Saab 9-4x - you want fries with that?
UPDATE: While I was sleeping, more shots appeared on the webs to show that this baby was indeed in Germany, heading around the ‘Ring at high speed. Head on over to Jalopnik and Autoblog to get your fill.
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Autoweek.nl have just published a series of photos of what’s reported to be a Saab 9-4x. It’s wearing the usual cammo but does look similar to previous pictures - except this one’s white where others have been black.
The car in front looks like it has a Euro plate, but the 9-4x looks like it’s got the same Michigan plate as we’ve seen in prior photos. The location, therefore, is uncertain. American’s do like their drive-thru but then why the Euro plate in front?
Regardless, it’s good to see the test car out and about. There’s a few more pictures available at Autoweek.nl.
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thanks Jeroen!
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N is for Nurnberg, right ?
Yes, I agree with Germany.
Exactly what I thought. Probably out doing laps on the “ring”. Exciting! It´s getting closer and closer now.
/Tom
I agree with Tompa, it’s getting closer and closer now, and I can’t wait to see it without camo!
Back when there used to be a Chrysler behind Daimler, I’d occasionally see some US-built DCX vehicles with Michigan manufacturer plates while I was living in Germany (left at the end of last year). The last one I saw was one of the Chrysler 300 sedans with the European CRD engine option. Considering the menu does look like the German McDonalds style I’d also say it is more than likely in Germany.
Interesting, they use “turbine-blade” like wheels…
Why is it so interesting to capture a masked Subaru Forester?
I need to get a big camera and a job at that McDonalds!
Is this a true SAAB? No wrap-around front window to begin with. I seem to remember quotes like “all new SAAB will have this feature” (Cadillac looks has been the priority for this car “family”). Definately not the 9-4X and I doubt that the new 9-5 will have one, just look at the Insignia? How are they going to construct a wrap-around without incurring extreme extra costs? I truly believe this feature is for the show cars only, it’s just too unlike GM to be incorporated in future constructions.
I don’t believe that they are incorporating a full wrap around windshield in the new line-ups. Just the appearance that it continues wrap around. Which is why I believe they chose to use the black-out A pillars…Plus it’s probably a lot harder feature to do on the CUV than on the sedans model Saabs.
N is for Nuernberg/Germany.
Left Lane News is carrying some new photos too (http://www.leftlanenews.com/saabs-9-4x.html), including some “unmasked” shots of the interior. Doesn’t look too different from the concept - apart from it missing the nice translucent finish and having an Opel wheel fitted…
The interior is pretty interesting. It appears the dashboard will be leather and the trim is a carbonfiber pattern. Overall, there appears to be a lot of leather in this vehicle. It also appears it has a keyless ignition. Whats with the buttons on the center on the dashboard that look like an “Lock/unlock” button? The hazard is located there, but what are the other 2?
Definitely looks like american junk food-one of their biggest exports-unfortunately.
As for the truck, it looks like another useless SUV or whatever you want to call it. It will gather dust on dealer lots with the rest of them if it doesn’t come with something that sips fuel like we are running out of it, which we are of course.
It’s no secret that Saab’s position is fragile, to put it mildly. Ironically, the company that brought us small displacement turbo-charged engines thirty years ago is not at the forefront of the present propulsion revolution taking place in the automobile industry. With all my good will and enthusiasms, I just don’t see Saab emerging at the end of the tunnel at this point.
GM’s decisions come late and as illustrated with the gas-guzzling TurboX, no matter how brilliant it might be, and now the V6 9-4x, it’s a recipe for a cold meal-with the wrong product at the wrong time. The explosion of gas prizes was totally predictable, and it ain’t over.
Looking at it in that perspective, the new Saabs are not «real» Saabs. All GM had to do with Saab is improve the existing formula to bring it up to today’s standards and expand the line up with vehicles tailored for today’s needs, not yesterday’s.
Wishful thinking if you look at what is happening with the entire corporation, which is on the verge of tumbling down because it has been to slow to adapt.
The cash is flowing and it will run out. The very likely bankruptcy of GMAC could be the final blow to the empire.
Looks like we will be keeping our comfortable, safe, practical, spirited (aero ECU) yet frugal 01 9-5 longer than 10 years, as originally anticipated, unless we find a recent used one in a few years.
Unless, what’s left of GM will surprise us with a super Saab-like Voltmachine.
nurburgring is right- theres pics of it doing some laps on jalopnik- should be fun if its got the XWD in it- still a truck tho and my dad’s next car
http://jalopnik.com/396460/2010-saab-9+4x-copies-cool-kids-laps-the-ring
IMO, I think the success of Saab depends more on the 9-5 than it does on the 9-4X.
The 9-4X is merely there as a means to round out the Saab product line-up with a SUV while replacing the 9-7X. In addition, the 9-4X should be more “Saab” like than the 9-7X.
The 9-4X may not be the best choice for fuel economy, however, it still will be a better choice than the current 9-7X. The new 3.0L V6 may offer decent fuel economy (cylinder de-activation, DI, etc…).
Who said “Ring”?
I think we have a winner…
http://globalmotors.net/spy-pictures-saab-9-4x-prototype/
nice find matt with the interior pics. just hope we get the cloudy plastics as we were promised.
What the f****!!!!!!!!!
Do you notice the steering wheel!!!!!??? its from an Opel Insignia, and has the Opel badge on it.
Take a look at the message; open battery shunt underhood or battery will die overnight.
Now you know what to do everynight!! jejeje
it seems is going to have electric park brake, and electric steering adjustment.
greetings
Nice truck. NOT!
Edu - The steering wheel in the 9-4X is pretty similiar to the one in it’s concept form.
The differences so far are:
- The grate pattern for the vents are quite different. I prefer the concept.
- Doesn’t appear to be the green-foggy plastic.
- The shifter/location is quite different. Possibly to accommodate an ashtray? I prefer the concept.
I guess nobody was really expecting to see that foggy plastic on a production car. There are some “rules” you´d have to follow as a car manufacturer. you cannot use reflecting materials everywhere inside the cabin..
That (9-4X) tester looks ugly and bulky truck.Add a 3 liter n/a v6 and there you go. Oh crap! Other European companies are sporting out new, smart, smaller 4×4´s with efficient engines. Fuel price is not coming down.
Crossover (consumption of a SUV combined with practicality of a coupe) is dead born idea if 9-4X is the way how it will be made.
Think of it. We´re shown 9x (Excellent idea!) then 9-3x (Real cross over), 9-3 SportHatch, Aero X and then what.. wait.. a Saab SUV from Mexico.
I fully Agree with No.9 above : “GM’s decisions come late and as illustrated with the gas-guzzling TurboX, no matter how brilliant it might be, and now the V6 9-4x, it’s a recipe for a cold meal-with the wrong product at the wrong time. The explosion of gas prizes was totally predictable, and it ain’t over.”
Yes I know, when I saw the first pics of the Opel Insignia, the steering remember me the 9-4x steering. Now I know why. Let’s see what it was first.
I like a lot the interior and the way of the L shape and the mix of the carbon fiber part. But the joint between both, near the lock/unlock buttons it looks quite bad in terms of finish.
regards
The 9-4X is being produced in Mexico because it’s main market will be North America. So, what comparable vehicles do the European companies offer for the NA market(comparing smallest engines available)?
BMW X3 - 3.0L I6 260HP/225 ft-lbs tq (17/24mpg).
MB ML350 - 3.5L V6 268HP/258ft-lbs tq (15/20mpg)
VW Tiguan - 2L I4 200HP/225ft-lbs tq (19/26mpg)
Audi Q3 - Similiar to the Tiguan (but I bet it’ll be heavier due to it being better equipped).
Infiniti EX35 - 3.5L V6 297HP/253ft-lbs tq (17/24mpg)
Any others I’m missing? Doesn’t appear the Tiguan/Q3 have much advantage to what currently offered. The V6 in the entry level 9-4X should be comparable considering it’s FWD.
The one thing I disagree with is the broad generalization that a V6 offers worse economy over a turbo or NA 4cylinder. For instance take a look at the entry level Honda CR-V. It has a 2.4L I4 2WD yet it still only gets 20/27mpg. Hardly better than the values listed above.
IMO, fuel economy in a SUV is more a product of the size & shape than the displacement of the engine. I think GM/Saab did a good job with the 9-4X. It’s smaller, it comes with a smaller engine, and it will offer better fuel economy than the 9-7X. Just keep in mind that this is only a starting point. The 9-4X may end up with plug-in hybrid technology & some diesel variants for the NA market.
@ No.9 — re: your junk food comment, we wouldn’t sell it if you didn’t buy it.
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can’t wait to see a few of these on the road, hopefully bringing our beloved Swede into the black.
I live in a place where people love their trucks and SUVs (almost to a point of needing them). Even with gas at ~$5US/gal, people are still driving their SUVs and trucks and dealers still are selling them. IMO, the market for SUVs will never dissappear in some places.
NineTwoX,
I know what you mean. I just spent 2 weeks in the US and can’t imagine driving anything smaller than a 9-4x, with all due respect to yourself. I optioned my rental up from a compact to a SUV. A witnessed a woman in a compact getting cut off resulting in her rolling down the freeway and ending on her roof right in front of me . Several times I didn’t see compacts clearly in my periphery either. Felt much better about the SUV upgrade after that.
Bring on the 9-4x. US customers in particular have not been convinced that the 9-3 Sportcombi is a valid option so what do you do, give up? As long as it has clear interior space and packaging benefits over the 9-3/9-5, it’s fine with me.
I think it is fare to say that these are still test mules and not a complete final product of what we will see in the actual car itself. People they are just testing the working mechanics of the car, not reviewing the qualities of the interior yet. Saab said a while back they are heavily researching a away to get the concept materials to production standard and that they are very close. So why would they just opt out now.. This is not what the production interior will look like, it’s just not fit & finished enough for final material!
That interior does nothing for me. I think we are all hoping for something that is a bit more innovative. This interior looks like everything else out there.
And as far as mileage, I have to disagree with some of the posts about people not caring about mileage. MPG is the NUMBER 1 factor people base their buying decisions on now. A V6 will seal the 9-4x’s quick death.
Joemama - If you look at my comparisons, there isn’t much difference between a V6 to a 2.0T (Q3/Tiguan) to a 2.4L (CR-V).
The thing is Saab can’t stop there with engine choices. They need to offer both a diesel engine and a plug-in hybrid option. Those are what people will be looking for more-so than 1-2mpg difference.
Hybrid is/will be available in the Korean sourced small GM Captiva SUV, so there’s no reason why the 9-4x and friends cannot have it. Also diesel will be a core engine choice for the 9-4x, just not necessarily in the U.S.
As Saab grows more away from it’s geografical craddle, it is time for a small geographical lesson.
N stands for Nürnberg on German plates.
But Nürburgring and Nürburg have nothing in common and measuring in German/European distances it ’s a relative long travel between both.
Nürnberg is situated south-east close to the Czech & Austrian border, while the Nürburgring is situated in the west, in the Eifel region, close to the Luxemburg & the Belgian border.
Looking at this from Tasmanian, Australian or American perspective it may mean nothing, but it’ about a day travel.
Besides the old ‘Nordschleife’ on the Nürburgring is a often chosen testaera for lots of brands (I.e. Jaguar, among others, even has a test centre close to the Ring) but that makes a lot of photographers and Erlkönig-hunters active round there. Haven’t seen anything from those guys yet.
Or the N-car is lost and visiting the Ring or the 9-4X-crew was hungry on their drive from Graz to Trollhattan, which is a 16h drive without traffic jams (+/- 1660 km), and city of Nürnberg just on 1/3 of the route.
With Amercian market in mind, instead of testing & setting up the chassis at the Nürburgring, the test crew certainly needs to report on the strenght of the cupholders ….. .
first full interieur pix!!!
look at http://www.worldcarfans.com/9080618.018/saab-9-4x-hits-the-ring—interior-shot-caught
cheers joachim
I wonder if I can get those Recaro seats as an option.
Apparently they really tested it at the Nürburgring and not only dropped in at the McDrive.
http://www.autobild.de/artikel/erlkoenig-bildergalerie-teil-66_718335.htmlClick through till picture 8 and onwards.
In action with safety helmets.