Saab 9-1: E-Flex starts to make a spark
The following is guest post, expertly penned by TS commenter, WooDz.
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As the saying goes “there’s no smoke without fire” - the same also applies to rumor control.
With a fair number of car magazines reporting on GM’s E-flex drivetrain recently, it almost seems more than a coincidence that the 9-1 would also have its fair share of coverage too. There are rumours and then there are things we can actually deal with - the facts. The first thing we know is that the 9-1 is coming. And the second is that Saab are looking to the next generation Astra platform as the basis from which the car will be built.
The beauty with this platform is the plethora of power-trains that will be available along with the combination of the e-flex system, which is expected to be ready by 2010. Luckily it’s not necessary to go into great depths on how e-flex works. Most of us are already pretty clued up on its basic functionality and understand how important the drive system is, not only for GM but naturally for Saab as well. To have a vehicle run on near zero fossil fuel emissions within 3 years sounds more like something out of ‘Bladerunner’ than genuine reality.
In general, every new vehicle launch has a certain amount of pressure; that it’s received well and will be a success. Nobody takes kindly to blowing €600 million on R+D costs. For Saab, however, I think the stakes are a bit higher. What needs to be taken on board is that by the time the 9-1 is due for launch, the current 9-3 will be nine years old in design and that’s the car that’s pretty much single-handedly running the show at the moment. That’s about the age of the 9-5 right now - and we all know the beating that model’s getting at the moment. The new 9-5 and 9-4x will be just starting their first full year’s production but we will have a nice CUV in the guise of the 9-3x.
right: technology such as Saab’s Alcokey will separate the 9-1 from it’s competition.
From an enthusiast’s point of view, expectations are running high on how the car will look. Again rumors of iconic styling and turbo 4-bangers heighten the emotions, but questions are still raised over whether Saab are going to have the goods come judgement day. The small compact class is busting at the seams with every manufacturer offering a vehicle in this segment. And for good reason.
With manufacturing costs continuously spiraling upward, even the most modest mainstream midsize sedan will set you back €30,000. So a smaller hatchback is the next available option for young families.
Then you have the Y-generation and other pigeon holed favorites such as a so called ‘Super-Youth’. When you consider that the c-segment represents approximately 30% of annual sales in Europe alone you can see there is a lot of potential for Saab to exploit this key area. What do you buy if you don’t like the mainstream Japanese hot-hatches and everywhere you look there’s either a golf GTi or a Focus ST staring at you? When you think the BMW 1-series is just a reps car and the A3 just too boring? And the less said about the C30 the better.
Being able to have a car that can reach a small percentage of this massive market is going to do wonders for Saab. Put that together with the Saab faithful who are waiting for their replacement c900 / 9-3 hatch and the 9-1 should be looking at unit sales running into 100,000 alone. This a model aimed at an age group from 25 - 55 with the potential of four model variants and over ten power-train options for most markets - and that’s before we explore the XWD possibilities.
However, before you think of sub €20,000 price tags remember that this car is expected to attract customers who see its benefits over what the Germans best have to offer and those who are willing to pay the ‘premium’ over the likes of a 300hp Focus RS. Some may say it’s a tall order but when you also consider that this vehicle is likely to be the keystone of your home manufacturing plant, and should it fail it’s time to clear the desk and go home, you can bet than every effort will be made to make the 9-1 the most versatile and financially viable car a premium class vehicle can be.
But before we jump to anymore conclusions ahead of any official concept, let us for the time being just keep the faith and follow Saab’s philosophy in keeping an open mind.
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Great post WooDz. The 9-1 must be the most eagerly anticipated Saab I can remember. I guess a lot of Saab fans feel like me, everything since the OG9-3 finsished has been a bit of a yawn! There’s a lot riding on the 9-1 and I don’t think there’ll be any second chances. The 3 door 9-1 will have to be not only competive, but interesting and innovative enough to attract buyers away from the Mini and the Volvo C30. The 5 door version will have to attack and win against the likes of the Audi A3 and BMW 1 series. In some part it also needs to satisfy tradional Saab buyers who mourn the loss of the C900 and 99 style hatches. That’s a pretty tall order!
Any hint that the 9-1 is just a tarted up Astra and it will fail, but if Volvo can get it right so can Saab. The Volvo C30 has a lot of Ford Focus in it, but you’d be hard pressed to notice it. The Saab will have an advantage in that it’s a Swedish car made in Sweden, the Volvo is made in Belgium, that may count with some buyers.
With Saab’s history being bound to cars that are almost all smaller than the current 9-3, we have to hope that this is a “getting back to their roots” exercise … one where they are really playing to their power rather than trying to work magic with spare parts.
I’m excited to see it, but there is a tiny part of me that fears a letdown.
Great read, WooDz!
There is one small thing that I don’t like:
“And the second is that Saab are looking to the next generation Astra platform as the basis from which the car will be built.”
Why is it that we always refer to the coming platforms by some other brands model that will use it? It’s like Saab only “borrow” things from others out of a mere coincidence. A platform is not made for one brand in mind - it’s called a platform because it should be used by many. I think we should primarily refer to them by the platforms name.
ctm - I agree with you. VAG, BMW does the same, but nowhere will you read that the Golf V is running on such and such a platform whereas the Audi A3 is using this platform. A good example really is VAG with its many an affiliate - platform sharing that is, i.e. Skoda, Seat, VW Golf, Jetta, Passat and …
Why is it that, even when journalists writes about the 9-3, it has to be stated that it is basically a Vauxhall or Astra platform (whatever it is) and yet you do not read this when it comes to VW sharing platforms galore? Is it a ploy to try and downgrade the perceived premium status or to lump it together with those which did not cut the grade? And yet the Vauxhall has been singlehandedly credited with allowing a very large proportion of the British public to own a car for the first time.
Nice post, WooDz! Thanks for the work- well said.
Great Post,
I was reading somewhere that the population of people ranging 21-35 is something like 4x that of the baby boomers.Most of which currently own used cars (10yrs old or better) and will be looking hard at these hot hatches to shy away from the Suv’s and others.
Saab could and should really take advantage of this market and according to this post I believe they will and I’m in that range, looking for a hot hatch within the next few years when I finish my degree.
how does the “alcokey” stay,…well…, sanitary?
i never “valet” my car. that would be another reason why.
great post WooDz, I’m really looking forward to this car because at the moment i’m a tad under the age bracket you mentioned and, to be honest, if I were working then I wouldn’t go for any of the small hatchbacks, they’re all too different from what normal people want, i.e. theyre a bit too german for me.
This is one segment which Saab can really excel in and I’ll be putting my name down as soon as I get out of University and start working!
Danni - The reason you read about American cars sharing platforms and not European cars is because most auto journalists, and this may come as a shock to some, are just a tad biased against American cars. I know that’s a little hard to swallow, but it’s true.
:p
If the 9-1 makes it to the market before the next Vauxhall/Opel/Saturn/Holden Astra, you could technically say that they are based on the Saab platform, but no motoring journalist is ever going to write that.
In the case of the Seat and Skoda using the Golf/A3 platform, journalists will compliment them for using the more expensive cars underpinnings, but I’m sure they won’t do that when it comes to the 9-1 and the Astra!
Nice writing. Do you think Saab is feeling the pressure?
Dan9-1,
what year of Uni are you in?
Hopefully Saab won’t drop the ball and have it out for us then we finish our studies.I got about a yr.
Markac,
I the reason why journalist are using Astra vs 9-1 is b/c people know and can see older astras and people can build a mental picture.As far as golf/a3 over Seat wasn’t the golf or a3 1st?
Jorgen,
I’m not currently at Uni, I’m gunna be starting in the next year or so. So I should be out for the 9-1 coming out, or about 2011 for the rate Saab seem to be working at the moment!
Oh yeh and at the moment i’m just interested in Saabs, the insurance is too high for me and until they bring out either smaller engines or me getting older and reducing the cost.
Does anyone know anyway of cheating this so I can get 1?