News: Saab 9-3 replacement to show at Frankfurt 2011

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Trollhattan’s local newspaper, TTELA, have a report this afternoon speaking about several issues concerned with Saab. Most notable amongst them is the possible vehicle scheduling for the Frankfurt Motor Show, which will be held in September 2011.

From TTELA (Googletrans):

Saab can provide a first glimpse of the next generation 9-3 in the fall. This from Spyker CEO Victor Muller, who talked about future plans to a German motor magazine.

…..[the] Next 9-3, Saab’s most important model, will come next year. But as early as this autumn’s large Frankfurt International Motor Show, visitors will have a first glimpse of the car, according to Victor Muller speaking to German magazine AutoGazette.

Victor Muller says that in the 9-3 we will see Saab’s first hybrid engine and a pure electric car.

——

TTELA also write about sales expectations in China:

In 2011, it may be about 2000-3000 cars sold and may double next year. Looking further ahead, and with the help of the next Saab 9-3, hope Victor Muller to sales exceeding 10,000 cars annually in China.

—

Thanks to Henrik S for the link!

66 thoughts on “News: Saab 9-3 replacement to show at Frankfurt 2011”

    • Yes! And today, Saab will host a press conference, telling us that they will be cooperating with BMW, about technology. Saab will gain access to BMW technology, to be able to develop a new smaller Saab!

      All according to a danish news agency on tuesday. Also telling that Spyker on tuesday had put out a press release, confirming negotiations with BMW.

      Cheers!

      • Tried to call Spyker earlier today as I couldn’t find any confirmation. According to the person I talked to no special event has been scheduled for today…

        • I’ve tried emailing a few key people and have had no response. There’s no trace of the press release they talk about in the article, either.

          Given this one publication in Denmark is the only one running it, I tend to think they’re speculating based on something they heard.

          • @Arild: I think they are refering to the BMW deal in September. It was NOS who first broadcasted this, the next day the press conference was organized.

          • Tim, you are correct. And that press conferance the Danish article mentions was on Wednesay 29 September 2010! Looks like Danish epn.dk found a piece of news from NOS and didn’t realize that it was several months old!

          • Hi all!

            I’ve just e-mailed the danish journalist, who wrote the article. Here’s his answer:

            “Dear Henrik

            I’m afraid that you’re right. It seems that I’ve caught an old Reuters newsrelease. This is very embarrasing – and I’m truely sorry.

            .Regards
            Mattias”.

            So a lot of fuss about nothing… 🙁

            Sorry about the confusion…

            Cheers!

          • Ok! The rumor was just a rumor without substance. It would be great thou, but such news that big should come from another “market” not Denmark. That was the thing that get my susposion even if I hoped for a while.

  4. Really? Is this the 9-3 replacement of is it not actually Castriotti’s ‘not the 9-3, but a design direction concept’ ?

    • Saab will show a pure concept car in Geneva. That car will be pure concept, aiming to show a design direction only, not intended for production.

      The show car that VM’s talking about here will show in September 2011, around a year before the 9-3 replacement is due to hit the market. I think it’ll be a firm basis for the 9-3 replacement, much like the 9-4x BioPower Concept shown in Detroit (2008) was a firm foundation for the production version seen last November in LA.

  5. This will be the most important model is Saab’s history. The new bread and butter better be tasty!

    As usual, Swade, we count on you to give us an early glimpse of the NG 9-3 here at SU. 😉

    News: Saab 9-3 replacement to show at Saabs United mid-2011.

    🙂

  6. The interview with AutoGazette is already pretty “old”. It was published on December 27 and when I read it I cannot find anything about the new 9-3 being shown at the IAA in 2011.

    Is there another AutoGazette interview? Of dit TTELA made a translation error???

    Also found this piece of information useful:

    Für den 9-4X erwarte ich einen Absatz von 9000 Autos in 2011 und vom neuen 9-5 Sport Combi 17.000 Einheiten.

    So the 80.000 units for 2011 will consist of the following:

    9.000 9-4X
    17.000 9-5 SC
    54.000 9-3(X) & 9-5 SS

    • You’ll need to ask TTELA if TTELA made a translation error. Magnus is a very professional guy and his email address is at the bottom of the article.

      Perhaps its from a print edition that hasn’t appeared online yet?

  7. Wow..great news. I’m excited…especially about the prospect for some kind of hybrid or fuel-saving options. Some financial news networks (Bloomberg/CNBC) are projecting oil prices to go up and could repeat that of 2008 when it got as high as $140 USD a barrel. I’ll be interested in what kind of engine line-up and horsepower they will deliver.

  9. This is a huge deal. Wasn’t the original launch scheduled for Geneva tentatively, some 6 months later? Just shows how hard everyone is working there. Incredible.

    I really want that hybrid axle 9-3, so pumped.

  10. I suspect the car shown in Geneva will incorporate many styling cues for the 9-3. It is REALLY important that SAAB gets this right. So Geneva will be a trial balloon to see if the future look of SAAB sits well with the masses.

    • Mark, I’d urge caution in linking the Geneva concept and the 9-3 replacement too much. From what I’ve heard (and to a degree, seen), they’re totally different objects.

      If you want to think in relative terms, think about the Aero-X’s relationship to the new 9-5. The Aero-X is a radical concept that had very few (if any) literal translations to the real-world 9-5. But ideas came through.

      I feel very confident in saying the Geneva concept will have a similar relationship to the 9-3 replacement (i.e. not much of a direct link at all, but a bunch of nuanced links).

  13. Wow,
    what a difference a year can make 🙂 Hopefully good news translate to trust and more sales.

    Independence day should shout the message “We are alive and strong” loud and clear!!

  15. I understand that Saab enthousiasts are amazed by prospects of the new model to be seen asap. But: The sales in 2011/12 has to come from the old model, will Saab not delay this badly needed 9-3 buying? From an economic point of view, that might be risky.

    • Yes, good point, it is a balance between providing direction and hope of new models against not immediately making existing range appear even more outdated. Hopefully the refreshed current 9-3 will also appear soon, else its lifecylce will be so short people will delay their purchases for a firther 18 mnths to get a new model. Difficult. Right now Saab needs cashflow and the gap between now and the whole new 9-3 will be filled by a facelift with such a short life that it may deter purchasers.

      • Yes, good point. HOwever, in the US, a lot of new purchases are driven by when an old lease expires. They usually can’t be extended beyond a month or two and the purchase price is often too high. So people buy a new car when they have to and are not in the position of delaying for 18 months. Instead, they will lease a new car and look for a shorter lease term if they are hoping for a new model. In fact, that’s what happened to me, but with no success. In the fall of 2007, my lease was expiring on my 9-5 combi. Back then, there was talk of a new 9-5 in a year or two. So I leased a new Saab with a 27 month lease expiring in Jan 2010 fully expecting to buy a new 9-5 combi then. Well we all know what was going on in Jan 2010 —-I ended up purchasing a 9-3 combi demo model at a very attactive price which I will keep until the new 9-5 combi is here. Hopefully, the trade-in value will be at least equal to what I owe on the loan.

        • Precisely what happened to me also…but with a different outcome.

          Leased my ’08 9-5 SC Aero in September ’07 for 27 months, so I could get an XWD 9-3 SC Aero in December 2009 (and that car STILL hasn’t happened). When it still wasn’t clear that SAAB would even remain in business in December 2009…and leasing ANY SAAB was impossible, I turned the SC back in, and leased an Audi A5 coupe. Just couldn’t justify taking a chance on spending USD$30k to buy out the lease from GMAC, and then having to take the car to a Chevy dealer for service, if SAAB were no longer around. 🙁

          So now my Audi lease expires in September 2013, and I’m hoping the NG 9-5 SC Aero is out, and fully sorted, by the time I’m ready for another car. 🙂

          • How as the A5 been compared to the 9-5 and/or your expectations? What can SAAB take from the A5?

          • Nate 9-3…I love the A5.

            As a coupe, it really doesn’t compare to the SC, but I still have two 1990 900 SPGs, and it is as much fun to drive as they are. And I do drive them both regularly. My wife has an ’03 9-5 Aero Sedan, and the A5 compares well with that as well. They are drivers cars. 😀

            You ask…”What can SAAB take from the A5?” The real question should be what can SAAB take from Audi?

            And the answer to that one is DEALERS WHO CARE ABOUT THIER CUSTOMERS. At least in the US where I live.

            I have only three SAAB stores to choose from in an area where over 3.5 million people live. Two I refuse to deal with for various reasons discussed elswhere on this site, but they couldn’t be more customer UNfriendly if they tried, and one which is over 55 miles (90+km) away. And those 55 miles (90+km) can literally take several HOURS to traverse…each way!

            My Audi dealer is 8 miles (13km) away, and has treated me so well, it is unbelievable. And this is my first Audi…ever.

            I have owned nearly 20 SAABs in the past 33 years, but this has no influence on the two dealers I won’t deal with. They could care less.

            SCNA needs to get a handle on the lousy dealers in the US fast, before they alienate any more customers for good.

            The good news for me is that I am planning on moving to another state this year, so I will be able to start a new relationship with the SAAB dealer(s) in the area we move to. Can’t wait.

          • Hey RS…don’t be so smug.

            Have you ever driven an A5…AND a 9-5 Aero, for something longer than a test drive? Unless you have…I’m the one LMAO at vous Sparky, because you have no clue as to what you are commenting on.

            Audi are setting historical sales records…and LTAO (Laughing THEIR A** Off)…all the way to the bank.

            SAAB are STILL lucky to be in business…with no guarantee they will be when my current lease expires in 2013. And unless SAAB sales pick up sooner than later…well…Audi (and others) will be the ones with the last laugh.

          • Saabdude, well I quess I got (a bit) annouyed about you pressing the Buick theme so hard the other day.
            On the other hand your comment about the A5 is spot on. It just shows how good driver cars Saabs are in comparison to those ‘supposed to be superior’ brands that rule the market.

            Different Saabdude. That one had more a’s in his name 🙂 – SW

  17. yes that is what I meant. I suspect the new 9-3 will be quite a departure from the 9-5, so some of those concepts need to tested to gauge public acceptance. Based on that the cues will either be adopted or watered down a bit. The 9-3 is absolutely vital. I also suspect the current 9-3 update will have some of those cues. They cannot show the 2012 9-3 then soldier on with the current car unchanged for a full year..,. that would be brutal.

  18. just to qaulify my last comment,in the last eight years i have bought two new saabs iwould buy a new 95 but simply am not able to at this time {unless i want a divorce that is.] so it is more timing than anything else,although i guess you are right since it is unlikely i would buy a current 93 over a new 95.

  19. I was under the impression that the new 9-3 was already finalised, meaning a concept to test public opinion would be pointless. Am I missing something?

  20. And they´ve had some fun putting together the headline too.
    “Muller avslöjar Saab-plan”
    Normal translation = “Müller reveals plans for Saab”
    But in swedish you can also read it like :
    “Low frequenzy noice reveals Saab aeroplane”
    Editorial fun at its best.
    🙂

  21. This sounds fantastic! Cannot wait to see 9-3 replacement. And if those BMW collaboration news are true, this is even more fantastic! So were going to see a new concept, new 9-5 SC, probably 9-4X (I´m talking about Finland, remember), and the replacement of 9-3 this year!?! So cool!!

    …In the mean time, I´ll have to figure out how to get this on the road again…
    http://tinyurl.com/3762bek
    Nice parking, right?

    😀

      • If that’s of any help to you: the very same thing happened to me a month ago when I was in a rush to reach an airplane (that got canceled due to adverse winter conditions!). After my return four days later, I needed professional help to get out of the mess.

        • Well, actually I got it solved right away. The road is very narrow and there´s quite steep edges. I was I had to pass oncoming car and my right front tire got off the road. That´s all it takes to get you out. Car got out with no marks on it (thank goodnes) but I was left with very, very annoying feel. If I think of what coul´ve happen if there was something under the snowbank, like rock etc. Whoah…
          I guess I´m still lucky after all 😀

  22. I’m starting to agree with others here as far as this refreshed 9-3! It’s life cycle is getting way to close to the release of the Ng 9-3 to even make since anymore at this point and time. I would rather Saab use the finances to find other alternatives to make the 9-4 more efficient, so it is a global success

    • But the interior refresh can’t cost that much? and it’s just about the only ‘complaint’ anyone has about the car. Just look at Markos 9-3. It’s way better than a new Bimmer imo (even parked in the ditch).

    • I do not agree Ck1x!
      It will help and I think it´s worth it. Journalists will wright about the “updated 9-3” and that bring the “new Saab” even further away from GM into there new identity. It even going to conect Saabs models even closer to each other. Good marketing stategy if you ask me even if it costs money.

      Maybee the old and the new 9-3 model are going to sell parallel for some time (it has happened before). It should mean a life cycle for at least two years.

    • I was at a Saab dealer today (here in Vienna/Austria) and asked about the facelift for the 9-3.
      According to him, there won’t be any facelift, but a Griffin version will come at the mid of this year!

  23. I’ve read the googletrans of that article, and I don’t think we will see any kind of NG 9-3 in Frankfurt. VM says a glimpse of the next 9-3. To me it sounds more like postponing the JC Prototype till the Frankfurt motor show.

    Ck1x, the 9-3 Griffin will be available by march from what I’ve heard. And don’t ask me why, because I don’t know it.

    • Saab UK are now indicating that production will start in April with deliveries beginning in May.

  24. When I ordered my new Saab 9-3 SC ttid my dealer mentioned what Red J says: the 9-3 Griffin shall be available from March onwards.

  25. I think what will help Saabs sell is aggressive leasing, entry pricing and standard amenities for a premium sedan. The Ng 9-3 is right around the corner, I just don’t see how it’s feesible to sell a revamped edition like this when these cars would both be coming out of Trollhatten! So it’s pretty clear when the new 9-3 comes the old model will be put to pasture. I have a 2004 9-3 and I still love my car and don’t know if interior change is enough to haul me into getting a 9-3 when I’m so looking forward to the 2012 Ng 9-3

    • Well, I can think of several reasons why another refresh might make sense:

      It shows Saab’ commitment to improve what is mostly complained about thus displaying customer oriented behaviour.
      It will result in more news in magazines and the WWW.
      It might prevent people from postponing their purchasing decision until the next 9-3 arrives.
      It is a fallback measure in case the schedule for the next 9-3 cannot be met for whatever reason.

      Agreed 100% – SW

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