BMW interested in Saab?

This topic has 5 voices, contains 21 replies, and was last updated by Ianto 74 days ago.

Viewing 10 posts - 1 through 10 (of 22 total)

1 2 3 →

Author	Posts
Author	Posts
22/02/2012 at 3.19 pm #35810
Keith Adams	Oh, come on… http://www.saabsunited.com/2012/02/another-press-conference-but-this-time-its-interesting.html What’s fascinating is the reactions from the posters. As an ex-Rover custodian, I’d say it wouldn’t be all beer and honey.
22/02/2012 at 4.34 pm #35811
Frankie the 75 nut	Well, look at BINI. Say what you like about them, but there’s no denying BMW knew what they were doing. Better that than just see the brand die.
22/02/2012 at 5.43 pm #35844
Ianto	Why would BMW want to do this, obviously I want SAAB to be saved but cannot see how this could possibly make sense for BMW.
22/02/2012 at 7.00 pm #35884
H.Jones	There would be no possibility of BMW donating some of the extra unnecessaries of it’s range to Saab, is there?
22/02/2012 at 7.39 pm #35892
Mark Mastro	BMW’s venture capitalist-ness coming out again here, it’s been a while! There is good cause for them here, thinking rationally; FWD expertese, Turbocharging expertese and a virtually untainted premium sector brand, totally seperate to their own (a la Rover when they took them over)
23/02/2012 at 5.13 pm #35929
Ianto	I think SAABs united are getting carried away, there doesn’t seem to be any substance to this story.
24/02/2012 at 6.39 pm #36011
Richard Kilpatrick	Well, if there were, it’d be that BMW wants to offer a FWD range, and could use SAAB to do so without diluting the BMW brand. I think it’s an idea with legs, no matter how unlikely. It’s laughable that the BINI is so big, but you cannot deny BMW have thoroughly understood, utilised and developed the Mini brand equity, in a way that GM simply failed to do with SAAB. And whilst their management of Rover was poor, they did understand enough for the 75 to happen – possibly the most Rovery Rover since the P6.
27/02/2012 at 7.01 pm #36092
David 3500	I really can’t see why BMW would want to buy Saab. After all, the current Saab range is either too old and in need of replacement (9-3) or has so much red tape involving the supply of parts or limitations in what can be made to other partners (9-5) because of previous owner General Motors. Saab needs a new range of products free of such red tape sooner rather than later, and I really can’t see BMW wanting to get tied up in all that. Especially not with General Motors. If BMW wanted a supplementary sporting brand then it would probably be more cost effective and less fraught for them to relaunch the Triumph brand, complete with new saloon models derived from modified versions of BMW’s platforms. Other than Volkswagen Audi Group as a very slight prospect (I do doubt this), I can’t see another wealthy European car maker keen to take over what was an ailing brand with a very limited product range. That said, I hope there is an opportunity for Saab to live on for another day and under the right owners.
27/02/2012 at 9.14 pm #36110
Ianto	I can’t see it either, as much as I want SAAB to survive. What could BMW do, create a retro styled new 99/900 or 96 to plug the narrow gap between the MINI and the 1 series. If any firm could do it it would be BMW, but do they really need to in this financial climate.
27/02/2012 at 10.36 pm #36133
Mark Mastro	No, just use the respected brand as a FWD alternative to it’s own badged products giving 2 bites at the middle manager