Mark Phelan from the Detroit Free Press is doing a full court press on Saab coverage today:
Phelan the love – Part 1 – Turbo X
Phelan has driven the Turbo X and likes it:
The Turbo X’s power and handling give Saab a legitimate competitor for all-wheel drive sport sedans like the A4, IS 250 and S80. Adding its power and handling to the broader line Saab has in the works could let the Swedish brand finally repay General Motors’ patience and investment.
I don’t want to seem ungrateful, but being kept on life support and denied the new models you need doesn’t fulfil my definition of an “investment”, but I digress….
Phelan praises the car’s looks, power delivery and great handling. On the negative side, he misses features like iPod or USB connectivity and doen’t like some of the interior trim.
Phelans known on the webs as a bit of a GM fanboy, which is understandable seeing he earns his salary in their backyard. It’s a good review, though, and as well thought ut as any other review I’ve seen on the Turbo X.
Phelan the Love – Part 2 – New Models
Phelan also dedicates an article to letting the folks around Detroit know what’s coming down the pike for Saab. I’m sure the execs at the Ren Center will find it informative. Always good to have new information coming in. *whipcrack*
He starts with the current situation:
The heart of Saab’s lineup today consists of the 9-3 and 9-5, two midsize cars that are too similar in size and looks to support a whole brand. The 9-7X SUV is a competent attempt to create a Saab from GM’s midsize SUV platform, but it’s no more than a stopgap measure to boost sales slightly until the new models arrive.
And then covers what’s coming. It’s nothing we haven’t heard about already, but it’s good to see the news is getting around:
A dramatically restyled new version of the 9-5 is to go into production next year. The 9-5 will be based on the next generation of GM’s global midsize car architecture…..
….Saab will also get a sporty crossover that’s very similar to the 9-4X concept car. Saab expects the 9-4X to sell best in the United States, so the vehicle will be built alongside the next-generation Cadillac SRX crossover in an as-yet unidentified North American plant.
The replacement for the midsize 9-3 may move to GM’s compact Delta architecture, Automotive News Europe reports. That would give Saab a smaller and more efficient high-volume model and increase the differentiation between its 9-3 and 9-5 lines…..
….Saab also has a smaller 9-1 model in the works.
Like I said, it’s nothing we don’t know, but it’s good to see the word getting out.
Phelan the love – Part 3 – E85 downunder
There’s only a little Saab in here. It’s mostly about Holden (yes, they’re writing about Australia in Detroit) and how they’re about to go E85 crazy! The strange thing about that is that we’ve only got a handful of E85 outlets here.
I won’t guess how many there are as I know I’ll be wrong (and Hawkeye will let me know!) but it’s got to be less that 10 right now.
It hasn’t stopped them marketing the bioPower cars here, though. Hawkeye’s got one and there’s a very nice looking black BioPower 9-3 here in Hobart.
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i wish we would see the 9-1 first…
I have been told by a dealer that the Commodore will go E85 latter this year, My guess is that they will anounce it at the Sydney Motor show. E85 is a must for Australia, as it is not a food or fuel thing, its a farmer stays working thing. I was speaking to someone on the weekend who works in the sugar industry in Queensland and he was saying that many of the mills are shutting down due to the low price of sugar. Farmers are having to either change crops or walk of the land. The mills that are making any money are the ones that have diversified into ethenol.
I also have a biopower black 9-3, I need to send through some photos, I have been told there is about 20 or so biopowered 9-3′s in Brisbane, and we are still waiting for a pump.
Did you read TMR’s review- pairing a Ford Mondeo TDCi against a 9-3 TTiD? I was shocked by the outcome of the test.
There are eight BioPower 9-3 Saabs and one 9-5 filling up with E85 at Forestville in Sydney’s northern suburbs. Still $1.10 a litre. Hoping to catch up with another owner someday soon whilst filling up. Unsure how many are filling up at various other E85 outlets throughout NSW.
S80 = Sport Sedan ?
S60 sure, but S80? Naaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah…
To make money you have to spend money. Although you do the later wisely but buying/taking over an organization of some sort that is simply parked and drained is hardly a wise move. To then state that this entity should now be grateful of being able to repay the owners clearly leaves shows that this owners are still holding what they bought in denial. Those press bastards !!!!