Saab History

I just received updated future product rollout details from an anonymous internal source today from Saab Automobile:

Here are some more elaborate details on existing as well as future product rollouts as briefly announced this past friday at the GM Press Conference.

Future Products:

Next Generation Saab 9-5

The Next Generation Saab 9-5 (saw pic, its ugly) is pushed back 3 months (until 1qtr 2010)

Saab 9-4x

The 9-4x is pushed back 12 months (until 4th qtr 2010).

Saab 9-3x

No Word Yet on the 9-3x.

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Existing Products:

Saab 9-5 (1998-2009)

The Saab 9-5 Griffin Edition will be the only 9-5 available for 2009

Saab 9-7x (2006-2009)

There are 260 9-7x units available in GM inventory worldwide.

Saab 9-3

The Saab 9-3 Convertible, Sport Sedan & Sport Combi will need to carry the brand in addition to the 9-3x until 2010.

At approximately 20 minutes into the General Motors today during their 3rd quarter press conference, I have found that GM will be officially delaying the launches of the next generation Saab 9-5 as well as the 9-4x until 2010. There were no other specific mentions of Saab at all, for the duration of the press conference.

However, in contrast to this official announcement, I received an unofficial announcement yesterday from Eric Geers, Director of Global Communications at Saab Automobile AB in Sweden, that the Saab 9-3X (Cross-Combi) as I am calling it, not to be confused with the 9-3X Concept back in 2002 is still on schedule.

11.6.2008

Eric Geers
Director of Global Communications
Saab Automobile AB
Trollhättan, Sweden

If we’re lucky, it now appears that the only vehicle that will be launched in 2009, may be the Saab 9-3X Cross-Combi as a continuation of the Cross-Wheel Drive (XWD) programs that are now ramping up globally.

The question is, will Saab Automobile AB and associated dealerships be able to survive with just a single model launch in the 9-3 range in 2009 along with an aging 9-3 Sport Sedan, SportCombi & Convertible model alongside the final production years of the 9-5, 9-7x?

I leave you with their press release from the conference today, only mentioning the 9-4x in the release in comparison to mentioning both the 9-5 and 9-4x in the press conference.

GM Announces $5 billion in Additional Liquidity Enhancement Initiatives

* Operating actions announced July 15 remain on track, targeted at $10 billion in cash improvements through 2009
* Asset sales of $2-4 billion in process, including Hummer, ACDelco and Strasbourg facilities
* Additional actions targeted at further improving liquidity by $5 billion by end of 2009
o 2009 capital spending reduced by $2.5 billion; key product and technology programs on track
o Additional GMNA structural cost reductions of $1.5 billion
o Further working capital improvements of $500 million
o Further salaried employment cost reductions of $500 million
* Engaging the U.S. government to aid the domestic auto industry

Read more »

Today, Eric Geers of Saab Automobile AB, whom I’ve interviewed this past January in Detroit, has responded to my inquiry about the meetings that are taking place this week in Trollhättan, Sweden.

He has given me permission to publish his response here for us to see. While I thank him for his response, I am concerned about what he wrote in last sentence about “hoping to show some of the new products next year”. It appears to be implied that there is a chance that these new products (ie. 9-4x, 9-5 NG, and 9-3XC) won’t be shown next year, which is scary to think.

Well, there are always important meetings taking place but nothing that would stand out. Perhaps your source was referring to the GM Quarterly broadcast that is planned for tomorrow, but thats a global one that we will view here in Sweden.

Other than that we continue to focus on what we have ahead of us in terms of products and we hope to be able to show some of it next year!

Eric Geers
Director of Global Communications
Saab Automobile AB
Trollhättan, Sweden

Photo Credit: Teknikens World

The Saab 9-4x is apparently going to be delayed according to Left Lane News as of late.

This model was originally supposed to be launched in the fall of 2009, but they are telling us that it will be more like 12-months later than that due to part availability in the manufacturing process?

It will be interesting how this pans out if true, because this was the next product model that was supposed to be provided to dealerships.

Sources: Saab 9-4x delayed as much as a year

Earlier today we reported that GM might have made the choice to delay most new vehicle launches in order to stem the flow of money rushing out of GM’s coffers. A few more tips are now coming in that appear to back that idea up.

We’ve been told that, in the last few days, suppliers working on Saab’s 9-4x crossover vehicle were instructed not to ship any more parts to GM facilities. Production was scheduled to commence in the fall of 2009 at GM’s Ramos Arizpe plant in Mexico. Apparently the Saab is now delayed as much as 12 months for the U.S market.

Codenamed GMT168, the 2010 Saab 9-4x was set to be sharing GM’s TE chassis with the new 2010 Cadillac SRX (GMT166). For now, we hear the Caddy is still a go and will start rolling down the line in May of 2009 at Ramos Arizpe

Words by Chris Doane.

Source: Left Lane News

Photo Credit: Teknikens World

The production version of the Saab 9-4x crossover has been seen by Sweden’s a href=”http://www.teknikensvarld.se/bilspionen/nyheter/080929-saab-9-4x-94x-2009/index.xml” target=”_blank”>Teknikens World recently and they were all over it with lots of photos.

If you click on the link to their writeup, you will see that it looks quite close to the concept car, touted the 9-4x BioPower Concept that debuted in Detroit this past January, but what is more interesting is the sunroof on the thing. I am still expecting this to be delivered as illustrated with none other than a 4-cylinder turbocharged Saab engine, so that best be the case once it comes to market next fall.

I am gathering that production for prototypes has commenced at the GM plant in Ramos Arizpe, Mexico now that we’re seeing a lot more of these prototypes driving around lately?

Update: Saab Automobile USA has recently contacted me to tell me that the information on this posting is inconsistent with the “real” specifications of the Saab 9-4x.

The production version of the Saab 9-4x to be built in Ramos Arizpe, Mexico is now depicted on Saab Chile’s importer’s website as though one can purchase it new today.

All of the specifications such as 2.0 liter Turbo and weighing in at 3174lbs, harnessing 400 Newton meters of torque, getting 25mpg and 37mpg highway is quite impressive, but with a pricetag off $66,000 USD, according to the website, it sounds a bit steep!

I have yet to see any mention of E-85 capability with this engine as it was indicated back in Detroit that it would be the halo vehicle for E-85 in North America, so let’s hope that this still holds true.

What’s even more interesting is that this photo looks more like the Saab 9-4x BioPower concept car than the Saab 9-4x production vehicle shown back on July 16th, 2008.

Update: Saab Chile has now deleted the specifications page I indicated earlier this morning, so please read these specs here:

The specifications are below, but for more information, please visit the Saab 9-4x page on Saab Chile’s website.

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Photo Credit: carpix autos

The Saab 9-4x Prototype has been sighted yet again, following the two sightings at the Nurburgring in Germany.

I think it’s obvious that the Saab 9-4x prototype in this instance, is not complete, when we take into consideration the obviously incomplete head and tail light setups that look nothing like the production photograph General Motors CEO, Rick Wagoneer has recently shown us back on July 16th, 2008.

I still hope as indicated, that’s a 4-cylinder turbocharged engine they are testing in this prototype as I fully expect to see a turbocharged Saab engine in the production version due next year.

Saab Automobile has been a leader in innovative thinking through their technologies ever since their early beginnings back in 1947.

Although things have been tough for them sales wise over the past few years, they will finally begin to see some strong new product