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Out of town. Very little access.
Sorry.
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9-3 manufacturing is not certain for Trollhattan, despite the latest decision about architectures – a decision that’s now been confirmed through three different sources.
And here’s something that should be standard on the Saab 9-5, not a 390GBP product from Hirsch. A satin chrome grille and headlamp surround
I’ll be back on deck in around 36hrs. I miss writing.
3 responses so far ↓
1 Markac
// May 15, 2008 at 6:02 pm
I guess we all hope that Trollhattan build the new 9-3. As to Astra production, I imagine that it’ll be used mainly to make the more expensive speciality models like the Convertible, Twin Top and Coupes. This would leave plenty of capacity to build Saabs.
Others have suggested the new 9-5 will be about 4900mm and the 9-1 will be about 4300mm. A slightly trimmed 9-3 could be about 4600mm for sedan and wagon, and making it a fraction wider and with space efficiency gains from newer technology, could make make for a car quite a bit more roomy than the existing model. The 3dr and 5dr hatches could come in around 4550mm due to less overhang. I would resist the idea of using the 9-2 name for the hatches because this would imply that they are ‘lower’ models, and this shouldn’t be the case.
I know there are some people who would like the 9-3 to grow to something like 4800mm, to match the Audi A4 and the BMW 3 series. I don’t think Saab should do this (probably can’t with Delta II anyway) because it needs to offer a different alternative, not just a clone of what the opposition is making. Saab was once great at doing that, but seems to have forgotten this along the way, and anyway there’s little point in making a 9-3 that’s too close in size to the 9-5 again.
2 cj
// May 15, 2008 at 9:59 pm
Well, first agree that the 9-3 does not have to grow (with the exeption of more leg room in the back).
For manufacturing. Think GM should make what makes sence from a manufacturing standpoint. The important thing is that there will be one saab product made in sweden and if that would be the 9-1 not me against… I do not think that the 9-1 can be built on the same “front” as the 9-3 as that one has to be larger…
3 Markac
// May 15, 2008 at 11:13 pm
The 9-1 and the 9-3 can have a very different front and I hope they do. The important thing is that the basic platform is the same. The 9-3 would have a longer wheelbase and probably more sophisticated rear suspension than the 9-1, but they still would have plenty in common.
Excepting body panels, engine configuration and interiors, they would also have a much in common with the Astras built there as well. It would have to be fairly easy to switch between the 3 different cars on the production line as the need arises.