Another year, another AGM … same old faces!!
The North West Branch held its AGM, on Tuesday February 22nd 2000 at the Water Street premises of what we now have to refer to as ‘Stratstone Saab Manchester.’ A huge turnout (!) of members saw the existing committee re-elected ‘en bloc.’ (This could have been to do with the fact that only existing committee members attended … but hey, no need for pessimism or despair …?!)
Having decided on a new (… sorry, old …) committee, we turned our attention to a programme of activities for the year, based on the sorts of things we like doing. You’ll find this programme from April through to next March on the back page!
The underlying message here is of course, that if there are interesting activities that you would like to see our Branch becoming involved in … let us know!! (or better still get involved)
We are delighted that this newsletter has been sponsored by Stratstone Saab Manchester. Please read their advert below.
Our local branch of the Saab Owners Club has had a long and fruitful relationship with the Directors and staff at the Water Street site. Many of our old friends may have moved on, but we remain grateful to Robin and his workforce for continuing to make us welcome and affording us the use of their premises. Go along, tell them who you are, mention the club and grab a good deal!
Get airborne with Stratstone – the new name for Saab in Manchester
We are delighted to inform you that our dealership (formerly Manchester Saab) underwent a change of ownership towards the end of 2004 and are now part of Pendragon PLC, the UK’s largest dealer group.
Our existing history with Saab together with Pendragon’s support means that we will be bringing you unprecedented levels of choice and customer service through all areas of our business.
Current offers include 05 plate convertibles from £20995 and 05 plate 9-3 1.9 Tid’s from £18995 all with delivery mileage only.
On the Aftersales front ensure you have enrolled in the Saab Service Club for a 10% discount every visit.
Like up to an extra 60bhp, take the opportunity to upgrade your engine performance as we are now Hirsch/Saab approved. Please ask for details.
We look forward to welcoming you back in our dealership soon.
Kind Regards
Robin Dix, Dealer Principal
Correspondence with Luton
I recently received a circular from Saab Great Britain asking me to update certain records about my cars and making the usual annual sales pitch ‘if I wished to purchase a new motor!’
I must have ‘had one on me that day’ as I filled in the form and then composed a semi-vitriolic diatribe about the state of Saab and stuck it in the post. About a week later, I had a (not very knowledgeable) guy on my mobile phone doing his best to reassure me that all was well, that I was loved and wanted and the company was very grateful that I had taken the trouble to write etc., etc., He was somewhat less forthcoming about General Motors plans for Saab (sadly, I knew more than he did!) and had no real answers to the charge that new Saab franchise holders (in the northwest) were only interested in selling new cars. He promised to get back to me!
I received a written reply and decided that it may be of interest to other members to see part of ‘wot I wrote’ and the response I received.
Jonathan Nash
Saab Great Britain Ltd
Griffin House, Osborne Road
Luton LU1 3YT5th February 2005.
Dear Sir
Thank you for your recent mailing and sales pitch!! I can confirm that I still own a Saab registered J1 … (etc!)
(continues) ….. However, I can see no economic sense in a private buyer purchasing a new Saab motor car in this day and age. As soon as it leaves the showroom several thousand pounds are wiped off its value.
Along with many other enthusiasts, I expect I’ll continue to cherish older Saabs, try and keep them reasonably well maintained and used; enjoy the fellowship and benefits of Saab Club membership, attend events and persist in promoting the damn things.
The development of the brand and pace of change during the last few years of General Motors ownership has not enamoured many of us to the new breed of vehicle, the new breed of franchised agents or the new breed of senior manager.
Of course the newer the car the better it is … measured against older vehicles … and I love my 9.5 estate! But, where oh where is the ‘spirit of Saab,’ where are the idiosyncratic features and foibles that so besotted us in the (not too distant) past? Why are we following trends and not leading them? Why did we not capitalise on Michael Mauer’s designs? Where are we going? Saab without a Swedish manufacturing base? … does heritage mean nothing to the grey men in suits? … so many missed opportunities … you may as well kill the brand now … it certainly does not appear to be evolving in any rational way!!
End of rant!
……..
Sincerely, Iain Hodcroft
And here’s the reply!
SAAB GREAT BRITAIN LTD
21 March 2005
Dear Mr Hodcroft
SAAB CORPORATE QUERY
Thank you for your letter dated 5 February 2005.
I was sorry to learn of the concerns you have for the future of Saab following its integration into General Motors.
Following a review of Saab market status and product placement by our Marketing Department it is clear that the brand cannot be sustained by being so heavily dependent upon the 9-3 and 9-5 product lines alone. Therefore, we are initiating an extensive development program for Saab. Our goal is to quickly and efficiently expand Saab’s model range in a number of ways.
Our portfolio must grow while preserving the key Saab brand characteristics. The roots of the Saab brand will continue to be in Sweden.
After an investigation of the future for production of Saab vehicles I have ascertained that the next generation of mid-size vehicles will be built in Russelsheim, not in Trollhattan. Both plants submitted compelling business cases and committed to similar competitive measures, so the deciding factors became areas such as logistics, capital investment, and currency which together tipped the scales in favour of Russelsheim for this particular mis-size allocation.
Trollhattan will continue to play a role for Saab as well as other GM model production. Addition of the Cadillac BLS allocation was recently announced, a testament to Trollhattan’s ability to produce premium cars.
General Motors is fully committed to the successful future of the Saab brand and its brand integrity. I am fully confident that the future of Saab is bright and exciting and we look forward to sharing that future with our valued customers.
I would like to thank you for this opportunity to clarify our position relating to the concerns raised in your letter.
Yours sincerely –
Jason Oakley, Customer Relations Consultant.
OK Jason, thanks for that!!
Since then:
- Peter Augustsson, CEO Saab AB, resigned to set up his own motoring consultancy business in Sweden, days after it was announced that the next 9.3 will be assembled in Germany, stating that “we have happy customers and a highly recognized brand.” (… so that’s alright then!)
- Saab bosses have denied Swedish Newspaper reports that the brand is to be sold to the Chinese (… so we may escape the fate of Rover …?)
- The press speculated that the next 9.5 will be built on the new GM Zeta platform (based on the next generation rear-engined Holden) and then told us that this project has been scrapped, leaving the 9.5 platform-less!
- GM has announced losses of £580m ($1.1bn) in the first three months of the year, its workers are suing about pension problems and healthcare benefits in the USA, and there’s been a change at the top of GM!
- Crisis? … what crisis?
Pentagon Saab
The corporate face of Saab in the north west continues to change, with yet another new dealership opening for us to take advantage of. A long established Vauxhall franchise in Oldham ‘Pentagon Vauxhall’ is now also trading as Pentagon Saab and has become the latest in a line of new dealerships offering a full range of services to the Saab owner. Pentagon seem to have a half-dozen or so sites trading GM products across Derbyshire and the Rochdale/Oldham area. It is not known whether any of their other outlets will begin to offer Saab services.
If anyone does make a visit to this new operator, it would be useful to know if there are familiar faces there or just how knowledgeable and welcoming they are to club members. Which reminds me: -
“Yeah, I reckon you’ve been a pretty good horse,” said the farmer. “You work hard and I ain’t had to call the vet on you much. I only wish you pulled the plough a little faster.”
“NO!” said the horse, “I said ‘feedbag’ not ‘feedback’.”
Editor’s note: Any feedback, criticism, opinion, comment, view is appreciated … do let us know if anyone is ‘alive’ out there!!
The page where you tell me all the interesting stuff … oh b#*#*r … there isn’t any! Stick a picture in then:
