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Saab still alive and well at New Jersey dealership

We all know the Saab story: a niche automaker that just couldn't last in the quickening pace of an increasingly competitive industry, despite its loyal following. But just because the automaker has all but completely disappeared, it doesn't mean that the loyal following has as well. In fact Saab Automobiles Parts North America estimates there are some 450,000 Saabs still in use in the United States, and many of them are still die-hard brand faithful who are adamantly clinging to the bankrupt brand they love. And many of those loyal customers are still finding a home at Park Avenue Saab in Maywood, NJ. Although the Park Avenue Auto Group operates Acura, BMW and Lotus franchises, it hasn't given up on Saab just because the company isn't making any new cars anymore. Instead it's set up shop in an old Suzuki showroom and is building a growing list of Saab customers across New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania – parts of that list acquired from other, closed Saab dealers in the region. The dealership stocks spare parts and is ready to perform whatever service and maintenance existing Saab owners might need, but it's also still buying and selling Saabs: used models with low mileage and manufactured as close as possible to the end of production in 2011. So when an owner of an old Saab is ready to trade up, the dealership has something to offer. And many of those loyal customers, according to Automotive News, are willing to pay top dollar rather than switch to another brand. If and when a Saab owner needs to buy something newer – as most will have to – the dealer is ready to introduce them to a new Acura or BMW, but to date, very few have. That's why Park Avenue Saab still sells about 40 used Saabs every month to customers in the vicinity, across the country or even overseas. Between the sales and service departments, the dealership is still turning a brisk business, but unless NEVS, Mahindra or some other knight in shining armor swoops in and manages to do what GM and Spyker couldn't, the dealership's management know the business can't last forever.

National Electric Vehicle stops Saab 9-3 production amidst financing woes

It seems that quirky, Swedish automaker Saab might be on life support yet again. Its owner, National Electric Vehicle Sweden, has announced that it's reducing its workforce and temporarily halting production of the 9-3 due to financial problems. NEVS was only building six cars a day, anyway.
The company put out a press release admitting its economic woes, but it still appeared hopeful. NEVS claims it's developing "a new platform on the Phoenix architecture," and it has a frame agreement with an international automotive OEM. It didn't give any specific details about either one of these assertions though. According to The Wall Street Journal, NEVS needs the partnership to lower development costs in order to stay afloat. Saab spokesperson Mikael Ostlund told Autoblog in an email that the stop in production of the 9-3 in Trollhättan would last four weeks.
NEVS says it's in negotiation to sell a portion of the company to an automotive company. Its current monetary woes are caused by shareholder Qingbo Investment Company not financing the company as agreed. "We plan to have the results of the discussions at latest during June," said Ostlund.

Mahindra eying stake in Saab owner NEVS?

It's ironic that Saab's current vehicle architecture is called the Phoenix platform, because like the mythological bird, the company keeps returning from the ashes. That's right, the embattled Swedish automaker isn't completely dead yet. Again. Actually, it may be facing yet another buyout, and this time, the buyer may be from India.
Less than a month ago, the situation looked ominous for Saab. National Electric Vehicle Sweden, the carmaker's current owner, temporarily shut down 9-3 production at its Trollhättan factory not long after restarting it in the first place. According to Just Auto, it laid off about 100 consultants allegedly linked to problems making June payroll, as well. At the time, Saab claimed that the measures were temporary, and it was negotiating selling part ownership to another automaker.
Those assertions might have some truth behind them, it seems. Indian newspaper The Economic Times reports that Mahindra & Mahindra and an unnamed Asian automaker are negotiating with NEVS to purchase part of the company. It claims that the Indian automaker sees Saab as an opportunity to add a premium brand to its business.