We’ve heard it as rumours and I’ve included it in my Saab Future Model Timeline, but I don’t think we’ve heard anything definitive from Saab themselves. Until now. And from none other than Saab Sweden’s chief, Jan-Ake Jonsson.
JAJ recorded an interview with a guy from motoring website, Auto Savant, during the New York Auto Show last week. In that interview, he was asked about Saab’s recent poor sales in the United States. JAJ’s answer covered Saab’s limited and aged model range, and then there was this:
….Next year we’ll come with a crossover vehicle, the 9-4x, as well as a new 9-5…..
You can listen to the interview yourself here. I’m just getting through the rest of it now, but felt I had to post this straight away.
Spies – get your cameras ready, please 
——
Other “news” from the interview is that the 9-4x will also be available in a 2WD format.
Many SUV/crossover vehicles have this variant in their model line and it would be fair to assume that Saab would do so as well. Once again, though, it’s not something we’ve heard directly from Saab with regard to the 9-4x prior to this.
JAJ said that whilst he believes the majority of vehicles sold at first will be XWD-equipped, that FWD vehicles would take a greater percentage of sales as time went on and the market spread wider.
Awesome. So I’m assuming in 2009 as a MY10 model?
This is the model that will be responsible for Saab increasing sales.
Make it A6 sized, comfortably sporting and of the highest quality materials. Do that and they will have a winner!
Great news we have been waiting for, two new cars in the Saab showrooms by the end of 2009
I’d like to know when I can get a FWD Diesel 9-X.
I believe it will be a MY09.5.
Rumor has it the phenomenal-looking Aero version will sport 370+ hp. Should be a very capable automobile.
i hope jaj does mean an all new 9-5, not the special edition one we have been hearing about.
No, I think he is speaking about the all new 9-5.. The special edition should be out before the end of this year. This is very good news. Now if we could only start seeing some production models of the 9-4 and a concept of the new 9-5 that would be excellent!!!
I can’t wait to see the new 9-5, but a part of me is a bit scared of what we are going to see. No doubt, the latest concept cars have all been phenomenal, and the updated 9-3 looks stunning as well. With the introduction of XWD, the future is looking bright. However.. We have yet to see a new production vehicle since the 9-3, which is beginning to be quite a long time ago.
ck1x: I think you mean a pre production prototype of the new 9-5? A concept car would be too far from production. We are way past that stage.
This is a welcome surprise, I hope that it’s worth the wait.
Something this far along would have been built on an existing platform, one would guess. Which one? That’s the question that I have.
eggsngrits: Maybe it’ll use a variation of the Epsilon II platform? The Opel Insignia using that platform will be out at the same time or perhaps a few months earlier?
Just make it a Aero X sedan and it’ll be a winner! I have not wanted to see any car more than this since the 1998 9-5!
The Wikipedia says the following about the Epsilon II platform:
A new version of the Epsilon, dubbed Epsilon II, will debut in 2008. It will be adaptable for front and all-wheel drive applications.
Concept vehicles built on Epsilon II:
* 2007 Opel GTC
The Epsilon II will be used in the following vehicles:
* 2008 Opel Insignia
* 2009 Saab 9-5
* 2010 Buick LaCrosse
* 2011 Saturn Aura
* 2011 Pontiac G6
* 2010 Saab 9-3
* 2012 Chevy Malibu
Some things may change as it is possible the next 9-3 may now use a stretched Delta II platform instead.
The new 9-5 will definitely be riding on the same revised Epsilon platform that 2009 Insignia is using. This was the reason for moving 9-5 gen. 2 production to Russelheim – both cars will share more than just factory space, they’ll be pretty close in nearly every dimension. Want a sneak peak to get an idea of the new 9-5′s overall dimensions?:
This link has a great film of the 2009 Insignia being track-tested:
http://www.groenlicht.be/2007/08/18/opel-insignia-zonder-kleren/
And this site shows more close-ups of the camoflagued, production ready model (shot Match 17, 2008):
http://www.autoblog.nl/archive/2008/03/17/officieel-opel-insignia-spyshots
The Opel Insignia is 9-3 sized, a huge mistake IMHO.
I would’ve thought that the 9-5 uses a stretched version of the platform while the new 9-3 will get the standard size? Perhaps there’s more truth in the rumor about a stretched Delta II for the 9-3?
I think the Insignia is a little bigger than the current 9-3, but probably smaller than the current 9-5?
Zippy,
The current generation Opel Vectra is 9-3/9-5 sized. The main issue many people have with the current 9-5 is that it’s so very close in size to the 9-3. However, the new Insignia is 5-series, A6 sized. This is why the 2010 Saab 9-3 may not be built on the elongated Epsilon architecture after all. It may stay about the same size as it is now while the new 9-5 will have grown to match the premium German sedan/kombi market. Watch for the price to grow as well.
Making the 9-3 smaller than it is now is an even bigger mistake. Committing “Saab-icide”! The new 2009 A4 is bigger than any of the competiton and the Saab must follow suit. I cant believe Saab wants to use the Delta platform for the 9-3, so the 9-1 is gonna be Corsa sized?
Silly move!
Zippy: The 9-1 is the size of the new Astra which is slightly larger than the existing model or around A3 size. If you stretch the platform you could most likely build a car about the same size as the current 9-3, but hopefully with more bodystyles!
The Audi A6 is quite a bit bigger than the current 9-5. The sedan is 4916mm long and 1855mm wide.
If the Insignia/9-5 are around this size, it would be a good improvement for most people.
I thought this topic was about the new 9-5 an dnot about 9-3.
SAAB dealers have been told that both the 9-4X and the 9-5 will be arriving in 2009 (MY2010), so that’s what they tell their customers too (me).
I don’t think there is any doubt that the new 9-5 will be on Epsilon II. What is not quite clear is what wheelbase it will have. Current Epsilon has two wheelbases (270 / 283 cm). Vectra uses them both (sedan / wagon), but it seems to be that the Insignia will have one wheelbase for both versions. However, it is said that this will be considerably more than the 270 cm.
And from the words of mr. Forster in former interviews I understand that the 9-5 will have an “upgraded” version. If that means a wider or longer version or even a version with other axles, who knows?
albert: If the Insignia is indeed A6 sized, does the 9-5 need to be any bigger? But it still poses the question, is the next 9-3 shortened Epsilon II or stretched Delta II? I’m guessing the latter.
If these drafts would become reality I would be very disappointed.
http://www.topspeed.com/cars/saab/2009-saab-9-5-ar15377.html
Don’t worry, they say this one’s a lot closer to the mark!
I thought the new 9-5 would be on a slightly stretched and widened version of the EpsilonII setup? I thought this was why they built more flexiblity into it? Or thats what I’ve been hearing anyway. If its not and its identical to the Vauxhall in every way then that poor, really poor.
Don’t worry, as you can see it is a MY01 9-5 with Aero-X redisigned front. Nothing more. Just a bad photoshop
Saabaudi: I believe that Baracuda is right. And I hope that Markac is right, too.
I suspect that the 9-4 might be a big seller if it retains most of the characteristics of the concept car. I was planning on keeping my sport combi when the lease is up, but I might reconsider if the 9-4 turns out to be outstanding (and it would have to be to get me out of the 93)
I hope to god that 370hp 9-5 Aero rumor is true Kroum, that’s exactly the kind of car I’ve been saying all along that the Aero’s should be.
A 370 hp 9-5 Aero XWD won’t be M5 fast, but it will surely demolish the 550i that it hopefully will cost less than. Likewise the 9-3 Aero should be a ~320 hp car that isn’t M3 fast, but that can still drive circles around a 335i.
I really think the sketch from TopSpeed is going to be right on the money with slight differences to the front. If so, with a 370hp XWD, sign me up.
I also hope they use the AeroX rear lighting style.
Maybe in the future Saab can introduce a Viggen line that will challenge the M series.
I would love to see a 370 hp 9-5 aero with direct injection, twin turbo and XWD that still gets 18/28 mpg. But, I have the feeling that it will be a “rightsized” 2.8l V6 w/o direct injection and around 300 hp in the aero model though, as 370 hp just sounds too excessive for Saab.
NJ_Nick… Maybe they’ll “right size” the 3.6L V6 with all the goodies you mentioned… leaving the 3.2L V6 for the 9-3 and the 2.8L for the 9-1…
maybe I should stop posting while pulling all-nighters at college??
nobody wants your new cars here in Beirut Lebanon unless you reimburse the Saab 9-5 owners of their sludged and destroyed engines. your appointed dealers here betrayed the trust of their loyal customers that goes back to decades. now the cars are scattered throughout the city. not even scrap buyers want them. Saab compensated to its customers in every other but Lebanon. we are trends setters here; if we don’t buy your cars, many people in neighboring countries wn’t buy them either. is this what you call marketing?