The Saab Turbo Mobil Challenge was a one-make race series, run by the British Automobile Racing Club (BARC) in the UK in 1987 and 1988. The cars permitted to compete were Saab 900 turbo cars in 10- and 12-lap races. The series was sponsored by Mobil and Saab (Great Britain) Ltd .
94-641: The cars were capable of 140 mph (225 km/h) and were tuned to production specification, with only Saab sports parts permitted for any adjustments. The wheels were shod with Pirelli racing slick tyres . Key specifications for race cars were: no chassis modification; front and rear spoilers as standard, with removal of material permitted for engine cooling; ground clearance front 440 mm (17.3 in), rear 400 mm (15.7 in); sump guard prohibited; engines conforming to Saab-Scania standard H-series Turbo specification, as from model year 1986; oil and water cooler matrices standard; control of wastgate
188-602: A Maserati Quattroporte , Porsche Panamera rival with an eight-cylinder (the E8) or a twelve-cylinder (the E12) engine but due to problems getting the D8 into production, the idea was ignored until 2009 when Muller has said he "believes now could be the time to resurrect the saloon." Muller believed it would take about four years from the time that the E8/E12 is revealed to actual production. It
282-628: A 4172 cc Audi V8 engine delivering 400 bhp (298 kW; 406 PS), acceleration 0–60 mph in 4.5 seconds and a top speed of 300 km/h (190 mph). On July 14, 2005, Spyker announced that the C8 had been approved for sale in the US market. Between 2002 and 2006, Spyker built the C8 Double 12 S, which was available from the factory with 5 different levels of performance called Stage I (400 h.p.) through Stage V (620 h.p.), depending on
376-516: A 6-speed manual Getrag or a 6-speed ZF automatic transmission. As with previous Spyker models, the car has typical aviation-inspired design elements such as NACA styled air-inlets. Driver technology has been upgraded as well compared to previous models, with the C8 Preliator gaining a heads-up display and bluetooth connectivity for phones. The Spyker C12 is a luxury sports car of which there were two variants. Spyker originally planned
470-448: A Chinese company. On 13 June 2012, it was announced that a newly formed company called National Electric Vehicle Sweden (NEVS) had bought Saab Automobile's bankrupt estate. According to "Saab United", the first NEVS Saab 9-3 drove off its pre-production line on 19 September 2013. Full production restarted on 2 December 2013, initially the same petrol-powered 9-3 Aero sedans that were built before Saab went bankrupt, and intended to get
564-537: A Chinese partner, Saab officially filed for bankruptcy after a three-year fight for survival. Under Sweden's bankruptcy laws, a party that files for bankruptcy can be bought out of bankruptcy. On 16 April 2012, a meeting on Saab's bankruptcy was held at the District Court of Vänersborg. The official receivers in charge of the Saab liquidation valued the assets at US$ 500m and the debt at US$ 2,000m. After subtracting
658-557: A Swedish aerospace and defence company, was created in 1937 in Linköping . The company had been established in 1937 for the express purpose of building aircraft for the Swedish Air Force to protect the country's neutrality as Europe moved closer to World War II . As the war drew to a close and the market for fighter planes seemed to weaken, the company began looking for new markets to diversify. An automobile design project
752-511: A buyer. On 16 April 2012, a meeting regarding Saab's bankruptcy was held at the District Court of Vänersborg. The official receivers in charge of the Saab liquidation valued its assets and debt at US$ 500 million and US$ 2 billion, respectively, leaving it with a debt of US$ 1.5 billion. In June 2012 the company was sold to the Chinese-Swedish investment group National Electric Vehicle Sweden (NEVS), after which Swedish Automotive N.V.
846-477: A clean break from the 92. The 99 had many innovations and features that would come to define Saabs for decades: wraparound windscreen, self-repairing bumpers, headlamp washers and side-impact door beams. The design by Sixten Sason was no less revolutionary than the underlying technology, and elements like the Saab hockey stick profile graphic continue to influence Saab's design language. In 1969, Saab AB merged with
940-433: A convertible version was presented. Horsepower ranges from 400 for the original C8 Spyder to 620 for the C8 Double 12S. The most recent model, the C8 Preliator, was officially announced at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show . Only 50 vehicles will be produced. The car has a 4.2l supercharged Audi V8 producing 525 hp, resulting in a 0–100 km/h time of 3.7 seconds and a top speed of 322 km/h. The car either comes with
1034-452: A decade. In the fall of 1989 Saab opened a new factory [ sv ] in Malmö . Located in the old Kockums shipyard , this was a novel kind of factory with extensive worker control and a focus on workers' comfort, an effort to increase productivity and retain skilled workers. With an annual capacity of 60,000 cars (to be increased to 90,000 cars by 1995), the factory began production at
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#17328019461411128-501: A facelift and renaming complementary to its new larger sibling: it would now be called the Saab 9-3 . The 9-5 was the first Saab without a combi coupé body style option in 20 years. Filling that space was a wagon variant, introduced in 1999. GM exercised its option to acquire the remaining Saab shares in 2000, spending US$ 125 million to turn the company into a wholly owned subsidiary. The new close relationship yielded its first product in 2003's all-new 9–3. The new model, marketed as
1222-479: A facelift of the exterior to be shown on a finalised production model. On 29 November 2013 NEVS announced that full-scale production would commence on 2 December 2013, having replaced the 20 percent of parts originally sourced from former Saab owner General Motors. Following negotiations with parts suppliers, small-scale production of the petrol version of the Saab 9-3 resumed in December 2013, with sales focused on
1316-549: A new brand around the purchased technology and admitted to the purchase of "three overall vehicle platforms, two engine technologies and two transmission systems." Following the collapse of talks with Koenigsegg, GM announced that the brand would be eliminated in 2010 if it failed to secure a buyer before the close of 2009. As talks with several firms failed, including the Netherlands-based boutique sports car maker Spyker, GM formally announced its intention to wind down
1410-560: A new platform. The agreement yielded 1985's Saab 9000 , sister to the Alfa Romeo 164 , Fiat Croma and Lancia Thema ; all rode atop a common Type Four chassis . The 9000 was Saab's first proper luxury car but failed to achieve the planned sales volume. 1978 also was the first year for the 99's replacement: the Saab 900 . Nearly one million 900s would be produced, making it Saab's best-selling and most iconic model. A popular convertible version followed in 1986, all of which were made at
1504-558: A planned shift of production away from Saab's historic home in Trollhättan to Opel 's factory in Rüsselsheim . Owing to fading fortunes across its entire business due to a slowing economy in 2007, GM announced that the Saab brand was "under review" in December 2008, a process which included the possibility of selling or shuttering the car maker. As the talks progressed, GM's support receded, and Saab went into administration ,
1598-522: A production facility for models sold in China. Cars sold in North America and most of Europe would continue to be produced at Trollhättan, Sweden. The possibility of using Fiat/Chrysler sourced drive train components for non- electric models was also being examined. On 12 August 2013, the Saab plant at Trollhättan reopened its doors to welcome back employees for preparations and restructuring of
1692-767: A range of premium cars based on the Saab PhoeniX platform. In March 2013, the B6 Venator was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show , the B6 Venator was noted as Spyker's first concept car in nearly four years. On September 16, 2013, Spyker N.V. lost its listing on Euronext Amsterdam after failing to undergo a restructuring agreement. On November 5, 2014, the Central Netherlands District Court ordered Spyker to leave
1786-493: A result, several stock issues were announced to big investors. Notably, all shares have been sold at higher prices than the market price at the moment of announcement. On November 13, 2005, Spyker Cars and Mubadala Development Company , a principal investment company wholly owned by the government of the United Arab Emirates , announced their strategic alliance, with Mubadala acquiring 17% of Spyker. Mubadala has
1880-415: A seven-week hiatus. The supply of parts stopped because Saab did not pay its suppliers. Production was due to start again on August 9. On June 23, Saab announced that it was unable to pay June salaries to the entire workforce of 3,800 due to lack of funding. The trade union IF Metall gave Saab seven days to pay the salaries to their employees; otherwise, IF Metall threatened to force a liquidation of
1974-535: A small production run, but only one prototype of each car was built. In 2006, the Spyker D12 Peking-to-Paris high-performance SUV , was announced at the Geneva Motor Show . But the mass-production, which was slated for a mid-2008 production, was delayed and the V12 engine from the concept car has been changed to a Volkswagen W12 engine at around 500 bhp (373 kW; 507 PS). Its name
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#17328019461412068-434: A sound engineering reputation and ultimately a luxury price tag, Saab failed to build its customer base beyond its niche following. After struggling to avoid insolvency throughout 2011, the company petitioned for bankruptcy following the failure of a Chinese consortium to complete a purchase of the company; the purchase had been blocked by the former owner GM, which opposed the transfer of technology and production rights to
2162-547: A sport sedan, dropped Saab's iconic hatchback in favour of a more conventional four-door approach. The model shared a co-developed platform (GM's "global Epsilon 1 platform") and some other components with the Opel Vectra again, but the relationship was much more of a joint engineering effort than before. Under GM's direction, the badge-engineered Saab 9-2X (based on the Subaru Impreza ) and Saab 9-7X (based on
2256-870: A strong relationship with sports cars, also controlling 5% of Ferrari . In 2007, Spyker, in collaboration with the Italian car-design firm Zagato , produced the C12 Zagato , based on the C12 La Turbie, but with more appealing bodywork, faster speeds, and the Zagato trademark roof bubbles. This is perhaps the more exclusive Spyker car to date. In November 2009, Spyker announced that it would be moving production from Zeewolde to Whitley, Coventry , where assembly would be done in partnership with CPP Manufacturing . UK production began in February 2010. Due to
2350-456: A time of shrinking sales and economic contraction and only built 10,176 cars in 1990 (the only full year of production). After a review by GM, the factory changed over to a standard assembly line but was nonetheless shuttered in June 1991, after 20,664 cars had been built in about two years. General Motors' involvement spurred the launch of a new 900 in 1994. The new car shared a platform with
2444-519: A win; 9 for 2nd place; 8 for 3rd place etc. down to 1 for 10th place. An extra point was awarded to the drivers who achieved a pole position or fastest race lap. In 1988, the drivers (with end-of-season points) were: The 12 rounds of the 1988 challenge were run at: The overall winner (1988 Champion) was Charles Tippet, driving for Saab Haymill , based in Farnham Common , UK. On his way, he scored four race wins and three lap records. His car
2538-620: The 9-7X was manufactured by GM along with the Chevrolet Trailblazer and its platform-mates. The exception to this naming rule is the Saab-Lancia 600 , which was a re-badged Lancia Delta . Spyker Cars N.V. Spyker Cars ( / ˈ s p aɪ k ər / , Dutch pronunciation: [ˈspɛikər] ) is a Dutch sports car brand held by the holding company Spyker N.V. (formerly known as Spyker Cars N.V. and Swedish Automobile N.V. ). The modern Spyker Cars held
2632-544: The C12 La Turbie with a V12 engine capable of 500 horsepower and acceleration from 0–60 mph in less than 4 seconds. In September 2006, Spyker acquired the Midland F1 team , which subsequently competed in the final three races of the 2006 season as Spyker MF1. In the 2007 , the team competed as Spyker F1 using engines supplied by Ferrari . Driver Adrian Sutil was paired with Christijan Albers until
2726-492: The Chevrolet Trailblazer ) were introduced in the American market in 2005 with the hope of increasing sales. Both models were a critical and commercial failure and were cancelled a few years after production began. GM also delayed the 9-3 wagon by three years, shelved a hatchback derivative of the 9-3 sedan, stalled plans for all-wheel-drive capabilities in Saab models until 2008, cancelled a 9–5 replacement in 2005, and announced
2820-585: The European Grand Prix where the latter was replaced by reserve driver Markus Winkelhock ; the team then signed Sakon Yamamoto to fill in the slot for the rest of the year. The team itself had minimal success, suffering from multiple retirements (including double retirements in Malaysia , Canada and Brazil ) before Sutil scored the team's first and only point in Japan . At the end of the season,
2914-488: The Opel Vectra . Due in large part to its success, Saab earned a profit in 1995 for the first time in seven years. However, the model never achieved the cult following of the "classic 900" and did not achieve the same reputation for quality. 1997 marked Saab's 50th anniversary as a car manufacturer. The company used its jubilee owners' convention to launch a replacement for the aging 9000: the Saab 9-5 . The 900 received
Saab Turbo Mobil Challenge - Misplaced Pages Continue
3008-464: The Saab 95 , was added in 1959. The decade also saw Saab's first performance car, the Saab 94 , the first of the Saab Sonetts . 1960 saw the third major revision to the 92's platform as the Saab 96 . The 96 was an important model for Saab: it was the first Saab to be widely exported out of Sweden. The unusual vehicle proved very popular, selling nearly 550,000 examples. Unlike American cars of
3102-583: The Saab-Valmet factory in Finland , making up nearly 20% of 900 sales. Even today, the "classic 900" retains a cult following. In 1989, the Saab car division of Saab-Scania was restructured into an independent company, Saab Automobile AB, headquartered in Sweden; General Motors and Investor AB controlled 50% each. GM's investment of US$ 600 million gave it the option to acquire the remaining shares within
3196-860: The Automotive Technology License Agreement (ATLA) between GM Global Technology Operations Inc (GTO) and Saab, GM refused licensing of the platforms and technology in Saab cars if any Chinese party were to be involved in Saab's ownership structure. To solve this issue, Spyker and Youngman came up with a deal where Youngman would provide Saab with a loan of €200 million which would be converted into an equity interest in Saab only after Saab ceased using GM technology in its vehicles. Despite this, GM maintained that it would still refuse licensing of platforms and technology needed for production of Saab cars in Trollhättan and also threatened to cease 9-4X production at GM's plant in Mexico, should
3290-621: The European Investment Bank, the Swedish National Debt Office and BAIC. It was announced on 14 December 2009, that the Chinese car manufacturer would acquire the intellectual property rights and production equipment for the previous generation Saab 9-3 and Saab 9–5 in a deal worth about US$ 197 million, which was enough for the company to run for three months. BAIC expressed its intention to create
3384-605: The Saab brand. Undeterred, a new offer round materialised. Earlier bidders Spyker and Merbanco revised their offers and were joined by a submission from Luxembourg-based Genii Capital , which boasted the support of F1 chief Bernie Ecclestone . GM continued accepting bids until a self-imposed deadline of 7 January 2010. Acknowledging that the chances of reaching a deal with any party were very slim, they pledged to evaluate each offer with due diligence. On 26 January, General Motors (GM) confirmed it had agreed to sell Saab to Spyker N.V. subject to regulatory and government approval;
3478-435: The Saab factory had been acquired by a Chinese consortium called National Electric Vehicle Sweden (NEVS). This company was founded by Hong-Kong based National Modern Energy Holdings (NME) and Japan based Sun Investment, for the sole purpose of acquiring Saab's bankruptcy assets. Saab Automobile Parts AB was excluded in the deal and the Swedish National Debt Office would continue as an owner of that company. NEVS' plan
3572-659: The Spyker board had accepted their offer and became the new owners of the Spyker Formula One team, which was renamed as Force India Formula One Team for the 2008 season. The Spyker Squadron was the factory racing team, competing in events such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans , the Le Mans Series , occasional entries in the FIA GT Championship , and the 12 hours of Sebring . Spyker also supplied
3666-632: The Swedish and Chinese markets. Production stopped in May 2014, initially only short term but was extended many times. According to NEVS, this was due to Qingdao insufficiently financing NEVS operations, forcing owner Kai Johan Jiang to fund operations through private funds as well as through assets in NEVS parent company National Modern Energy Holdings Ltd. At this time, NEVS reportedly owed around $ 57 million to creditors, and sought bankruptcy protection with
3760-488: The Swedish commercial vehicle manufacturer Scania-Vabis AB to form Saab-Scania AB, under the Wallenberg family umbrella. The 99 range was expanded in 1973 with the addition of a combi coupe model, a body style which became synonymous with Saab. The millionth Saab automobile was produced in 1976. Saab entered into an agreement with Fiat in 1978 to sell a rebadged Lancia Delta as the Saab 600 and jointly develop
3854-415: The Swedish equivalent of America's Chapter 11 bankruptcy . Saab's managing director Jan-Åke Jonsson said that this was "the best way to create a truly independent entity that is ready for investment". For its part, the Swedish government was reluctant to become involved, with Maud Olofsson , industry minister, stating: "The Swedish state and taxpayers in Sweden will not own car factories. Sometimes you get
Saab Turbo Mobil Challenge - Misplaced Pages Continue
3948-477: The Swedish monetary and security agencies had uncovered ties between the family of Vladimir Antonov—a major Spyker shareholder—and organized crime syndicates engaged in money laundering. In part due to this, GM ended negotiations with Spyker on December 18, stating that it would begin a staged wind-down of operations at Saab Automobile in January if a buyer for it couldn't be found. Spyker CEO Victor Muller revived
4042-713: The US$ 3 billion claim was heard in Detroit , Michigan before US federal Gershwin Drain, who dismissed it on the basis that "General Motors had a contractual right to approve or disapprove the proposed transaction" due to Spyker having given GM the right to veto any change of ownership in the Saab acquisition agreement. Spyker's appeal of the ruling was heard at the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati on October 24, 2014. Judge Eugene Siler ruled in favor of GM, stating that
4136-428: The aim of restructuring the company. Despite protection being granted, Saab revoked the right for NEVS to use the Saab brand name. Despite optimism from NEVS that the name may be re acquired, Saab AB confirmed again in 2016 that it was cancelling the licencing agreement between the two companies, meaning future cars would be produced under the name NEVS. After securing deals with various Chinese consortiums, including
4230-520: The automobile division of Saab-Scania was restructured into an independent company, Saab Automobile AB. The American manufacturer General Motors (GM) took 50 percent ownership. Two well-known models to come out of this period were the Saab 9-3 and the Saab 9-5 . Then in 2000, GM exercised its option to acquire the remaining 50 percent. In 2010 GM sold Saab Automobile AB to the Dutch automobile manufacturer Spyker Cars N.V. After many years establishing
4324-498: The bankruptcy of SAAB and a falling out with business partners, the production was not moved to the UK. In late November 2009, following the collapse of Koenigsegg Group's acquisition of Saab Automobile from General Motors (GM), Spyker placed a bid of its own to acquire Saab. General Motors (GM), receptive to the offer, entered into negotiations with Spyker and conducted an extensive due diligence effort. From this, they learned that
4418-460: The car manufacturer's supply chain re-established as it attempted development of a new line of NEVS-Saab products. NEVS lost its license to manufacture automobiles under the Saab name (which the namesake aerospace company still owns) in the summer of 2014 and later produced electric cars based on the Saab 9-3 but under its own new car designation "NEVS". Saab , " S venska A eroplan A ktie b olaget " (Swedish for "Swedish aeroplane corporation"),
4512-609: The city of Tianjin , resulting in the construction of a new factory, NEVS was acquired by Chinese conglomerate Evergrande Group in 2019. Evergrande's subsequent financial troubles resulted in NEVS being closed in March 2023, with the company going into "Hibernation Mode" to avoid bankruptcy, essentially liquidating the company. Saab's total world production in 2008 was 89,143 Saab vehicles produced in five countries (Sweden, Austria, United States, Mexico and Germany). Production declined sharply in 2009, as new owners struggled to deal with
4606-482: The claim if the case is successful. In June 2013, the district court dismissed the lawsuit, ruling that General Motors was within its rights to block the sale. In October 2014, the circuit court of appeals upheld the dismissal. On 13 June 2012, a press conference was held announcing that the bankruptcy assets of Saab Automobile AB and its subsidiaries Saab Automobile Powertrain AB and Saab Automobile Tools AB as well as
4700-460: The company bankrupt on 18 December, but reversed course on 29 January, 2015 after Spyker appealed the decision. The court granted Spyker's petition and appointed an administrator to work with the Board of Management in managing the company's affairs until the completion of its restructure. The court's ruling granted the company a moratorium of payment to protect its assets from seizure by creditors for
4794-490: The company was sold to Pang Da and Zhejiang Youngman, stating that the new owner's use of the technology is not in the best interest of GM investors. Because of this, Saab started working on a new proposal which would not change the original ownership structure and would not include a Chinese partner as an owner of the company, but instead as a 50% owner of a new daughter company. On 19 December 2011, with no alternatives left after GM continued to block any form of involvement with
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#17328019461414888-564: The company's blocking of the sale of Saab had not been malicious, but rather based upon "legitimate business concerns" about who would benefit from Saab's use of GM technology. On August 27, 2012, Spyker announced that Youngman had acquired a 29.9% stake in the company for €10 million (US$ 12.5 million). Two joint ventures between Spyker and Youngman were announced, Spyker P2P and Spyker Phoenix, with Spyker having 25% and 20% stakes in them, respectively. Spyker P2P would develop new luxury sports utility vehicles, while Spyker Phoenix would develop
4982-586: The company's mounting financial problems. Production was suspended until late 2013, when the new ownership launched a limited run of 2014 model year 9-3 sedans. Saab manufactured various models at the Valmet Automotive plant in Uusikaupunki , Finland, between 1969 and 2003, in a joint venture established in 1968 together with Valmet . After 2003 Saab did not manufacture any cars in Finland, as
5076-519: The company. On June 29, Saab employees were paid. Swedish Automobile initially tried to secure funding in May 2011 via proposed joint ventures with Chinese automotive manufacturers Hawtai and Youngman , and the Chinese car dealership chain Pang Da. As negotiations had not progressed by September, Swedish Automobile offered to sell its Spyker Cars division to the American private equity firm North Street Capital for €32 million (US$ 41 million), but
5170-640: The customer's need for performance. Between 2003 and 2007, Spyker built the C8 Spyder T, with the Twin turbo system being developed in conjunction with Cosworth in England . These engines were capable of 525 h.p. and 0–60 mph acceleration times of 4.0 seconds. In 2005, the head designer and founder, Maarten de Bruijn , left the company, and founded Silvestris Aquamotive which builds aluminum space frame speed boats . In 2006, Spyker built
5264-425: The day, the 93, 95 and 96 all featured the 3-cylinder 2-cycle engine, which required adding oil to the petrol tank, front-wheel drive, and freewheeling, which allowed the driver to downshift the on-the-column manual shifter without using the clutch. Front seat shoulder belts were also an early feature. Even more important to the company's fortunes was 1968's Saab 99 . The 99 was the first all-new Saab in 19 years and
5358-428: The deal by revising the company's acquisition bid and acquiring Antonov's shares via Tenaci, another company he owned. On 26 January 2010, Spyker reached an agreement with GM to purchase Saab for US$ 394 million, comprising US$ 74 million in cash and US$ 320 million in Spyker stock, subject to regulatory and government approval. General Motors would continue to supply Saab with engines and transmissions, and would produce
5452-425: The deal go through. Consequently, the deal finally collapsed and Saab was forced to file for bankruptcy. According to Spyker, the actions taken by GM were not legal. Since Saab had been in receivership since the bankruptcy, and would be until the deal with Nevs was closed, Spyker and the receivers of Saab Automobile had entered into an agreement where Spyker would bear the costs of the litigation in exchange for 90% of
5546-409: The deal with Youngman and Pang Da to prevent them from benefiting from technology Saab had licensed from it. On December 19, following a month of unsuccessful negotiations with GM, Saab Automobile filed for bankruptcy due to being unable to find another company to acquire it. Swedish Automotive attempted to prevent the liquidation of Saab by putting Spyker Cars up for sale again, but was unable to find
5640-543: The deal. There were outstanding financial details, but a loan from the European Investment Bank was expected to cover them. The loan was approved in October, but on 24 November 2009, Koenigsegg announced that it had "come to the painful and difficult conclusion that it could no longer carry out the acquisition" much because of the constant delays and the difficulties coordinating the involved parties: GM,
5734-532: The duration of the restructure. On May 13, Spyker closed a deal with the creditors—to whom it owed a combined €44 million—to pay them €12,000 each. Saab GB, the largest creditor with €24.9 million at stake, agreed to receive a payment of €61,000. A later attempt by the Latvian bank Lizings to claim more money was declined by the court. On July 29, 2015, Spyker completed its restructuring plan and resumed regular business operations. In March 2016, Spyker announced
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#17328019461415828-552: The factory it had been renting within seven days and pay its owner €152,000 in overdue rent. The claim was made by Jacques Walch, the owner of the factory rented by Spyker. Despite this, CEO Victor Muller insisted the company would be able to pay its bills "in a matter of days." On 2 December 2014, Spyker NV was granted a moratorium of payment (financial restructuring) by the Central Netherlands District Court. Spyker needed protection from creditors for its liquidity problems. Victor R. Muller, Spyker founder and chief executive, said "Over
5922-407: The final race of the season, at Thruxton. Following the series Lionel Abbott, along with his brother Ed, went on to establish the company Abbott Racing. The Essex-based family business specialises in modifications to, and racing preparation of, many late Saab models, in particular the turbocharged models from the 1980s onwards. Saab Automobile Saab Automobile AB ( / s ɑː b / )
6016-467: The impending sale of its supercar division to Greenwich, Connecticut based North Street Capital , In an attempt to save Spyker from bankruptcy, Swedish Automobile in September 2011, announced the immediate sale of Spyker to American private equity and hedge fund North Street Capital for € 32 million ( US$ 41 million), and subsequently changed its name to Swedish Automobile N.V. However, it
6110-417: The impression that this is a small, small company but it is the world's biggest automaker so we have a right to make demands." On 16 June 2009, Koenigsegg announced its intention to purchase the brand from GM. The bid was backed by a group of Norwegian investors and the Chinese car maker Beijing Automotive Industry Holding Co Ltd (BAIC). The following month, both parties announced that GM had consented to
6204-461: The legal rights to the brand name. The company's motto is " Nulla tenaci invia est via ", Latin for "For the tenacious, no road is impassable". The marque's logo displays an aircraft propeller superimposed over a spoked wheel, a reference to the historic Spyker company that manufactured automobiles and aircraft. In 2010, the company acquired Swedish car manufacturer Saab Automobile from General Motors . In September 2011, Spyker announced
6298-446: The new Saab 9-4X at GM's Mexican factory. To pay the upfront acquisition cost, Spyker took out a loan from the European Investment Bank and borrowed $ US25 million from Convers Bank, owned by former investor Vladimir Antonov. On February 23, 2010, Spyker completed its acquisition of Saab Automobile and announced it would restructure to make both Spyker and Saab subsidiaries of a parent company called Swedish Automobile. The restructure
6392-401: The owner of Saab Automobile. Scania believed the logo is of high value in China and feared that it would end up in the wrong hands through the Chinese interests behind NEVS. In January 2013, due to Sun Investment withdrawing from the project, NEVS announced a new deal with Qingdao Qingbo Investment Co. Ltd, for a 22% stake in the company. In return, NEVS/Saab would receive SEK 2bn, along with
6486-512: The past few years, Spyker has faced a number of serious difficulties and challenges resulting from, among others, the legacy of the F1 era and the acquisition of Saab Automobile AB,". On December 2, 2014, Spyker filed a voluntary petition to financially restructure ("surseance van betaling") to address short-term operational and liquidity challenges, the Dutch equivalent of Chapter 11 bankruptcy . The Central Netherlands District Court initially declared
6580-434: The production line. Production of the existing 9–3 would commence shortly with a new electric motor, while Saab finished the preparations for the new 9-3 Phoenix. In September 2013, the first pre-production Saab-branded vehicle produced by NEVS rolled off of the assembly line. This model was mostly aesthetically identical to the previous Saab 9-3 and mainly used to test new components and assembly line equipment. NEVS announced
6674-438: The production model, the Saab 92 , in 1949. The Saab 92 went into production in December 1949. 20,000 cars were sold through the mid-1950s. The 92 was thoroughly redesigned and re-engineered in 1955, and was renamed as the " Saab 93 ". The car's engine gained a cylinder, going from two to three and its front fascia became the first to sport the first incarnation of Saab's trademark trapezoidal radiator grill. A wagon variant,
6768-466: The production of a new model, the C8 Preliator, at the Geneva Motor Show . In January 2021, Spyker filed for bankruptcy again. The C8 Spyder was the original base model with an Audi 4.2 litre V8 engine . Since the start of its production in 2000, twelve different variants have been sold. A long-wheelbase version was presented at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show, called the C8 Aileron. A year later,
6862-485: The production of the 9-3 convertible then moved to Graz , Austria. In 2010 production of the 9-3 convertible was moved again to Trollhättan. This marked the first time that Trollhättan manufactured the 9-3 convertible. A common feature of Saab car types was the use of the number 9 in the model numbers. The final models were the 9-3 and 9-5 , both of which were manufactured in Trollhättan , Sweden. Until 2008,
6956-491: The sale was completed on 23 February 2010. General Motors would continue to supply Saab with engines and transmissions, and also completed vehicles in the shape of the new Saab 9-4x from GM's Mexican factory. The deal included a loan from the European Investment Bank, guaranteed by the Swedish government. It comprised US$ 74m in cash up front, payable to GM by July 2010, and shares in Spyker to the tune of US$ 320m. On 25 February, Spyker Cars N.V. announced that it had agreed to sell
7050-483: The sports car arm to focus on Saab. Spyker intended to change its name, in May, to include the Saab name. In early 2011, Saab began to run out of money, and Spyker were not able to cover the losses. Both companies stopped paying bills, and on 30 March several suppliers refused further deliveries to Saab's factory in Trollhättan. Initially Spyker CEO Victor Muller blamed the media for the problems, and claimed that Saab had no problems with funding. On 5 April all production
7144-541: The team which was renamed Spyker MF1 Team for the last three races of the 2006 Formula One season. As part of the deal, the cars had a revised livery for the final three races of 2006. On August 14, 2007, Spyker Cars announced that it would have to sell all or part of the team due to a potential split of the team from its parent company. On September 3, 2007, Indian billionaire Vijay Mallya (Chairman and CEO of Toyota sponsors Kingfisher Airlines ) and Dutch entrepreneur Michiel Mol (Spyker's Formula One Director), stated
7238-567: The team was sold to a consortium named "Orange India" led by Vijay Mallya and was subsequently renamed as Force India . On May 27, 2004, Spyker Cars listed on the Euronext Amsterdam Stock Exchange at €15.50, falling to a low of €8.28 in April 2005. The stock rebounded sharply in early 2006 to over €22 per share. Early in 2007 the stock showed a sharp decline to levels beneath €13 because of financing issues. As
7332-767: The value of the assets, Saab leaves a debt of US$ 1,500m. On 6 August 2012, Spyker, represented by the law firm Patton Boggs , filed a lawsuit against General Motors in the United States District Court of the Eastern District of Michigan claiming US$ 3 billion in damages for the actions GM took in the fall of 2011 to stop the various proposed deals between Spyker and Youngman concerning Saab Automobile where Youngman claimed to be ready to invest several billion dollars in Saab Automobile to guarantee its future. More precisely, under
7426-740: Was 'free'; air filter box, element and throttle housing standard; exhaust manifold standard; exhaust system after the manifold was 'free'; the APC system could be deleted; fuel injection equipment standard, with permitted modifications; Saab roadholding kit fitted; Saab anti-roll bar kit fitted; permitted to alter front and rear wheel geometry; clutch uprated to an AP Racing unit; gearbox standard for 1986 model year; Saab-supplied wheels only; specified brake modifications permitted; handbrake could be removed; fuel tank standard; standard power-steering to be retained. Drivers raced in either of two classes, Professional or Amateur . Points were awarded as follows: 10 for
7520-477: Was a car manufacturer that was founded in Sweden in 1945 when its parent company, Saab AB , began a project to design a small automobile. The first production model, the Saab 92 , was launched in 1949. In 1968 the parent company merged with Scania-Vabis , and ten years later the Saab 900 was launched, in time becoming Saab's best-selling model. In the mid-1980s the new Saab 9000 model also appeared. In 1989,
7614-479: Was a particularly dramatic incident at Donington, on 3 July, in which No. 28 was repeatedly struck by John Llewellyn's car and was eventually forced to spin off. The Amateur Champion in 1988 was David Field (6), driving the blue and yellow McNaughton Ross Sponsored Car. After a season long battle with Simon Butler (Kentish Saab), Field won the Championship by a single point obtained by virtue of "fastest lap" in
7708-590: Was announced that Swedish Automobile, the Dutch owner of Saab Automobile, agreed to sell its sports car unit to Vladimir Antonov . Antonov, a former Spyker chairman and shareholder, was expected to pay 15 million euros (US$ 21 million) for the company. However, in March 2011, the deal fell through, with Spyker's manufacturing partner CPP Manufacturing placing a bid, but this deal fell through later that month. On June 8, 2011, Saab Automobile said it had stopped production due to an insufficient supply of parts. This occurred only two weeks after resuming production following
7802-569: Was announced. This deal quickly unraveled and on 12 May Hawtai walked away from Saab. Plans for a new joint venture with Chinese carmaker Youngman and Chinese automotive retailer Pang Da followed shortly. After months of negotiations the companies agreed to a joint US$ 140 million takeover of Saab Automobile and its UK dealer network unit from Swedish Automobile , with Youngman and Pang Da taking 60 and 40 percent stakes respectively. On 6 December, GM announced that it would not continue its licenses to GM patents and technology to Saab if
7896-470: Was completed on June 15, 2011 when shareholders agreed at the company's annual shareholder meeting to change its official name from Spyker Cars N.V. to Swedish Automobile N.V. By the end of 2010, however, Saab Automobile ran out of money and Spyker was unable to fund the losses. The companies stopped paying their bills in early 2011, resulting in the halting of production on March 30 due to suppliers refusing to deliver parts on credit. In February 2011, it
7990-528: Was declined. Saab Automotive submitted a debt restructuring plan that would put the company on track to have positive equity by 2014 via a process that would involve terminating 500 employees to save €100,000. The proposal was accepted by a Swedish court on October 31, 2011. On October 28, 2011, Swedish Automobile announced that it would sell Saab Automobile for €100 million (US$ 140 million) to Youngman and Pang Da, who would acquire 60 and 40 percent of Saab's shares, respectively. On November 7, GM rejected
8084-682: Was founded by Victor Muller and Maarten de Bruijn in 1999, and since 2000, Spyker has been building exclusive sports cars like the C8 Spyder and the C8 Laviolette (with its elegant glass roof). Spyker's history of producing aero engines is reflected in details in these new cars as well as in the logo. Before building the C8, de Bruijn had been building small numbers of the Spyker Silvestris , which in many ways foreshadows Spyker's later cars. The C8 Laviolette and C8 Spyder have
8178-497: Was halted at Saab's plant in Trollhättan. Spyker CEO Victor Muller tried to obtain funding from several different sources. On 30 March his former sponsor, Russian banker Vladimir Antonov, applied to Swedish authorities, the EIB and General Motors for permission to become a shareholder in Saab. His request was denied by the EIB, citing concerns about his business practices. On 3 May, a joint venture between Saab and Chinese carmaker Hawtai
8272-521: Was in red livery with yellow stripes and raced as No. 28. It is the only survivor of the participating vehicles and is preserved in Oxfordshire , England . The racing livery included advertisements for Scania , Scantruck , Saab Haymill, Pirelli and Mobil. The driver's name and the names of the service crew were also displayed and remain on the preserved motor car. In addition, some minor bodywork damage can still be seen, acquired during racing. There
8366-470: Was later revealed that the transaction did not occur. On December 18, 2014, Spyker confirmed that it had gone bankrupt, hoping to restructure its finances and getting back on its feet. The bankruptcy declaration was reverted early 2015 and the company announced to continue with the production of sports cars. In 2021 it went bankrupt again. In January 2022 Spyker announced a return to building cars after being backed by Russian investors. The reborn company
8460-561: Was never produced, however. Spyker's all-time high was achieved in 2006, with 94 cars sold, about 290 cars were sold between 2000 and 2010. Spyker lost money each year since 2007. This table summarizes the key figures of Spyker Cars from 2007 to 2012. The figures originate from the Spyker Annual Report in 2011 and 2012. On September 9, 2006, Spyker bought Midland F1 Racing , a Formula One team from Canadian businessman Alex Shnaider . Spyker paid US$ 106.6 million for
8554-428: Was renamed Spyker N.V. On August 6, 2012, Spyker announced that it would sue GM over the Saab bankruptcy, with CEO Muller stating, "Ever since we were forced to file for Saab Automobile's bankruptcy in December of last year, we have worked relentlessly on the preparation for this lawsuit which seeks to compensate Spyker and Saab for the massive damages we have incurred as a result of GM's unlawful actions." In June 2013,
8648-522: Was started in 1945 with the internal name "X9248". The design project became formally known as "Project 92"; the 92 being next in production sequence after the Saab 91 , a single engine trainer aircraft. In 1948, a company site in Trollhättan was converted to allow automobile assembly and the project moved there, along with the car manufacturing headquarters, which has remained there since. The company made four prototypes named " Ursaab " or "original Saab", numbered 92001 through to 92004, before designing
8742-526: Was then changed to the D8. Spyker hoped that the assistance of Saab , which they owned at the time, would help the D8 reach production. According to Muller in April 2011, the D8 should have started production in early 2013, with a price tag of £ 186,000. However, in March 2013, production was scheduled for 2016, with a production prototype due by 2014. Eventually, plans to produce the model were discontinued. Spyker shareholders and CEO, Victor Muller hinted at
8836-549: Was to build only purely electric vehicles with an electric version of the current 9-3 model available in 2013/2014, as well as to continue development of the replacement to the 9–3, the PhoeniX . GM continued to refuse licensing of the technology in the Saab 9-5 and 9-4X, so these models would not be produced. In August 2012, Scania AB announced that the griffin logo used in both Scania's and Saab Automobile's trademark would not be allowed for use on future Saab cars with NEVS as
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