'We are lucky that we are already very far with three new models. They bring us forward.' Jansson's hopes are for a new 9-5 , the 9-4X and a 9-5 Sportcombi. Whether Saab with its product range, not least in terms of price, among other things, the domestic competitor Volvo can again compete with it is considered dubious>
Volvo Cars has also changed hands and instead of Ford the Chinese company Geely behind. While Volvo's sales figures are skyrocketing again and the sources of capital are relatively clear, Muller still does not want to explain how he finances the Saab takeover on credit.
G donor Antonov is not allowed to invest in Saab
As the most important investor behind Spyker is the Russian Financial investor Vladimir Antonov. According to the provisions of the sales contract with GM, he may not be involved in the business with Saab for six years. The US secret service, the CIA, intervened against his involvement because Antonov was said to have connections to Mafia circles. After all, the Dutchman secured a loan from the European Investment Bank for 400 million euros, including state guarantees from Stockholm. This means that the start phase is considered secure. Saab is now even aiming for new hires.
