It’s a dreary day in much of the Eastern United States today, and I’m seemingly in the middle of that gloom here in Columbus. At least it stopped snowing around 9 AM. I’m ready to go home.

First up, the 9-3 XWD Wagon has been named one of the 5 best wagons by Nadaguides.com. You may recall that the NADA is the National Automotive Dealers Association here in the United States. They publish quarterly car values that are considered “the” blue book for many — they are preferred over Kelley in most cases.

“When they say engineered from jets, they mean it,” said Don Christy, president and CEO of NADAguides.com. “The 2009 Saab 9-3 Aero SportCombi is a great looking wagon with a laundry list of standard equipment. In this category, this is something special.”

This is according to a press release from SaabUSA. I think that the actual review is a mixed bag, but a top 5 is a top 5.

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From Forbes writer Jerry Flint comes this little editorial about the promises that the Big 2-and-a-half automakers have to make in order to get government loans and bailout treatments. I think that his thoughts are pretty realistic. I primarily agree with him about the government’s heavy-handed assumption that exotic or semi-exotic fuel efficient technologies are a must for the Big Two-and-a-half to survive. He’s right when he says:

Electric cars and plug-ins are indeed on the way, but it is a long, expensive road to get there, and to be truthful, they just might lead to nowhere. Hybrid cars already are here, but only one hybrid, the Toyota (nyse: TM – news – people ) Prius, is a real success. Several hybrid models, including Honda’s (nyse: HMC – news – people ) first Accord hybrid, were or are commercial failures.

Yes, the automotive world is changing, but for the near future–and that means the next 10 to 20 years at the very least–the internal combustion engine is still going to dominate the automobile world. It is simply unrealistic to think exotic technologies are going to take over that quickly.

Good stuff.

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Finally, from Jeff Darcy, the political cartoonist (read satirist) at Andy Rupert’s hometown paper, the Cleveland Plain Dealer comes this great cartoon.

Vehicles with Turbo X styled wheels (we need a name for these wheels) have been seen in the proximity of the Trollhattan plant, said to be XWD V6 Aero models, though I have a photo below that suggests it might be a wider release than that. Note that these wheels are a single color, rather than the two tone found on the Turbo X. I’m sure some of the single color versions will find their way into private paint shops pretty quickly

Did I say photos?!! Absolutely. Click away.

And here’s the new Carbon Grey Metallic in a Saab cgi, with another set of very nice rims

And this could well be Glass Grey Metallic.

Thanks to Djup Strupe for keeping the information rolling in!!

That Carbon Metallic color looks pretty darn spectacular i you ask me. I’ll take two of ‘em!

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When I write about it (back on June 19), it’s a rumour. Now Automotive News cover it, it’s a fact.

General Motors, citing the weak U.S. dollar, is ending its 7 percent employee discount on the Saab 9-3 sedan for the 2009 model year…..a Detroit area dealer who asked not to be identified says employee discounts account for nearly 40 percent of his annual sales.

The trials of being just a blogger.

Thanks Los Jalops

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Time for some Swedish product news for 2009….

Saab 9-3: As some have observed from different photos floating around, there are a new set of roof-rails (from the BLS) in chrome finish that will be available. The black (old-version) rails will only be optional for the Linear-model.

The Aero range for 2009 will consist of the the 2.8 V6 with 280hp, with both XWD and FWD available and the 1.9 TTiD. In addition there will also be an Aero trim available for the 2.0t BioPower! Saab has declared that in the future all high-performance engines in each fuel-class will be available in Aero trim.

Saab 9-5: The Aero-range will consist of the 2.3T 260 HP version, as well as the all new 2.3t 210 HP BioPower Aero.

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Some more 2009 info from Djup Strupe, who’s recently had a brief stint behind the wheel of a 2.0T with XWD.

He said it was a firm test-pilot favourite. Whilst it doesn’t have the full-tilt power or the sweet noise of the V6, it’s got plenty of zip and being a bit lighter, it was a LOT of fun to drive with less understeer and a little more agility than the Turbo X.

I still think making the eLSD unavailable for the 2.0T is a mistake, but I also think there’s going to be a lot to like about this setup. It can’t come soon enough.

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It’d be somewhat akin to Nero fiddling if I were to carry on blogging about Saabs and didn’t mention the drop in GM’s stock price today.

Merryll Lynch made some negative remarks about GM and as a result, GM stock fell below $10 for the first time in a bazillion years as the market got nervous. The sharks are circling. Farago’s now reminding me of the Darkseeker leader at the end of I Am Legend, such is his single-mindedness towards GM’s destruction.

Yep, there’s trouble out there, all right. But I don’t think it’s the end right now. Not at all. Not for GM, at least. If something’s going to give, it’s going to be Chrysler. They have no money, no real and vested management interest and most importantly – no product at all.

GM have to get smarter and get tough to ride this one out and they’ve GOT to put aside the crap culture that saw them relying on an unsustainable model mix all these years. They’ve had their own butts handed to them by their competition from Asia and if they don’t take heed then they really do deserve to go down.

But I think there’s enough brain cells in the board room to realise this and I’m sure they already do. It’s a big ship they’re trying to turn around here. It isn’t going to be done in one short period.

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The first bit of good news for Saab purveyors in the US today is – in case you missed it – that XWD is officially available for the 2.0T, for the 2009 model year. Do not underestimate how good this news is – it’s fantastic!

This is news that I brought to you some time ago, but it’s always nice to see the official confirmation.

The bad: XWD

The bad news is that the 2.0T with XWD will apparently not be available with the eLSD (the part of the XWD system that splits power between the rear wheels). The eLSD will not even be an option for the 2.0T. Given that that engine’s got so much character and is a favourite with buyers, I can’t help but think that SaabUSA are shooting themselves in the foot here.

The unknown: A smaller engine for Saab 9-3?

The headline of that 2009 Saab 9-3 article listed a “2.0t sPort” model as well as the Aero and 2.0T versions. The large ‘T’ denotes a high output turbo engine whereas the lower-case ‘t’ – in Australia at least – means a 175hp (or 129kW) version of Saab’s four-pot. Given the fuel-conscious times we live in, the addition of the 2.0t would be a great idea for the US market.

However, whilst it was mentioned in the headline, it was left out of the rest of the press release. As was BioPower.

Questions have been asked and I’ll let you know what I find out.

The bad: another dealer lost?

According to Dan, in comments, Lehman Saab has been changed from a stand-alone Saab dealer (alongside a franchise Volvo dealership as well) to become a Cadillac-Hummer dealership. Not a Saab-Cadillac-Hummer dealership, but C-H only.

And this was apparently at GM’s request. And they’re in PA, which is not quite MA but it’s in the NEUS and I’d assume hasn’t been completely FUBAR recently.

A click on the Lehman URL diverts to SutliffeSaab, which times-out and doesn’t load. Not good.

Another one bites the dust? Let’s hope not.

The bad: Aero Academy gone

True to their word, SaabUSA have indeed removed all references to the Aero Academy from their website. That whole program has gone from existing to wiped-from-the-face-of-SaabUSA’s-existence within a week. Remarkable.

but…..

The unknown: Euro Delivery

….references still exist to the European Delivery Program:

Thanks for your interest in the Saab European Delivery Program. The program will be up and running in the near future.* Please submit your contact information below and we will be sure to send you updates as they become available.

If you’re feeling cynical like me, you probably think that asterisk links to a footnate saying the near future could be as far as 2015 or something . I’m pleased to say it doesn’t, though. It just says it’s for the 9-3 and 9-5 only.

So there’s hope for this essential program. If Saab want to position themselves against the Euro premium players then this is the sort of thing they need to maintain.

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* Saab XWD cross-wheel-drive system available on 2.0T models (as of October 2008)
* More powerful 280-horsepower (209 kW) engine on Aero models
* Electronically controlled rear limited-slip differential (eLSD) standard on Aero V-6 XWD
* Aero-type appearance and performance package available on 2.0T “Sport” FWD models
* Carbon-fiber interior finish trim on Aero Sport Sedan and SportCombi
* OnStar 8.0 hardware with Turn-by-Turn Navigation* and Bluetooth hands-free calling
* Matte chrome finish roof rails available on Aero SportCombi model
* Sleeker roof rail design for SportCombi model
* New 17 x 7-inch wheel on 2.0T XWD-equipped models
* Newly designed 17 x 7.5-inch, five-spoke alloy wheel, standard on 2.0T 1SD, Aero Convertible models
* Available additional convertible top color: Grey
* Exterior colors: Carbon Grey Metallic, Glass Grey Metallic (all models) replace Parchment Silver, Smoke Beige (all models)

2009 SAAB 9-3 RANGE expands XWD CROSS-WHEEL-DRIVE TECHNOLOGY to 2.0T Sedan AND SPORTCOMBI, MORE POWERFUL V-6 Engine on AERO MODELS AND NEW 2.0t ‘sPort’ MODEL

Fresh from the major exterior redesign it received for the 2008 model year, the Saab 9-3 range broadens its customer appeal for 2009 with available XWD cross-wheel-drive technology on 2.0T Sport Sedan and SportCombi models, a more powerful, 280-horsepower (209 kW) engine on all V-6 Aero models, and a new, available Aero-look exterior appearance package for 2.0T Sport models.

Other enhancements include interior trim, roof rail and wheel changes, as well as new, standard OnStar 8.0 hardware that enables Turn-by-Turn Navigation (available in late 2008) and Bluetooth hands-free calling capabilities.

For 2009, the Saab 9-3 range includes the 9-3 Sport Sedan, 9-3 SportCombi and 9-3 Convertible in 2.0T and Aero models. XWD technology is standard on Aero Sport Sedan and
SportCombi models.

Intelligent all-wheel drive

Originally available in the 2008 model year only on the V-6-equipped Turbo X or Aero Sport Sedan and SportCombi models, Haldex Gen 4 XWD cross-wheel-drive technology brings additional functionality to four-cylinder 2.0T models while preserving the fun-to-drive attributes and Scandinavian sensibilities that characterize Saab vehicles.

9-3 2.0T models equipped with XWD technology (production begins in October 2008) are available with either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission and feature a more comfort-focused chassis setting than V-6 Aero XWD models.

Saab’s XWD cross-wheel-drive is a pre-emptive, active-on-demand system that is activated only when required, minimizing the impact on fuel economy while giving the car a sure-footed, dynamic feel that enthusiasts embrace. Developed in Sweden with Haldex of Stockholm, Saab’s available XWD cross-wheel-drive system is designed to optimize vehicle handling and stability in all driving conditions.

This state-of-the-art, all-wheel-drive system includes two innovative features: pre-emptive engagement of the rear wheels to optimize traction at take-off; and an electronically controlled rear limited-slip differential (eLSD is standard on Aero XWD models and not available on 2.0T models) that allows variable torque transfer between the rear wheels.

The system is governed by its own electronic control unit, which functions with the engine, transmission and ABS/ESP control modules. The hardware consists of a Power Transfer Unit (PTU) in the front final-drive that transmits engine torque through a prop-shaft to the Rear Drive Module (RDM). This incorporates a Torque Transfer Device (TTD) and, on Aero models, an electronically controlled limited slip differential (eLSD). Both are wet, multi-plate clutch units manufactured by Haldex.

The eLSD is installed alongside the RDM and operates via pressurized clutch plates on a principle similar to the larger TTD. In icy or wet split-friction conditions, for example, it uses inputs from the rear wheel speed sensors and can transfer up to 40 percent of torque between the drive shafts, to whichever wheel has more grip.

The eLSD also gives the driver enhanced control when cornering hard or completing a high speed maneuver, such as a lane change, by momentarily applying more or less torque to either of the wheels to help the rear of the car more closely follow the direction of the front wheels. This yaw-damping effect can keep the car better balanced and more tightly controlled, without requiring outside intervention from electronic stability technology.

Progressive design with Scandinavian values

The 2009 9-3 range incorporates the award-winning, eye-catching design cues of the Aero X Concept, with a powerful front end including a larger grille, smaller side grilles and semi-overwrap-style hood.

The headlamp design wraps around to the flanks of the vehicle and accommodates the available Xenon cornering headlamps (standard on Aero), which adjust horizontally in conjunction with the vehicle’s steering for greater visibility. This distinctive headlamp design element, as well as the clean, monochromatic doors and bumpers, give the 9-3 a longer, sleeker, cleaner and faster look. For 2009, SportCombi models receive a sleeker roof rail design, while matte chrome finish roof rails are available on Aero SportCombi .

For 2009, Saab 9-3 “Sport” Sport Sedan buyers can choose an Aero-type appearance and performance package that includes dual bright-finish tailpipes, sport-bolstered seats, metallic interior decor, upgraded brakes, a sport-tuned chassis and new, sportier-looking 17 by 7.5-inch five-spoke alloy wheels.

2.0T XWD-equipped 9-3 models feature new, standard 17 by 7-inch five-spoke alloy wheels. The new, sportier 17 by 7.5-inch five-spoke alloy wheel is standard on the Aero FWD Convertible. Eighteen-inch wheels with performance-rated tires are standard on Aero XWD models.

Carbon Grey Metallic and Glass Grey Metallic join the exterior color choices for 2009. Grey also is offered as an additional convertible top color choice.

Inviting cockpit

The 9-3 interiors use premium materials and are generously equipped, with standard features such as dual-zone automatic climate control, eight-way power driver’s seat, front side window de-misters, rain-sensing windshield wipers, cooled and illuminated glove box, plush carpet floor mats and plenty of storage.

2.0T models are equipped with leather-appointed seats and wood-effect trim, while Aero models receive leather-appointed sport seats with two-tone upholstery. For 2009, Aero Sport Sedan and SportCombi XWD models receive carbon-fiber interior trim inspired by the Turbo X model.

Turbocharged engine leadership

Saab has been recognized for its turbocharging technology leadership for more than 30 years. Two turbocharged engines are available on the 9-3 range, the 210-horsepower (157 kW) 2.0L inline four-cylinder (2.0T models), and the more powerful 2.8L V-6 turbo (Aero models), which delivers 280 horsepower (209 kW). The 2.8L V-6 also produces more torque, 262 lb.-ft. (355 Nm) for the FWD Aero Convertible and 395 lb.-ft. (400 Nm) for the XWD Aero Sport Sedan and SportCombi.

Saab developed the 2.0L I-4 turbo to balance high fuel efficiency with high torque (221 lb.-ft / 300 Nm) for confident passing. Precise, highly sensitive throttle control, adaptive torque delivery and smooth power-on/power-off characteristics are benefits of its Trionic-8 engine-management system.

The 2.8L V-6 Turbo, named one of the “10 Best Engines” by Ward’s AutoWorld Magazine in 2006, delivers excellent responsiveness through low-speed torque and high-rpm power as well as exceptional refinement. It features a technologically advanced 60-degree, dual overhead-cam architecture designed to produce power and excellent fuel economy to meet different needs in markets around the world.

All Saab 9-3 models can be equipped with a standard six-speed manual transmission. A five-speed automatic is available on 2.0T 9-3 FWD models and a six-speed automatic is available on Aero and 2.0T XWD models.

Safety is a Saab priority

The Saab 9-3 lineup has been recognized by insurance and consumer groups for its occupant protection attributes. 2008 model year Saab 9-3 Sport Sedan, SportCombi and Convertible models earned the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s Top Safety Pick Award in the midsize category, the fourth consecutive year that the 9-3 Sport Sedan brought home top IIHS honors.

The 2008 Saab 9-3 Convertible earned the IIHS’ Top Safety Pick Award – one of two convertibles and the only soft-top convertible to earn a top spot.

Saab 9-3’s long list of standard safety and security features includes:

* Saab Active Head Restraints (SAHR) in the front seats
* Pendulum B-pillar side-impact structure
* OnStar 8.0 (includes Turn-by-Turn Navigation (available in late 2008), Bluetooth hands-free calling, automatic air bag notification, stolen vehicle location, emergency services, AccidentAssist, roadside assistance and remote door unlock)
* Anti-lock brakes and traction control
* Electronic Stability Program
* Adaptive driver and front passenger air bags
* Head/torso side-impact air bags in the front seats (Convertible)
* Torso side-impact air bags in the front seats
* Front seat safety belt pretensioners and load-limiters
* Halo remote lighting feature
* Tire pressure monitoring system
* Headlamps with delay (“follow-me-home”) feature

Premium audio

The top-of-the-line Bose Centerpoint surround sound system complements Saab’s turbocharged driving experience. Bose engineers worked with Saab designers to develop the system, using special design and analysis tools to take more than a thousand measurements inside the vehicle to assess the acoustic environment of the cabin.

While surround sound typically requires specially engineered recordings, the Centerpoint signal processing circuitry is based on the surround decoding technology in Bose home theater systems. As a result, Saab owners receive five independent audio channels of surround sound experience from their existing CD collection or any other digital music source.

The Bose Centerpoint surround sound system is standard on the Aero Sport Sedan and SportCombi, and available on the 2.0T models. Standard on 2.0T Sedan and Convertible models is a 150-watt premium audio system with seven speakers, CD player and MP3-compatible auxiliary input jack; a 300-watt premium audio system with 10 speakers is available on the Convertible.

XM Satellite Radio is also standard, and comes with a three-month free trial.

Saab ownership

Topping the list of Saab owner benefits is Saab’s five-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty including courtesy transportation and roadside assistance; no-charge scheduled maintenance for three years/36,000 miles and a four-year/50,000-mile Bumper-to-Bumper New Car Warranty.

As Business Car says, the new site is “snappily titled” gmukfleethub.co.uk.

Today’s topic: the GM 2.8 liter V6 in turbocharged form as in the upcoming Saab TurboX.

Oy, this is one smooth engine. After all, it’s won awards from people who really know a thing or two about engines, so you expect some refinement. This engine, as I’ve said before, has power and torque available from the minute that you stomp on the gas pedal. So, you really want to know how that power is made so quickly and smoothly, don’t you? Of course you do!

Well, here’s the secret: it has six cylinders.
And here’s the other secret: the turbocharger has two scrolls.

Now, I’m not advocating a wholesale change, and I’m not saying that everyone needs a 2.8 liter turbocharged V6, but I am saying that it’s nice to have in your product line because some people, myself included, will want the performance that it offers.

While at the Saab TurboX Media Drive, I studied the display V6 for a few minutes. After orienting myself and studying the airflow and the layout, the first thing that struck me was the additional piping and routing required to make a V arrangement work. On the four-cylinder Saabs, everything is easily routed from the same side of the inline bank of cylinders, while the V6 has to route exhaust to and inlet air from a single point on one side of the engine: the turbocharger. The well-sculpted inlets of the Saab V6 are a testament to both design and manufacturing prowess, but what a tangle it appears to be.

While we’re on the subject of metals, take a good look at the engine block and the cylinder heads. Casting technology has come a long way in just the past ten or twenty years. The detail and specialized shaping of each component is truly amazing and most certainly adds efficiency and performance.

The two-scroll turbocharger by Mitsubishi enhances the driver experience by allowing a workable variable inlet arrangment that gets the turbocharger impeller spinning at operating speeds with even a small change in exhaust flow. That is, turbo “lag” is greatly reduced. I can tell you first-hand that it works. With thirty years of turbocharging experience, Saab certainly made good choices with this one.

Not only is it easy to see the air and exhaust routing with this cutaway, it’s also to easy to see the 60 degree angle that helps to balance the engine and make the whole assembly a little shorter from top to bottom.

Notice that the exhaust manifolds are lined with stainless steel to keep the aluminum alloy from being heat worked over the life of the engine. That’s reliability, folks. Kudos to Trollhattan.

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Regarding the design of the 9-3, they feel it should have gotten a makeover by German designers, as the exterior has a very distinctive feeling of being – cheap – , as they say.

But although they aren’t convinced by the design, they applaud the handling. “It NEVER looses grip”, and “This is one of the safest cars on the road today, because in addition to this, it always has an enormous power-reserve, a sportsbutton for active gearshifts, and roadholding which keeps you on the road in rain, snow, sleet or on a gravel road. It invites you to jump into corners, and you will, if you own a Saab 9-3 Aero Sportcombi with 280hp”

“There isn’t much new inside the Saab. The touchscreen which cost 19,000 NOK (including a 300W Bose sound system, voice recognition and navigation) is fabulous. It is as responsive as an iPhone, and the interface is very easy to live with.

“I like the interior of the Saab. It isn’t entirely new, but it is a really good enviroment to be in. And Saab has without a doubt the best cupholders in the market”

“This car makes every driver grin and makes the passenger nauseous. It is pretty simply a fantastic car to drive on twisty roads, while passengers may become a little car sick of the same reason.

“The car sits like a toad on the road, with it’s low point of gravity, and is a really good car.” They pitch it up against the 330i Touring, A4 Avant 3.2 quattro, Volvo V50 T5 amongst others.

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High praise, that. Now all we have to do is sell more of the little blighters……

Thanks again, Edonis!

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Tobias has been kind enough to provide a translation of an article by Robert Collin from Aftonbladet that extends what we’ve heard already about the 9-3 being made on the Delta platform.

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The new car from Trollhättan is an old classic in new form

The Saab 9-1, 9-2 or 9-3 -what kind of car is to be produced in Trollhättan from 2011? Aftonbladet (Swedish sort of newspaper, tabloid) reveals that the new 9-3 and 9-2 is virtually the same car. The 9-2 is a hatch back and the only thing to differ from the 9-3 is the rear end.

When Trollhättan lost the battle in 2005 for the future 9-3 and 9-5 things were dark in Trollhättan. GM promised that the company would remain as a niche manufactory didn’t give much comfort. Many workers would be unemployed and Saab would be gone from Sweden. But soon Aftonbladet could reveal (yeah right) that Saab developed a new smaller car that was supposed to be manufactured in Trollhättan. The factory was saved and plans were made for 40,000 small Saabs and capacity should be filled with its sibling Opel Astra.

This winter things changed, the talk about global warming gave GM cold feet. The cars consumed too much fuel they were too big and heavy. Downsizing and scale down got important and someone come to the conclusion that the future 9-3 should be smaller and based on the lighter architecture that is found in the future smaller Saab. The 9-3 is moving to Trollhättan and Aftonbladet can reveal that the future 9-3 and the smaller Saab is virtually the same car.
9-3 will be 4-doors sedan, cabriolet and a kombi. The 9-2 will be a hatchback about half meter shorter than the 9-3.

The result is that the 9-3 shrinks a bit and the 9-2 gains a couple of centimetres and would be a bit bigger than Golf and Astra. Production of the 9-2 and Astra begins in 2011 and the 9-3 follows the next year.

A cheer of joy in Trollhättan but things in Rüsselsheim is dark. They were sure of three new models. Two models will disappear from production in Rüsselsheim and about 100 000 cars per year. You can count on big protest from the German union if this is realised. What happens to the 9-1? The name and car will have to wait for a new smaller car.

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Thanks Tobias!!

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IS GM/SAAB RIGHT?

For some reason, the news that the next generation 9-3 is to be built using a smaller architecture conjures up images of inferior quality. I’d imagine the immediate thoughts of many went like this: Physically smaller than its predecessor, second-rate technology, conflicts with a small vehicle that would share the platform. Then you have the market comparisons with Volvo and how bad the V40 and C30 are. These, in reality, bare no relevance to the market perception of Saab, who are still renowned for making quirky mid-size hatchbacks and not mammoth hunks of metal.

Before any of those assumptions can be made, maybe we should concentrate on the current model, where the platform first debuted as the Opel Vectra. If we add 4 years development time then we’re looking at a vehicle that was engineered over a decade ago. The 9-3 has just undergone an enhancement and as previous timelines would suggest, it will remain in this form for around the next 3-4 years. This means it could be as late as 2012 before we get to touch the all-new Saab 9-3.

When you look at the two global architectures Delta and Epsilon and consider that the next generation Delta platform, simply by systematic technological advancement, will be lighter and stronger than either the current 9-3 or the Insignia, you have to wonder where the negatives will be? An extended Delta could quite possibly be larger than the current 9-3 and more advanced, technically. If VAG’s Golf/A3 can carry a V6 engine then why not the next generation Delta? After all, Opel would no doubt like a comparable model to the Golf R32 or what will become the R36.

The 9-1 and 9-3 may end up sharing synergies and components from Epsilon 2 that could be utilised in the same way that BMW use the multi link axle and engines from the 3-series setup for the 1-series. This will greatly reduce development and production costs. Having that translate into more favorable prices will probably be unlikely. However, they will create a buffer zone when dealing with weaker currencies or generate profits for a future projects; a real Saab Sonett, anyone?

Trollhättan is also an issue and the potential to have the plant work at full capacity by producing a high volume of Saabs will show GM that the company can stand their own. Also, being able to bolster that output by building e-flex and other conventional vehicles destined for northern European regions will secure the facility further into the future. Having a strong manufacturing presence in their home country is of inestimable value for Saab.

Another issue is timing. If 2012 was to be the entry date for a new 9-3 using Epsilon 2, that would mean we’d have a new vehicle with a potential life of 10 years starting out on what will be a 4 year old platform. With Delta 2 the scenario is still not perfect, but it’s much better in terms of current engineering design.

It is without doubt the Audi A4 would be a larger vehicle but even the motoring media are starting to question whether the A4 has outgrown is market segment. It’s just as big as the current 5-series. We are finally seeing motoring markets, especially the US, turn the corner and accept that a smaller, more efficient car is the car of the future. Saab will still have a larger car, but this move will most likely make them the first to recognise the trend and design accordingly.

With Fuel prices that will only continue to rise and government regulations demanding lower emissions, larger heavier vehicles will no longer become economically viable for most families. In North America trends are already changing and even with the typical SUV no longer being of BOF architecture they will become obsolete as a family commuter. If you have money and want to drive a Caddy, fuel prices won’t stop you. However, the story will most likely be different for the rest of us. For those who want to pay the premium for a quality car where running costs are affordable something a lot smaller than a 9-5 might be the only answer in a global market.

We often feel that the big General seems to step from one blunder to the next, that little thought is ever given to automotive passion and that the whole company is bound by its financial analysts and accountants, who by natural gene-chemistry have zero creativity and the passion of a dormant snail. Yet for a company that has employed a load of dim-witted baboons, they’re still doing OK. GM are still producing nearly 10 million vehicles per annum and are profitable in all markets except North America. Maybe they’re more capable than we give them credit for?

The auto industry is heading for some big changes in the next decade and where most manufactures still want to make their next generation vehicles larger than their predecessors, I think GM are allowing Saab once again to show some of their unique lateral thinking. Consider the BioHybrid console, which has more of a horizontal 99 / 900 layout as opposed to a sweep around 9000 look – you never know the next 9-3 might even be a hatchback?

One can dream.

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