Some answers :

As part of the split up of Scania & Saab, the Södertälje engine factory was transferred to Saab Automobile. For many years, this Scania factory had produced Saab engines.

Although they produced all the Saab car engines at that time of the GM investment, it was clear that GM would replace those engines with their own.

With the exception of 9-5 petrol powered cars, all current products use GM engines (including the FIAT diesels acquired as part of the GM/FIAT alliance).

The current (and now low volume) 9-5 will end production after MY 2009, thus ending any use of the original Södertälje produced Saab engines.

Clearly Södertälje is now a very small operation. The announcement effectively states that GM have disposed of an under utilised asset – some engineering staff will go to Trollhattan and production staff will be re-employed by the new owners.

Per Gillbrand is now 74 yrs old. He left Saab under difficult circumstances :

1)In the mid 90′s it became clear that there would be no future position responsible for existing Saab engine development as GM engines would replace Saab units.

2)His work on the variable compression engine was cancelled by GM on cost grounds.

The “Saab Turbo Centre” is where engineers “Saabize” GM engines. They have GME wide responsibility for turbo applications. There is no production.

Peter