Saab 9-3 to be built in Sweden

[Oracle of Delphi]

John Revill

Automotive News Europe

June 19, 2008 15:11 CET

Production of the Saab 9-3 will remain in Sweden, a General Motors Europe spokesman said today.

Media reports had suggested that production of the next-generation 9-3 would move to GM Europe's Opel plant in Ruesselsheim, near Frankfurt, Germany, from Saab's Trollhattan, Sweden, factory.

To compensate for not getting the 9-3, GM Europe will add production of the Saab 9-5 and a compact car at Ruesselsheim.

"It is good news that Ruesselsheim will get an extra model, a third shift and that the 9-3 production will remain in Saab's home country," said GM Europe spokesman Joerg Schrott.

GM Europe has not named the compact car that will be built in Ruesselsheim, but company sources say it will be the Opel Astra lower-medium car.

Currently, Ruesselsheim builds the Opel Vectra and Signum. It will build the Insignia, the Vectra successor, later this year.

Link: http://www.autonews.com/article/20080619/A...paign_id=alerts

[Camino LS6]

*Yawn*

[Guest aatbloke]

GM Europe has not named the compact car that will be built in Ruesselsheim, but company sources say it will be the Opel Astra lower-medium car.

Hopefully this won't be a repeat of the ill-fated Saab 600 badge engineering exercise from the early 80's.

Edited June 20, 2008 by aatbloke

[ZL-1]

Lots of questions pop up: Trollhättan gets the NG 9-3 including the convertible, and DeltaII models as well? Astra TwinTop? Hybrids or E-Flex? NG 9-3 does change to DeltaII?

[CSpec]

Is there a timeline?

[thegriffon]

GM confirms the compact car to be built in Russelsheim is the Astra. Trollhattan was supposed to build the unnamed Saab hatch and 3-door Astras.

[Oracle of Delphi]

GM confirms the compact car to be built in Russelsheim is the Astra. Trollhattan was supposed to build the unnamed Saab hatch and 3-door Astras.

Ja, Ja, Carl-Peter told the workers at Rüsselsheim that news earlier today. Good news all round for GM Europe. CPF said that Astra won't be coming off the production line there until 2010. Some thought it would be earlier, must be a retooling issue. Plus it's assembled at 3 other plants, it's a popular car in Europe.

[thegriffon]

I expect it will further supplant Insignia volumes in most markets, especially with the new sedan version. Just as the Vectra superceded the old Omega, so the Astra will eventually displace the Insignia.