- Saab plans to grow its business in Russia and China.
- The automaker plans to build a plant in the Kaliningrad region for the production of Saab models with a total capacity of 10,000 cars per year.
- Saab intends to open 10 to 15 new dealers in China.
TROLLHATTAN, Sweden — Swedish automaker Saab is considering expanding in Russia and China in the near future, through the establishment of its own production facilities as well as resumption of distribution in both countries.
In the case of Russia, according to Jan-Ake Johnson, managing director of Saab, the new plant might be established in the Far East. Earlier this year, Russian media also reported about the plans of Spyker, new owner of Saab, to build a plant in the Kaliningrad region for the production of Saab models with a total capacity of 10,000 cars per year.
According to some Russian analysts, the new plant may specialize in the production of new Saab models including the 9-3 sedan for the Russian, Ukrainian and Kazakh markets, priced no higher than $12,000.
Saab puts big hopes on the Russia market, considering it as one of the most promising in the world for sales of its cars and in particular its new 9-4X crossover.
Financial details of the project as well as estimated production volumes were not disclosed.
At the same time in China, Saab is planning to open 10 to 15 dealerships, under a single network, which is expected to allow it to sell up to 5,000 cars in the country a year. In addition, there is also a possibility of launching the production of a new generation of 9-3 sedan in this country in 2012.
Inside Line says: Saab looks forward and eastward. — Evgeniy Vorotnikov, Correspondent
Add A Comment »
juan_mx says:
11:58 AM, 12/08/2010
total capacity of 10,000 cars per year priced no higher than $12,000?
is that profitable?
athens says:
10:20 AM, 12/08/2010
SAAB might as well go eastward because no one is buying them westward.