Fresh questions raised over Saab finances

And yet again The Local comes to the rescue and do their part to cast doubt on SAAB to the general public. Bravo.... Ms. Martin you must of got up early this morning to write this piece just so you could boast how the little Swedish company's taxes hadn't landed at the inland revenue. If you had waited just a few hours you could have called them to which they would have confirmed that payments had been made and the monies were on their account. Oh how quick the media has been to jump the gun and get the knife in again. Every heard of the saying "Loose words, sink ships"?

I'm sure your excuse will be that you have a duty to inform people of relevant news so does this mean The Local will be printing tomorrow "Saab proves financial stability in paying taxes on time"? Somehow I feel The Local just like all other media outlets will ignore their so called duty on printing the positive achievements of the Saab.

Although if you do I'm sure you will no doubt find something negative to write so just so other readers here can see how easy it to be journalist here's my "The Local" headline for tomorrow "Saab pays taxes but still can't pay suppliers". Yeah it really it that easy to shoot a company down.

Just remember folks: Everything you read in papers is true!

I dont know call me crazy but SAAB is Sweden. Maybe SAAB should be saved for Sweden.

@ WooDz

You need to get intouch with present day reality.

We are all aware of the proud reputation Saab has built up over the years.

That does not alter the fact that whats left of it, is now desperately grasping at the final few straws and when you consider who is holding those straws it does not inspire much hope or confidence.

It's been painfully obvious all along that the buyers had their own hidden agenda from day one and the Swedish govt and General motors were rightfully always very suspicious of their true intentions.

Time has already confirmed those suspicions to be well justified.

To my mind it was apparent from day one that the would be buyers didn't care a toss about Saabs future in Sweden or that of its workforce.

This doom and gloom is hurting SAAB's reputation. This is the future of Swedish workers at stake. Sometimes it's like talking to the wall.

> WooDz. Its "loose LIPS sink ships."

Al Capone was busted not for the Saint Valentine's Day Massacre but for tax evasion. Victor Antonov may find themselves on the same road.

@ Jack Sprat

I guess you find it perfectly acceptable for the Swedish press to constantly print allegations and misleading facts. I'm fully aware of the misfortunes of SAAB over that past 2 years. A company that should be rivaling BMW but instead was used to develop GM vehicle to the point that although the new Insignia was 80% developed SAAB, thus effectively making it a rebadge, people think SAAB have no IP or engineering skills of their own. Why? Because keep telling them that.

It's amazing the people see it is painfully obvious that the buyers had a hidden agenda, yet for some reason don't get to read about a man flying around the world setting up deal after deal to keep the company afloat. I bet you think your taxes are at risk don't you? Let me make it very clear about the SAAB situation. The only way your tax money will be it risk is if SAAB goes bankrupt and approximately 10 - 15,0000 Swedish employees associated to SAAB loose their jobs. So all this rubbish about the Swedish government no wanting to risk tax payers money is just that; rubbish.

Instead of the press trying to kick SAAB into the ground and turn Trollhättan into a ghost town, maybe they should be asking why the government and the EIB has delayed actions that is bleeding the company dry due to nil production.

It's such a shame to see that the power of the press has most people thinking SAAB is being run by criminals and tax evaders. Repat_xpat's comment about Al Capone only underlines the fact. Obviously he/she forgot to read the rest of my above comment that SAAB has paid their taxes and the money is on the account.

@ Jack Sprat:

"Obvious"? It is so obvious, so you do not have to provide any references to back up your statements?

As WooDz says, the Saab EIB loan is no direct threat to the taxpayers money. The risk is associated with the jobs that will be lost while the Swedish government takes their sweat time meddling with Saab's ownership structure. Publicly they seem to approve of Antonov, but behind the curtains they actively work against him. Meanwhile the company is in limbo.

@ Jack Sprat:

Hold on; so I have to back up my statements about the press writing "With SAAB, HUMMER, Pontiac and Saturn now no-longer with us or sold", or "The new 9-5 based on GM's Opel Insignia", or "Antonov who has been alleged by the Swedish press to be connected with organized crime". Yet; you don't have to back your statements about (and I quote) "It's been painfully obvious all along that the buyers had their own hidden agenda from day one and the Swedish govt and General Motors were rightfully always very suspicious of their true intentions."

First up why are talking about the situation in past tense meaning for you and the picture you wish to portray is "The deed has been done". However you don't actually explain what you think the hidden agenda Victor Muller has and the suspicions of GM and the Swedish Government. More to the point I don't really know the 'buyers' you are referring to. I think you might be trying to associate Antonov as a buyer, of which he is not. Secondly The Swedish NDO and GM has approved Antonov but the Swedish Government's stance is that they don't need to approve him all the time the EIB have not.

The EIB loan does not carry a risk to the tax-payer because it's levied against assets worth Nth times more than the loan. Yes Jack you are absolutely correct "The risk is associated with the jobs that will be lost while the Swedish government takes their sweat time meddling with Saab's ownership structure. Publicly they seem to approve of Antonov, but behind the curtains they actively work against him. Meanwhile the company is in limbo." The company sits in limbo whilst Muller races around the world setting up deals with Chinese companies who are paying for vehicles 'up front' to help get production up and running again. There is no denying the grave situation SAAB is in right now but one should really think about how they got there. It certainly wasn't Muller helping himself to the till but more precisely the press writing that Antonov should not be trusted, that Muller can't meet yearly targets, that they write that SAAB is dead, or on its last legs, or not worth buying their cars, or haven't paid their taxes when in actual fact they have.

Quite frankly I don't get why people feel that car companies like Hyundai that just buy off the peg components are a more of a worthy business than SAAB. Or what makes Infinity or Lexus so much better than SAAB? Why should GM be allowed to push OPEL into the premium segment as when, if wasn't for SAAB their product wouldn't be good or safe enough to start doing so.

Nice to see you'd rather read a load pap from people who for years hardly ever wrote anything about SAAB and sit back and watch them bury yet another piece of Swedish Heritage. With so little patriotism it's no wonder that the German brands hold the top P3 slots. Well done Sweden, you truly have lost your great viking spirit.

Woodz,

Lots of words, but the bottom line is that a 9-5 is 10k more than the Insignia and / or the Buick. There are not enough people who love SAAB so much to be willing to lose 10K just for the nameplate. The reason it is 10K more is because it cost more to build in Trollhattan than any other GM facility in the world. The math is simple: SAAB must either offer more or charge less.

No only is the OPEL cheaper it's smaller too, However as for expensive Swedish labour costs that's not true. Saab lost the chance to build Epsilon II based vehicles to Rüsselsheim, however won the deal to build Delta future based vehicles until GM. As a premium vehicle larger the the A6 and the 5-series, the 9-5 still comes out cheaper and where as it isn't a match for the top performance BMWs, the engines that SAAB do offer are very competitive. You don't have to take my word for it though, go drive a 2012 model yourself and I think you'll be surprised just how good the new car drives and how well equipped it is compared to other premium brands.

-->> I agree with your kind words for GMPT's great engines.

I have driven the 9-5. I drove it at the MPG in 2009. The Opel & Buick too. Personally I would buy the Buick. I like it better and its less expensive.

@Woodz: "what makes Infinity or Lexus so much better than SAAB? "

Better customer experience.