This post was originally published at Trollhattan Saab back in January 2008. I was in Detroit at the time, had spent all day at the North American International Auto Show looking over this vehicle and gathering my thoughts. I put this together, hit 'publish' and ran out of the hotel to go get a big steak with Greg Abbott :-)
The Saab 9-4x is in my thoughts more and more these days. Saab have a public relations coup on the cards with the Koenigsegg deal. They have the 2010 Saab 9-5 to pacify many of the purists for a while and there'll be the 9-4x - a first real Saab in the crossover segment.
I'm pretty sure this vehicle is essentially ready to go. I'm sure the internal deal was that Caddy would get the SRX first and now everything's held up further with GM's and Saab's respective situations.
Anyway, for those who might be a little unfamiliar with the Saab 9-4x, here's a look at the concept vehicle on which it will be based. This is very close to the real thing in design terms, though the materials will be more garden variety and it won't have all the tricks this car has.
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You probably know already, but let me tell you a little about how Auto Shows work.
You have a huge number of huge displays and a huge press pack moves around from display to display. The company executives come out and make their presentations, which typically revolve around the most important thing they're doing at that time.
There isn't a bigger presentation at the Detroit Auto Show than the GM presentation. It was climbing-room-only. And Saab was right in the middle of it.
GM used their address to announce a major partnership with Coskata, an ethanol group working on a new cellulosic production method that will significantly reduce the cost and physical resources consumed in the production of ethanol. You can read more about that here.
To accompany this announcement, GM also revealed two ethanol-fuelled vehicles - the Hummer Hx concept and the Saab 9-4x BioPower concept. It didn't quite sink in at the time, but to have GM's primary presentation of the show, with Rick Wagoner, Mark LaNeve and Carl-Peter Forster addressing the crowd and having Saab right at the center of it really put a spotlight on the 9-4x - and you could tell it worked.
This is the first view we had of the Saab 9-4x:
As I mentioned earlier, the press pack typically moved from stand to stand with the presentations. Today, there was one particular thing that worked to Saab's advantage - lunch. I joked about it earlier, but the lunch break meant that people hung around, they looked at the 9-4x and in great numbers.
I can hear you - "Don't bore us, get to the chorus!"
So let's take a look at it.
If you've read this site at all in the last week you'll know that I wasn't too excited about this car. The Swedish media might report in the next day or so that I'm still not excited about the car. I spoke with Auto Motor and Sport as well as Aftonbladet about it very soon after the car was first shown.
The CGI images never excited me and I'm not excited by SUV's anyway, but after a full day spent wandering in, out and around this vehicle I can tell you that true to form, it's much better in the metal.
The main problem area for many was the front grille:
Click on the image above, or the one before that, and you'll see that the rise into the hood isn't nearly as offensive in person as it was on the CGI. Actually, that's damning it with faint praise. The center grille actually looks much better proportioned in person and you don't notice the cutaway into the hood at all until you look for it.
I still have some problems with the outer grilles being so far away from the center, however.
I spoke at length with Anthony Lo (video here) and he explained that dues to the vehicles larger proportions, everything had to be bigger than usual. There were two ways Saab could go with that center grille - down further (like Audi) or up just a little higher. They definitely didn't want to go the Audi route, so they set the front bumper as a lower boundary for the grille. Going up just a little into the hood area gives it a good proportion and trust me, it looks a LOT better in person.
And please allow me to just say this: Anthony Lo rocks! I had such a good time chatting with him. Par Brandt from AM&S pointed it out to me and I'd never seen it come through before, but A-Lo really, really loves the Saab brand. I actually made him laugh a little by suggesting that he and I go over and trash the Cadillac stand :-) . Of course, he couldn't as he'd get in trouble, but I think I saw a twinkle in his eye there.....
To the headlamps:
One notable thing about these is that they're not on show as they should be. Whereas the 2008 Saab 9-3 has a light-pipe accross the top of the headlamp, the 9-4x concept will have a light-pipe going from the corner and down below the lamp.
The lamp wasn't working today, however. I'm unsure if it will be working at all during the show.
Saab 9x asked for a shot of the rims. Ask and you shall receive :-)
Chunky versions of the turbines, sort of......
Moving to the back.
The rear is dominated by this strip of red light - a direct homage to the Aero X. It looks good, though points off for the Saab lettering instead of the griffin badge. The lettering is just too hard to read and won't work as an identifier for the car.
The other donimating feature of the rear is the tail lamp assembly. Although in red, they do resemble the curvature of the old 9-5 headlamps in a way. I'm not sure that this configuration will make it through to the production model. I need to get a better photo of the rear tomorrow. This one's way too affected by the lighting conditions present at the time.
When the rear opens you have a sizeable storage are that's been very well designed.
The floor extends outwards on a set of tracks to create a loading area outside the car, and revealing a storage area underneath. This area has been designed in consultation with Salomon and some individual extreme skiers as well.
Under the sliding tray is a heated compartment to store your ski gear, in particular a space for ski boots. The chromed 'square' in the floor area itself actually folds upwards to reveal a ski rack. Fold down the middle section of the rear seat and you can rack your skis and they push through the middle of the vehicle.
So let's move inside, then....
The interior of this car is what had me most excited, and from the photos to the real thing it only gets better.
This is a very, very attractive driving environment. They have a video screen in the dash at the moment playing skiing videos but this would likely be replaced by satnav and a user interface for the entertainment and climate control features.
The switchgear is hard to photograph, but it's all very elegant, soft touch and looks brilliant. I'd love to see what it all looks like at night. In fact, the whole acrylic panel can be set up with soft lighting, which would be great to see as long as it doesn't detract the driver like the light panel in the latest Toyotas.
Here's the gearshift area of the console. You can see some buttons to the side.
From the bottom up they are as follows:
- Start/stop. The diagonal bit acts as a safety against accidental starting/stopping. You flip it up and get access to the button.
Parking brake
Night Panel
Hazard lights
The seat and interior materials are all very soft. This concept vehicle had a white leather interior, though the production version will likely feature the usual grey, black or sand colors.
Par Brandt from Auto Motor and Sport set the front driver's seat to his usual position and then got into the back seat to check out the rear leg room - a handy test. He's about my height, and as you can see below, there's quite good room in the rear with a six-footer at the wheel.
I asked the vital questions about whether or not we're going to see more of this interior. The Saab people were non-committal in some respects.
The good news is that we will see more of it in the 9-1 concept interior in Geneva in March. As to whether we'll see it in production, Saab are still developing it to production standard and it's not quite there yet. It uses an acrylic as well as some sophisticated lighting and getting it all to a point where it'll go the dinstance in a production vehicle without wearing or fading is the challenge. The Aero-X used a similar system, though this looks much more advanced. The Aero-X's interior acrylic looked dated already when I saw it in Sydney, and that was less than a year after it's launch.
Thanks for your enthusiasm about 9-4X. Hard to imagine GM will be able to assemble it for Saab with any kind of engine innovation. It seems Ford's Escape Hybrid is doing quite well. Tough competition for anyone.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WZ-D_HT3y8&feature=related
not currently convinced it will be a sucess in europe
too 'bulky' chews fuel?
The Porsche 911 nuts freaked about the Cayenne until they realised that:
1) It was helping pay for a lot of 911 development
2) It was a pretty good car in its own right.
If the 94x fails Saab has got a much longer & harder row to hoe. Moreover, if you;ve got an issue with me-too vehicles but you like the 93X, google VolvoXC70 or Subaru Outback and reconsider.
:-)
MarkS = Nail
Western Hemisphere Saab dealers need a crossover because Western Hemisphere buyers want to buy a crossover. It is really that simple.
http://www.usrecallnews.com/2009/06/nhtsa-5905.html
sorry PT, I'm with Markac and MarkS - too much competition in the U.S. for a premium priced 9-4X, including the Cadillac SRX and BMW's entry. Might help in some U.S. sunbelt markets, but not in New England.
Leave it up to the dealers to decide how to price and market it.
The real hero for Saab is going to be the new 9-5. It has to sell in sufficient numbers to create money so Saab can build the next generation 9-3, a new baby Saab and if all goes well with those models maybe a Sonnet sportscar.
I feel we have the right set of owners lined up for Saab who have the vision to keep Saab alive.
I wouldnt want to be Porsche about now with US$10billion in debt. I think they bit off way more than they could chew buying VW. Added to the fact that Panamera is ugly as hell!
Here is how the Q5, XC60, MercGLK 350, and Lexus RX350 compare to the BMW X3:
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/comparison_test/crossovers_and_suvs/2009_audi_q5_vs_2009_bmw_x3_2010_m_b_glk350_2010_volvo_xc60_2010_lexus_rx350_comparison_test
BTW, the BMW X3 assembly is destined to soon move from Magna Steyr in Austria to BMW's expanding assembly complex in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
The 9-4X is going to need an engine/mileage breakthrough to get attention in this crowd. Not a GM V-6.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqgF1P_B0dM&hd=1
THIS is the kinda thing that Saab needs....awesome!!
http://www.josephkosinski.com/projects/movs/blackbird.html
These crossovers will sell in Europe as well; there are a lot of Lexus hybrid RXs in Spain right now. It would not be hard to come up with a better interior than the RX.
Diesel version would be pretty stupid to build. No market in the US.
the 9-4x might be a great car for US saab dealers to cross-sell, but I just don't think it will become a breakout hit. Too much competition.
Yes, BUT, after reading that very long comparison review, there does seem to be a need for an entry that is FUN to drive. And, as MitchbSC points out, outside of New England, the 9-4X will help showroom traffic. Throw in that ski rack for free with purchase, and you never know - even some Vermonters might buy a 9-4X.
Hey, it's GM's investment. K-Saab will be sourcing 9-4X from GM as contract manufacturer. That should be fun for Saab - to be GM's customer.
I still want to know if the ignition key is where it should be in order to be a Saab.
Swade is really trying to keep the enthusiasm up.
A tough job in tough times. U.S. and EU economies may be in for a long recession.
Hey Swade: Maybe we can next speculate what Saab E85 Bio-Power 9-5s can do to boost sales in Brazil? Go where the market is still growing and the infrastructure is in place.
It doesn't require any substantial changes to the 9-3, but brings out the character of the car really well and adds a touch of relaxed Scandinavian sportivity to the 9-3 that I like very much - and I think, there will be others who like it as well.
Of course, you always have to be careful about forecasts, but I can imagine it will give a noticable push to 9-3 sales figures in quite a few markets.
In some way, I think it is the best SAAB could do to update the 9-3 and to draw some more attention to their formidable XWD-system.
As for the 9-4X, I think there is very little substantial information available. The car looks very attractive and dynamic, but that's it - more or less. In the U.S., the car will sell, that's for sure. In Europe, it will be much more difficult to pigeonhole - at least IMHO.
Otherwise I'm all for the 9-4x. Saab needs it. And I read an review of the Volvo xc60 somewhere which stated that the xc60 was sportier and nicer to drive than their other regular models. Let's hope Saab executes this one the right way! =)
There is a very real U.S. trend to spend less even by those who still have the dollars to spend.
Until 2011, Saab needs cash flow, the margin can come from the 9-3X and the XWD as saabista63 notes.
@Paul Guinessy - I never looked at other makes until this crisis with the new Saabs looking like Buicks, and am a devoted 2-door hatch driver, BUT that VW Tiguan sure does look very good.
Happy Midsommer all!
Now that's the point where the 9-3X comes in. It does everything as well or better than the Tiguan - except maybe for a little less generous backseat space. IMHO, it also looks much better - of course, it's a SAAB, not a VW.
And if it comes to tagging, the 9-3X will not be much more expensive than a comparably well equipped, well motorized Tiguan.
The problem isd that people don't know that - so they'll all go and buy the Tiguan.
This vehicle is not for most purists/enthusiasts, including myself. However, I appreciate what it will do. Outside of the Northeast in the US people eat up large CUVs & SUVs. Don't ask me why, because I don't know. But they do. The 9-4x will bring in money for other models (as others have mentioned) and create a brand awareness that SAAB does not have.
Scenario: Soccer mom sees commercial for 9-4x and goes to check it out. Husband goes with her and gets his first up close look at other SAAB and take an interest. There is a potential for two people to walk into a dealership to check out the vehicles whereas in the past they would have looked at a BMW, Audi, Lexus, etc...
You don't have to like the car, but you may want to consider some of the ancialiary benefits of having it in the line up.
In addition, this is the first crack at the CUV market that SAAB has had. Five years from now the vehicle may be able to evovle into something really kick'n.
I agree with Karen that price point is of paramount importance - and that goes for all models. CvK realizes that SAAB is a niche brand between uniqe and premium...so don't charge full premium.
Those that keep saying there's too much competition don't make any sense considering the 9-3 and 9-5 have more competition. In NA this will be SAAB's biggest seller. This segment is too large and growing too fast for SAAB to ignore it. SAAB needs this as much as they need a 9-1 IMO. Both models would release floods of traffic into dealers as the 9-1 would introduce buyers to the brand and the 9-4X would be perfect for young professional families.
There are two disappointments though: no turbo diesel V6 and base engine being the same as the SRX. Wouldn't the DI 2.0L engine be a good base engine? More or less the same power as the 3.0L V6 and quite likely a flatter torque curve. I think it would have been a perfect base engine for this.
Nothing in Anthony Lo’s super awkward interview or his designs make it appear that he knows anything about the Saab brand.
Setting aside driving dynamics (which really isn’t the driving force behind purchases of crossovers, anyways), the 9-4X loses to the Q5 and XC60 as is.
Judging from the comments above, there’s no clear idea as where such a model should even aim for the in marketplace. Who is the target? Escape Hybrid? Forrester? Tiguan? Q5?
Saab should aim to be a premium company with a product between mainstream and luxury.
Seth Godin on the distinction:
Luxury goods are needlessly expensive. By needlessly, I mean that the price is not related to performance. The price is related to scarcity, brand and storytelling. Luxury goods are organized waste. They say, "I can afford to spend money without regard for intrinsic value."
That doesn't mean they are senseless expenditures. Sending a signal is valuable if that signal is important to you.
Premium goods, on the other hand, are expensive variants of commodity goods. Pay more, get more. Figure skates made from kangaroo hide, for example, are premium. The spectators don't know what they're made out of, but some skaters believe they get better performance. They're happy to pay more because they believe they get more.
A $20,000 gown is not a premium product. It's not better made, it won't hold up longer, it's not waterproof or foldable. It's just artificially scarce. A custom-made suit, on the other hand, might be worth the money, especially if you're Wilt Chamberlain.
Plenty of brands are in trouble right now because they're not sure which one they represent.
One - I'm not trying to keep enthusiasm up here. That would tend to imply a lack of genuine appreciation for this vehicle. I think what I wrote in the post would tend to confirm that I was initially hesitant about this car and that it's grown on me since. That's how it is. I don't craft things here. I write what I think.
Two - How this vehicle fares in the market is going to be down to a number of factors (spec, quality, price, marketing) but there's little doubt that there's a market for it, especially in the US and probably more than we know in Europe. One of the things that Saab are looking most forward to with regard to separating from GM is the freedom to deal with other suppliers, and I imagine that filling the diesel void in this vehicle range will be on their list of priorities.
Three - wrt this vehicle vs the 9-3x. This has quite a bit more space than the 9-3x. Go back and have a look at the picture of Par Brandt in the back seat. Back in 2007, I drove with Par Brandt for four hours across Sweden in the back seat of a 9-3 Combi while one of his AMS colleagues drove and Par typed his test drive report for the 2008 Saab 9-3 we'd driven that day. 4 hours in the back seat of a 9-3SC, when you're a full grown adult (and then some) is not the most pleasant experience. The 9-4x will give extra room and some people want the extra room.
That said, if I were spending my own money I'd probably prefer the 9-3x myself as I love the vehicle and don't need a higher driving position - and long stints in the back seat rather than the drivers seat are very unusual for me. Actually, if I were spending my own money I'd get one without XWD as I don't need it.
The ski rack is for show only, though I hope they build in the extended floor for the cargo area.
The push button start will likely be as shown here with a sensor built in to your central locking controller on your key fob acting as permission for you to push the button. I drove a BMW with a similar system last year and worked really well.
Schmitt - thanks for the video. It's good to see the light pipes in action.
Remember, this vehicle doesn't need to sell in huuuuuuge numbers. It needs to reach it's market, which I'm quite sure it will.
so, it's a push button starter. very interesting.
I would not rule out the E-85 bio-power engine option for Brazil. Even though i cannot visit the Saab websites with dial-up, there ARE Saab dealers in Rio and Sao Paolo, and an entire infrastructure for Brazilian sugar ethanol. One of the economies NOT on the ropes.
which does lead to the question of the Saab dealers in South America and Asia (there is one in Singapore).
the price will determine the market in the U.S. If the 9-4X is at 40,000USD, tough sell.
At 32,000USD, with XWD and fun to drive reviews, yes, it will sell. even in New England. :)
but I saw Aero's with V-6 at 35,000USd MSRP. The lone 9-7X on the lot was 50,000.
and lately, I am seeing Saabs post -2002, with rust!
saw an Aero today with rust spot on the hood. I've never had a rust spot, ever.
You've got another thing coming, folks, and the 9-4X is a very competent vehicle for its target audience. For one, I personally do not like hatchbacks that much, so I would probably never be driving Saabs if they only produced hatchbacks. What's so wrong with variety and options?
I am also somewhat puzzled by the fact that we are all so stuck (me included) on things like the ignition. Seriously... It made sense for Saab engineers to put the ignition key between the seats back in the 60s. Push-start buttons are standard fare now for many cars, not just in the premium segment. If in the year 2009 it makes sense and is safer to put the button on the A-pillar then who cares?
What happens though, when the price of gasoline rises again as it surely will? Within a decade it will likely be $2.00/litre here in Canada and $8.00/gallon in USA. We greedy North Americans are in for a big kick in the a$$.
The margin for Saab on this will be important. The 9-4 looks "heavy" to me and the front overhang will be a problem in snow and curbs - too low. I'm not in love with the console and dash- looks to be missing something. As seen somewhere here previously, the interior must be best in class. The Leonardo Davinci button array is cool.
Wish there were 7 seats for the US. And standard wet look leggings right next to the push button starter between the seats.
On that diesel, since diesel costs 30% more per gallon than gas (petrol) there isn't much interest. What would help is that nice Government Motors 2-mode hybrid. 30% better gas mileage on cheap gas.
Just to take the whole "why does Saab need an SUV?" argument a step further:
My intrinsic concern here is that Saab needs a bigger range to attract more buyers and so pretty much ANY car thats close to production is a great idea in my books. It heaps make the overal bisiness stronger and should drive profits - deal with GM notwithstanding.
As well as that I think that Saab can do more with XWD and use it like Audi uses Quattro. One day...itd be great to see Saab on the WRC and bring its rally heritage to life. That could really fire the marque into peoples buying considerations. But theres a long way to go before the books will allow such indulgances I'm sure.
Personally, a 95XWD Estate is more my speed than the 94X but the SUV is a very important car for SAAB. Lets not forget that its a smaller SUV and the market is very receptive to these now. I think diesel is a compulsory BTW. Get a 2.0Tid & a 3.0TTiD for both this and the 95 please. .
So apols to Markac & MarkS for serving it back to you guys but I really feel strongly on this issue. I feel strongly that Saab needs hatches and a halo coupe too though!
Mahalo
PT, what advantages does the "traditional" steering column ignition key give you? Remember, on early cars (and even some of today's), the gear changer was placed on the steering column. Moving the key with it is quite logical.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saab_99 states
At this point they weren't cooperating with Fiat.
I should have been clearer: I like the Saab ignition where it is. Although the column one on my BMW is fine too......
I was just trying to recall why it ended up there and seemed to remember that there was a story along the lines I outlined above. I thought it was kind of an example of the Saab engineers being clever when presented with some design problem in the engineering phase of development. If I can find the reference I'll post it.
Perhaps it was that the 9000 ignition was on the column due to the Fiat collaboration on that platform instead? I could have the whole episode backwards....
You are probably correct about the 9000. The ignition was moved, and indeed could be due to the collaboration with Fiat.
It started when the engineers should introduce an anti-theft protection on the Saab 96 which had a steering column gear shift lever. On other cars the steering wheel was locked, but those locks where easily broken. So Saab engineers came up with the idea of locking the gearbox in reverse instead. This caused lots of critisism for being awkward but also proved to be a good theft deterrent since car thieves in common weren't familiar on how to cope with it.
When the 99 came it had a floor mounted shifter and a small centre console on the floor where the ignition with integrated gear lock was located. The argument for having it there was a) theft-deterent b) it reduced the risk of knee-injuries in a crash (which was a quite common injury with steering column mounted ignition) c) it was ergonomically logical to have all starting controls in one place. When the 900 came along the carburettor versions also had the cold start/choke control handle placed on this console.
Journalists always complained over this non-standard solution and marketing research showed that it was a major drawback, keeping many customers from buying Saab (yes it's true) also car rentals were very negative to Saabs for this cause. So the 9000 got a common steering wheel ignition and lock. But then the journalists argued that "this cannot be a real Saab it doesn't have the ignition on the floor" (lesson learned: don't listen to much on journalists and marketing research).
On the NG 900 the ignition was moved back to the floor console and there it has remained. However on the latest generation 9-3 the gear locking was deleted and an electronically controlled steering wheel lock was introduced (which has proven to be very safe).
With todays (up-coming models) push-button ignititions the knee-injury matter is non-existing, so why keep the ignition on the floor console? Well first of all it's a reminder that you drive a different kind of car and once you get customed to it it's quite convenient. From Saabs standpoint it's a matter of ergonomics - what you need while driving should be gathered as close to your field of vision and attention as possible. The starting functions are not used during driving, so they sit where the handbrake and gear lever is. Many other manufacturers like BMW, Audi and M-B have multi-funtion-jog-dials located here which is really stupid. Having to look down at the floor while trying to adjust the radio, car computer or cruise control while driving is not what I call safe or convenient.
Sorry about all this that had actually nothing to do with the 9-4X.
So here's what i think about the 9-4X: I don't like it, I don't like the idea of SUV's at all. Nevertheless I think it's very much needed by dealers for obvious reasons mentioned in above comments.
Will the 9-4x be competitive despite late arrival? I think so. Look at the competition in the above mentioned Car & Driver test. The BMW X3 is quite old and I believe BMW's image is degrading in favour of Audi in the US. In Europe things are opposite, people are starting to get bored about the perfectness and amount of all-look-the-same boring Audis. The Q5 has got a very cold reception in Europe, for beeing a car without any edge. The Lexus is nothing without hybrid drive. The Volvo is surprisingly the fresh and daring one in terms of design.
To be honest the 9-4X doesn't have the most exciting exterior design, but on the other hand customers of this kind of car maybe don't want it that way either. But it's roomier than any of the competition, inside it's almost the size of an X5 or Volvo XC90, and that may be a quite important to those buyers. It also has the Saab XWD system which gives superior handling to those those others. And even the front-wheel drive version that will be offered in the US is quite a competitive choice. It has the latest engine technology with direct injection an dual variable camshafts that would provide decent mpg figures as well as 265 hp.
From a European standpoint the GM decision to shut down development of the 3-liter diesel V6 (lets hope Opel would want to start it up again) is of course disappointing, nevertheless the 190 hp 2-liter TTiD is not a bad and will probably be what most customers choose here.
A large executive car like the M45 or RL (the 9-5)
A 3-series fighter like the G35 or the old TL (the 9-3)
A premium compact like the old G20, the RSX or the old TSX(the 9-1 that Saab needs if it wants to survive)
A medium/large crossover like the MDX or the FX45 (the 9-4X)
And a small SUV/Crossover like the RDX or EX35 (the 9-3X, hopefully differentiated a bit more from it's base car in the next generation)
With that lineup, made up of cars that are all
A: Distinctive, both inside and out, think fastback hatches, wraparound dashes, fuselage-like bodies, etc
B: Competitive in terms of performance and features with lots of sensible Saab gadgets, class-leading acceleration from turbocharged powerplants, and rally inspired handling that offers a scrappier scandinavian alternative to the DTM perfection of the Germans
and C: Priced such that the MSRP's reflect what the cars offer to the consumer, hopefully looking to match or beat Audi, Infiniti and Acura on a price/what you get basis.
With those things, forget 200k units a year, I could reasonably see Saab hit 300-400k annual sales, especially with the right marketing campaign. Saab needs to go back to beating the competition by being itself, and I think that many of it's core brand principles will resonate with consumers in a big way these days.
The 9-4X plays a big role in this because it's shaping up to be if not a class leader, then at least a genuine contender. All it has to do is perform with the Q5 and XC60 while scoring Saab's usual class-leading safety ratings and it could be quite a popular vehicle. More importantly it will get people into Saab dealerships, attract much-needed new blood to the brand in the US and set up a new group of loyal Saab customers. Because of the tremendous good that the 9-4X could bring us and it's potentially huge role in a Saab sales turnaround in the US, I have no problem living with it as a Saab SUV.
yes, the 9-4X will have the opportunity to take on the premium competitors with XWD. just wondering who will have $40,000 left in 2010...hope the pricing will start closer to 30,000 - that is the sweet spot in the U.S. and Mercedes knows it.
Take a look inside that GLK interior. Nothing special at all.
If you want the more attractive M-class (with the same base engine) then you're looking at $44K minimum.
If they can bring the 9-4x in at low to mid 30s, then I'm sure they're going to find a reasonable audience. They just need to get the message out and get people to drive it.
My simple message to all is this: I'm not an SUV driver either, but I think this is going to be a quality entrant into the SUV field for Saab. They don't need to undercut everyone else on price, they just need to make sure the car is properly specced to represent good value at whatever price point they place it at.
Let's not kill it off before it comes out.
If the 9-5 had been replaced when it was meant to, I argue that the 9-4x would never have been created. Something of an irony don't you think?
Another ironic thing about the 9-4x is that whilst Saab had to build the (dreadful) Cadillac BLS clone of the 9-3SS for Cadillac, now Caddilac will be building and SRX clone for Saab. Sorry before anyone attacks me, I know the 9-4x isn't a straight clone, but they are definitely close sisters. Anyway I think Saab is getting a much better deal out of this.
Despite some comments here, the SUV market is in gradual decline. Another fuel price scare and that will only accelerate. Car based crossovers are Saab's future with the 9-5x and the next gen 9-3x and perhaps even a 9-1x? This was an area Saab wanted to tap into in the early part of this decade (9-3x Crossover Coupe). Unfortunately GM had other ideas...
getting a generation of Americans under 40 who never looked at a Saab into the showroom is a challenge.
The 9-4x is simply the 3rd and more thorough attempt at what has been botched twice already.Don't see what any of it has to do with the 9-5 not being replaced.
BTW the SRX has been very well received so far. Holden claims to have 2500 2.8T orders a month lined up for it. That's to complement the non-turbo engines.
Like with all things, looks are subjective, and that GLK looks like a cross between a troop carrier at the back and a bashed crab at side and the front.
I'm also still not sold on the notion that Saab's natural competition is now Subaru. I've driven Subarus, modern ones, too. Great value for money, but not a great driving experience. Not on the level I'd like, at least.
Isn't it something like 80% of auto purchase decisions are made or influenced by women in North America?
the dash in this 9-4X photo reminds me of Star Trek. would not want to look at it for more than two seconds. same time limit with all the dashes I see in the current 9-3 and 9-5 in the showroom - they just look plastic tacky, with poor scale in the relationship between button size and dash background.
as to the importance of pricing? I lost 30% of my net worth in the last three months of 2008 as collateral damage from the sub-prime/CDO bubble, and that is better than most Americans - untold tens of millions lost 50% or more.
the premium car market is not growing in the U.S., and that is not going to change before 2011, if then.
Sounds high to me, but even if so, what to do? And what's this got to do with this conversation anyway?
Like the outside, people's like for the interior is subjective. It was a hit at the Detroit show when I saw it, but that's the concept version. The production version, from what we've seen, is a little less futuristic, darker, but a similar layout. Same for the 9-5.
Prices won't come down due to the global financial stuff. For any brands. Period. Everyone's hurting, but the 9-4x and 9-5 will most likely be priced at the lowest price Saab can afford and still make money. It'll be relative to the competition as they see it and I'm sure they're very aware of their own precarious situation.
Maybe, but then nothing except Suuby, Hyundai and maybe Audi are growing in the US. Many manufacturers are predicting a stabilisation in the latter half of 2009, though personally I think that's premature.
Hey my friends, have the 9-4X engine choices been (really) confirmed for the North American market? It would be great if Saab offered a highly tuned 2.0l as an option (as SaabKen suggested).
;)
With that said, I do think earlier Saabs should serve as a reference point for the design of future Saabs, and that the best features of the past should be taken to the next level. The reason for that is simple: Saab design is exceptional. I think Michael Mauer was on the right track with his 9-X and 9-3X concepts several years ago. The concepts seemed to pay homage to Saab's past while moving into new, exciting design territory. The original 9-3X concept is the "SUV" (or anti-SUV?)that Saab wanted to enter the market with, and I think it was a great idea. It's unfortunate that GM killed it off in favor of the 9-7X. I guess we should be thankful the new 9-4X is Saab designed, and much closer to their original SUV concept! I hope Saab sells a bunch of them, but I also hope to have a new 9-1 three door for myself some day.
Skal!!