GM envisions a mainstream future for its quirky Saab
By Doron Levin
Employees of Saab Automobile AB in Trollhattan, Sweden, are wondering if the world still thinks of its cars as Swedish — or whether that even matters any more.
Saab, a subsidiary of General Motors Corp., unveiled a prototype of its latest model — a sport utility, of all things — last week at the New York auto show. Yet there was nary a mention of the quirky Swedish essence that once made Saab cars a cult favorite in the United States.
GM wants to turn Saab into a premium brand for drivers who like sporty European design, and who might think owning a BMW or Audi a bit obvious.
For GM, the idea is to bring Saab more into the mainstream of its global business, integrating the brand into its strategy of creating common parts and chassis worldwide, while maintaining the individuality of its models, to control costs and improve profits.
Saab’s 9-7X, available starting next year, is a four-wheel drive SUV with styling to make it resemble one of Saab’s current sedans — a heresy for Saab purists. Its dimensions are identical to GM’s family of SUVs and it can be built on the same assembly line as the Chevrolet TrailBlazer and GMC Envoy.
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By Doron Levin
Employees of Saab Automobile AB in Trollhattan, Sweden, are wondering if the world still thinks of its cars as Swedish — or whether that even matters any more.
Saab, a subsidiary of General Motors Corp., unveiled a prototype of its latest model — a sport utility, of all things — last week at the New York auto show. Yet there was nary a mention of the quirky Swedish essence that once made Saab cars a cult favorite in the United States.
GM wants to turn Saab into a premium brand for drivers who like sporty European design, and who might think owning a BMW or Audi a bit obvious.
For GM, the idea is to bring Saab more into the mainstream of its global business, integrating the brand into its strategy of creating common parts and chassis worldwide, while maintaining the individuality of its models, to control costs and improve profits.
Saab’s 9-7X, available starting next year, is a four-wheel drive SUV with styling to make it resemble one of Saab’s current sedans — a heresy for Saab purists. Its dimensions are identical to GM’s family of SUVs and it can be built on the same assembly line as the Chevrolet TrailBlazer and GMC Envoy.
more...