Tag Archives | 9-4x

Truly a Saab Story

By on December 20, 2011 in Editorials

 By Kevin Miller 

I don’t know why it had to be Saab that caught my eye in the late 1980s and made me a fan – and driver- for life. I wrote about it once upon a time for Autosavant, that post is linked here. Whatever the reason, I’ve been caught up in my favorite brand’s gut-wrenching decline for two years. Even in December 2009, I had practically written my favorite brand’s eulogy. Although the Swedish brand’s fate was delayed for two years, it now, unfortunately, seems to be for real. Continue Reading →

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Saab Aims to Move 50,000 9-5 Models Annually

By on September 17, 2009 in News

By Kevin Miller

09.17.2009

2010 Saab 9-5In Frankfurt this week, Saab’s Managing Director Jan Åke Jonsson said the global sales target for the sedan and station wagon versions of the company’s new 9-5 is 40,000 to 50,000 per year, according to Automotive News. While the car looks great and should be very competitive in the market, the Swedish automaker may have a difficult time moving quite that many units.

As we reported last month, Saab’s new owner is inheriting a fractured dealer network in many parts of the world. GM has announced that the Saab dealer network in Canada is being shut down at the end of this year. Dealer numbers in the US and in several European markets have decreased in the last 18 months. With fewer retailers, thereby located farther from some potential customers, it may be difficult to grow sales of the large 9-5 to the point of being able to sell 50,000 annually. Saab’s Jonsson did state that the company plans to develop a new sales network in the US after the separation from GM is complete, which means that initiative will begin sometime in 2010.

Fortunately, the potential for growth into new markets does exist.  Following last week’s announcement that China’s Beijing Automotive Industry Holdings Co. (BIAC) has invested in Koenigsegg Group’s purchase of Saab from GM, it is possible that BIAC could serve as an importer or set up a retail network for the Swedish cars in China. GM introduced Saab to the Chinese market five years ago; fewer than 900 Saab vehicles were sold there in 2008. Continue Reading →

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Saab Reveals New 9-5 Sedan

By on August 28, 2009 in News

But Will Canadian Saabers Have Any Place To Buy It?

By Kevin Miller

08.28.2009

2010 Saab 9-5Saab has officially revealed their new 9-5 sedan ahead of its debut on September 15th in Frankfurt. Described as employing a modern expression of classic Saab design cues, the exterior new 9-5 looks amazing from some angles and a bit odd from others, but the interior looks great. The car will be built in Saab’s Trollhättan factory, and will replace the current 9-5 which has been around for more than a decade.

Globally, the car will be available with a 160 HP, 2.0 liter turbodiesel 4; turbocharged 1.6 and 2.0 liter petrol fours (good for 180 and 220 HP, respectively); and a 300 HP, 2.8 liter V6 turbo. The 220 HP four has optional XWD all-wheel drive, which is standard with the turbocharged 6. While the most powerful motor is available only with an automatic transmission, and the least powerful petrol version is available only with a manual, the remaining powerplants offer a choice between either of the six-speed gearboxes.

Great news for Saab dealers then, right? Well, not if you are a Saab dealer in Canada. Earlier this week, our friends over at Saabs United were the first to report that GM is ending operations at all of their Saab (and Saturn) dealerships on December 31st. Continue Reading →

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Koenigsegg Reaches Agreement to Buy Saab from GM

By on June 16, 2009 in News

By Chris Haak

06.16.2009

2008 Saab 9-3 Aero ConvertibleWe reported last Fridaythat Saab was likely to be sold to Koenigsegg, the Swedish boutique supercar maker, and that news is now confirmed, with the exception of the actual sale price.  (For those keeping score at home, GM has not disclosed the sale price of Hummer, Saab, or Saturn at this point).

While it’s exciting to see Saab remaining in Swedish hands, the fact that tiny Koenigsegg was chosen as the winning bidder is nothing short of remarkable.  As we said last week, the company had an output of 15 cars in 2007 and increased that to 18 cars in 2008.  It only has 45 employees.  While Saab is a small automaker – likely too small to continue independently – it sold about 93,295 cars worldwide last year and has about 3,400 employees.  So, assuming that Saab sales volume in 2009 was flat compared to 2008 (which it’s not – it’s way down), Koenigsegg would be increasing production by about 518,000% and would increase its workforce by about 75,000%. Continue Reading →

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Autosavant’s Saab Fanatic Weighs In On Reorganization

By on February 23, 2009 in Editorials, News

By Kevin Miller

02.23.2009

People who know me well- and even people who know me just a little bit- know that I’m a Saab fanatic. Saab, Saab, all the time. I take my classic 900 three-door to local Saab gatherings. I try to cover as much Saab news as I can, and review as many Saab vehicles as I can for Autosavant. I read other websites (gasp!) to catch up on Saab news beyond what GM’s media group publishes. I consider myself to be fairly well plugged-in to what is going on with Saab.

In the past several days, since news broke about Saab being dumped by GM, followed quickly by news about Saab’s subsequent reorganization, I’ve gotten a number of emails and phone calls from family, friends, and acquaintances, telling me they’d heard about Saab’s bankruptcy filing, heard that Saab was going out of business, heard whatever. Everybody wanted to know how I was doing with it, what my opinion is.

Last month before all of this news came out, I was in Detroit at NAIAS. While there I tracked down Saab’s PR head Jan-Willem Vester to ask him what GM had in store for Saab, as rumors had recently been circling that Saab would have to be sold or be closed. Mr. Vester assured me that Saab was a valuable, integral part of GM’s operations, GM’s only premium European marque, a brand that attracted customers who wouldn’t shop other brands in GM’s portfolio, and that because of the technology Saab continues to develop for GM, the Swedish brand wouldn’t be going anywhere. Continue Reading →

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GM Reveals 2010 Cadillac SRX Details Ahead of Detroit Introduction

By on January 4, 2009 in News

By Kevin Miller

01.04.2009

GM has released information about the 2010 Cadillac SRX, ahead of the second-generation crossover’s debut next week at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The premium-segment crossover, intended to compete in the marketplace with vehicles such as the Lexus RX, Acura MDX, and BWW X3 and X5 gets a completely new design, as well as two engine choices not seen before in the SRX. The crossover seats five, a departure from the outgoing vehicle’s available seating for seven.

The 2010 SRX is a front- or all-wheel drive crossover, available with two high-tech six-cylinder engines. The new SRX breaks from the first-generation vehicle’s tradition of rear- or all-wheel-drive and available 320 HP 4.6 liter Northstar V8. The two six-cylinder engines in the new SRX are  new to Cadillac, and are the smallest-displacement engines the marque offers in North America.

A new, 3.0 liter direct injected V-6 engine good for 260 HP and 221 lb-ft torque is standard. This powerplant is a smaller version of the 3.6 liter direct-injection engine found in the CTS, and it provides five more horsepower than the base engine in the outgoing SRX, with an expected improvement of fuel economy between ten and fifteen percent. An optional 2.8 liter turbocharged V-6 has an output of 300 HP, 295 lb-ft. Each is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. The SRX can tow up to 3,500 pounds when properly equipped. Continue Reading →

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Saab Confirms Continued US Market Presence

By on November 25, 2008 in News

By Kevin Miller

11.25.2008

Aside from today’s announcement that all three vehicles in their 9-3 range have again been named a Top Safety Pick by the American Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, recent news at Saab has not been positive. Their all-new 9-4X crossover and the replacement for the eleven-year-old 9-5 have both been delayed by GM’s financial situation, and a shrinking dealer network in the US has left even major markets with few outlets for purchasing a new Saab. For example, Seattle (and the rest of Western Washington) now has just one, non-centrally-located dealership to handle new vehicle sales and warranty work.

The past month has seen several rumors that Saab would withdraw from US sales entirely, and those rumors were fueled by the fact that Saab USA had no MY2009 vehicles available at dealerships, and there was no online tool for building a 2009 Saab. As 2009 marks the availability of Saab’s XWD all-wheel-drive system in the 9-3 range, the online configuration tool was to provide a valuable insight into pricing of vehicles with the new drivetrain.

Automotive News (subscription required) recently reported that Saab will continue sales operations in the US. In a conversation with Saab Managing Director Jan-Ake Jonsson, AN was told  that “The Saab brand is very attractive to U.S. consumers. There are no plans to pull out at all. The U.S. is a very important part of our strategy.” While that is a relief to Saab customers and dealers alike, Saab’s US sales are down thirty-one percent through October 2008. Continue Reading →

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Special Edition Saab 9-3 Convertible Bound For LA

By on November 13, 2008 in Editorials, News

Another Year, Another Special Edition 9-3 Convertible

By Kevin Miller

11.13.2008

Saab has announced they will show a special edition 9-3 convertible at the LA Auto Show this month, which is expected to be available at Saab’s remaining US dealerships in January. This special edition comes twenty-five years after the first ever Saab convertible made its world debut at the Frankfurt Auto Show in the fall of 1983- and just two years after the last Special Edition 9-3 Convertible, which commemorated Saab’s 60th Anniversary.

The 2009 Saab 9-3 2.0T Special Edition Convertible will be showcased in a signature bright champagne metallic color. The vehicle will feature Saab’s 2.0-liter, 210 hp four cylinder engine which can be mated to six-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmissions.

The special edition 9-3 Convertible will be available in three metallic colors: Jet Black, Carbon Grey and the new Bright Champagne. The vehicle features styling cues from the Turbo X, including the design of the front bumper and steering wheel plus carbon fiber interior finishes and black floor mats with gray binding. Like the 9-3 Aero, the rear of the special edition convertible features dual exhaust pipes (a first for four-cylinder 9-3 models) and an anthracite gray bumper insert. Five-spoke, 17-inch alloy wheels will be standard. The Saab 9-3 2.0T Special Edition Convertible will be priced starting at $ 46,725 including destination charges.

The LA-bound convertible is similar in appearance to Australia’s Spring Edition 9-3 convertible which made its world debut in Melbourne earlier this month, featuring the same signature colors and carbon fiber trim. Continue Reading →

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Saab Announces 2009 Specs and Pricing

By on September 12, 2008 in News

By Kevin Miller

09.12.2008

Saab has announced their pricing and model updates for 2009. The biggest news is that the phenomenal XWD (cross-wheel drive) all-wheel drive system highlighted by the limited-edition Turbo X will be available in four-cylinder 2.0T 9-3 Sport Sedan and SportCombi variants. The XWD system also becomes standard in the V6 Turbocharged Aero versions of those bodystyes, where it was introduced as an option in 2008. Saab’s XWD is not available on the 9-3 Convertible, because it has a unique floorpan that cannot accommodate the rear-wheel-drive components.

Saab XWD is a fully automatic, on-demand system capable of sending up to 100 percent of engine torque to the front or rear wheels whenever necessary. The system is activated only when required, limiting the impact on fuel economy.  This technologically advanced 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) that allows variable torque transfer between the rear wheels. The eLSD, however, is available only on Aero models; it is not available on 2.0T models. Saab’s XWD system was fitted to the Turbo X SportCombi we tested earlier this year offered a very impressive balance of power delivery and handling. Continue Reading →

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