All things going well with that pesky possibility-of-extinction thing, it seems like late 2009 will quite possibly see an all-new battle of the hatches.
If the inside word is to be believed and the artist’s impressions are right, then Saab could well be looking at a Saab 9-5, possibly with a hatch variant of some sort, late next year. The timing seems to no longer be in doubt. Saab officials all the way up to Carl-Peter Forster have said that Saab’s plans remain on track to show the 9-5 and start producing it in late 2009.
These are the images that are considered the best guesses so far.
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Auto Motor and Sport have come across some images indicating that Saab won’t be alone in bringing a larger sized hatch to market late next year.
This, apparently, is the new 5-series BMW that AMS claim they’ll bring to market in the northern Autumn in 2009. I’m not sure if the photo’s for real (I’m assuming it’s a good photoshop job), but they have the full story in Swedish and some bigger photos here.
With thanks to Bengt P!!
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There will be no 9-5 hatch
That would be most disappointing, Fop. The images seemed to point that way.
BMW out-Saabing Saab once again?
BMW took the title of best turbocharged engine from Saab. Now if they start producing hatchback.. But hey, it was supposed to be impossible to sell hatch since soone wants them?? Except every hardcore Saabfan?!
What do you think of that Saab image (next to jet)? To me it doesn´t look Saab too much. It´s like Cadillac of some kind. Don´t be fooled by the Aero X front/grille. Look at the stance and curves, window sizes and so on.
If the Insignia can have a hatch there is no excuse why the 9-5 shouldn’t.
Another GM cutback I suppose?
IMO opinion the hatch is a no go area for Saab. Why? Saab’s biggest market sees them as downmarket and even BMW wont sell theirs in North America. Lets forget the idea of bringing back the hatch and concentrate on quality control which is a far more important issue.
“The Fop” says “There will be no 9-5 hatch”And thats that? Just what are his bonafides that make his statement gospel?
Zippy, give up the hatch?
It’s not that we have some sort of theoretical position that the hatch brings an intrinsic benefit to brand positioning, it’s that we want one for ourselves. There are a lot of us still driving 900s and older 9-3′s because there is no new hatch. I gave up my 9-3 hatch for a 9-5. The 9-5 is a better car in every way but one. Every time I go to the hardware, furniture, electronics, etc. store, I miss my hatch. If BMW has a 5-series turbo hatch, and SAAB has only the wagon, then I’m buying the BMW.
I thought the new 5 series was going to have the combined hatchback/saloon ‘twindoor’ feature á la the Skoda Superb, only with a different design to avoid patent infringement?
Doesn’t the Insignia already have that hybrid hatch/trunk configuration ? Or was that only a concept ?
zippy: I think that you are correct. forget the hatch and focus on quality and design and fuel economy. the US (wrongly, IMHO) thinks that hatches are downmarket (bmw and merc both tried a hatch a few years ago, and they both flopped). Anyhow, SAAB currently has a solution: The combi. The combi serves two masters: those that want the functionality of a hatch w/o the perceived ‘downmarket-ness’ of the hatch.
Yes, premium hatches are definitely coming back. BMW X6 is already on the market, and both BMW and Audi have hatches in the pipe.
By the way, who is considering those pictures to be the best guesses? That would be terrible.
the insignia looks nothing like that so no, no hatch.
That BMW is quite nice looking if that’s the real deal and not a PS job. With the twin turbo six or the twin turbo 8 it would beat Saab at it’s own game in a big big way. That at said, I can’t wait to see how the 9-5 looks, those speculation drawings were some of my favorites. If it can come close to matching the BMW’s sportiness while beating it in utility and fuel economy it will be a success in my eyes.
MarkAC – “If the Insignia can have a hatch there is no excuse why the 9-5 shouldn’t.”
Technically of course that’s right. But Insignia is below the premium segment where hatches are well accepted (especially in UK). In the premium segment as many have commented they simply don’t sell well. Saab sold more cars when they dropped the hatch – a sad fact to many here but true none the less.
SAABLANCE – “The Fop says “There will be no 9-5 hatch”And thats that?”
I am not Jan Ake Jonsson going incognito, so of course not – I could be wrong. But I am fairly confident that the information I have seen is correct. If they reveal a hatch next year then I will accept all “I told you so” comments with good grace and a suitably large portion of humble pie. However, pretty sure we will get a long tailed sedan and a typically Saabish SportWagon. Only way to be sure is to wait…
I saw a clip with regard to the new ovlov s60 :
On some images (PS’s I suppose) it looks like a hatch … ovlov is also coming with a brand new 4-cylinder gdti engine (gas direct turbo injection or something like that).
Is ovlov building the car saab fans worldwide are waiting for ? a new 900 hatch.
On the other hand, this proves that the saab way, is the correct way : a practical car with 4-cylinder turbo is the future.
When Saab dropped the hatch and went sedan the argument was that people did not want hatches. Well, no matter how we turn it around it’s difficult to say that the sedan has been a big seller. What is happening though, is that the hatch-preferring Saab owners are gradually leaving Saab. And that can’t be good, can it?
If I remember correctly, it was said by people who saw the new 9-5 that it looks like a hatch – without actually being one. Sort of a psuedo-hatch…Considering that the Insignia will come as a hatch-rendering one might wonder why not also offer the 9-5 as a hatch?
The Fop:
“However, pretty sure we will get a long tailed sedan”
According to people who claim to have seen the actual car, it does have some hatch-like lines (and some coupe-like).
Maybe like Lexus GS, and the 9-5 sibling 2010 Buick Lacrosse. Let’s just hope it doesn’t look as clumsy as those.
Edit: NJ_Nick beat me to it
In 2007, Saab sold 30,000 cars in the US, and 70,000 cars in other countries. In 2008, that’s now 20,000 vesus 57,000. Or a drop from 30% to 26%. (source: http://www.trollhattansaab.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/worldproduction.jpg). It’ll probably go deeper. In the light of this all, why would Saab have to focus on the US market? Why would they deny the rest of the world a hatch? Because one quarter of their sales is done in the US? It seems to me you have to turn this argument around. Give the world the hatch, so Saab will sell more in other parts of the world. Focusing on a shrinking market might not be the best bet. Keep in mind that the US economy will keep on loosing importance. Not only because their economy goes down, but mainly because the world keeps getting larger. Whether the 9-5 has to be that hatch or not, is a different question all together.
And BTW, I cannot believe that that BMW-render would represent the new 5-series. If you would have said it’s the new X3 or X2, then I’d understand.
If that photo is real, it will probably be the first hatch i have seen without a rear wiper. Aren’t only saloons the ones that don’t have a wiper?
I think I saw that (BMW) image on a car magazine and it was made by one German Photoshopper who
makes those images to several mags.
IMO, Saab should make Hatch(Coupe), Sedan, wagon and convertible next generation 9-3. 9-5 might be too big and too “luxury” to be a hatch. Maybe “combi-sedan” like 9000 CS was? Though wagon tends to be more practical by nearly all manners.
This is not the new BMW 5-series, but the PAS, based on the 5-series.
PAS: Progressive Activity Sedan
It’s positioned between the 5-series and the X6
For a picture of the test car:
http://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/news/erwischt-bmw-pas-697904.html
Hatch, sedan, wagon (combi) and convertible 9-3?
That is surely a bit overkill? Four different layouts for one model? And one small factory to produce them all?
IMO, if they bring in the hatch, the combi has to go.
You can’t possibly compare a X6 with a 9-5, could you?
The Fop wrote: ‘There will be no 9-5 hatch’
Is that certain? Why do you think there won’t be one?
Swade wrote: ‘BMW out-Saabing Saab once again?’
What’s so SAAB about a SUV-coupé?
My guess is that the new 9-5 will be some sort of hybrid of a hatch/sedan similar to what the new Opel Insignia is offering. Simply because the way people who have seen it in the flesh describe it as being very unique and distinctive in design. My only hope is that Saab gets at least 2 new new car models out to keep the brand relevant in an ever growing market. To make sure that they stay around long enough to flex some muscle for the future models that will define Saab.
The hatchback would be great, it would probably bring back the “lost generation” of Saab cutomers,if only the dimwits at GM could see this, it could be the first step back to the big time for the 9-5,if it comes only in Saloon form forget it,I wont be ordering any.
just seen those pictures….brrrr. that front… it looks like a big fish…an ugly big fish !
Did the 9000 CD outsell the hatch in the US? Here in Oz I think the hatch outsold the sedan about 2.5 to 1. I’m not saying the 9-5 shouldn’t come in a sedan and a wagon, but if the Insignia can come in sedan, wagon and hatch so can the 9-5. It’s only penny pinching by GM if it doesn’t.
In some markets the hatch will certainly be the best seller. I’d bet money on it.
As to the next 9-3, it is essential that it comes in a combi-coupe (hatch) even at the expense of a combi (wagon), but it would be nice it there were both. To me a 3 door hatch is what defines Saab. A coupe that’s a whole lot more practical than any 2 door coupe. I can buy an ordinary 4 door sedan from a whole host of manufacturers. I ‘d like to buy a 3 door hatch from Saab again.
Perhaps the next 9-3 can come in converttible, 3 door hatch/coupe. wagon and sedan? After all the existing range was meant to. And I know there’s a lot of people who would like a 5 door hatch 9-3 again, so I’ll let them state their case…
So this Insignia hatch “variant” is not slated for production ?
http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/11/spy-shots-open-insignia-fiv-door-hatch-caught/
Couple of points.
Hatches are well and truly on the march with Aston Martin ( Volante), Porsche (Panamera) and possibly Lamborghini ( Estoque) all looking at 5 doors. The Panamera looks amazing.
If we didn’t need convincing, the hatch is the new black.
As per Alberts comment, there is a planned vehicle from BMW which is basically a people mover based on the 5 series and it has a hatchback of sorts. The new 5 series is also only a couple of years away but I can’t see BMW leaving sedans out altogether.
The new 9-5 is previewed in January CAR Magazine ( count the number of references to “late ” and “overdue” ) and their CGI looks like a sedan. They do mention the Sportcombi as well though and its a nicely written piece. Elsewhere in the mag they add the Turbo-X as a competitor/altermative to the new V6 Supercharged Audi S4 which is nice to see.
mahalo
PT – I have the May(?) or June (?) issue of CAR which featured the Turbo X driven by Per Eklund. Wonderful piece to read.
BMW are bringing out a hatch based on the new 5 series platform.
SAAB need to bring back the hatch for so many good reasons, but SAAB firstly need to bring a new car out full stop…….
The 9-5 has the opportunity to rebuild SAAB values rather than following like sheep with a saloon and estate that may or may not be as good as BMW or Audi.
As has been said many times before SAAB must put good engines in it, make it “saabish” in interior and exterior design and make it appeal to people that dont want to be forced to buy a german options ( even though the 9-5 may be built in germany). They must either make it a premium grade car with a premium price or make it value for money anything inbetween just wont cut it in today’s market..
for what its worth I want a 9-5 hatch auto with 2.9 V6 diesel and XWD with the old 9000 Aero seats. I am so easy to please