A while back we reported on the status of the Saab car collection from the Trollhattan museum. The company in charge of overseeing Saab’s bankruptcy announced that it would be auctioning off cars at the Trollhattan museum. While it horrified Saab enthusiasts, to the liquidators it was a source of cash. They don’t care for the historical value of things – unless it brings in money. That’s the whole point.

The collection includes the very first Ur-Saab and countless other milestone production models, prototypes and concept cars. Vehicles like the Aero X Concept and the stillborn prototype Subaru Tribeca-based 9-7X crossover SUV. Fan site Saabs United organized an effort to try to purchase these vehicles if they indeed did head to auction, in order to preserve them in a private museum.

It would have been a shame if these cars were spread all over the world rather than displayed in a single collection that the public would be able to view. Thankfully, Autocar reports that end has been avoided. The City of Trollhattan (who wants the tourism dollars), SAAB AB (the airplane manufacturer that bears the Saab name) as well as The Wallenberg Foundation came up a sum of over $4 million (at current exchange rates) to take ownership of the entire collection.

There are 120 vehicles all in all. There isn’t much information available on the purchase other than that. This is a big victory for Saab fans though. What isn’t clear is the state of the Saab museum grounds – if the collection will be moved or what the deal with that is. We assume The City of Trollhattan will work to make sure it is open to the public and able to attract tourists. As for the Saab brand, there is still reports going on that some well-heeled buyers are interested. Call us when something serious materializes!

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Amazed. Flabbergasted. What other way is there to describe the ongoing situation at Saab? The company has fought tooth-and-nail for its survival over the past few years. Last year the final straw arrived when production came to a halt in Trollhattan.

The Saab team tried over and over to secure new funding, but the company fell into bankruptcy. The reason it headed for bankruptcy and not purchase though was General Motors’ refusal to let any intellectual property fall into the hands of the Chinese. With warranty service suspended, sale of “as is” cars has begun at Saab dealers all over the country. Saab fans haven’t given up though. Comments in support of Saab have flooded General Motors’ Facebook page and fans are now holding rallies all over the world.

We reported on that earlier this week – a “We are Saab” rally in the Netherlands turned out a remarkable amount of people. There is still a lot of goodwill and a rabid Saab fan base out there. The problem is they just don’t seem to buy any cars…but, we digress. Reuters reports that Youngman is preparing a new, $1 billion bid for Saab.

The purchase would be for the company in an intact form, and it would aim to avoid IP issues with GM. Instead of trying to continue with the most recent GM-developed 9-5 and 9-4X, Youngman would try to get permission to continue with the older 9-3. Sources say the 9-3 would resume production at the Trollhattan plant 15 weeks after the signing of a deal. This means that Saab would have to soldier on just one product, the aged 9-3, until the new 9-3 arrives. In order to see the next-generation through to production, Youngman would have to put a significant amount of money behind the car and its Phoenix platform.

It’s a risky plan, and given Saab’s history we aren’t getting our hopes up. The only thing that looks feasible based on this deal is a China-focused operation. The U.S-dealer network is dying off and we don’t see how it will survive until the arrival of any new product. Also the Saab name is very damaged here. These are all obstacles Youngman apparently thinks they can overcome. They better be well-funded or we’re going to have a repeat of this whole scenario again. That’s all if the deal even makes it past the speculation stage. Stay tuned for more details on if Youngman bids again, and what GM’s response to it is. They’ve taken a very hard line on it all so far – and it makes sense from their perspective.

Related posts:

1. Saab Balks at New Deal With Youngman, Pang Da
2. Saab Receives Funding From Youngman Automotive
3. Saab Signs MOU with Chinese Partner Youngman

Saab is currently winding through its bankruptcy process. Steel and industrial commodities are being sold off, and the final 100 cars are being built on the production line. This is par for the course for a bankrupt company; administrators in charge are trying to raise the maximum amount of capital. In the midst of all of this, there are some people out there still holding out hope that the brand will be saved. In fact, there is a worldwide effort going on right now to build awareness about Saab. Over 100 rallies are being staged in 42 (!) countries!

One of these “We are Saab” events was held this past weekend in the Netherlands – it attracted 1600 Saabs and 3800 visitors, causing many traffic jams in the area. Craziness – planners say it was a turnout far beyond what they had ever imagined.

Former Chief Executive Officer Victor Mueller addressed the crowd about Saab and pumped them up about the possibilities for its future. Hearing him tell it, there are parties with “deep pockets” interested in the company – intact. Somehow we doubt that will happen, but if anything could persuade a potential buyer that Saab has loyal fans, these rallies would have to be it.

There is an excitement about that effort among fans, but a damper has been put on it with news about the liquidation of museum cars. Delphi, the Swedish company in charge of liquidation, has announced that Saab’s entire vehicle inventory is being auctioned off to the highest bidder. This includes historic vehicles, prototypes and concepts. There is years of Saab history in this collection, and Saab enthusiasts are mobilizing to prevent these cars from falling into wrong hands. Normally vehicles like this would be displayed in a museum. There is one already, but its future is uncertain. The City of Trollhattan and a company called Innovatum are reportedly trying to reach a deal to save it.

Over at SaabsUnited, fans are identifying the cars that are “must buys”. A short list of 11 has been made, but there is a whole lot more in the collection. Enthusiasts are contacting Saab’s administrator to see how the purchase process works. The end goal is to have the purchasers come together to create some sort of private museum if the existing ones can’t be saved. We told you Saab fans were dedicated! For more information on what is going on, head over to SaabsUnited and check out the list.

Related posts:

1. Saab Bankruptcy: Warranties Suspended, Cars To Be Sold As Is
2. Saab USA Wants To Reinstate Warranties, GM Will Cover Older Cars
3. Spyker & Saab CEOs To Run 57 Saab 93 In Mille Miglia

Saab is dead. No, wait Saab is saved! Oops, sorry the deal dell through – but another one is in the works! That constant back-and-forth has been a real automotive soap opera over the past few years. While we all watched the situation from afar off, we’re sure the experience wasn’t an enjoyable one for factory workers, executives or dealers. With some last gasps regarding the Turkish government (really? really?) being interested in the company, it appears Saab has finally reached the end.

The bankruptcy process is winding through, and dealers around the world are selling off their inventory at crazy low prices. They remaining cars aren’t worth much given they are being sold by a bankrupt company with no warranty coverage.

“As is” on a new luxury vehicle is a frightening thought to most. If you’re brave though, incredible deals are to be found – not to mention there is the possibility of aftermarket warranties, which some dealers are working to offer.

Throughout the whole process, Saab hasn’t produced any new cars at its own plant. While General Motors produces some 9-4X’s at its Ramos Arizpe plant in Mexico, the factory at Trollhattan has been idle for months. How ironic then is this news that production will be restarted. Yes, workers will return to the plant to complete the unfinished cars there, which are estimated to number around 100. These cars will be sold off and after that, it is lights out.

The last 100 are likely to have a lot of value for Saab aficionados and collectors in the future. Over at SaabsUnited there will be an effort to track each one. This appears to truly be the end of the line for the quirky Swedish automaker. It is a shame the next-generation 9-3 never got to see the light of day. We would have really liked to see what Saab came up with on its own, free from GM-imposed constraints.

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1. Saab Production Start Date Delayed
2. Saab Halts Production (Again)
3. For Saab, The End Looks Near

A few days ago we reported news about Saab’s warranty coverage being stopped. When you a buy a product from a company that is having major financial issues like Saab has been having, you run the risk of losing warranty coverage. Saab buyers who purchased under Spyker ownership are finding that to be the case – painfully so.

Saab North America was instructed to stop payment on all warranty-related work, and to sell cars “as is” with no warranties expressed or implied. Following that, Saab Cars USA Chief Executive Officer Tim Colbeck said the company is looking for ways to reinstate coverage. Colbeck, speaking with The Detroit Bureau, said “We’re committed to develop a way to handle warranties for all owners of 2010 and 2011 Saab models….the goal is to “reinstate (warranty coverage) as quickly as we can.”

There seems to be little chance of that happening, unless GM decides to extend coverage to all Saab products in a goodwill gesture. General Motors has just announced that it would honor remaining warranties on Saabs built prior to January 1st, 2010, when GM owned the brand. That doesn’t include the redesigned 9-5 and new 9-4X, unfortunately.

They certainly are under no obligation to extend it any further, given their sale of the company to Spyker. Interesting is the fact that Saab USA and Saab Parts, separate entities, have not gone into bankruptcy themselves, but filings for those companies could be around the corner.

For now, if a customer needs work done on their car Colbeck said dealers can choose to make the customer pay or do the work without charge. Its an interesting situation to be sure, and one that really hasn’t popped up in the automotive industry much before.

We imagine new Saabs are going to be sold very cheaply as dealers try to clear out their inventory of unwanted cars. The new 9-5 is a cool car in our opinion, and it isn’t clear how many of them are in inventory. Given Saab’s paltry sales figures over the last two years, they definitely are a rare item….

Related posts:

1. Saab Bankruptcy: Warranties Suspended, Cars To Be Sold As Is
2. Saab To Auction Museum Cars, “We Are Saab” Rallies Being Held In 42 Countries
3. Spyker & Saab CEOs To Run 57 Saab 93 In Mille Miglia

Hats off to Saab Chief Executive Victor Mueller and Company – they tried their best. After months and months on end of back-and-forth drama, the Saab story is over. The company filed for bankruptcy protection yesterday, after a deal between Saab and Chinese automaker Youngman Automotive was scuttled by General Motors due to concerns over patent protection.

It is a scenario GM was worried about back in 2008 and 2009 when discussions were ongoing to sell the brand to Spyker. From a purely business perspective, it makes sense. We’re still sad to see the beloved, quirky Saab go though.

For fans of the automaker who have been on a roller coaster, bankruptcy offers some closure. There is little consolation in though, especially for recent buyers of new Saab products (scarce as they may be). Saab sales have been depressed for the past few years, all down to the fact that no one wants to buy a car from a brand that is headed for bankruptcy.

When making a big purchase like a car, purchasing one from a near-bankrupt company just doesn’t make sense. That logic has proved to be correct. Autoblog has obtained a memo to Saab North America instructing dealers on what to do next. For one, payment for all warranty-related items is being stopped – likely for good. The money just isn’t there. If you bought a new Saab in the recent past, this is a major headache on your hands. In addition, your resale value just dropped a lot, after already being at record lows.

What about the inventory of new cars in Saab’s inventory? The company is instructing dealers to sell them “as is”, with no warranties expressed or implied. This is going to result in some really cheap new Saabs being sold. Without a warranty, it isn’t clear who is going to buy them though. We’re sad to write this – we hoped Saab would survive, even if they didn’t have the money to do so. What a shame…

Related posts:

1. Saab USA Wants To Reinstate Warranties, GM Will Cover Older Cars
2. Saab To Auction Museum Cars, “We Are Saab” Rallies Being Held In 42 Countries
3. Saab Focuses: Spyker Sold To U.S Investors, C8 Aileron Gallery

Last we heard from Saab, it had received $60 million in funding from North Street Capital. North Street is a private investment firm based in the United States, and has already made plans to purchase Spyker. Saab secured a loan with North Street because it hadn’t received full payment of the bridge money that was due from Chinese companies Pang Da and Youngman. Not receiving the funding was a big warning flag (like nearly everything else that has happened with Saab lately….) about the viability of the deal.

Now we find out the previous agreement has been terminated completely. Instead, Pang Da and Youngman presented Saab with a takeover offer – an outright purchase of all of Saab’s shares. Such a move would likely oust the current management team, and would make Saab a wholly-owned Chinese company. Chief Executive Victor Mueller balked at the offer, leaving Saab in the position it is in today.

$60 million from North Street isn’t enough to carry the company through much of anything. Alex Mascioli, managing partner of North Street, says that he loves Saab and supports it. Speaking with Car and Driver, he said: “Victor Muller will stay on as the CEO. We’re confident in him; this was his baby from the very beginning, and he knows what works and what doesn’t. Our role is just to provide the liquidity and the resources and be the number-one cheerleader.”

To survive and continue with future product plans, Saab needs a huge investment – try around $750 million. Saab says talks with Pang Da and Youngman on another deal are “continuing” but it likely won’t lead anywhere. Their refusal to invest without full ownership isn’t entirely surprising; Saab is a money-losing entity right now with a lot of baggage.

The name still has value, but the main thing the Chinese companies want is intellectual property, which is much more likely to be obtained in a full, outright purchase. Decision on termination of the reorganization process is pending. Saab is appealing the move and asking the court to put a new person in oversight of the reorganization. Unless Saab can pull yet-another rabbit out of its hat, its hard to see where they go from here.

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1. Saab Signs MOU with Chinese Partner Youngman
2. Not Over? Youngman Plots New Bid For Saab
3. Saab Gets New Funding From North Street Capital, Appeals Termination of Its Reorganization

The endless Saab story continues. Just when we think the end is near, something happens and Saab is rescued. Then we think their future just might be secured and everything falls through. It truly is a drama if we’ve ever seen one. The latest twist in this story comes today with an announcement of new financing.

The last spate of bad news for Saab came when it seemed unlikely that Pang Da and Youngman Automotive would provide the bridge funding needed for the company’s reorganization period. It seemed as if the two partners were backing out of their joint venture deal. Following this, Saab and its partners declared the whole flap a misunderstanding, and announced that some of the funding was delivered.

Today, Saab reports that is has gotten new funding, from a most unlikely source – North Street Capital, a private equity investment firm in the United States. You might remember North Street as the company that is intending to purchase Spyker.

The reason Saab looked to someone else for the funding is based on Pang Da and Youngman’s past unreliability. In other words, they want to avoid another round of “Saab is dead” coverage. The money from Pang Da and Youngman is due in full by October 22nd and it has yet to be delivered. The deal with North Street involves a $10 million purchase of shares in the Swan joint venture, as well as a $60 million loan with Saab’s assets as collateral. Assets like Spyker, maybe? Who knows. But wait, there is more. Saab’s administrator in charge of reorganization, Guy Lofalk, has applied to have Saab’s reorganization status terminated. Saab, naturally, is appealing the decision, releasing a statement saying:

“Saab Automobile shall contest this application and request for continuation of the voluntary reorganization process. Simultaneously, Saab Automobile shall apply at the court for replacement of Mr. Lofalk as administrator.” This story isn’t over yet.

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1. Saab Receives Funding From Youngman Automotive
2. Saab Balks at New Deal With Youngman, Pang Da
3. Saab Setback: Chinese Funding Delayed

The other day we reported on news that Saab was on its last leg. After being overseen by a judge in the Swedish equivalent of bankruptcy (called “voluntary reorganization”), word was that Chinese investment partner Pang Da was no longer interested. Much-needed bridge money was being withheld.

The Chinese were said to be no longer interested in the deal because it didn’t include Saab’s valuable intellectual property rights. Have you seen how Chinese vehicles fare in crash tests? The difference between that and the safety levels of vehicles in more developed countries is years of know how and data. However, Saab today has released a statement saying it has received money from Youngman Automotive. It follows a statement that came yesterday, which said all the media reports were simply a misunderstanding of Pang Da’s position.

Yesterday’s release said:

“Swedish Automobile N.V. (Swan) and Pang Da Automobile Trade Co., Ltd (Pang Da) have taken notice of media reports questioning the validity of the partnership agreements between Swan, Saab Automobile AB (Saab Automobile) and Pang Da after Saab Automobile entered into voluntary reorganization. Swan, Saab Automobile and Pang Da underline that these reports are based on a misunderstanding.”

Today:

“(Swan) and Saab Automobile AB (Saab Automobile) confirm that the reorganization is progressing and that a first payment by Youngman under the bridge loan funding commitment as announced on September 12 was received by Saab Automobile.

Further payments under the amended and final bridge loan agreements signed between Youngman and Saab Automobile are expected to be made during this week and by October 22 of this year. It is the intention to repay the bridge loan with the proceeds of the EUR 245 million equity investments by Youngman and Pang Da, which are still subject to approval by relevant authorities and parties which Swan expects to receive during the next weeks.”

Swan is the Saab joint venture partnership setup between Saab, Pang Da Automobile Trade Company and Youngman Automotive. Pang Qinghua, Pang Da’s chairman, said “I am sticking to the commitment” and added, “Yes, I am confident about it.”

This follows comments to the media about him being unsure the deal would go through because the court can make any decision it wants during the reorganization plan. That includes the ability to veto any previous agreements made between Saab and other companies. That is true, but it is unlikely the court will veto agreements the would save the company. The only thing to do now is wait – the Chinese government will have the final say on this.

Related posts:

1. Saab Gets New Funding From North Street Capital, Appeals Termination of Its Reorganization
2. Saab Balks at New Deal With Youngman, Pang Da
3. Saab Signs MOU with Chinese Partner Youngman

After a long, bumpy road to get where it is now, Autocar reports the end for Saab could happen as soon as today. The quirky Swedish automaker has been through a lot in its history, and its management has shown a remarkable determination to survive.

This summer brought on again/off again deals with Chinese companies, as well as the inability to pay workers at the company’s Trollhattan plant. With no workers, production has been shut down for six months. That means no new 9-5s or 9-3s. All the cars have been sold from current supplies. The 9-4X, produced at a General Motors plant in Ramos Arizpe, Mexico, has remained in production however.

Recently, the company applied for government protection. After first being rejected it was approved on the condition of Chinese investment from Pang Da and Youngman Automotive. Saab reported last week that bridge funding for the interim reconstruction period was delayed, a bad sign.

Word now is that the Chinese government, which has to approve all of these deals, is rejecting the investment due to the lack of an intellectual property transfer. Saab’s intellectual property and development prowess is prized, with many innovations under its belt. That know how doesn’t come easy, and it is one of the reasons General Motors didn’t want to sell Saab to the Chinese back in 2008. There has already been a transfer of production equipment from Saab to GM’s SAIC unit; that took place last year. Without the IP the Chinese are viewing the Saab investment as worthless. GM retains rights to the Epsilon platform underpinning the 9-5.

The decision has been slated to come next week but Autocar reports that the judge overseeing Saab could preempt that decision and have Saab declare bankruptcy as soon as today. What happens after that is anybody’s guess. Saab was always more likely to fail than succeed unless it was purchased by a large, well-funded automaker. Surviving as a low-volume independent automaker in today’s global marketplace is a tall order.

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1. Saab Balks at New Deal With Youngman, Pang Da
2. Saab Signs MOU with Chinese Partner Youngman
3. Saab Production Start Date Delayed

Saab’s problems are truly endless. You know the story by now: countless near-death experiences, only for management to pull another trick out of their hat to save the company. The latest event in this made-for-TV drama unfolded when Saab filed for restructuring last month. Similar to our bankruptcy, Swedish law allows for companies to voluntarily reorganize during a period where the government will pay worker salaries. For Saab, which was unable to pay employees, this was particularly attractive. At first Saab’s request was rejected, but then it got overturned by a Swedish court. The ruling was based on a judge’s evaluation of whether or not Saab’s business plan was viable. Saab’s pitch to the court centered on the Chinese funding its secured from distributor Pang Da and manufacturer Youngman Automotive.

The companies mentioned, in cooperation with Saab, signed deals in July to set up manufacturing and sales joint ventures. They were to provide medium and long term funding in exchange for a stake in Saab. Reuters is reporting the bridge money during the reorganization period has been delayed. Saab spokesman Eric Geers had this to say about the delay: “The money has not come in yet…..we originally thought it would take about two weeks. The process is ongoing, and we will give information as soon as we have the money….it is hard to say when it will be finished, but it will be soon.”

That isn’t exactly reassuring. Saab is counting on this installment of $96 million to help get it through the three month bankruptcy process. In addition, the sale of Saab’s Spyker business has a few hangups before it can be completed. Once the money arrives though, it will be a much-needed boost. The question is how long can Saab survive without the Chinse funding? Delay is never a good sign. As always, stay tuned.

Related posts:

1. Saab Gets New Funding From North Street Capital, Appeals Termination of Its Reorganization
2. Saab Moves Step Closer to Securing Funding
3. Saab Receives Funding From Youngman Automotive

Once a proud industrial authority in Sweden, automobile company Saab has went into a downward spiral of fortunes since separating from General Motors. A premium auto brand idolized for their inventive aircraft-inspired styling, Saab took the deepest tumble in a very tough 2011 calendar year. Filing what Saab Automobile details as a voluntary reorganization (effectively a bankruptcy), the car company filed this latest chapter of financial hardship in a Swedish district court.

Recapping the pains of Saab Automobile, the past two years reflects a car business that developed a thick layer of rust. Firstly, Saab went through an arduous sale process in 2009 as General Motors attempted to offload certain niche brands. Spyker Cars came forward to buy the Saab brand after fellow Swedish sports car builder Koenigsegg pulled out during the final stages of take over. Since resting under the Spyker Cars umbrella, rains of financial instability have continued to drench Saab.

The second stage of Saab’s struggles came in April after production at the Saab Automobiles’ Trollhattan facility ceased due to cash flow problems. Production at the Swedish plant has been sporadic through to the end of August. A third and final issue, Saab Automobiles have been posting horrific financial numbers overall. Announced at the beginning of this month, Saab recorded an operating loss of 201.5 million euros (over 280 million dollars US).

Facing difficulty paying part suppliers and the carmaker’s employees, Saab Automobile worked to broker deals with Chinese automotive partners for increased funding. Deals that will grant Saab access to the pivotal market in China, Pang Da Lotus Automobile Group and Zhejiang Youngman Passenger Car Group have signed agreements with the beleaguered Swedish automaker. Agreeing to buy into Saab’s parent Spyker Car for a collective investment of 245 million euros (over 345 million dollars US), the deal will also provide Saab Automobile a short-term loan from the Swedish government. While the deal is signed, government approval is required for the partnership to be finalized.

Despite the bleak Saab Automobile is far from finished. Saab Automobile CEO and Chairman Victor Muller detailed the filing for government protection saying, “We have concluded that a voluntary reorganization process will provide us with the necessary time, protection and stabilization of the business, allowing salary payments to be made, short-term funding to be obtained and an orderly restart of production to be prepared.”. Muller commented that a formal presentation of the auto company’s restructuring plans would come in three weeks. “I realize that we have severely tested their patience, but it has been heartening to see that in general, our employees, dealers, suppliers and other stakeholders have stood by us through this tough period. I look forward to continuing these relationships and collectively start building a brighter future for Saab Automobile.” Muller concluded in the company’s press statement stating optimism of an estimated 11,000 orders Saab seeks to fulfill.

The motion for creditor protection does not apply to the North American operations for Saab or global ventures outside of Sweden. Reacting to the Saab Automobile’s restructuring, the United States website affirmed, “Our intention at Saab Cars North America is to continue to support our customers with premium customer service well into the future.”

As Saab Automobile works on finding its way out of their financial quagmire, the car company efforts will be monitored by loyal fan base for the Swedish brand.

Information source: Saab Automobile, Saab Cars North America

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1. Saab Saga Continues by Securing Financing and Partner
2. Saab Receives Funding From Youngman Automotive
3. Saab Gets New Funding From North Street Capital, Appeals Termination of Its Reorganization

The bad news just doesn’t seem to end for Saab – the slow dribble of news is quite agonizing. Most manufacturers can endure some bad coverage – but for a small company already on life support like Saab, it is crucial to instill confidence in customers.

That just isn’t taking place right now. A whirlwind of successive crisis events has always resulted in some kind of deal negotiated by Saab’s management to secure new liquidity.

Understandings were signed and have fallen through, but two partners have been left standing: Chinese companies Pang Da and Youngman Automotive. Both have purchased stakes in the company and provided infusions of cash. Apparently, not everything is working as planned though – and the fact has remained that Saab’s Trollhattan plant has been idle for quite some time.

Tuesday, Saab announced that it doesn’t have enough cash to pay 1,600 of its white-collar workers. These white-collar employees make up 45 percent of Saab’s overall workforce of 3,640 people. According to Saab, the inability to pay is the result of delayed funding from an (unnamed) source.

Saab spokesman Eric Geers: “The money has been committed, the only thing is, it has been delayed. This is very, very unfortunate for those people who have been affected.” Ouch. There is no details on the amount of money owed to the employees, or guidance to when the issue will be resolved.

This certainly has something to do with the earlier announcement about production being pushed back to late August. In the meantime, we feel bad for employees who have to be anxious about all this happening with their employer. Right now, everyone is in the dark about when production will restart for 9-3 and 9-5 models at the Trollhattan plant. Meanwhile, 9-4X crossovers are still rolling down the line at a General Motors plant in Ramos Arizpe, Mexico.

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1. Bankrupt Saab To Restart Production of 9-5, 9-3
2. For Saab, The End Looks Near
3. Spyker & Saab CEOs To Run 57 Saab 93 In Mille Miglia

A car company that isn’t producing cars? That is what Saab is right now, and has been for weeks at its main Trollhattan, Sweden plant. The plant in Trollhattan produces the 9-5 and 9-3 models.

Issues with paying suppliers resulted in production stoppages in April and May, and then on June 8th production stopped and hasn’t resumed since. In Ramos Arizpe, Mexico, production of the 9-4X crossover at a General Motors factory has continued unabated.

Large infusions of cash from Chinese companies Pang Da and Youngman, as well as large bulk purchases of cars, has funded Saab’s operations. The production restart date was supposed to be August 9th.

Now the date is being pushed back to the end of August. Apparently, the issue is due to securing commitments for the fully supply of parts, and not funding. Saab wants to ensure production starts for good and doesn’t have to endure another round of bad press with production stoppages. Makes sense. Gunnar Brunius, Saab Vice President of Production and Purchasing, confirmed this, saying:

“I am positive about the progress we made on the payment terms with our suppliers. What we need now is a full commitment on supply of parts into our factory to be able to restart production and secure a stable manufacturing operation. We are now working hard with our suppliers to nail down these plans, commit to a delivery schedule and start building the close to 11,000 cars that we currently have in our order books.”

That is a lot of cars waiting to be produced! Many are for the China. With the potential of a huge market and entrenched partners in the country, the Chinese market could be a boon for Saab. We’ve got to hand it to the guys at Saab – they are doing the best they can. Its a tough job, but with strong partners in China it could be getting easier.

Related posts:

1. Bankrupt Saab To Restart Production of 9-5, 9-3
2. Saab Halts Production (Again)
3. Saab Setback: Chinese Funding Delayed

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) is recognized in the United States and around the world for its high-level standards for car safety. Recently, the Institute has been revising its tests to be tougher than ever before.

While this has resulted in a few older vehicles not meeting the new standards, for the most part automakers have redesigned their vehicles to successfully meet them.

Thanks to these standards, today’s vehicles are the safest they have ever been, and combined with other technologies they are helping to limit fatalities on our roads.

One of Saab’s selling points has for a long time been the safety of its vehicles. The company’s new models have carried on with that high level of safety; the 2011 9-5 was recently announced as a Top Safety Pick. Now, Saab’s highly-important new 9-4X crossover is receiving “Top Safety Pick” status from the IIHS as well.

This is an important selling point, and one it and its platform-mate the Cadillac SRX both share. To become a “Top Pick” the 9-4X had to ace front, rear and side-impact crashes, include standard stability control and rate well in the new roof crush test.

The IIHS’ roof score test dictates that a vehicle’s roof must be able to handle four times its overall weight. Like the Cadillac SRX, the 9-4X is built at a General Motors’ plant in Ramos Arizpe, Mexico. Production of the crossover at the plant has not been impacted by Saab’s financial issues.

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1. 2012 IIHS Top Safety Pick List Balloons to 115 New Cars
2. IIHS Reveals Largest List of Safest Vehicles
3. Spyker & Saab CEOs To Run 57 Saab 93 In Mille Miglia