[HoosierRon]

Saab’s green new SUV hits road

Swedish giant Saab has finally caught up with the SUV crowd. And our spy shots reveal that the new car is looking sharp – and has a carbon-busting trick up its green sleeves!

Set to rival Land Rover’s Freelander, the 9-4X features a gaping grille similar to that on the Aero X, seen at the 2006 Geneva Motor Show. Also borrowed from the concept are the turbine-effect alloys, while the futuristic cabin gets cowled dials and a sculpted dash.

I never realized Saab was a "giant". I wonder how much faster this thing will go due to its "turbine-effect alloys".

 

[stevecmh]

nice rims..
ihope it looks like the concept

 

[Ghrankenstein]

the futuristic cabin gets cowled dials and a sculpted dash.

Nothing says "futuristic cabin" like cowled dials and a sculpted dash.

 

[mgescuro]

"Cowled dials?" :blink:

W T F??

Everything GM is putting out these days has "cowled dials."
That also doesn't really say "Saab" either.

Just goes to show that GM is just design bankrupt.

 

[jcgable]

All Hail The soft touch and circular molding of the GM Corporate Steering Wheel!

 

[mbukukanyau]

those do not look like saab seats. they look more like chevy. Saab needs its Swedish seats. I also do not see the saab style windscreen.

 

[roteague]

All Hail The soft touch and circular molding of the GM Corporate Steering Wheel!

It's preferable to the one they use in the 900s, Lambda's, etc.

 

[jmlee0695]

i cant see if they kept the clear green plastic. ca anyone tell?

 

[mgescuro]

those do not look like saab seats. they look more like chevy. Saab needs its Swedish seats. I also do not see the saab style windscreen.

UUGGGHH... That is soooooooooooooooo disappointing!!!!!!
Like I said... GM is design bankrupt!!!

These aren't Saab seats at all!!!

What else can you expect from a company that lives its life on a spreadsheet?
You can't expect anything more than mediocre from GM these days.

 

[ctsmo]

these spyshots came out a couple of weeks ago.

 

[Stovebolt]

Lame. Saab is one of those that needs its quirks for anyone to like it. The straight up seats, the weird ignition placement, the aerodynamic styling...all of it.

Next thing you know they'll have a Saab on the Alpha or Kappa platforms.

 

[Hurricane]

Doesn't look very Saab-like to me...

 

[SpaceCowboy]

Rather disappointing. All it would take to make these Saab seats is different headrests. The dash works as a Saab feature (well from what you can see) Buy there isn't a lot that differentiates this from the likes of the new Opel/Vauxhall design language.

I guess its probably the best that a cash-strapped GM can muster. Lets just hope its good enough.

 

[mgescuro]

I wonder how "advanced" those seats are compared to what are currently offered in the 9-3 and 9-5?
Heck... how advanced at they compared to the Volvo XC90s??

Are these seats anti-submarining like true Saabs and the Volvos?
Do they have SAHRS-II?

Or are these run of the mill Chevy seats because it is GM's belief that "safety is standard across the board." And by doing so, they "level the field."

Somehow, I don't believe the 9-4 will meet Saab's previous safety standards.

 

[OrlandoGuy80]

Are these shots not of a preproduction model? Many of the things people are complaining about here may change before the vehicle is actually introduced, especially things such as seats and dash materials.

 

[Perian]

What kind of shape will Saab dealers be in by the time these new vehicles start production?

A quick conversation with my Saab dealer on Saturday indicates that sales "have fallen off a cliff" this month due to the lack of competitive leasing incentives caused when GMAC/SFC changed their way of doing business.

An example of what is possibly to come from a previously strong Saab market:
http://saabofhunterdon.com/index.html

 

[hercman]

GM and another SUV?

Come on.

 

[Talonderiel]

Saab on a Kappa platfrom?? hmm, sounds like a good idea

 

[Uligar]

i cant see if they kept the clear green plastic. ca anyone tell?

No clear green plastic!!

 

[GMusa]

Saab really needs this vehicle like now! I really like Saab and their technology. I wish GM would put Saab's XWD into more vehicles such as the Malibu, Aura.. and a next-gen G6 GXP Sedan/Coupe STi/Evo fighter!!!