Autoblog

Volkswagen Sweden builds a Touareg tank to tackle winter

George Kennedy — Wed, 26 Dec 2012 18:31:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, SUV, Europe, Volkswagen, Specialty, Off-Road

When it comes to the ingenuity of the automotive aftermarket, a good bit of inspiration often seems to come from the creator's native market. Lifted Jeep Wrangler creations climb out of mountainous regions like Moab, while low-riders flow from the massive urban sprawl of Los Angeles. The vehicle you see above is no different. Dubbed the "Snowareg," it is a creation by Volkswagen of Sweden, and is perfectly suited for harsh Swedish winters. Based on a Touareg V8 TDI, the Snowareg sends 340 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque to a modified set of treads at each wheel.

Very little information is given outside of that, but from what we can tell from these photos, anyone lucky to venture into the elements with the Snowareg will be doing so in style. It appears to come with the full bevy of VW options, including Dynaudio stereo, panoramic moonroof, dual-zone climate control and (of course) heated seats. As we said, very little information was given, but it's a fair assumption that this monster isn't foreshadowing any future options packages...

Volkswagen Sweden builds a Touareg tank to tackle winter originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 26 Dec 2012 18:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Volvo recommits to Sweden with development of next-gen platform and engines

Jeffrey N. Ross — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 11:33:00 EST

Filed under: Europe, Plants/Manufacturing, Volvo

Taking into account the facts that Volvo is now owned by China's Geely and how poorly the European automotive market has been recently, we would have definitely understood if Volvo moved production of its products out of its home market. And yet, the automaker has confirmed that it will be investing billions of dollars into new platforms and engines that will be made in Sweden. On a global scale, Volvo is making roughly $11 billion of investments, and close to half of that is being earmarked for Sweden for plant expansion and upgrades.

The new Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) platform will be the used as the basis for most future Volvo products starting with the next-generation XC90 that will be debuting at the end of 2014. SPA will be used to make up two-thirds of Volvo's sales, and gives Volvo a quicker and easier break from Ford-derived platforms. As for the Volvo Engine Architecture (VEA) family of engines, there are really no details about this mill except that it will be a four-cylinder that is more fuel efficient than current engines.

Scroll down for the Volvo press release.

Continue reading Volvo recommits to Sweden with development of next-gen platform and engines

Volvo recommits to Sweden with development of next-gen platform and engines originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 04 Dec 2012 11:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Watch a Jeep Grand Cherokee fail Sweden's Moose Test *UPDATE

Chris Shunk — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: SUV, Safety, Videos, Chrysler, Jeep

The Jeep Grand Cherokee has proven to be a rock-solid off-road-capable SUV with a dose of civility on public roads. But while the top Jeep has a terrific reputation and a long list of accolades, at least one model apparently didn't have the chops for the Teknikens Moose (or Elk) test over in Sweden.

The moose test is a lighting-fast emergency lane change maneuver that takes place at a relatively staid 40 miles per hour. While most vehicles clear the obstacle with little fuss, the below video shows that a Grand Cherokee Overland got up on two wheels and very nearly rolled. Teknikens Värld tester Linus Pröjtz points out in the Overland model comes standard in Sweden with 20-inch wheels, rollover protection and electronic stability control.

The Swedish car magazine (translation: "World of Technology") goes on to call on Chrysler to put a stop sale on the Grand Cherokee in Sweden until this issue is addressed, and they claim Chrysler has yet to provide an explanation as to why the vehicle performed so poorly.

Here in the States, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration awarded the Grand Cherokee four stars, including a five-star score for side impacts. However, in rating the SUV's rollover resistance, the GC only managed three stars in rear-wheel drive configuration, while four-wheel drive models netted four stars.

Scroll down to take in the press release from Teknikens, followed by the one-minute video that shows the GC Overland going all Dukes of Hazzard.

*UPDATE: Chrysler brand fan site Allpar has published an article that alleges that the rollover test was rigged, arguing the test was conducted in an intentionally overloaded vehicle. Further, it reports that the magazine conducted the test again - with Chrysler engineers standing by - in three different correctly loaded Grand Cherokees over eleven separate runs, but they were "unable to reproduce" the wheel lift condition.

**UPDATE: Chrysler confirms it is actively investigating the test and has just furnished Autoblog with an official response which you can read by scrolling down.

Continue reading Watch a Jeep Grand Cherokee fail Sweden's Moose Test *UPDATE

Watch a Jeep Grand Cherokee fail Sweden's Moose Test *UPDATE originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 09 Jul 2012 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New owners still struggling to secure rights to use Saab name

Danny King — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 16:32:00 EST

Filed under: China, Europe, Government/Legal, Japan, Plants/Manufacturing, Saab

Not to state the obvious, but if you're going to buy an automaker, it's probably advisable to secure rights to use the name.

That's what the new owners of Saab are trying to work out after buying the iconic Swedish automaker earlier this month, Automotive News reports.

National Electric Vehicle Sweden (NEVS), the Chinese-Japanese conglomerate, acquired the company's physical assets, including its factory in Trollhättan, but didn't get rights to use the Saab name and logo. Truckmaker Scania and defense company Saab AB maintain the name and logo rights, and will need to sign off on NEVS using it, according to the publication. The parties are in discussions.

Saab, which made its first cars in 1947, was acquired out of bankruptcy earlier this month. The new ownership group, led by ex-Volvo Trucks chief Karl-Erling Trogen, is planning on turning the company into an electric vehicle maker and will likely start with a battery-electric powered 9-3 in 2014.

New owners still struggling to secure rights to use Saab name originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 27 Jun 2012 16:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Saab Museum reopens in Sweden

Jonathon Ramsey — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 15:02:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Europe, Saab

Part of the sideshow in the Saab revival circus has been the waning and waxing fate of the Saab Museum Trollhättan, Sweden. The U.S. Heritage Collection was sold to two U.S. collectors earlier this year, while the Swedish museum's collection was rescued from breakup by three Swedish interests: the city of Trollhättan, SAAB AB and The Wallenberg Foundation.

With stipulations that its cars can only be displayed at the museum or regionally on occasion, the new museum opened its doors this weekend with the full complement of so-called quirky autos. It's open just about every day this year save for a week in June and the Christmas holidays.

Meanwhile, over at the main event, a joint bid involving BAIC and Panasonic appears to have joined the melee, while we wait on the results of bids from Youngman and Mahindra. We can only hope the Saab car company shares in the same good fortune as the museum.

Saab Museum reopens in Sweden originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 24 Mar 2012 15:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Watch as a Ferrari FF goes rallying in the snow

Noah Joseph — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, Europe, Videos, Ferrari, Off-Road

Ferrari has had its share of drivers who knew their way around a snowy rally course. Gilles Villeneuve, for example, was famous for the drifting techniques he picked up racing snowmobiles in his native Quebec. And Kimi Raikkonen, for another, left the Scuderia for the World Rally Championship where he exercised his Finnish roots. Thing is, both of these top drivers were gone from the Ferrari roster long before the company introduced the FF as its first all-wheel-drive car.

That's where Markku Alen comes in. The former World Rally Champion took the FF up to the Arjeplog track in the north of his native Sweden, just an hour's drive south of the Arctic Circle, to stretch it out in the snow. Fortunately, he also brought a film crew along. While Ferrari's shot footage of the FF playing in the snow before, none of it came out quite as majestic as this clip. Follow the jump to check it out.

Continue reading Watch as a Ferrari FF goes rallying in the snow

Watch as a Ferrari FF goes rallying in the snow originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sweden picks up tab on bankrupt Saab's EU loan

Jonathon Ramsey — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 10:59:00 EST

Filed under: Europe, Government/Legal, Saab, Earnings/Financials

Way back at the beginning of Saab's struggle for life after General Motors, exotic car firm Spyker was granted a €400-million loan ($527M U.S.) from the European Investment Bank. The loan was approved after it was guaranteed by Sweden's Debt Office, and Saab's recent bankruptcy filing forced the Debt Office to back up the guarantee with a €217-million payment ($286M) to the EIB - the portion of the loan that Saab actually drew upon.

It's not exactly bad news for the government, since the government's stake in Saab Automobile Parts and Saab Automobile Tools - used to guarantee its own guarantee of the EIB loan - is understood to be worth more than €217 million.

In the next couple of weeks, bids are expected from both China's Zhejiang Youngman Lotus and Turkey's Brightwell Holdings private equity group for the purchase of Saab in its entirety. No one can predict the outcome, but it this last-ditch situation might have the best chance: the European auto supplier organization CLEPA is assisting Youngman, the numbers being hinted at would indicate sane and motivated buyers, GM's intellectual property concerns appear to have been addressed, and it's certain that the sellers would love to see a bit of sun after a long spell of gloom for the hard luck brand.

Sweden picks up tab on bankrupt Saab's EU loan originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Porsche Cajun prototype caught wearing Audi duds in Sweden

Noah Joseph — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 13:01:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Performance, Europe, Crossover, Porsche

'Tis the season, or so they say. But we're not talking about the holidays. We're talking about the season for cold-weather testing of new prototypes up in northern Sweden. After our intrepid shutter-bugs snapped an updated Mercedes-Benz GLK taking its licks in the snow way up there near the arctic circle, now they've caught this Audi Q5 test mule.

Only appearances can be deceiving. Because while this may look like a Q5 - or even a high-performance Q5-RS - what we're actually looking at is a prototype for the upcoming Porsche Cajun.

The highly anticipated baby brother to the Cayenne will benefit from the synergies of belonging to the Volkswagen Group, hence the Q5 platform and - until we see otherwise - the Q5's sheetmetal. The major difference is in the wheel wells: bigger alloys, bigger brakes, and a wider track than the existing Audi.

The running gear (read: powertrain) is expected to be fine-tuned by Porsche engineers for a sportier attitude. We're expecting hybrid and even three-door versions (the latter to target the Range Rover Evoque), but for now we'll just have to gaze upon a wolf in sheep's clothing. Check it out in the high-res image gallery from the frozen tundra - you won't even have to put on your parka.

Porsche Cajun prototype caught wearing Audi duds in Sweden originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 14 Dec 2011 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mercedes-Benz's facelifted GLK snapped inside and out

Noah Joseph — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Europe, Crossover, Mercedes-Benz, Luxury

The smallest member of the Mercedes-Benz utility vehicle range, the GLK-Class has only been on the market for a couple of years now. Hardly in need of an update, then, but that hasn't stopped the Silver Star automaker from working on a little refresh for the boxy little crossover.

We first saw spy shots of a facelifted GLK being tested way back in May, and now the prototype has reared its angular head once again, this time for cold-weather testing way up in the northern lands of Sweden.

The exterior is pretty much as expected: new bumper caps front and rear, with new lights at both ends as well, including LED daytime running lamps. But for the first time, we can now see the updated interior, which adopts some of the retro cues from the SLS AMG while moving the shifter (for better or worse) from the center console to a steering-column stalk. Take a closer look for yourself in the gallery to see what Benz has in store.

Mercedes-Benz's facelifted GLK snapped inside and out originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 12 Dec 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Volvo considering building cars in North America

Aaron Richardson — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 08:59:00 EST

Filed under: China, Europe, Plants/Manufacturing, Volvo

Volvo is mulling a U.S. factory to offset some of its exposure to fluctuations in the dollar. One thing the automaker definitely will be doing is expanding its presence in the U.S., and a manufacturing facility would certainly make that way easier.

A U.S. Volvo plant would join factories in Sweden, Belgium and two plants in China. Volvo has been making a push on the Chinese market after Ford sold the Swedish company to Geely last year.

This manufacturing push is part of the company's initiative to double sales to 800,000 cars per year worldwide. The company also intends to invest $11 billion over the next five years, with the crosshairs squarely on the Chinese market.

Volvo considering building cars in North America originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 19 Sep 2011 08:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Saab secures $96M bridge loan, lodges appeal as unions push for bankruptcy

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 16:29:00 EST

Filed under: Europe, Government/Legal, Saab, Earnings/Financials, UAW/Unions

Saab fans: Go find yourself a hat, and hold the hell on to it - we have a feeling this ride is about to get a wee bit bumpier.

First, Saab has confirmed that Swedish unions Unionen and Ledarna have officially filed for bankruptcy of Saab Automobile. That's par for the course and anything but a surprise, as it seems the automaker owes just about everyone some money. These unions represent white-collar workers who have not been paid by Saab for the month of August.

Second, the automaker has, as had been planned, "lodged their appeal against the District Court's decision last week to reject Saab Automobile's proposal for voluntary reorganization." Basically, Saab's creditors are suing the company for various amounts owed, and these sums would be sufficient to bankrupt and close down the automaker. Saab asked for government protection from these creditors, which was subsequently denied. The automaker is appealing that decision.

Finally, Saab says it has secured a bridge loan worth $96 million from a heretofore unknown legal entity known as Specialty Purpose Vehicle. Zhejiang Youngman Lotus Automobile (which we'll mention again in the next paragraph) has signed an agreement with the aforementioned SPV to license certain technologies from the legal entity.

This $96 million bridge loan would supposedly be paid back by the $352 million deal that Saab had previously signed with Chinese partners Pang Da and Youngman - and yes, that's the same company that is apparently licensing technology from SPV under this latest agreement.

Is your head spinning yet? We don't blame you... and all of these deals are still awaiting approval from Chinese authorities, which is anything but guaranteed. Feel free to peruse the trio of press releases after the break for all the official details from Saab.

Continue reading Saab secures $96M bridge loan, lodges appeal as unions push for bankruptcy

Saab secures $96M bridge loan, lodges appeal as unions push for bankruptcy originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 12 Sep 2011 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Saab request for government protection rejected by Swedish court

Steven J. Ewing — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 10:28:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Saab

Seems that Saab just can't catch a break. Yesterday, the Swedish automaker filed for government protection, citing that if approved, the company would undergo a voluntary reorganization. Now, a court has rejected Saab's application for protection.

Saab plans to appeal the court's decision. In a statement, the automaker said that it is "disappointed with the ruling." The bad news is that, unless an appeal works, this could very well be the end of the road for Saab.

Automotive News reports that the Vanersborg district court in west Sweden released a statement regarding the Saab decision. Apparently, the court feels there is no reason to believe that a reconstruction would work.

Follow the jump for Saab's official statement, and stay tuned for more details as they unfold.

Continue reading Saab request for government protection rejected by Swedish court

Saab request for government protection rejected by Swedish court originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 08 Sep 2011 10:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Volvo truck takes on a Ferrari in drag race [w/video]

Noah Joseph — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 18:56:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Truck, Europe, Videos, Volvo, Ferrari, Racing

It seems these days everyone wants a piece of Ferrari, with countless sports car-makers gunning for Maranello's territory. But Volvo? Volvo Trucks, no less?

Believe it or not, the latest drag race competition pitted a Volvo big-rig against a Ferrari 360 Spider. Of course it wasn't just any old run-of-the-mill tractor, but the Mean Green hybrid racing truck. The beast packs a 16-liter twin-turbo engine that cranks out 1,900 horsepower and is further boosted by a 200hp electric motor.

An even match? You'll have to follow the jump to watch the photo finish for yourself, but the result was closer than you might think.

Continue reading Volvo truck takes on a Ferrari in drag race [w/video]

Volvo truck takes on a Ferrari in drag race [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 05 Sep 2011 18:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Saab 9-4X production underway, only Saab currently being built

Aaron Richardson — Sat, 21 May 2011 16:05:00 EST

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Crossover, Saab, Luxury

2011 Saab 9-4X - Click above for high-res image gallery

Production of the all-new 2011 Saab 9-4X crossover has started on schedule, despite the company's crippling financial woes. While production of the rest of the Saab lineup at its Trollhattan, Sweden plant has ground to a cash-strapped halt, 9-4Xs are rolling off the assembly lines in Ramos Arizpe, Mexico.

The plant producing the latest Saab is under contract to the Swedes from GM, and with any luck will help jumpstart a recovery. Under its very Swedish skin, the Saab 9-4X packs the same underpinnings as the 2011 Cadillac SRX.

The base model, which comes with a 265-hp 2.8-liter V6, starts at $33,380, with the top-whack, turbocharged model ringing the register at $48,010. Ominously for Saab, the 300-hp mill is the same engine Cadillac just pulled from the SRX lineup to deal with reliability issues.

Saab 9-4X production underway, only Saab currently being built originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 21 May 2011 16:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Saab deal with Chinese partner collapses

Chris Shunk — Thu, 12 May 2011 09:56:00 EST

Filed under: China, Government/Legal, Saab

This is very bad. Remember the deal between Hawtai Motors and Saab? Collapsed. According to The Detroit News, the deal, which involved a 29.9 percent stake in Saab in exchange for $172 million, fell apart early Thursday morning. The problem was reportedly that Hawtai wasn't able to obtain all the stakeholder consent needed, forcing the Chinese automaker to terminate the pact. Saab and Hawtai are reportedly continuing to work on resurrecting a deal, but the Swedish automaker has said in a statement that the talks are no longer exclusive.

Meanwhile, Saab is still in talks with the European Investment Bank to complete a $41 million loan drawdown. Saab is reportedly waiting on the green light to sell some of its property, since the land is currently used as collateral with the Swedish National Debt Office. The battered brand has secured a $48 million Swedish government loan to keep the doors open for the short term, and the automaker is reportedly still looking to strike a deal with Russian investor Vladimir Antonov.

Will the collapse of the Hawtai Motors deal lead to the final demise of the rope-a-dope automaker? We're not so sure - Saab's been something of a financial Houdini over these last 18 months, and the automaker appears to have deals cooking all over Europe. Either way, we're guessing that Priority Number One at Saab is finding a new Chinese partner to help secure the future of the company.

Saab deal with Chinese partner collapses originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 12 May 2011 09:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Volvo denies talk of Saab takeover,
Muller looking for partner in China

Zach Bowman — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 13:59:00 EST

Filed under: Europe, Saab, Volvo, Earnings/Financials

It looks like Volvo and Saab won't be teaming up to create one Swedish carmaker to rule them all. According to Reuters, Volvo has made it clear that the company has had no talks with Saab about buying the besieged automaker and that none are scheduled to take place. The Swedish newspaper De Telegraf had previously reported that the Swedish government was urging Volvo into talks with Saab about a potential takeover. The move would mean that a government loan previously granted to Saab by the European Investment Bank would have a greater chance of being repaid.

Saab has hit (further) rough waters in recent months with multiple supplier hiccups resulting in production stoppages including instances of the automaker being unable to pay for parts. In addition, sales fell well short of 2010 forecasts, resulting in a further cash crunch. The Swedish automaker has since performed a few economic stunts to get production rolling again, including selling the company's properties and re-leasing them at a lower cost.

In related matters, Automotive News reports that Saab CEO Victor Muller is looking to broker a deal with a Chinese automaker to help finance the company, although it is understood that Beijing Automotive Industry Holding Co. is not one of those parties. BAIC, you may recall, purchased old Saab assets (the previous generation 9-3 model, among other things) back in 2009 for $200 million, and it also expressed interest in buying Saab from General Motors before Muller's Spyker stepped in and completed the purchase.

[Sources: Reuters, Automotive News]

Volvo denies talk of Saab takeover,
Muller looking for partner in China originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 22 Apr 2011 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Swedish gov't. working on freeing up Saab loan

Chris Shunk — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 13:01:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Plants/Manufacturing, Saab, Earnings/Financials

The last few weeks haven't been easy for Saab, as the Swedish automaker has had to stop production twice due to supplier issues. Not just any problems, either, as the suppliers wanted to get paid, and Saab simply didn't have the cash. That led to widespread speculation that the automaker was destined to shutter only a year after Spyker purchased the company from General Motors.

Now Bloomberg is reporting that the Swedish government is looking into getting a bank loan to float the company for the short-term. The loan will most likely come from Bankas Snoras in Lithuania, which is run by Russian investor Vladimir Antonov, who has attempted to buy into the brand since GM originally put it up for sale.

The Swedish government is fighting for more than just a few thousand, albeit important jobs as well. Sweden backed Saab's 400 million-euro ($577 million) loan from the European Investment Bank, likely leaving the Swedish taxpayers on the hook for a hefty bill if the automaker goes south.

Bloomberg sources say lawyers are working on a deal that would float the automaker $48 million while the government approves the involvement of Antonov. Once approved, the Russian investor would then add 50 million Euro ($72 million in U.S. funds) to Saab's coffers in exchange for a 30 percent stake in the company.

We're thinking this deal will get done and Saab will be able to pay its suppliers. But whether the Swedish government and Antonov are throwing good money after bad is another matter. We'll continue to follow this situation as it unfolds.

[Source: Bloomberg | Image: Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty]

Report: Swedish gov't. working on freeing up Saab loan originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 11 Apr 2011 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Saab establishing new chassis factory with ZF in Sweden

Noah Joseph — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 07:31:00 EST

Filed under: Europe, Plants/Manufacturing, Saab

Component suppliers form a huge part of the automotive industry, and few are as big - or as old - as ZF. The German consortium dates back nearly a century, and today has some 123 factories in 27 countries. Make that 124 in 28, now, as the company has announced plans for a new facility to be built with - and for - Saab.

The sub-assembly plant near Saab's main facility in Trolhättan (pictured above) will employ around 50 people and supply front sub-frames and complete rear axles to the Swedish automaker as part of the upcoming new Phoenix platform. The Phoenix groundwork is expected to underpin the next generation of Saab vehicles, starting with the all-new 9-3.

The new flexible vehicle architecture is loosely based on the current GM Epsilon platform, currently used in the 9-3. The automaker's official announcement is yours for the reading after the jump.

[Source: Saab]

Continue reading Saab establishing new chassis factory with ZF in Sweden

Saab establishing new chassis factory with ZF in Sweden originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 24 Mar 2011 07:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: How the Swedes make a VW Scirocco (hint: 627 horsepower)

Aaron Richardson — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 11:31:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Coupe, Europe, Videos, Volkswagen, Racing

Volkswagen Scirocco Ice Racer - Click above to watch video after the jump

Despite Volvo's rather staid image as a maker of, well, staid cars, not all Swedes are obsessed with safety and practicality. These particular Swedes are into racing 627-horsepower, all-wheel-drive Volkswagen Scirocco hatchbacks. On ice. I'll see your sleepy Volvo and raise you automotive lunacy.

Besides the horsepower figure and the make and model, we don't know much about this car. Obviously, it's faster than scalded cat and that can make for some seriously sketchy moments when combined with ice, but that's about all we know.

Click past the jump for video of the insanity.

[Source: Autoholics via Carscoop]

Continue reading Video: How the Swedes make a VW Scirocco (hint: 627 horsepower)

Video: How the Swedes make a VW Scirocco (hint: 627 horsepower) originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 14 Mar 2011 11:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: VW's Fun Theory creates a speed camera lottery

Jonathon Ramsey — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 13:35:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Europe, Videos, Volkswagen

Volkswagen's Fun Theory speed camera lottery - Click above to watch video after the jump

Volkwagen's Fun Theory experiments have been all about proving that people will do the right thing if you make the right thing fun to do. For instance, people threw recyclables into a bin just to hear the noise it made. The latest hijinks come courtesy of Kevin Richardson, an American whose idea was selected for the next Fun Theory experiment.

This time, the challenge was to make driving the speed limit rewarding, and Richardson's idea was a speed camera lottery. Although it doesn't sound the least bit compelling, his idea worked. We won't spoil the surprise here, so follow the jump to see it in action.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: VW's Fun Theory creates a speed camera lottery

Video: VW's Fun Theory creates a speed camera lottery originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 28 Nov 2010 13:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autoblog

Volkswagen Sweden builds a Touareg tank to tackle winter

Volvo recommits to Sweden with development of next-gen platform and engines

Watch a Jeep Grand Cherokee fail Sweden's Moose Test *UPDATE

New owners still struggling to secure rights to use Saab name

Saab Museum reopens in Sweden

Watch as a Ferrari FF goes rallying in the snow

Sweden picks up tab on bankrupt Saab's EU loan

Porsche Cajun prototype caught wearing Audi duds in Sweden

Mercedes-Benz's facelifted GLK snapped inside and out

Volvo considering building cars in North America

Saab secures $96M bridge loan, lodges appeal as unions push for bankruptcy

Saab request for government protection rejected by Swedish court

Volvo truck takes on a Ferrari in drag race [w/video]

Saab 9-4X production underway, only Saab currently being built

Saab deal with Chinese partner collapses

Volvo denies talk of Saab takeover, Muller looking for partner in China

Report: Swedish gov't. working on freeing up Saab loan

Saab establishing new chassis factory with ZF in Sweden

Video: How the Swedes make a VW Scirocco (hint: 627 horsepower)

Video: VW's Fun Theory creates a speed camera lottery

Volvo denies talk of Saab takeover,
Muller looking for partner in China