If it was designed to be really used in here, there would be options like:
* heated windshield (like Ford has)
* heated windshield washers (Volvo´s got it)
* headlamp washers with wipers (!)
* electric interior heater standard
* engine block heater standard
* fuel operated cabin heater with remote control and programmable (SID) timer (like TiD´s)
* heated rear seat (Audi´s got it)
* heated steering wheel (I know, ridiculous, but oh so comfortable!)
* extra driving lights on the roofbars for bad conditions (Nissan X-trail)
* much more effective cabin heating system
* reverse lights on sides (like 9000 has)
* robust protection plate underneath the engine (c900´s got it – no need to be afraid driving over frosted snowblocks)
* doors like on C900 – you´ll keep your legs clean when getting out of a dirty car
* blowers to keep rear sidewindows clear from vapor (9000´s got it)
* Automatic transmission with winterdriving software (I think 9-5 has this option)
* fourwheel drive standard! (Important!)
* upper edge of doors and the edge of roof should be copied from c900 – when you´ll open the door, snow – water etc will not drop inside the car and on driver´s seat
* turning front fog lights standard…

I really could go on. All I have to do is to think what annoys me on these cars today. Especially on bad weather conditions, mostly during wintertime.
But these are really not for show, and nobody get´s interested if you´d show them on a car show. It´s lot more cooler to show nonfunctional ski holer and lights looking like iceblocks.

So, after all I´d say all the talk about being scandinavian designed is just talk.
And again, sorry for the venting!

I´ve said it many times – adjustable rear seats! Very important. Possibility to enhance rear legroom if needed, or increase luggage space in trunk. Adjustable backrest also! Large hatch. Now 9-4 has small door (smaller window) and very high loading height. Just like Landrover Freelander 2. It´s not practical in any ways. Everybody who´s had c900 knows what I mean. There´s no need for sliding plates when opening and height is right.

Rear seats MUST fold down totally flat, otherwise – no, no. 9-3SC is bad example. It´s not practical. You cannot lay there big bulky items since they might even damage the backrest because it´s not flat.

That Salomon guy must´ve been on dope when making design ideas if they´d come up with that sort of boot on 9-4X.

I guess I´ll go back to garage and start working again on my 900. And keep my mouth shut.

I feel that I do have to comment on the debate about Saab’s designed by Swedes. Scandinavians have a totally different approach to design, its always been ‘form follows function’ as already pointed out and, IMHO, a Scandinavian should be designing Saabs.

Scandinavian design is ‘cold’ ie function is key and its form just comes out of that functionality. Look at the beautiful job done on the original 9-5 before someone – aka Michael Mauer – buggered it up. The 9-5 screamed Saab and took Saab up to the next level. The 03 9-3SS was designed by the same guy with some Mauer bits tacked on at the last minute and what we have now, in the 9-4X, is a non-Scandinavian Saab. The only thing I am not keen on is the 9-4Xs lack of sloping lines – everything seems a little too ‘horizontal’ to me. Having said that, Saab sales are stagnant and maybe it takes a non-Scandinavian to take Saab to the next level – as much as I hate to say it.

This car seems to be attracting attention and what with a baby Saab coming in Geneva this year is shaping up to be awesome!

I think that dropping these standard features to option status was simply a cost-reduction process, but I’d much rather see them make seat heaters standard again instead of stupid rain-sensing wipers. Who needs rain sensing wipers, anyway?