Saab North America Appoints Outside Administrator, Searches for Ways to Honor Warranties

All those months that the Saab saga was unfolding before our eyes, the Swedish carmaker’s North American operations were excluded from any deal or restructuring plan.

Now the parent company is seemingly closing shop after Monday’s filing for bankruptcy and the appointment of two receivers who, unless something dramatic occurs, will oversee the company’s liquidation.

Saab Cars North America wants to avoid being declared bankrupt or liquidated. Therefore its Chief Operating Officer, Tim Colbeck, announced on Wednesday, December 21, that the company has appointed McTevia & Accociates, a specialist in corporate turnarounds, as an outside administrator.

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Saab Says Warranty Coverage Indefinitely Suspended on All North America Cars [Updated]

Just yesterday, we were telling about the benefits but also the dangers of buying a new Saab car in the U.S. after the company filed for bankruptcy on Monday.

Today we learn that Saab suspended warranty coverage on all of its new vehicles sold in North America effective from December 19, while the company also informed dealers that they must sell any remaining cars "as is", without any coverage whatsoever.

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Court Approves Saab’s Bankruptcy, Appoints Two Receivers – But is it Really Over?

As expected, the District Court of Vanersborg accepted Saab’s request the same day, Monday December 19, and declared the Swedish carmaker bankrupt.

The company's CEO, Victor Muller, blamed General Motors for blocking every rescue attempt that involved the Chinese company Youngman Lotus Automobile, including its latest offer of a US$5 million funding to continue the restructuring process.

“That, basically, was the last nail in the coffin of this beautiful company”, said Muller only hours after requesting that Saab be declared bankrupt.

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Always Look on the Bright Side of Life: What Saab’s Demise May Mean for Buyers

"If Saab’s future seems jolly rotten
There's something you've forgotten
You can buy a heavily discounted brand new car
When you're feeling in the dumps
Don't be silly chumps
Just walk into your nearest Saab dealership - that's the thing.

And...always look on the bright side of life...
Always look on the light side of life..."

First of all, we hope Monty Python won’t mind altering their song from The Life of Brian. We'd also like to note that we are in no way making fun of the fact that, unless something unexpected happens, Saab is closing shop – for good this time, leaving thousands of workers unemployed.

We’re just trying to say that, in the event the liquidation of the car company goes through, there are consequences but not all of them are bad for consumers.

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The Company Formerly Known as “Old GM” is Dead at Age 103

It was long overdue, but it was bound to happen: the company lawyers named Motors Liquidation Co. but which we came to know as "old GM" during the 2009 government bailout period, died on Thursday, December 15.

Though it had a very long lifespan of 103 years, no one really noticed its demise. After all, this was just U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Robert Gerbert signing the death certificate. Giving birth to the “new GM” two years ago was a very painful process – and one that most of those involved would like to forget.

It meant the sacrifice of three of its brands (Pontiac, Hummer and Saturn) and getting rid of another (Saab, which ironically is now in a similar position), closing 13 plants along with 900 dealerships. GM also had to reduce its U.S. workforce from 91,000 to 68,500 employees, which either way, is a far cry from the 525,000 workers it had in the States and another 100,000 outside the country in 1955.

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Saab Files for Bankruptcy After All Rescue Plans Fail, This Could be the End

It is sad news for the automotive world to learn of the demise of a company. Unfortunately, Monday December 19, will mark the end of the road for Swedish carmaker Saab – and this time it looks like it is final.

Earlier this morning, Swedish Automotive N.V. (Swan) announced that Saab Automobile, Saab Automobile Tools and Saab Powertrain filed for bankruptcy with the District Court in Vanersborg, Sweden.

This comes after Youngman, the Chinese company which last week promised to pay for the carmaker’s restructuring, informed Saab that it cannot provide the funding necessary for the continuation of the process.

Therefore, Swan concluded that, with GM vetoing any proposed plan until now, and without the essential funding, it would be insolvent. Thus, it was better for its creditors to file for bankruptcy.

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Court Rejects Saab’s Administrator Resignation, GM Rejects Any Chinese-Related Plan…

There are so many turns and twists in Saab's road to salvation or closure on an everyday basis, that it’s very easy to lose track of what's actually going on with the Swedish automaker.

On Monday Guy Lofalk, the court-appointed administrator who proposed the termination of the carmaker’s restructuring process, quit. Two days later Saab announced the appointment of another administrator, Lars-Henrik Andersson.

On Thursday, after Andersson turned down the job, Saab said that Lofalk would eventually be replaced by Lars Soderqvist.

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Saab Changes Administrator, Awaits Monday’s Court Decision

The ongoing story that is the future of Saab looks set to have more episodes than The Young and the Restless – and the CBS TV soap opera has been running since 1973…

Guy Lofalk, the court-appointed administrator who oversaw the restructuring of Saab and last Tuesday proposed that the process be terminated, quit his post.

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Saabs Earns IIHS “Top Safety Pick” for its 9-4X and 9-5, Which could be Useful if it had Any to Sell...

Fate, it seems, is not without a sense of irony: the line spoken by Morpheus in the first (and, arguably, best) movie of The Matrix trilogy certainly fits Saab’s case tighter than spandex pants.
The U.S. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has awarded the 9-4X crossover and the 9-5 sedan a “Top Safety Pick”, its highest rating for crashworthiness.
The IIHS tests include front impact (offset) and side impact crashes. Seat/head restraints are also tested in a simulated rear-end impact to assess the mitigation of whiplash injuries and the roof structure is tested to assess a vehicle rollover crash.
“Saab Automobile prides itself on its ability to create vehicles which focus on the safety of the driver and its passengers in real-life situations”, said Per Lenhoff, Head of Safety Development at Saab Automobile. “It is rewarding to be recognized by IIHS for a Top Safety Pick award for two of our newest products.”
Now, if only the Swedish carmaker, which awaits next week’s court hearing to learn if it will continue to exist, had any cars to deliver, or could at least convince GM to lend it its technology or allow Saab to continue building the 9-4X, it would really make for a nice thing to put in its ads…

Saabs Earns IIHS “Top Safety Pick” for its 9-4X and 9-5, Which could be Useful if it had Any to Sell...

Fate, it seems, is not without a sense of irony: the line spoken by Morpheus in the first (and, arguably, best) movie of The Matrix trilogy certainly fits Saab’s case tighter than spandex pants.

The U.S. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has awarded the 9-4X crossover and the 9-5 sedan a “Top Safety Pick”, its highest rating for crashworthiness.

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Show Me the Money: Saab Receives $5 Million US from Youngman, More May Come

It’s true that this month is probably the worst in a really bad year for Saab. Its 9-5 ended last in Consumer Reports’ luxury sedan test, GM repeatedly vetoed any sale deal involving the Chinese, and the court-appointed administrator has asked for the restructuring process to be terminated.

Today, though, a ray of light shined in Trollhättan as Saab received a first payment from China's Youngman Lotus Automobile, ahead of the court meeting that will decide its future next week.

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Attention, Serious Buyers Only: 1995 Cadillac 900S Convertible

From the 1980s right through to the beginning of the 21st century, General Motors tried its best to simplify the art of badge engineering as a cheap and easy way to expand its offerings and increase its profits.

Apparently, some of GM's enthusiasm for badge-trickery managed to rub off on certain consumers like the owner of this 1995 Saab who artfully transformed the open-top model into the Cadillac 900S Convertible in a way that a 1990s GM exec would say, "why didn't I think of that?"

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Court-Appointed Administrator Wants Saab Restructuring Process Terminated

Less than 24 hours after General Motors stated once again, that it will veto any plan that includes a Chinese company acquiring a stake in Saab, the Swedish carmaker received more bad news.

Guy Lofalk, the court-appointed administrator who oversees Saab’s restructuring, announced that he will apply for a termination of the voluntary reorganization of Saab Automobile and its two subsidiaries with the Vanersborg District Court in Sweden.

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GM Says No to Saab's Latest Ownership Plan, Swedes Reply “There is Always a Plan B”

A day without Saab news is a day wasted. On Monday, Saab's owner, Swan NV, said that after GM’s rejection of the Pang Da and Youngman deal, it was readying another plan, involving Youngman and a Chinese bank.

Unfortunately for Saab, this latest plan, which put Pang Da out of the picture, didn’t make the cut with General Motors either. On Tuesday, GM spokesman James Cain issued the following statement: “We have reviewed Saab’s proposed changes regarding the sale of the company. Nothing in the proposal changes GM’s position. We are unable to support the transaction.”

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Saab in Talks with Youngman and Chinese Bank to Secure November Wages

It’s been almost a week now since we last heard from Saab and as time goes by without a viable solution, the situation for the Swedish carmaker becomes more critical every day.

On Monday, Saab owner Swedish Automobile (SWAN.AS) announced that it is currently in discussions with Youngman Automobile and an unnamed bank in China about a potential investment in Saab.

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New Saab 9-4X SUV Arrives in the US, First Model Delivered in Ohio

Saab is still trying to work through its problems, but the Swedish carmaker has some good news from the States. The first examples of the firm’s new crossover, the Cadillac SRX-based 9-4X, have just arrived at US showrooms.
“Our first vehicles are just hitting retailers and our first customer sale took place last weekend at Saab North Olmstead in Cleveland, Ohio” said President and COO of Saab Cars North America, Tim Colbeck.

2011 Saab 9-5 pictures

Trading a 9 5 that was on the financial sector for 13 extended years, the unique 9 5's towering tech headlines combine keyless section with a pushbutton begin, which makes its placement on the deck symbolic, as you cannot impale yourself on a prod bind.


Other current, elevated tech headlines combine trizone atmosphere control, lane takeoff warning, 11 speaker harman/kardon sound with 5. 1 surround sound, rear stimulation with a few eight inch DVD screens, a head up showcase, and a maneuvering support framework that doesn't direct for you. It utilizes radar to identify a lane carport at least one meter (about numerous feet) longer than the auto and shows when the driver has turned the wheel far enough while support in. Sounds tidy, though there was no chance to attempt that at the auto's launch close Saab's hometown of Trollhaetten, Sweden.

2011 Saab 9-5


2011 Saab 9-5


2011 Saab 9-5


2011 Saab 9-5


2011 Saab 9-5


2011 Saab 9-5


2011 Saab 9-5


2011 Saab 9-5


2011 Saab 9-5


2011 Saab 9-5


2011 Saab 9-5


2011 Saab 9-5


2011 Saab 9-5


2011 Saab 9-5


2011 Saab 9-5