Unfortunately it’s not the full future that’s on show…..the 2010 Saab 9-5 is still under wraps and not making an appearance.
BUT
Saab have a trailer-truck adorned with a big banner proclaiming it’s future. It’s carrying the Saab 9-3x and 9-4x concept vehicle.
I’m not sure how far and wide it’s going to be travelling, but it recently stopped in at a dealership in Belgium, where the local Saabisti came out for some wine, cheese, and a good look around.
One of the visitors there was a guy named Marino, and he was kind enough to snap some photos and send them through.
——
The Saab 9-4x was quite popular with the locals.
From Marino:
Like you told me in the previous mail the interior of the 9-4 X is just great, the local Audi dealer told me he was afraid this car would be serious competition for the new Q5.
NOTE: This is the concept car that showed in Detroit. The interior will be of a similar general design, but probably won’t get the same fancy materials, controls, etc.
The Saab 9-3x – price tag is around 50,000EUR when it’s fully optioned.
Marino meeting one of the local dealer principals….
And the old-timer they had out the back – nice!!
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Interior of 9-4 is looking good!
I guess the dashboard silver band is now signature Saab — even broader though than the much criticized 9-3 one. Hope it doesn’t exacerbate the ‘reflections on the windscreen’ issue.
But I sure ain’t feeling it for the outside…
[Somebody please remind me what the 9-4 is supposed to be vis a vis the 9-3x???]
Noiiice !
Curious, is that 9-4X interior still the concept interior or the real McCoy ? Looks to me it’s the concept version.
Yeah, it’s the concept car. Same as I saw in Detroit.
I’ve added a note to that effect in the article to save any further confusion.
NTP – the 9-3x is a raised up and cladded version of the Saab 9-3x SportCombi. The 9-4x is a ground-up development of a proper Saab SUV. It’ll be built in Mexico alongside it’s sister vehicle from Cadillac. It’s basically ready to go, but won’t see the light of day until late 2010 as a 2011 model.
Thats funny, look at the kid in the enlarged view of the 9-4x rear, Classic.
Thanks Swade.
) then it looks like we’re on to a winner.
]
Somebody just directed me to the following:
http://jalopnik.com/5200621/2010-cadillac-srx-first-drive
What an ecstatic review!
It looks like the SRX is using the Saab Turbo X drivetrain PLUS active suspension for quite the driving experience.
If 9-4 is (essentially) a re-skinned SRX (or is it the other way around
I hate to say it though, I’m disappointed by the exterior. Maybe it’s better in the flesh.
Anybody else share my aesthetic take? I really find it dull…much prefer the 9-3x. I fear they are going to have a tough time against Q5 and X-5, ML/GLK (SRX even) if that’s the target market. These new Saabs risk ‘running into each other’ category-wise. Though it seems to be trend for all the competitors (GLK probably siphons off ML 320 sales…).
I’d rather they do fewer things well.
[He says, donning protective cladding
50000 EURO=64,000us dollars. How accurate is this price. That cant be close even for a full loaded 9-3x. The second best thing behind SAAB to come out of Sweden is Henrik Lundquist, GO RANGERS!
Stansaab – its probably right for the rest of the world… North America gets cars for MUCH less than anywhere else.
had some time this last weekend to drive my mother’s lexus RX 350. Good example of the class of vehicle the 9-4 will have to compete against. I realize that SAAB can’t be a Lexus in terms of mechanical reliability, but the inside leaves a lot of ground that be caught up. If the 9-4 could get a decent nav system (and the lexus is considered very good, but it isn’t) I think it could sell. Just make sure the front seats have pockets…
The lexus drives much better than I would think for a camry.
At least Saab’s got the 9-4 on the road before a very similar auto -no! not the gawd awful caddie – Land Rover’s LRX
HMMMM look familiar??? – video – music – etc… are just like the Simon P. guy infommercial Saab put out a while back
http://www.landrover.com/int/en/vehicles/lrx-concept/lrx-concept.htm
do like the grill/lights on the LR though
That LandRover is a Looker, ‘WWJ’!
I must say if I were in the market for such an SUV/Crossover (and won’t be)in Late 2010/2011 (Swade, that’s an awful long time…) I’d be all over that Rover.
Jeez, with those kinds of timelines…and I’m thinkin’ out loud (it’s late here…)I’d be surprised if the company sells 60,000 in this calendar year! We’ll have to wait ’til 2011 to see the new 9-5 in any numbers. If the 9-5 ‘debuts’ at Frankfurt [Sept-09]…means deliveries in April’10 (at earliest)…Dame Ednas will have dryed up… 9-3/x left to shoulder the load …with nothing of any note for the 9-3 2010 model year–except dropping the V6…
[Brhhh. It's chilly out there. I think I'm going to put the blanket over my head now...]
Have you noticed that the tail lights look different from other pics of the concept, and have detailing reminding of the 9-5 spy pics?
My guess: PRODUCTION PARTS!
@NorthToronto
[Somebody please remind me what the 9-4 is supposed to be vis a vis the 9-3x???]
Volvo XC70 vs XC60
Audi Q5 vs A6 Allroad?
(Well, A4 Allroad, more realistically, but…)
There’s a lot of it about.
Mr NT Punter..
Can you see anything Anything at all positive on the horizon?
I can..
*Saab will soon get a new owner or owners.
*Saab will have most of it´s business centralized to cut costs.
*Decisionmaking will be concentrated to Trollhättan and times for those decisions will be way shorter than today.
*Saab will be able to do what THEY want and do what their OH so important followers want Saab to do, given that the owners are out to gain on the business.
*Lifecycles will be down to 6-7 years.
*New technology will reach the market sooner.
*The 9-3X have been given good press although it should have been out on the market years ago (GM)
*The 9-4X is a real looker to me. A bit bland in some elements but overall Elegant och sharp.. An Aero version could be dressed to look like a million bucks.
*Preparations for the 9-5 is being done in Trollhättan as I´m writing and the first cars are not that far away. Saab is NOT lazy here.. A new owner needs to see things are happening… And they are.
*Work on the next generation 9-3 is at full speed.
etc etc etc
Cheers/Tom
Tonight in Brussels
Friday Namur
Saturday Liege
sunday Charleroi
hey;)!
I´m with Tompa!
Have do agree 110% as per your comment on the 9-4X looks. An Aero version could look sooooo nice if it were executed right.
Great to hear that the work on the 9-5 is speeding up. I´d love to get a glimse… SOON
I hope they bring the roadshow overseas. I’d love to see the 9-4X and they didn’t have it or the 9-X concept at NYIAS.
The 9-4X looks to be the perfect size. Smaller than some were making it out to be.
It may be the concept car from Detroit, but comparing it with the spyshots I would say it could also have been a production 9-4x.
And I think, the steering wheel of the 9-4x without the Griffin , is the one we will see sitting on any SAAb from MY 2010 onwards. (Hopping they try to fit it also on the 9-3 !!)
Did marino tell it is the concept car ??
I mean the latest spyshots of the 9-4x were taken in belgium.
Coincidence? Maybe !!
@Martin N:
I’ve also noticed it, I wonder why they’ve changed the taillights on a concept car ??
It’s enough with one look at the SRX, they have a huge design problem at GM. Very ugly an unproportional.
I also hope that the exterior on the 9-4x is going to be a little bit more interessting than the one shown here. The dashboard and interior seems to be nice though even if it is hard to judge on a picture the first impression is good. The dashboard/interior seems to be the most criticized part of the current 9-3 so hopefully Saab has worked on this but without loosing personality.
9-4X looks goodt to me. Great interior design. I’m not that much of a fan of current 9-3 and 9-5 interior design.
It could do well. Hope that the engine lineup doesn’t dissapoint.
Bit more sanguine today Tom
. I’m thinking(positively!) the future is ‘low volume/high quality’ if the 9-5 is truly ’round the corner.
As for the 9-4: Well, I’m a visual creature. Sure, ‘Beauty’ is in the beholder’s eye and I suppose skin deep only. But if the rest doesn’t disappoint then I’m sold.
I just haven’t seen any extraordinary views of the 9-4 …that say ” I want to buy that car!” (as I ‘heard’ when I saw the latest 9-3/Turbo X, so different from the Audis, Bimmers that we’re awash in over here). Maybe an Aero kit, as you suggest, will solve my problem…I know that SUVs don’t generally represent the zenith of automotive art anyways (though that Land Rover is on to something!).
I wish they would stop going so overboard with the foglight cutout’s as well. Nicely proportioned on the the 9-3, they’re now too much (just like the Volvo XCs — a huge turn off [One of the reasons, Adrian, I feel so much better about the chances of the 9-3x vs. Gothenburg's equivalent(s)]). I hope such an exaggerated design element is not part of the 9-5…
Hi guys ,
on the invitation i recieved from the dealer it says SAAB 9-4 X CONCEPT CAR. And it was a real concept because the doorhandels on the outside did not work.Anyway if you see the car in real live its pretty impressive , it looks a lot larger and the nose of the car is a real beauty.
Marino
@ marino
did you get your invitation from the belgium importer Behermam ? do you know if it will come to Luxembourg ?
“And it was a real concept because the doorhandels [sic] on the outside did not work”.
Love your ‘quirky’:) description, Marino!
I will defer to those who have seen the car ‘live’ (who seem to universally approve).
Let’s get it out there ASAP then.
Cheers,
NTP
I recieved the invitation from Beherman.
They told me that Belgium is a testcase . Sorry , no info about Luxembourg
mesay I concur with you, for the following reasons:
-If the silver rims would be stainless steel, that would be fine. If however -and that’s more probable, they are cheap silver painted plastics parts, they would be dishonest, alleging something they are not. The same with the silver buttons, which also look ugly imho. Also, if those are painted, that paint will wear of, as has been proven by others.
-Why had the dashboard mount to be provided as a separate part (connected via this silver rim)? Is there a technical reason or is it just styling? If the latter is the case, I would have preferred an integrated part, it would be smoother, more logical, and there would be no dust catching grooves.
-The “one piece gauge/instrument insert of the older Saabs, in which the information was presented on a black “background”, appears more elegant and less distracting than providing three separate round instrument inserts. What about legibility?
-The materials used look rather conventional; nothing to be seen of the gorgeous stuff they used for the Aero X, like green glass etc. Boring.
-It does not have an “integrated”, one-piece appeal, but instead it is an assembly of unrelated design items, à la “oh, where can we place this button?”
-The interior does not at all reflect the design/layout traditions of the other Saabs. I can only hope that it is no indication for the forthcoming 9-5.
Dashboard of 9-4x is absolutely brilliant… Hopefully NG9-5 have samekind of dash with some improvements of course…
the 9-4X concept will come to my dealer in Luxembourg on May 22, but not the 9-3X due to lack of models !!!
very good marketing again from Belgium Importer !
Missed that entry.
Have not seen anything over here in B.
Even no mailings.
What marketing ?
I should check saabhuy.net more often.
Damned, the trailer was quasi around the corner a few days ago …
No serious, it can’t be that the news has to travel all around the globe and back before it reaches me ?
None of the mentioned dealers is my dealer, but hey, what the heck, Saab/Beherman (Belgian Importer) it is time to self-questioning your marketing strategies, if there are any.
Not that a re-showing of a past concept vehicle is that important but … .
Missed that entry.
Have not seen anything over here in B.
Even no mailings.
What marketing ?
I should check saabhuy.net more often.
Damned, the trailer was quasi around the corner a few days ago …
No serious, it can’t be that the news has to travel all around the globe and back before it reaches me ?
None of the mentioned dealers is my dealer, but hey, what the heck, Saab/Beherman (Belgian Importer) it is time to self-questioning your marketing strategies, if there are any.
Not that a re-showing of a past concept vehicle is that important but … .
Thyl, I don’t think you really want stainles steel on your Dashboard.
I was only thinking on a hot summer day, parking under the sun, after a couple of hours going into the car and incidentally touching it. Ouch !!
Americans would sue SAAB because nobody told them steel under the Sun gets really hot !!
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