In Reply to: making Saab a paying proposition, JohnA [Profile/Gallery] , Tue, 8 Mar 2011 10:28:02

Does it want to compete with Audi, BMW and Mercedes or is is better placed a bit further downmarket?

The high zoot Germans are probably impossible to displace so trying to do so would be a waste of limited resources. Since the biggest market for Saabs is the U.S. where it has to deal with the Asians and VW as import competitors, the need is to differentiate itself against them. Don't worry about GM-Ford-Chrysler... the real competition is other imports due to buyer preferences (import car buyers tend to keep buying imports).

Done correctly--and that's critically important--there should be a way for Saab to have more basic versions of their car lines. This means the availability of cloth seats, maybe no sunroofs, etc. This seems to work well for every other car maker, so why not Saab? Saab used to do this: our first Saab in 1984 was a base model C900 four-door with cloth seats and no air. My buddy's '84 900S had cloth, too. The '84 Cost about the same at the time as an Accord. Flash forward to 1995: My #1 daughter's '95 9K is a CS with cloth seats.

Saab has to find it's own road in the market, but it can learn a lot from what other companies do. But if it skews its offerings too much to the upper end I don't think it will work. Offering say, a 9-3SS with fewer features would bring new buyers to Saab who may become converts and move up to pricier models...the way it works with other cars.

Just my $0.02

• making Saab a paying proposition, JohnA , Tue, 8 Mar 2011 10:28:02
  • new automotive category: the near-luxury niche carmaker, JohnA , Tue, 29 Mar 2011 07:23:35
  • Part of it is what Saab wants to be, Noel, Wed, 9 Mar 2011 08:42:59 <-- Viewing This Message
    • Re: Part of it is what Saab wants to be, Tim, Fri, 11 Mar 2011 09:55:09
      • Seat coverings, Noel, Fri, 11 Mar 2011 14:25:57
      • Re: Part of it is what Saab wants to be, JohnA , Fri, 11 Mar 2011 12:55:03
  • Some questions about his figures (+), vvk, Tue, 8 Mar 2011 11:06:52
    • Re: Some questions about his figures (+), No Snaab, Tue, 8 Mar 2011 11:33:23
      • I agree..., James, Tue, 8 Mar 2011 13:19:39
  • Re: making Saab a paying proposition, Mark from Toronto, Tue, 8 Mar 2011 11:01:05
    • How about a longer warranty..., Mark from Toronto, Tue, 8 Mar 2011 21:43:09
      • Re: How about a longer warranty..., Bruce, Wed, 9 Mar 2011 10:04:25

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