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There’s been a few interesting developments in the last 24 hours that very nearly slipped under my radar.
First of all, GM issued a press release about a new direct injection V6 they’ve developed and it’s been very well received by the motoring press.
Owners of the 2010 Chevrolet Equinox crossover will hit the streets next summer in a vehicle equipped with a highly efficient, all-new engine that will help save both fuel and money.
The 2010 Equinox will be offered with a choice of two new direct injected (DI) engines that use less fuel yet make more power – a 2.4L four-cylinder and a 3.0L V-6. The 2.4L engine delivers an estimated 30 mpg in highway driving (EPA certification pending), placing the Equinox at the top of its segment in highway mileage. Consumers who drive the 2.4L-equipped Equinox 15,000 miles per year will save 134 gallons of fuel or about $270 to $400 annually (assuming gas prices of $2 or $3 per gallon as compared to 2009MY Equinox).
The Equinox will join a growing roster of direct injected vehicles from GM, including the all-new 2010 Cadillac SRX crossover and 2010 Buick LaCrosse sedan, which, along with the Equinox, debut in January at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. In fact, for the 2010 model year, GM will offer more DI models in North America than any other manufacturer.
Notice there’s no mention of Saab there. That’s the interesting subtext in this story, which I’ll get to in a moment. First we need to go back a little, though.
Around the middle of last year, I received an internal GM document about the Saab 9-4x. At that time, I wrote that GM were intending for the 9-4x to have a 3 litre V6 as the engine in the base model, with the turbocharged 2.8 litre V6 as the engine in the Aero model.
A lot of people were skeptical about this, which is fair enough. I passed along a copy of this document to 1985Gripen recently, so that someone could verify my claim on this one. Here’s a screenshot from that document, though, just to help out the still-skeptical amongst the audience.
Please note that this is for the US market only, hence the lack of other engine variants such as the possible 4 cylinder options: petrol, BioPower and diesel.
More recently, the engine specs for the Saab 9-4x were mentioned again in comments here at TS. I thought it significant enough to turn the comment into a posted article.
So, we’ve got several mentions of the 3.0V6 being the base engine, at least for the US market.
Now…..
Note that the press release, above, mentions that the 3.0 version of this new DI engine is going to make it’s way into the Cadillac SRX, coming mid 2009. This Cadillac SRX is the Saab 9-4x’s sister vehicle, to be built along side the 9-4x in the Ramos Arizpe plant in Mexico. The SRX was formerly referred to as the BRX (the name change is why I almost missed this) but GM recently decided that the SRX was the better name to go with.
So…….
1) This could be your new 9-4x engine. Finally, Saab have the chance of getting a DI engine in one of it’s vehicles.
2) whether or not Saab will get this engine in the 9-4x is quite dependent on whether GM still own Saab in the future and whether the Saab 9-4x is still going to be built. The official word from Saab is that they’re still pursuing this vehicle having come so far with it. Obviously it’s still in testing, having been photographed recently in Michigan. It’s interesting, though, that the press release doesn’t mention the Saab 9-4x as a recipient for this engine.
Counting their chickens, perhaps?
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21 responses so far ↓
1 turbin
// Dec 19, 2008 at 10:46 am
The BRX to SRX name change is interesting. Just this morning I was thinking about how it would likely be dubbed the BRiX. I presume that 9-5 and 9-4 production has been factored into the futures of Russelheim and Ramos Arizpe plants so I wonder what sort of impact (if any) it would have on them not to proceed with either model.
2 riku1100s
// Dec 19, 2008 at 6:08 pm
The sport-utility crossover Caddy should be named SUX, because Caddies do. As GM and Chrysler will merge in the fuzzy future, the Saab 9-4X will be rebadged to Jeep Wagoner (no typo here).
3 ctm
// Dec 19, 2008 at 7:03 pm
OK, so it only 10 AM and Christmas holiday has started. But what about this from the 9-4X document:
Power windows up & down (front)
Power windows down (rear)
I don’t get it. You can only lower the rear window with electricity?
4 mark_belfast
// Dec 19, 2008 at 7:44 pm
ctm, I think they mean ‘auto power up’, or ‘one-touch up’ if you like. It is quite normal to forego this feature for the sake of child safety in the rear. It is however unforgiveable in the 21st century to not fit it as standard on the front passenger window (as is the case in UK spec 9-3).
I’m excited by the prospect of the 9-4x, and now being Saab-less for the next 10 months, I really hope it on the market before next Christmas
5 ctm
// Dec 19, 2008 at 8:07 pm
mark_belfast,
Ah, I get it now…
D’oh!
6 Tompa
// Dec 19, 2008 at 8:18 pm
Why a 2,4l Direct injection? Hunting cui´s? A 2,0l DI LPT is better in every possible way. But maybe the general public thinks that a bigger displacement equals durability?
Tom
7 Dan9-1
// Dec 19, 2008 at 8:44 pm
Tompa I don’t get why they don’t use that engine either instead of the 3L V6 because it just seems silly having the 2.8V6T as the higher engine then one with larger displacement as the base…. its silly
8 van god los
// Dec 19, 2008 at 8:58 pm
LPT, mmmmhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh … Still missing my old 9-3 2.0 LPT. I never experienced a more comfortable engine in a car.
Please saab, bring back the LPT-engines. I heard that GM was working on a 1.8 (DI?) LPT engine to replace their current 2.4 engines. Imagine, a 1.8 DI LPT in the Saab 9-x air. The perfect combination of style, power and efficiency.
Sorry, I just drooled on my keyboard.
9 progolf
// Dec 19, 2008 at 9:10 pm
Dan9-1. You miss the point. It’s about “right sizing” not displacement! A 2.0l Turbo 4cyl can actually deliver 300hp, you don’t need a 3.0L V6 to do so. The future is smaller displacement, turbo, DI, +++ and advanced engine mamagement. The result is excellent performance, higher mileage and less pollution!
van god los. Opel has an 1,8 DI engine, but not SAAB!
10 Saabboy1
// Dec 19, 2008 at 9:34 pm
I am opposed to this vehicle. I think this is a mistake to build. For one, this should have come out 5 years ago. Two its built in Mexico, I can’t share my Saab values with this car, it has no identity with Swedish Airoplane AB. This is the problem with GM’s thinking. Why not spend the R & D money on something that is truly “Saab”? This is not it, this is not it!
11 ctm
// Dec 19, 2008 at 9:56 pm
Why not spend the R & D money on something that is truly “Saab”?
That’s what has been going on the last 15 years – hence the lack of model lineup.
We can discuss what is true Saab until the end of time, and in the meantime customers get fed up and move to other brands.
This is not it, this is not it!
Is the Porsche Cayenne not a true Porsche? Is the BMW X5 not a true BMW? That is what they produce, and for that reason alone they ARE a Porsche and a BMW. People who don’t like it can chose another model or another brand. But for some reason, people don’t do that… Or maybe they do but even more join the brand because of the model lineup. Clever, huh?
Two its built in Mexico, I can’t share my Saab values with this car, it has no identity with Swedish Airoplane AB.
Most Porsche Boxters are built in Finland. What is the connection with Porsche heritage here? Are the of bad quality? Do the not sell? Have all this tarnished the brand?
Saab need to get out of this “true Saab” coma, and start living in the reality of the market. If Saab just gonna do the exact same thing they did 20-30 years ago, it better to close it down. Other brands with a personality can evolve and change with time, and still contain some true heritage. So can (and must!) Saab do.
12 van god los
// Dec 19, 2008 at 10:02 pm
@ progolf : I know, but apparently opel is working on a 1.8 DI LPT to replace their 2.4 engine.
I never said that saab has a 1.8 DI (although they use an opel 1.8 ecotech in the 9-3 ss and sh in Europe)
13 Markac
// Dec 19, 2008 at 10:42 pm
Since the 9-4x is scheduled to appear very late in MY2010 (if it even appears at all), I’m not surprised that it didn’t get a mention as a candidate for that engine.
14 JBGsaab
// Dec 20, 2008 at 2:15 am
ctm: amen! there is no such thing as a ‘pure’ any car anymore – cars are made collaboratively. there are pros and cons to this system, but this system is here to stay
15 Kroum
// Dec 20, 2008 at 2:25 am
Ditto ctm!
16 curtis
// Dec 20, 2008 at 2:29 am
well i know what Saab to avoid
17 Dan9-1
// Dec 20, 2008 at 4:33 am
Progolf- I didn’t say that the 2.8V6 was a solution but like you say if the 2.0L can make 300PS/Hp/Bhp then I think we need to see this engine brought the forefront of the Saab lineup
The whole displacement thing is an American problem – Large Displacement= Massive Power when actually it doesn’t.
By the way I write colour rather than color to give you an Idea of which team I’m batting for
18 Saabboy1
// Dec 20, 2008 at 5:12 am
CTM- No question they can’t do what they did 20 30 years ago. But the fact remains this SUV is not Saab at all. Finland is a far cry from Mexico my friend. Anyway the Porshe Boxter is not comparable to this SUV. Where is the passion in this vehicle? I see little to like, but everyone has there own personality. Saab needs a home run, and we need it now. When I say “this is not it” I mean that this not what is needed now. Give us the 9-5 and maybe an AeroX for starters..
19 sam
// Dec 20, 2008 at 5:53 am
There’s an old drag-racing saying: There is no substitute for cubic inches.
20 Smoke_Jaguar4
// Dec 20, 2008 at 8:25 am
AAaarrgghhhh!
GM just released an upgrade kit for the 2.0L Turbo-4 LNF Ecotec. You know, the engine that should be in all new Saabs. Stock it makes 260HP/260ftlbs. The upgrade pushes this to 290HP/340ftlbs for a measly $650 and doesn’t void the warranty. That pretty close to what this proposed V6 will offer.
21 MarkS
// Dec 23, 2008 at 2:31 am
Actually Saab DOES need to get back to doing what it was doing 20-30 years ago (Saabboy1 – I agree with your earlier statement). Saab has always been a design and technology innovator whose ideas have been copied/assimilated by every automaker in the world. Saab’s decline started the moment GM began to move Saab away from its core design and engineering principles and not before! GM’s mainstreaming efforts, badge engineering experiments and abysmal ad campaigns became the perfect storm for Saab. Bring back Saab’s core principles and Saabs of the future will be innovative and trend-setting. A small company like Saab can not succeed by responding to every automotive fashion whim and can not be all things to all people. I believe the time is right to introduce new Saab’s which embody ALL of Saabs core values!