Comments on: Meet the Flintstones….

By: PT

PT — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 22:18:25 +0000

Everything is great except for the timeline. Saab needed these cars in 2001. 10 years too late.

Dissapointing to see no sign of the Sonnet based on the Corvette platform? I thought that was signed off? Ditto the new twin-turbo biodiesel SUV range under SCANIA…?

Say its not true Joe…..

By: zippy

zippy — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 20:58:17 +0000

COOL!!!

By: David Wishart

David Wishart — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 19:57:55 +0000

“Neither a conventional soft-top or [sic] a retractable hard top, something new.”

In line with Saab’s “jet-fighter” heritage, the convertible top will explode off it’s mounting points, as if the car had an ejector seat. This ensure a lot of revenue for GM in selling top replacements.

By: zippy

zippy — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 19:37:46 +0000

eggngrits said it all – is this “real inside information”?

I cannot believe that the new 9-3 is a full four years off as Saab is a generation behind the current BMW 3 and will be two generations behind by 2011 no doubt. The 9-1 really should be out by the end of next year at the latest and having to wait til 2012 would be a disappointment.

The twin-turbo diesel has me drooling though but I doubt we would see it in North America.

By: eggsngrits

eggsngrits — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 17:18:12 +0000

Even if (and I have my doubts) this is ‘real’ inside information, these things will change and change and change once more before the 2008 model year, let alone 2012! Be patient, relax, and let the cars come. It’s fun watching it happen, but don’t get uptight when it doesn’t!

By: Kroum

Kroum — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 15:00:12 +0000

Good point, Frank. Audi went on to first solidify itself as a premium brand with bigger sedans before venturing into the compact segment: the A3 and its compact Audi predecessor are more than 20 years apart. Perhaps Saab is thinking the same.

By: Frank A

Frank A — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 14:51:23 +0000

While I would love to see a 9-1 this year, I can understand the delay. I assume it would be on the next generation Astra platform. Also, I’m not sure how well these entry level semi-luxury cars are selling. I’m thinking Audi A3, BMW 1 series, Merc A class etc. For those of you in Europe, are people spending extra money for these cars when they can buy a Focus, Golf, Astra etc.? I live in the northeastern part of the USA and I don’t see many Audi A3s. In fact i would buy a Golf GTI before I buy an A3.

By: saab9x

saab9x — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 13:43:56 +0000

unless the black turbo is a killer, my bank account won’t be going anywhere soon.

By: MJL

MJL — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 13:26:32 +0000

Oh man…
This DOES look bleak.
No 9-1 until 2012?? Adam is right on point; if there’s anywhere Saab should push, it’s in THREE DOOR HATCHBACK territory. Think back to five years ago — since then, all Saab’s done is introduce a facelifted 9-5, a new 9-3, a Subaru clone, a TrailBlazer clone, another 9-5 facelift, and a couple 9-3 variants. That’s barely a model a year!
And now the new 9-5 isn’t going to come out until 2010? Audi will have a new A6 by then…the supposed “benchmark” moves yet again.
All I can tell myself, when I read things like this, is that if GM weren’t throwing SAAB meager scraps from its table, the new 9-5 would be coming out in two-thousand-NEVER and the 9-3 would be restyled to not exist. In other words, I guess we should be grateful. But alas…if only we could be treated like that other Swede gets treated by its other American master.

By: patric95

patric95 — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 11:50:40 +0000

Some adjustment to the plan- at least for the U.S. – the 9-4X will be on sale from January of ’09 now. And the 9-5 Sedan will be September of 2010. As for a 9-1 there has been no approval for such a vehicle sadly. With the restyled 9-3 and the AWD and the BioPower and then the Convertible which will follow with restyle at least 6-8 months after the 9-3 sedan. This will have to hold us over for a while!