Well, according to the email by Carl-Peter Forster:

In the next 12 to 18 months, Saab is planned to launch multiple new products. Those products remain in the product portfolio today and we expect to go forward with the launches as recently announced with a 9-5 sedan toward the end of 2009 and the 9-4X in mid-2010. We will of course keep you closely informed.

So, unless they run out of money, it seems like they stick to these new launches.

and in terms of gm’s options, i think 100% ownership of saab, or at least a controlling-interest stake, should be the focus. if gm chooses to liquidate saab, a) it loses the potential to recoup its investment, especially on the cusp of a new-product offensive–making the lost investment all the more poignant; and b) its thrust into the european market will become stunted, or at least more awkward, at best.

I just wish Saab would give the world a look at what I am sure is going to be a stunning 9-5.

My question in reaction to this post is this –

I understand that SAAB fans are excited about the new 9-5 and 9-4X, but does anyone think that there will be enough excitement in these two models to woo anyone away from other makes?

I know the 9-7X outsells the 9-5, and I can’t remember if it outsells the 9-3, but will the fact that SAAB now has a smaller crossover and a new executive car save the company?

Will it buy enough time for SAAB to actually put the biohybrid and air concepts on the road? How much more R&D needs to be done to get that to happen?

In order for SAAB to survive past this hanging-on stage, it’s going to have to be allowed to put some innovative product on the road that will actually PULL PEOPLE AWAY from other models, not just satisfy those who already know what SAAB is.

How difficult can this be? Why is it that SAAB sells fewer cars than just about any manufacturer in the world? If it creates some innovative product instead of just offering a “new” executive car and crossover, there can be no where but UP for this company.

But will it have the chance to do this?

Reading between the lines of Swade’s most recent interview with Eric Geers yesterday, it certainly does sound like GM Europe realizes that they may be somewhat on their own once Congress makes a decision – one way or the other. And this may be the best thing for Saab in the long run – if European governments can agree that some kind of stimulus and shared financial support should be made available in the short term.

Wagonner has just admitted in Congress today that Chapter 11 may be an option. So things are looking quite grim in Detroit at the moment – particularly with GM. The sooner GM Europe and Saab itself secures some finances for continued operations and to get 9-4X, 9-5 and 9-3x into production – the better it will be for our favourite little brand.