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They want to pull younger buyers in the door. The Saaburu was the best vehicle platform to do this. We will have to see how much brand dilution and canabalism occurs. But they need AWD now. It takes more than 2 years to design and build a nice AWD car. The next iteration of this won't be until 2006/07. I am just amazed they hadn't done AWD sooner as they have very good systems in their mountain climb rally cars. Check out last years Pikes Peak standings and video.
Key points:
"The Saab 9-7X will be offered with GM's 4.2-liter inline six-cylinder engine and 5.3-liter V-8"
"The SUV will have different exterior design, interior trim and chassis refinements than the TrailBlazer."
"It will have very different handling, with excellent braking and performance."
"Sales likely would be between 5,000 and 15,000 units annually. "It is too early to divulge volume, but it would be nothing near 25 percent of our sales," he said."
I completely agree about Saab needing to get into step with buyer preferences. You can't freeze your brand with the characteristics of one beloved model (the early 90's and 900's) forever.
There's enough blame to go around. Saab Europe's strategy has been flawed product wise, GM mistakenly thought Saab could instantly complete on level with BMW/Mercedes, and GM didn't give them the resources to fight.
While I again agree Saab needs to adapt to the market, I have a big problem with GM using one flawed strategy (adapting the Trailblazer platform and WRX to Saab) to try to fix all of the above faults.
At least these products will exclusive to the US (until they are redone) so the Saab brand will killed only in one country. The coming dilution of the Saab brand in the U.S. was one reason I actually didn't get a 9-3 recently.
Bret
'brand' supercedes everything in this day and age. if something doesn't juve with the 'brand', folks see it easily and begin to think the brand is crap.
it would seem to me to make sense to wait 18 months and arrive with stellar products rather than water down the brand. that said, the WRX as a stopgap is a great idea....just take 6 more months to do it and give it a real interior. something not so asian budget car looking.
Saab, frankly, doesn't have much in the U.S. except among their fanatic core, and this is just the group the 9-2X and 9-7X is going to put off. I agree they would have been better served to wait 1-3 years for full fledged replacements and really wow the market. Again, I *didn't buy* a new 9-3, in a large part because I'm afraid of what this brand will become and what it will do to the equity of the car I would later sell.
Bret
Bret
"The 9-3 Interior" - Outside of the Audi which is a step above the rest, IMHO I just don't see the other Euro brands being a step above. Compare the 9-3 to the Lexus IS300 or Infiniti G35 or MB C-Class, Volvo S60 or 3 Series. The dash materials, headliner, switches, gauges, seats stack up equally on whole. I am going to sit in each of these again at the upcoming LA Auto show and re-evaluate.
Stopgaps are by nature a catch-up strategy. The alternative is usually worse though. The whole near luxury sedan/wagon segment has AWD, you can't be in market without it. AWD is needed now not 18 months from now. Look what Infiniti is doing with the G35. The 9-2X is a precursor to people accepting the 9-3X AWD. Although they will be different systems, the general perception by the vast buying audience is that Saab has had some success with AWD and thus the 9-3X / 9-7X will be viewed as a viable choice.
I agree in sentiment that it would have been nicer to hold out and build a true Saab, but that is not the practical case here. You take from the resources you can get, and make the best of it. The 9-2X will represent nicely until the 9-3X comes. The 9-7X is an open ? but if executed properly it will be a blessing.
"SAAB 9-3: Those who fear for Saab's future as part of G.M. have reason to fret. There will soon be Saab-arus and thinly disguised GMC S.U.V.'s in the lineup. The nice-driving 9-3 sedan preserves a bit of Saab appeal, but I spent my time in the car wondering where they got the flimsy, fragile plastic controls."
The 9-7x will not be a "thinly-disguised GMC" as was discussed earlier. It has been tweaked and re-engineered for better performance, braking, and handling. The interior will be better too.
About the 9-2x, even Edmunds is praising it. The WRX is a very good car to clone, and it will have good performance for a good price. It will be enough to keep Saab afloat until their new cars come out later in the decade.
But seriously, I was talking with a tech, in his newly remodled SAAB showroom and service bay. He sounded pretty excited about the future of Saab.
I think there is a good feeling that this SUV will be big.
IMHO - Saab showrooms are the nicest from what I have seen in the last year, at least here in Southern California.
9-7X or the possible Subaru 7 seater.
Cadillac SRX: Great SUV for the money. Interior feels and looks good in MOST places. Not really fond of the low-placed tv screen (my kids didn't like looking down for the tv at the auto show), powerful engines, V8 is too pricey..go with V6
SAAB 9-7X: Sure GM is making a lot of changes to the Envoy XL to make the 9-7X..but it still isn't changing my mind. Lack of side-curtains, a MARGINAL crash test rating, and all those problems with the GM midsizers (go to the TB/Envoy/Rainier/etc. board and TONS of posts on problems are there) do not convince me the SAAB will be any different.
upcoming Subaru 7-seater: Now I would definitely consider this. Subaru has great engines and their reliability and quality is great too. If they did what they did to the Forester and upcoming Legacy/Outbacks' interiors than you know the Subaru SUV will be great! Plus, it's not a BORROWED platform from GM. Subaru usually gets a GOOD rating from the IIHS.
So, for me it would come down to the SRX or Subaru. Have you checked any other 7-seater SUVs yet? Some other good choices would be the Pilot, MDX, Highlander, XC90, and Rendezvous (ACCEPTABLE crash test rating).
I like the SRX, which is my favorite at the momment. The V8 is nice but pricey. An opted out (No 3rd Row) V6 will have to suffice. I am intrigued by the RX400H, but as nice as they are I just don't like the driving feel of Lexus cars.
The Subaru might change everything. Waiting to see what it looks like.
Also, I agree with jchan2, the Acura MDX is a great SUV for the money. It's very safe with a great amount of HP (265 is pretty good for a V6) and it's very versatile. If you want to spend more, the SRX and XC90 are also great, safe choices. Good luck on your decision!
Move more into sport wagons and crossover SUV's.
The 9-3 5 door is a great move as is the 9-2X.
Volvo's XC90 looks like it transformed out of a Volvo wagon. I do not think GM will pull off as good a job with the 9-7.