Photo Credits: Cherry Hill Saab

Saab History site sponsor, Cherry Hill Saab of New Jersey has recently received their first 2010 Saab 9-3x. This vehicle in the 9-3 lineup, follows their previous delivery of 2010 Saab 9-3 convertibles that arrived earlier last month.

The Saab 9-3x is the most recent model in the original lineage for the Saab brand that represents all of the brand values that the company has been known for over the years. This model comes equipped with everything a Saab enthusiast could want, including cross-wheel drive complete with the electronic limited slip differential.

Having recently driven one of these, I must say that with the increased ride height, this vehicle is long overdue for the Saab portfolio!

If you have test driven one of these vehicles, please let us know what you think about it as most Saab dealers should now have them.

Photo Credit: Cherry Hill Saab

Saab History is pleased to welcome back Cherry Hill Saab as a longtime sponsor and advertiser.

As you know, Cherry Hill Saab has recently received their first shipments of 2010 Saab 9-3 convertibles, and in the near future their 9-3x models will arrive along with the all new 9-5 models later this summer.

Cherry Hill Saab is very excited to join the new Saab Cars North America organization to provide new products to their existing customers while also welcoming back those that have left the brand during the previous era.

As a company that is very familiar with premium products, they look forward to this new era of Spyker owned Saab Automobile.

Here’s a brief history and summary of Cherry Hill Saab.

Classic Cars Auto Group started in 1978 as a family owned and operated business here in Southern New Jersey. The Saab Franchise was acquired by us in 1981. It was started in a 3500 square foot Showroom on Route 70 in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. Over the years it grew and was moved to our current location, a state of the art facility housing both the Saab and Jaguar Franchises.

Saab has always been one of the group’s mainstays. Building on Customer Satisfaction and referrals, we are now known as the place in the Tri-state area to come for a Saab. We have grown with the Saab Company here in the United States, and offer Sales, Service, and Collision Services.

Our Saab Trained Sales Staff has over 100 years experience in the Automotive Business and will strive to assist you in getting the car that certified. They will listen to you. Not only what options and colors you want, but also what your needs are. They will suggest the best vehicle for you. Then they will work with you to tailor a payment option that makes sense. We stock more than 80 Saabs, so that you have a full array of choices, all available for immediate delivery.

After you take delivery, that’s when we really go to work. Our service staff can assist you with your every need, whether it is a question about the functionality of your car, a scheduled maintenance, or a major repair. We offer a comfortable waiting area with WI FI Connectivity, wide-screen Television and even a Cappuccino Machine. If you need to be somewhere we also have a shuttle service, or can arrange for a car for you to drive while your car is being repaired.

We welcome everyone into our family. As a member, feel free to call for advice, talk about your current car or perhaps discuss the purchase or lease of a New or Pre-Owned Vehicle. Or stop by, we would by happy to see you in person and try to help. You’ll find that Cherry Hill Classic Cars is truly a unique car ownership experience. Our enthusiasm for both the Saab product and our customers makes us the Number One place to do business.

Cherry Hill Classic Cars
2000 Route 70 East
Cherry Hill, NJ 08003

Phone: 1-856-424-5300

Fax: 856-424-2057

http://www.cherryhillsaab.com

Photo Credit: Cherry Hill Saab

Cherry Hill Saab, a longtime Saab History advertiser and supporter who recently attended the New York Auto Show, that will be starting up advertising efforts here again shortly, have just received their first 2010 model year Saab deliveries.

The two deliveries that traveled from Sweden via Wallenius Wilhelmson to the Port of Newark, New Jersey consist of a Saab 9-3 Aero convertible as well as a 2.0T convertible in silver and carbon gray.

Today marked their first new products in over 400 days, a significant milestone for them with their new agreement with the newly created Saab Cars North America organization under Spyker ownership.

It has been confirmed again to Saab History, even after we all learned this with Mr. Muller earlier, that all 218 Saab dealerships in the United States will remain.

This is much better scenario than the previous plan with Koenigsegg.

Here’ the news below:

We have received word that under the Saab sale by GM to Spyker Cars the entire US dealership network will be retained. That is a far better outcome than had Saab been sold to Swedish’s Koenigsegg Automotive which sought to reduce the dealer network to less than half of current.

The Saab sale is due to consummate on February 15 so something could still fall through, as it has so often in the past. Yet as it currently stands, Saab dealers who seek to retain their franchise under Saab’s new Spyker Cars ownership should to be able to do so. Seems to be better news for ALL Saab dealer than some wind-down dealers with go-forward GM brands – Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac.

Today is a brighter day for Saab dealers, their employees and their unique brand and customer base!

Photo Credit: JMK Saab

Longtime Saab History site supporter and advertiser, JMK Saab in New Jersey are sending a number of staff members to the “SAVE SAAB” convoy in New York City this weekend.

Here’s their message about their commitment to Saab and this unprecedented global campaign. We’re looking forward to their coverage of the Saabs rolling down Times Square, that will be incredible!

Go JMK Saab!

The reason why we are doing this is because we just want to see our beloved brand saved. We want a chance to continue what we do best and that is to sell and service Saabs. We as a group have all been in this together and it has been a very challenging time. We have had support from our employees and our customers . We want to show what ever support we can. We are fighting for Saab as long as it takes.

Some comments from employees –

- I am here to show my support and allegiance to a car company that I have been affiliated with throughout my career.

- I am here to show people love their SAAB.

- I am a loyal employee and owner of a Saab and would like to see a bright future for this terrific brand.

- I have given 12 years of service to JMK Saab and also an owner of a Saab we deserve our chance.

JMK Saab
345 Route 22 East
Springfield, NJ 07081

Phone: 888-500-9021

http://www.jmksaab.com/

Longtime Saab History advertiser, New Salem Saab announces Albany Speed Shop.

GM may have discontinued Saab but New Salem Saab will not discontinue our Customers!!

Dear Saab Friends,

December 18, 2009 is a sad day for sure. GM has decided to discontinue Saab as a brand and will commence an orderly wind-down just like Oldsmobile, Pontiac, Saturn and Hummer.

Rest assured the Carl family is deeply saddened as this will close an era in our lives which is 48 years old. However, this is not the end. We have been planning for this just in case it came to realization. Very soon my wife Melissa and I will be opening Albany Speed Shop really close by to our current location. Inclusive within this new entity we will continue to provide independent Saab service for your families Saabs. Although we will only be able to provide warranty service for a short period of time, as GM will appoint a GM dealer to handle your warranty needs locally, Albany Speed will be up and running to provide a continuance of Saab service using both OEM and aftermarket parts. We still carry the tools, technology and years of experience, something GM cannot take away.

We have been a leader in customer satisfaction and fully intend to continue the trusted service for your families Saab into the future. Now, without the strings of a franchise, we will be able to transform back into ideologies which helped us build this great dealership with its employees and loyal customers. Our plan is to retain our employees, great customer service under a better pricing structure than ever before.

Melissa and I appreciate your loyalty and understand your concerns. We have the same emotions to handle. We both remain positive and look forward to greeting you in our new first class arrangement in the very near future. Until then, we will continue operations in our current location which will include warranty repairs but not include a Saab sales department.

If you have questions that you think I can answer, please phone the dealership and pass through to extension 122. I will return your call as quickly as I can and offer what information I know is fact.

Thank you for being our friends and customers. We truly are disappointed in the decision GM has made regarding Saab. However, the Carl family has no plans to leave you standing alone. If fact we plan to support you well into the future. Of course we are more then capable in repairing any vehicle on the road today and would be grateful if you considered us for your routine maintenance on any make vehicle you have.

Sincerely,
Darryl & Melissa Carl
New Salem Saab
ALBANY SPEED SHOP

Film Credit: Saab History

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to visit Pioneer Saab in South Deerfield, Massachusetts which was the first Saab dealership that I had the opportunity to experience many years ago.

Having grown up Western, Massachusetts and owning my first Saab while experiencing this dealership, I began to realize why many others like me, continued their ownership and loyalty to products that come from Saab Automobile in Sweden. While the products have been great, it was the dealership like Pioneer Saab as I continue to learn, that significantly contributed to keeping me and many others in the region with Saab, over the years.

Pioneer Saab has served this greater Western, Massachusetts region for over 45 years and is effectively the only remaining semi-exclusive Saab dealership in its area. The dealership’s access to customers within the academic industry to wealthy year-round vacationers anywhere from New Jersey via Interstate 91 all the way to Canada is ideal. The customers that they serve outside of their immediate region continue to indicate that it’s not just your location, it’s how good you are as a Saab dealership, that dictates the loyalty. This premium positioning geographically, is just a small percentage of their success story.

Demographics:

The demographics of Pioneer Saab’s highly educated and wealthy customer base stems from students and faculty from colleges such as Amherst, Smith, Mt. Holyoke, Hampshire & the University of Massachusetts. Their unique demographics serving a semi-urban academic clientele, continue to serve as a symbol that many other Saab dealerships even in the New England region strive to achieve, but cannot.

Minimalist Approach:

Size matters, and with Pioneer Saab’s sales, service and parts business, it is a continuation of Saab Automobile’s historical roots as a small car player in the global automotive industry. The company’s low-overhead approach to best serving an entire region in Western, Massachusetts better than just about every other nearby dealership in the state, keeps their customers coming back.

Personalized Service:

Due to their relationship based approach to customers, Pioneer Saab continues long standing relationships with the community and outside of their community. In the 15 years that I have known them, the referrals and overall quality of feedback I have experienced and heard about from other customers with regards to Pioneer Saab, have encouraged me to go out of my way to do business with them or refer others to them.

The Saab Experience:

If you are new to the brand or someone who is very familiar with it, Pioneer Saab epitomizes many other dealership experiences in every way. While their owner has been running the dealership for over 4 decades, their service and parts departments have nearly the same length of experience serving all Saab model years. My most surprising aspect of my visit consisted of re-acquainting myself with not only the owners, but their parts staff who first served my needs 15 years ago with my 1987 Saab 900! The RED designed facility to the personnel, all communicate the brand in the best way possible to the customer. This is the Saab experience!

Ideal Future Positioning:

As a result of everything mentioned here with my visit, I see Pioneer Saab’s future positioning as a premium player for the next era of Saab ideal, and it is their hope and mine that Saab Automobile continues so they can continue their Saab spirit!

A thank you to the folks at Pioneer Saab for having Saab History as their guest.

Pioneer Valley Sales & Service, Inc.
dba Pioneer Saab Volvo
253 Greenfield Road
South Deerfield, MA 01373
telephone: 413.665.2140
http://www.pioneersaabvolvo.com/

There has been a lot of discussions with everyone over this recent news about the Koenigsegg Group termination recently.

One of the most recent actions taken by the group was the selection of the 137 out of 218 Saab dealerships in the United States a few weeks ago.

The understanding by all Saab dealerships this week that received termination letters, now understand that they are not terminated because the Koenigsegg agreement is no longer in effect. This means they now have another month to stay alive under GM ownership (ie. until December 31st, 2009).

If you are a Saab dealership in the United States, please confirm what you understand to be now in play at this time.

Film Credit: Saab History

Saab History has been listening and learning about the significant impact that was made to Saab dealerships here in the United States over the past week. That impact involves 37% of 218 Saab dealerships in the United States or 81 individual retailers that are expected to terminate their agreements by the time the sale is completed, targeted for November 30th, 2009.

Here in the state of Maine, all but a few of these dealerships have received termination letters and as a result, there has been a huge impact to the local economy with customers and local businesses alike.

An example of this is Cold Brook Saab located in Skowhegan, Maine. Cold Brook Saab has been an exclusive Saab dealer for over 46 years and enjoys a strong customer following and has thrived despite tough times in the auto industry. Cold Brook Saab owner Joey Joseph credits innovative marketing through cross marketing opportunities that have evolved over the last 15 years. “We started establishing our cross marketing campaign with a sponsorship at Sugarloaf Ski Resort and have since forged alliances with Sunday River Ski and Golf Resort and Shipyard Brewery in Portland.”

An example of how this action by GM/SAAB to close the Maine Saab dealer network down can be seen by the dissolution of the long term partnerships. I had the pleasure of meeting the folks over at Shipyard Brewery and discussed what the demise of Cold Brooks Saab franchise might mean to their corporate fleet car of choice.

The current fleet that the company uses includes Saab 9-3 SportCombi’s, 9-5 SportCombi’s as well as 9-7xs. These vehicles initially began as transportation vehicles for upper management serving as premium transportation for executives that promote a premium product as a corporate benefit, much like what has been done at nearby Sunday River ski and golf resort who has many top executives driving Saabs from Cold Brook Saab also.

Today, the Saab vehicles have been handed down within the company to all levels and now support marketing and other critical functions to the company. For over a decade Cold Brook Saab has provided over 20 Saab vehicles to Shipyard Brewery and as a result, they have enjoyed every minute
of it.

If this particular dealership ends up being terminated at the end of the month or when the sale of Saab is completed, the direct result will inevitably be that Shipyard Brewery will no longer be using Saabs as their fleet vehicles in the future.

The message here is that the dealerships and and their customers are inextricably linked through relationships. If a Saab dealer cannot offer Saabs any longer, their customers have no real incentive to go out of their way to find another Saab dealer to continue their ownership because that relationship began with the dealer, not the Saab product.

A special thanks to those at both Shipyard Brewery as well as Cold Brook Saab for the opportunity to realize the local impact in Maine to the immediate situation with Saab dealerships in the United States.

Shipyard Brewery
86 Newbury Street
Portland, ME 04101
www.shipyard.com

Cold Brook Saab
337 Madison Ave
Skowhegan, ME 04976
www.coldbrooksaab.com

According to the Chicago Tribune, Mike Colleran, COO and President of the new Saab Cars North America speaks about the 37% of the Saab dealership closures in the United States that is taking place at this time.

“It’s not like we’re really eliminating them,” said Mike Colleran, chief operating officer of Saab Cars North America. “We’re just selecting ones that make sense for the new business plan for Saab.”

Colleran said that while the decision was difficult, dealership longevity and stand-alone allegiance to the brand did not enter into the equation. In addition to sales, parts and service performance, the smaller network reflects a marketing strategy aimed at recapturing Saab’s unconventional cachet, something that dissipated during the GM years.

“It is our intent to focus more on premium positioning in the luxury segment, and to focus less on discounts and volume,” Colleran said.

“