We have some follow-up info from our most recent Djup Strupe, who provided some no-V6-for-2010 information earlier this week. Click that link if you haven’t already seen it.
I’ve had a bit more correspondence with our source and at face value, he seems well placed to learn the information that he’s passed on.
In order clear up any confusion from the last Djup Strupe post, he’s passed on the following:
As I understood the current 9-3 won’t get a facelift as previously planned. And it is the current 9-3 that you wont be able to get with a V6 in 2010. I asked and was told that this was the final year with the V6 in the 9-3. It was planned that the Insignia V6 would go into the 9-3, but that plan has been cancelled due to low demand, and probably due to the cost of getting it certified in the 9-3. And as I understand it, the current V6 is being made in too few numbers.
The next 9-3 wont, as some people wrote, fit a V6. The global compact (delta) has no V6.
So there you go. Take it as it’s come to me – in an anonymous fashion – but the 2009 model year might be the final year where you can obtain that 2.8T V6 engine in a Saab 9-3.
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The 9-5 bonus:
I’ve had another Djup Strupe mention recently that the reason there’s no spy pictures of the next Saab 9-5 surfacing as yet is that it’s being tested in disguise. The car’s dressed up to appear as being a Buick.
That’s global architectures for ya!
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We have seen some Insignia Testmules around Trollhattan in August with swedish plates which were owned by saab. So i think they use also the Insignia as a mule for the upcoming 9-5 it’s nearly the same car as the 9-5.
With the V6 in the 9-3 or not we have to wait i think, i think it’s a little to early to think about it and the dealers didn’t get any information about a cancellation of the V6 engine last weekend on the German Dealer Meetup with GME and Saab Germany.
I think that Hirsch wouldn’t invest so much money in this engine for the European market when they know that all this money they spend will only be for one model year!
Swade, Re: “…for ya!”
Please stop talking like Sarah Palin!
Wow, Buick’s good for something!
Lets hope the new 9-5 ISN’T a Buick!
I second that. I am sick of people saying my 9-3 is a Malibu with a tuxedo. Let’s try and keep the 9-5 and Buick as far away from each other as possible. I know that they (9-3 & Malibu) share platforms but others have a hard time understanding that. The last person to say that was a mechanic. I had a nice talk with him and he hasn’t said a word since. Do you all have to defend your SAABs too?
Would the 9-5 be dressed up as the Buick LaCrosse concept? It’s the only Buick I can think of seeing recent spyshots of.
NineTwoX: It’s probably because no photographers think that Buick spyshots are worth anything!
The Buick that Djup Strupe was referring to is likely to be the Buick Invicta concept, shown in Beijing recently. It is actually based on the same Epsilon II architecture being used as the likely 2010 Buick LaCrosse, Opel Insignia and ………. you guessed it, the new 9-5:
Hey
I dont think the idea of not having a V6 is that bad for the new 9-3 (at least in Europe). I mean in the case you wouldnt be able to sell a car without it, I wonder how Volvo manage with S40/V50/C70/C30 ? But I can totally see the value of having a V6 on the US market as they adopt very slow to the environmental trend.
JV
2-don: It´s the same here in Sweden.. But here you get the Opel speech. But you never hear anyone saying that the V70/S80 basically is a Ford Mondeo, and the S40/V50/C70/C30 a Ford Focus eventhough those cars have more in common with oneanother than the 9-3 vs Malibu and Opel Vectra.. Strange…
And.. I do believe a 6 cylinder is a must in the 9-3. (But lets make it smart with DI, smaller displacement etc…) Both here in Europe and the rest of the world. Lets face it.. there isn´t enough Saab devoted dentists and doctors for Saab to make a living… I don´t want Saab to be a novelty brand with ca 175.000 units sold/year. Volvo seem to do fine eventhough they still are very small and “nisch” with their ca Saab x 4 units/year.
Saab needs atleast 4 models, the Saab charisma and loads LOADS of marketing bucks!
So maybe this really is the 9-5 tester after all. In a ‘Buick’ disguise.
http://www.saabcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=136480
Small (smart) V6… That sounds very SAABish! I’ve said it before, the biggest complaint is about the horses. Get us 300 and shut them up! It should ALWAYS be an option at the very least!
Remember the 1.8L V6 used in the Mazda MX-3 Precidia ? [grin]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazda_MX-3
Good riddance to V6s. The space they take, the complication, weight, and heat from the extra set of plumbing and other “stuff” needed…Saabs (esp. 9-3s) have never needed them. Even the four cylinders with all their balance shaft crud are getting a review. Bring on the 5 cylinders, where none of that is needed. Its all about power-to-weight.
I’m with SaabKen. Engines have gotten so huge. My current car (not Saab) has a 2.5L I-4, and let me tell you it’s a lame idea. The 1.8L V-6 was a great idea. And didn’t Ferrari used to have a 3 liter V-8? Lotus had a 3.5L V-8. With cylinder deactivation and direct injection, isn’t a small V-8 a win-win?
go-go-go for small straight 6 vibration free engine for the next gen 9-5.
R6 2.3TTTT
Alfa Romeo had a 2.0 V6 Turbo GTV & Spider that i liked the sound of. That would be a good fit for Saab.