AMS forecast Saab 9-3x in Paris, 2008

Posted on July 14, 2008 by swade

UPDATE at the bottom

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Auto Motor and Sport magazine, the Swedish version, are predicting that Saab will show off the cross-country style “Saab 9-3x” at the Paris Motor Show in October 2008. The use of the 9-3x name is not confirmed.

Auto Motor and Sport claim that the vehicle will debut in Paris and will be on show with Saab’s 2.0T engine, making 210 hp. They say that the vehicle will be available early in 2009. This may well be the showcase model for Saab bringing XWD to it’s 2.0T engine line, a first in the 2009 model year as it was previously only available with the 2.8l V6.

The modern “9-3x” has been spoken of in these pages for some time now and was informally confirmed in discussions I had in an interview with Steve Shannon in Detroit back in January this year. It was one of the original vehicles planned right from the inception of the Saab 9-3 more than five years ago, but was cut from the program when GM reined in Saab’s spending around the time of the 9-3 launch. Now, with the addition of XWD to the Saab repertoire, the vehicle is back on the menu.

The original 9-3x was a three-door concept car that Saab unveiled late in 2001 – this is not that car. Snippets that we’ve heard about the vehicle, so far:

The report that brought in those snippets also claimed a viewing at the London Motor Show, which starts on July 23rd, however I haven’t heard anything further on this. The Vauxhall/Opel Insignia will be GM’s star at that show.

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Effectively, it comes down to Auto Motor and Sport talking up Paris in October and Djup Strupe mentioning (some time ago) that it would be London in July. AMS’s info is much more recent, but Djup Strupe’s always been pretty reliable in the past.

Either way, we should be seeing the vehicle in the next few months – which is a great thing.

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The summary I saw of the AMS article also had the following info about the 9-4x and 9-5:

In September 2009, a new 9-4X model with 300 hp will be available. Possible competitors will be Audi Q5, Mercedes GLK, and Volvo XC60. After summer 2009 Saab 9-5 will be published with 160hp up to 260 hp depending on the choice of several available engines. New hybrid engines and ethanol engines of the second generation won’t be available before 2011. General Motors developed a “clean diesel” engine with 250 hp, 550 Nm, and 40 % less NOx emission. It will be available for Saab 9-5 and 9-4X

I find it difficult to believe that the 9-5 will be kept to 260hp, especially given that the 9-4x will come in at 300hp. It may be that on release the 9-5 will be kept to that point, but I’m sure there must be plans for a higher output model in the pipeline.

That’s just me thinking out loud, though, with no info to confirm anything one way or another.

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UPDATE

Sven has posted in comments that AMS Germany are saying the “9-3x” will appear in London, which is contrary to the AMS Sweden information. That article, however appears to be referring simply to the 2.0T XWD versions of the 9-3 that we already know are coming to the range in 2009. It doesn’t refer specifically to this “allroad” version that we’re anticipating (thanks bk_aero).

To be clear, I should state again that I haven’t been able to find a link for the AMS Sweden article yet. My information comes from a GM Europe media brief (a summary of GM-related reporting that they circulate internally as a pdf document).

Screenshots of that brief follow. Click to enlarge:

The header page:

The page relating to the AMS article:

2009 Saab 9-5 – US model details

Posted on July 1, 2008 by swade

New for 2009

SCANDINAVIAN LUXURY AND PERFORMANCE CONVERGE IN 2009 9-5 SEDAN AND SPORT COMBI

The Saab 9-5 Sedan and SportCombi bring Scandinavian-inspired performance and luxury to the competitive midsize sport sedan segment. Available in both 2.3T and Aero models, they feature distinctive, aircraft-inspired design inside and out, in keeping with Saab’s roots in aviation.

The Saab 9-5 range includes the well-equipped 2.3T Sport Sedan and SportCombi models, as well as the uplevel and sportier Aero Sport Sedan and SportCombi models. All are powered by a 2.3L I-4 Turbo with 260 horsepower (194 kW) and 258 lb.-ft. of torque (350 Nm), mated to a five-speed automatic Sentronic transmission or available five-speed manual transmission.

All Saab 9-5 models are designed for sure-footed driving, thanks to a standard electronic stability program, traction control and anti-lock brakes. For 2009, the 9-5 range gets revised power window switches in the center console and new exterior colors, Carbon Grey Metallic and Glass Grey Metallic. Nocturne Blue Metallic is being reintroduced.

Continue reading →

EnG Weekend Snippets

Posted on June 29, 2008 by eggsngrits

Well, it’s 3 AM and I’m awake because my 8-year-old daughter “couldn’t sleep”. Of course, she lasted all of three minutes after I put her back to bed, but now I’m up. Ah, well, time for some writing.

Before I get to the Saab stuff, let’s talk barbeque for a moment, shall we? I was in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex this week, and I was introduced to Hard Eight Bar-b-que in Coppell, Texas, just outside of Dallas. Great Texas barbeque. Really worth a little side trip if you’re ever in the area. You order standing at a HUGE grill stocked with an incredible variety of meats — Texas beef brisket, steaks, sausages, chicken, ribs, turkey, pork chops, etc. The grillmaster cuts up what you order and puts it onto the scales for pricing. You get as little or as much as you want. Get the jalapeno sausage — not very hot, just very flavorful. I also enjoyed the brisket — tender and juicy. Wash it down with some iced tea. Next time I’m getting the slow-cooked sirloin. Yummy.

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And, from just up the road in Norman, Oklahoma, comes this story about a teenaged owner of a restored 1973 Saab 96. Quite an oddity in the greater Oklahoma City area, I’m sure. He says that the 1700 cc V-4 in the car has parts very similar to the long-reviled Ford Pinto since the next generation of the Ford V-4 that was used in the Saab 96 was an engine of choice in the Pinto. (Shudders to think of parts from a Pinto installed in a Saab.)

The owner will be enrolling in college this fall at the University of Oklahoma (where else?). So, if you’re around, keep an eye out for the 96.

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At least one writer thinks that GM may be in trouble with the Chevrolet Volt. According to Michael Rainey, General Motors is so desperate for the plug-in hybrid to debut in 2010 that they have compressed the development schedule much too far. Far enough to jeopardize the car’s design if the battery development, which is being done in parallel with the vehicle design, doesn’t work out according to plan. He cites a very detailed article in the Atlantic on the subject. The Atlantic piece is mostly background information that regular TS readers will recognize, but it has some valid points.

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Regular reader Robin has made me aware of these additional photos of my inspiration for 9-5 cosmetic mods. Love it, except perhaps the under-the-hood stuff.

More after the break.
Continue reading →

AMS.de claim a Saab 9-5

Posted on June 21, 2008 by swade

Auto Motor and Sport in Germany are claiming an illustration of the new Saab 9-5 in their latest print edition. WooDz was kind enough to take a quick snap of it with his mobile phone and shoot it into my inbox to share with everyone.

Here it is. Click.

This is actually pretty similar to previous images shown by AM&S in Sweden. I’ve heard from a number of Saab people who have seen the real thing. One recently commented that whilst this is reasonably close to the real thing, the real thing is much nicer. That bodes well for the future as I think this looks pretty good.

Apparently the lights on the real thing aren’t as Aero-X-ish as this (which is sad) but a lot of the front and front-quarter profile we see here is reasonably close, with the real thing having more of a four-door coupe look. The AM&S article mentions a length of 4.9 meters and a head-up display making it onto the equipment list (finally!, some will say).

My TS prediction is that we’ll see the real thing at Geneva in March next year (and the 9-4x at the Saab Festival in June). It should prove to be an exciting time!

Thanks WooDz and Jan

Monday night Flickr run

Posted on June 17, 2008 by eggsngrits

Well, I had my days mixed up. I sat down tonight, ready to watch the Celtics close out the NBA championship versus the Lakers, but it was not to be. Tomorrow night. This will happen tomorrow night. For the record, I’ve been on a little bit of a roll for the NBA playoffs — accurately foretold the Heat winning in 2006 and the Spurs winning last year. However, this year, I’ve been off by a country mile. I simply never considered that it would end like this. Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom have been non-existent, and Rajon Rondo has given the Lakers match up problems from the beginning.

So, without basketball tonight, on to the Saabs. I saw several cars in the “artsy” category, so I went with the theme. Prehaps except for the last one.

First, an oft-ignored goody, the Saab 9-2x in a magnificent shot with a strong background color from RyanMcLaughlin:

Next, a neat little vintage Saab pic from Spain for all of you two-digit fans out there. This one is from grismarengo and is sporting a great interpretation of the Catalan flag on the roof.

This shot is such high art that it’s really not even a picture of the Saab, it’s just using the Saab to take an artistic picture of a building. That’s Andrew Burrows taking a picture of King’s College Chapel using the hood (bonnet in this case) of a black Saab. Appears to be a 9-5?

Finally, a Saab that has art work on it, this is a Saab 9-3 with those amazing wheels — these should be mandatory for all 9-3 owners. I really like these wheels on this car! Anywho, our friend Goran Aničić (thank goodness for control-c), presumably from Serbia, is proving to all of us that diesels are great cars even if some of us can’t have them (thanks, EPA!!).

GM United Kingdom launches Fleet Sales Site

Posted on June 6, 2008 by eggsngrits

Another quickie here. It seems the GM marketing staffers in the UK were sick and tired of their fleet sales site ranking near the bottom of the heap (BusinessCar.co.uk has the former site ranked 17th of 20). The new site has some great pictures of Saabs (I especially like the ones of the 9-5. Who says that car is ugly?), and it has a disturbing picture of the Chevrolet Epica racing around a corner without a driver at the wheel. Yikes!

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

GM release image of new Saab 9-5 interior bits

Posted on June 4, 2008 by swade

OK, it’s a mischievous headline.

What they’ve actually release is the first official photo showing the interior of the new Opel/Vauxhall Insignia (small photo only, unfortunately). This is going to be the launch vehicle for the new Epsilon II architecture that the Saab 9-5 will be built on.

Knowing GM as we do, you can probably look at this to see the basics of your next Saab 9-5s steering wheel, switchgear and maybe the entertainment and HVAC controls as well. I hope that’s the extent of it. Whilst this isn’t offensive at all, it’s not a Saab cockpit.

I guess we’ll find out in Geneva next year.

Opel Insignia

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Addendum…

Here’s the Saab 9-4x concept interior. The steering wheel comparisons in the article and in comments appear appropriate. Whether it’s a flat-bottomed sports wheel with the chrome trimmings remains to be seen, but that does appear to be the new shape.

Saab 9-5: There’s life in the old dog yet – by Lance Cole

Posted on June 3, 2008 by Lance Cole

I’m pleased to host another article by Lance Cole in this last week of service here at Trollhattan Saab.

Lance, as many of you will know, is a UK based journalist and writer, and the author of Saab 99 and 900: The Complete Story.

Today he’s writing about a model that’s very close to my heart – the Saab 9-5. It’s a model that gets a lot of flack, but has never failed to bring a smile to my face with some great performance and some of the best seats in the business.

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Life in the old dog yet…..Or fine wine and a long finish…
Lance Cole on the approaching sunset days of Saab’s still-brilliant 9-5 range.

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Some say that when Saab stopped making the classic, boat tailed, beetle browed, original model 900, Saab died with it.

Those people have the right to their opinion but neither I, nor Saab, happen to agree with them. They are wrong. And as a former 900 Classic owner – one who would take a 900 classic hatch to my desert island -just to stare at it, please don’t tell me I am not a Saabist for believing in life after that first 900.

So, Saab lived on – albeit the New Generation 900 was not totally on target first time out, it soon became the 9-3 and that was spot on as a Saab and had the spirit of Saab within it. And then there was the 9000 – again a Saab that was revised and grew into a great car of great character. Ok, so it was a Saab-Fiat hybrid type cousin of a car, but it was a superb tool.

Then came the 9-5 – and the whingers whinged once again – for it shared parts with a Vauxhall/Opel car. But history has shown that the 9-5 was a better than brilliant Saab: It remains so.

Yes, there were some early quality glitches which disappointed me, you, and some other people – glitches that really should not have been there. But all these years on, the 9-5 soldiers on beside newer equipment.

The current fashion for 9-5 knocking is partly based on age rather than ability, although we should admit that some things have moved on….

The media and in consequence, some of their readers, have become conditioned into knocking the 9-5. And alongside the new Opels, the new Audis’ even the new Volvos, the Saab 9-5 is indeed an old stager. And I love it.

The clamshell bonnet, the roof turret, the swept rear end, it’s all aero style Saab stuff and it is all a unique down-the-road-graphic in design terms.

The cabin design has that rare thing – a sense of occasion, which is what we are told supercars deliver. This is premium class travel, open the door and you know you have been upgraded from the norm. Think, front of the plane, on Lufthansa, American Airlines or Qantas. This is cocoon land.

I guess I think of the current 9-5 as a 40-something year old brunette (or hazel blonde if I have to): The first proper lines are showing, things maybe beginning to slip slightly, and the handling is sometimes affected by the ravages of time – but (and it’s a huge but (butt?)), put her in lightly applied make up, remove the spectacles, choose the right colour for the silk dress attire, and you have a very classy lady.