Filed under: China, Safety, Saab
Saab has been in the news quite a bit lately, and mostly for the wrong reasons. But now that the Swedish automaker appears to have secured loans and buy-in from Hawtai Motors in China, Victor Muller and company are looking to go on the offensive.
Automotive News reports that the Spyker CEO is still talking China, but now he’s entertaining the possibility of partnering with a Chinese company to distribute low-cost autos in the U.S. Muller reportedly says that Saab could utilize its dealer networks in the U.S. and Europe to sell $10,000 Chinese vehicles in two or three years. And just because Saab struck a deal with Hawtai doesn’t mean that the Swedish automaker is restricting its plans to its newest strategic partner. Muller pointed out during an interview in Washington, D.C. that there are 120 companies in China, and that Saab is interested in “the one with a strategy.”
There are many hurdles for Chinese automakers to overcome to finally breach the U.S. market, not the least of which is passing federal safety standards. Muller acknowledges that a five-star-rated Chinese vehicle likely won’t happen any time soon, but he says that made-in-China SUVs can be had with tons of features for about $10,000, adding “Do you really worry about a five-star rating? They Look good.”
Hmmm. We’re guessing there will be plenty of buyers who don’t want to drive a vehicle with compromised safety capabilities, but a low price tag could cure those fears. Of course, we also can’t help but wonder how many luxury car shoppers will want to pay premium prices for Saab automobiles if they share showroom space with discount Chinese offerings – the Swedish automaker’s residual values have been problematic enough as-is.
Muller says Saab could sell $10,000 Chinese autos in States originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 11 May 2011 14:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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You never know what you’ll find cruising the halls of the Shanghai Motor Show. China Car Times has discovered a true oddity of automotive evolution – the Beijing Auto T60 Sedan. What’s so curious about this particular four-door? As you may recall, BAIC recently got its hands on the old Saab 9-3 platform, and word on the web is that the automaker was itching to prove that it can hone aging bones into an attractive vehicle. The result is the T60. According to the Chinese automaker, the concept will reach production by 2012.
