By my unofficial survey, Saab is the only vehicle maker without an SUV model. Even Porche has one. Early next year, Saab will no longer have that distinction. The
Saab 97 SUV will be available next spring. You can get one with a gigantic 5.3L V8 and crash it into a Volvo SUV as fast as you can! Go check out the pictures on the website. At least they put the key in the right place,
unlike the otherwise worthy 92.
I'd always been snottily pleased by the fact that Saab didn't have a gas guzzling model, but unfortunately now I'll have to take my smug pleasure and stick it in my hatchback. I guess I'll have to wait til I give up my car altogether before I can get my holier-than-thou 'tude back. Yeah, I said 'tude.
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I’m a big car nut, so I’ve been following this for a while. I, too, love Saabs (I almost bought a 9-3 last year) and am sad to see the 9-2 and 9-7 built.
However, if there is one thing that Saab has proven itself even better at than building quirky hatchbacks, it’s running its business into the ground. Like other beloved but fragile brands like Jaguar, Aston Martin, Volvo, Range Rover, Roll’s Royce, Rover, etc. Saab either needed to be bought out by a larger, more impersonal company that knows how make a profit making cars or become extinct. A compromised Saab (until they bulk up their product line with more exclusive and influenced models) is better than no Saab at all.
And, for better or worse, the American public has been quite clear at saying with their pocketbooks that they want SUV’s…
- Garris
PS: Saab, which has traditionally sold to people wanting all weather utility, has been hard hit by the SUV craze. As many as 30-40% of *existant Saab owners* buy an SUV as their next vehicle! So much for the granola, environmental orientation of Saab owners!
Another company that has yet to unveil their SUV is Audi, but the sad thing about Audi, Saab, or any other SUV maker for that matter is that they’re popular.
Now BMW has a new 1 Series coming out globaly (excluding US). The smaller hatchback styled car probably gets just about the same storage space as a BMW x5 but gets twice the fuel ecconomy, is not as harmful to the enviroment in terms of pollutants or rescources uses to make it, and is better in terms of controll(driving).
Why isn’t it here?, because the CEO of BMW of America doesn’t want to hurt his price margins for their main product lines (that grab a large premium). It’s really sad how the american pop is so easiely de-railed by a big “safe” car.
We have some of the strictest regulations on factories around the world, for example not many computer chip manufacturs even develope product in the US becaus the amount of enviromental precautions are way too much to afford. Most companies move/source all of their production to samller countries that don’t have the enviromental concerns that we do. Cars seem to be a different cash game that I have yet to figure out. And whether it be the administration or the people that keep the SUV maket in fruition is out of my realm of understanding.
ramble…
I never thought Saab owners were tree huggers, my stereotype was always just “quirky” or, at least with the old 900s, “university humanities professor.” Half the guys on the Saab boards are horsepower addicts, who give each other virtual high fives for taking their catalytic converters off or taking out the turbo silencer (I hate those bastards!) What do you drive now, Garris? (if you don’t mind telling us).
Some comments:
1) BMW 1-series: BMW isn’t bringing the *hatchback* 1-series here not to protect its profit margins, but because Americans equate hatchbacks with “cheap.” No hatchback recently (save for the Acura Integras and their RSX successors) has done well in the U.S. The 1-series coupe, convertible, and 4 door sedan (if they build one, it’s undecided) will eventually be coming. And no 1-series I’m aware of has “double” the MPG of the X5. Most of today’s hottest SUV’s have the same engines, etc. of midsized sedans… I hate SUV’s, but the environmental argument against them is probably the weakest one. A BMW X5 in California probably has less emissions than a VW Golf in China.
2) Environmental Hypocracy: While certainly present in the US, there is enough environmental hypocracy to go around… The Europeans have tons of automotive and recycling laws, but won’t turn as critical an eye on their factory and farm environmental issues, especially in Eastern and Central Europe. The Asians, who are getting all the great press for their hybrids, don’t want to talk about the environment otherwise, and it’s sad to watch Taiwan, China, Japan, etc. destroy their environments now for growth when you know in 100 years they’ll want to clean it all up…
3) Saab “culture”: There’s lots of different types of Saab enthusiasts. Saab, like BMW, was never really conceived to be a “prestige” brand, but just a highly focused brand (Saab=quirky, comfortable, utilitarian Swedish… BMW=German handling and performance above all at all costs). Under pressure from Asian and, to a lesser extent, U.S. makers, they were forced to move upmarket. Mercedes was already there in the upmarket, BMW made the transition wonderfully, keeping their values while adapting to prestige expectations… Saab kinda did nothing. The wonderful 900 of the 70′s, 80′s, and early 90′s was out WAY too long, the newer 900/9-3 and 9000′s were never fully realized or refined, and the newer 9-5 was somewhat bland… I actually like the new 9-3 quite a bit. Saab needs to define what they are and take that message to the market. Are they sporty? Are they eco-conscious? Are they utilitarian? Are they luxury cars? I don’t think Saab knows, and it’s hard to market as all the above… Thankfully, the folks running Saab right now are pretty sharp, especially their talented and well-regarded chief designer…
4) What I drive: I drive a Ford Contour SVT. I’m looking to sell it before coming to Providence. I have a buyer lined up right now. I’ve loved my SVT Contour. It’s a fantastic performer. I was looking at replacing it with a 1-2 yr old 9-3, but I have some reservations about the model. BMW’s, which I never thought I’d like, I have to admit are wonderful performers. There’s a 3 yr old 3-series here I’m eyeing carefully. I drove the Audi A-4′s, but they don’t do much for me. I like the style and performance of the Cadillac CTS a lot, but there aren’t a lot on the used market and the interiors are sub-par.
If all of you had unlimited amounts of money what would you buy?
My answers:
$50,000: Cadillac CTS-V or BMW M3
100,000: Maserati Quattroporte
Unlimited: Aston Marton (any model!)
I’m not really a car guy, so if you gave me a chunk of money, the only decision I’d have to make would be whether to get the new convertible 9-3 or the 9-3 Sport Sedan. This is probably good as that should be within my price range eventually. Unless kids come along before that, then it’s a 9-5 wagon.
Given unlimited funds I’d buy the best public transit system for RI. Seriously.
i like the subway
Nah, I don’t like the 9-5 wagon so much, its too stretched out. I don’t see why you can’t fit a couple kids in the sedan. If Flony can do it and still have room for all their crushed cheerios, newspapers shoved under the pedals and their daugher’s hair, I don’t see the problem.