Summer's coming* and it's time for something new from Saab and this 9-1 could be something. We're big fans of the (currently shipping) Volvo C30 so we're hoping to see some real competition in the small Swedish hatch segment.
Referenced articles:
From autoblog: Saab shows off second 9-1 teaser ahead of Geneva
*Oh, yes!
OK, this is all made up at the moment, but some folks thing that Saab might be prepping a Mini fighter. Woohoo!
That would be welcome news since Saab and GM don't know how to get Saab to build a truck dealie. Part of that reason, we think is that Saab should never, ever build a truck. Ever. Never build a truck.
Can't Saab just make a cool car like the Volvo C30?
Referenced articles:
Autoblog reports: Wake up! Saab jumping on the drowsy driver bandwagon.
This would have a lot more impact if the Saabs themselves didn't put us to sleep. Oh, wow, a 9-3 wagon! Man, that gets the blood pumpin'. And, look, yawn, a 2001 9-5. Or, yawn, is it a 2007? And is that a 9-7... zzzzzzzzzz.
Now Volvo... the C30 and V50 both get us pretty chubbed up. Come on, peoples, tell us the C30 isn't friggin' awesome. It is.
That's a snap of the 2008 Volvo C30. So friggin' sweet.
Autoblog reports: Saab 9-4X to share a platform with new compact Cadillac CUV.
Not only did Autblog mention this, but so did LeftLaneNews. Oh, LLN, you've got a typo in this head: Saab 9-4x to bow in Detroit. It's "Saab 9-4x to blow in Detroit." Zing!
Is Saab making the 9-4x because the 9-7 (9-7x?) sold so well? Is Saab doing it because they've figured out a way to get really, really good gas mileage from a truck? Is Saab doing it because the future is clearly all about trucks and SUVs? Is Saab trying to justify its existence?
God dammit. Look, Saab, here's the deal: Make cars. That's it. No SUVs or CUVs or any of that crappola. Do things a bit different, get 35mpg on the highway and don't mess with the seats. Why do we have to be mad at everyone, everyday?
The U.K. failure marks the second time that GM has hit a pothole trying to sell Cadillacs in Britain—and may be a sign of trouble for the company’s global aspirations for the brand. Cadillac previously tried to market the Seville STS in the mid-1990s through GM subsidiary Vauxhall. This time around, GM appointed Dutch distributor Kroymans to run the sales operation.Is this a case of bad marketing or is there just a lack of appeal on the models themselves? The BLS is a Saab 9-3 with Caddy influences and since Europeans can already get a 9-3... Do you think marketing can fix this?Despite U.K.-specific models with right-hand drive, such as the BLS, the CTS sedan and the SRX, sales have barely broken 600 cars in two years. Kroymans can’t even furnish figures for 2007 because dealers haven’t provided the numbers. Some 300 cars sit unsold.
Jalopnik reports: Saab To Build STI Fightin' 9-3.
Autoblog reports: Away we go: Official photos of Saab 9-3 SportCombi posted.
We've been waiting a lot time for Saab to shed some GM (and it's hard since GM owns 'em). There was a time when the 9-3 just made us shake our head and look at the ground and wonder why. The current 9-3 is decent, however, so we perked up some and even began to feel a tad optimistic. And now, looky-look! Hot design, all-wheel drive and 300hp? Somebody slipped Saab some sugar! Go Saab.
Will a new design like this (available as a hawt wagon, too!) help boost Saab's numbers from a pretty low 36k units in 2006?
The Detroit News reports: Can Steve Shannon win over Saab snobs? Bring out the Hooterglavens and wind up the Forbi because Saab's got a new leader! We're hoping that Mr. Shannon can make some cool new products like the other Swedes over at Volvo. When questioned by Cars! Cars! Cars! Mr. Shannon may or may not have said,
"Do I think Volvo is better at getting product to market than Saab? No svalka way! Those guys at Volvo are a bunch of vardes is what they are. They couldn't skanka a ordning if their bjursta depended on it.He then threw down his Ikea catalog, hopped in his car and drove home with the blinker on. "Sorry," he yelled, "old habits are hard to Ingvar!"
Oh, we're keepin' it short 'n' Scandinavian this year, folks. Just two cars. Both from Sweden. What are they? What could they be?
Saab 9-3 2.0T Sport Sedan
60th Anniversary Edition
$28,820
We've crapped on Saab a lot, but we'll tell you what: this is a good deal. In fact, here's an idea of how good a deal it is. We found the sticker from our 1998 Saab 900s (which we bought used). Sticker? $30,000. No leather, no CD changer, no power seats. Now, in fairness, it does have a sunroof and automatic transmission, but it's nearly 10 years later!
This Saab 9-3 is sleeker, faster and now, finally, the interior is better. What's that? This isn't a Saab in as much as it's not a hatch? Yeah, we agree that it's hard to overlook the unSaabiness of this Saab. If it's that big a deal to you, get the SportCombi for about $1,200 more (sticker: $30,065) and we can put that all to rest.
Anyway, if you want a sweet ride at a sweet price, it would be a mistake to not take a look at this Saab.
Volvo C30
1.0
$22,700
If you really, really miss the Saab of yore, check out this beast. Affordable, quick, stylish. And full of Volvoy goodness.
If we were just starting out in life (rather than on this ever quickening downward slide), we'd totally grab this car. Coupe, hatch, hot. There is nothing we don't like about this car. In fact, our only fear is who is going to buy it. We're really hoping that young investment banker shitheads bypass Volvo dealerships and head right for BMW without even giving Volvo a thought. Because that's a great way to ruin a potentially great car.
By the way, we're aware the car isn't for sale yet, but it's that good of a deal!
Ha, Ugly Rocks! The Truth About Cars 2006 Ten Worst Automobiles Today (TWAT) Awards: The Winners.
Ha! OK, the vehicles are ugly as sin and totally deserve to be on the list, but that by itself isn't funny. No, the comments by the reviewers rock the house. The best one? The commentary on the Saab 9-7x... which we will now totally rip off because it's funnier than hell:
The Saab 9-7X is a Chevy Trailblazer with the ignition key between the seats. Moreover, the Saab 9-7X is a Chevy Trailblazer with the ignition key between the seats. I can't stand the fact that the Saab 9-7X is nothing more than a Chevy Trailblazer with the ignition key between the seats. And when you stop and think about it, the Saab 9-7X is a Chevy Trailblazer with the ignition key between the seats. Who did GM think they were fooling when they released the Saab 9-7X, which is nothing more than a Chevy Trailblazer with the ignition key between the seats? You know what I hate most about the Saab 9-7X? It’s a Chevy Trailblazer with the ignition key between the seats.
That's a snap of how GM ruined Saab. Screw Saab for not putting up a fight.
A Car Czar Too Far: Why Bad Things Happen to Good Saabs. What he said. W00t! GM blows -- they've killed Saab as far as we're concerned.
