Press Release: 5th October 2010
Saab Automobile Establishes New Sales Organization In Australia And New Zealand
The new subsidiary will be responsible for supplying and maintaining national networks of dealers, including existing Saab dealerships and new outlets, in Australia and New Zealand. The existing dealer network will continue to serve customers during the transition period.
Announcing the new organization, Adrian Hallmark, Saab Automobile’s Executive Director of Sales, said: “We are delighted to make this announcement, which represents the start of a new chapter for Saab as an independent car manufacturer in the Australian and New Zealand markets. After evaluating a number of different business models, we believe that having a Saab-owned subsidiary is the best way for Saab to optimize its great sales potential and to best cater for current and future customers in these markets.
“Australia and New Zealand are vital to Saab’s representation in the Asia-Pacific region. We look forward to relaunching the Saab brand in Australasia next year with exciting new products like the new 9-5 Sedan, 9-4X and 9-5 SportCombi. Our new organization will ensure we get the right infrastructure in place.”
Saab Automobile Establishes New Sales Organization In Australia And New Zealand
- Saab restructuring continues with new sales organization in Australia and New Zealand
- Continuity of customer service is assured during transition
- Development of new Saab international sales structure on track
The new subsidiary will be responsible for supplying and maintaining national networks of dealers, including existing Saab dealerships and new outlets, in Australia and New Zealand. The existing dealer network will continue to serve customers during the transition period.
Announcing the new organization, Adrian Hallmark, Saab Automobile’s Executive Director of Sales, said: “We are delighted to make this announcement, which represents the start of a new chapter for Saab as an independent car manufacturer in the Australian and New Zealand markets. After evaluating a number of different business models, we believe that having a Saab-owned subsidiary is the best way for Saab to optimize its great sales potential and to best cater for current and future customers in these markets.
“Australia and New Zealand are vital to Saab’s representation in the Asia-Pacific region. We look forward to relaunching the Saab brand in Australasia next year with exciting new products like the new 9-5 Sedan, 9-4X and 9-5 SportCombi. Our new organization will ensure we get the right infrastructure in place.”
2010 - The Saab Plan for 'Down Under' markets . . .
March 2010,
Internal Document extracts from within Saab Automobile, Jan Ake Johnsson With regard to Australia and New Zealand it is our intention continue with an appointment of an independent importer. We are continuing our search and hope to make an announcement very soon. In the meantime we will continue to work with Holden and do everything we can to facilitate continuation of business. We are currently building momentum in our production and our commercial system to prepare ourselves for the challenges in 2010. Later this summer we will launch the new 9-5 Sedan and already within 16 months we will be ready to launch the new 9-5 SportCombi and the new 9-4X.
In the nearest future we need to put our focus on the competitive 9-3 range with the new 9-3X on top. We are hoping, with the help of Holden, to be able to put in place a mechanism to enable you to place orders for the 9-3 range and for the new 9-3X.
Internal Document extracts from within Saab Automobile, Jan Ake Johnsson With regard to Australia and New Zealand it is our intention continue with an appointment of an independent importer. We are continuing our search and hope to make an announcement very soon. In the meantime we will continue to work with Holden and do everything we can to facilitate continuation of business. We are currently building momentum in our production and our commercial system to prepare ourselves for the challenges in 2010. Later this summer we will launch the new 9-5 Sedan and already within 16 months we will be ready to launch the new 9-5 SportCombi and the new 9-4X.
In the nearest future we need to put our focus on the competitive 9-3 range with the new 9-3X on top. We are hoping, with the help of Holden, to be able to put in place a mechanism to enable you to place orders for the 9-3 range and for the new 9-3X.
2010 - If Saab stays on in the NZ market . . .
Jan 2010,
With General Motors' (GM) sale of Saab Automobile AB to Spyker Cars NV questions come to mind regarding the future of new Saab sales here in New Zealand.
Saab has never been a big seller here in New Zealand, which really is no suprise when we average 2 dealers for the whole country! And lets not even mention the last time anyone saw a television advert for Saab here! (which is a shame, because their adverts are extraordinary).
In recent years GM's Australian based sub-company GM Holden was placed in control of GM's "Premium Brands" portfolio for the Australian and New Zealand markets. GM's "Premium Brands" included Hummer, Saab and Cadillac. Saab, like Hummer has been majorly underfunded in terms of marketing and lack of dealers.
With so few sales (namely in NZ) I fear that Saab-Spyker may axe sales efforts completly now that they are running a tighter ship.
But if not Saab will continue to offer the same products as the Australian market gets.
The usual 9-3 range of convertible, sportsedan and sportcombi will feature and maybe by years end or early 2011 we will meet the 9-3x! Hopefully by late 2011 we might see the all new 9-5 Sedan here.
I personally think the convertible and other diesel powered 9-3 varients will continue to be the main sellers in NZ.
With General Motors' (GM) sale of Saab Automobile AB to Spyker Cars NV questions come to mind regarding the future of new Saab sales here in New Zealand.
Saab has never been a big seller here in New Zealand, which really is no suprise when we average 2 dealers for the whole country! And lets not even mention the last time anyone saw a television advert for Saab here! (which is a shame, because their adverts are extraordinary).
In recent years GM's Australian based sub-company GM Holden was placed in control of GM's "Premium Brands" portfolio for the Australian and New Zealand markets. GM's "Premium Brands" included Hummer, Saab and Cadillac. Saab, like Hummer has been majorly underfunded in terms of marketing and lack of dealers.
With so few sales (namely in NZ) I fear that Saab-Spyker may axe sales efforts completly now that they are running a tighter ship.
But if not Saab will continue to offer the same products as the Australian market gets.
The usual 9-3 range of convertible, sportsedan and sportcombi will feature and maybe by years end or early 2011 we will meet the 9-3x! Hopefully by late 2011 we might see the all new 9-5 Sedan here.
I personally think the convertible and other diesel powered 9-3 varients will continue to be the main sellers in NZ.