Saab Won't Get a Version of the Solstice

[pow]

Date Posted 11-11-2005 TROY, Mich. — Saab USA general manager Jay Spenchian has told Inside Line that a new Saab sports car spun off the Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky is "not in the plans." Earlier this year, Spenchian hinted that a new sports car was under consideration as "maybe one of our upcoming concepts." GM insiders had said a Saab derivative off the Solstice's Kappa platform was a possibility. The next Saab concept will be a 300-horsepower 9-5 BioPower sedan that will be powered by a 2.3-liter turbo engine and run on ethanol. It will be shown at the Los Angeles auto show and the Detroit auto show in January. Saab introduced a version of the 9-5 BioPower this year in Sweden and Germany. Spenchian said the automaker is using the new concept to test consumer reaction. "We could offer it within the next year and a half in the U.S.," he said. Spenchian said there are no "concrete plans" for a replacement for the 9-2X, which is scheduled to be in production only through the 2007 model year. Saab officials said the company has plans for a crossover vehicle but would not give any specific details. What this means to you: Bad news for Saab enthusiasts who were hoping to get their own version of the Solstice. Good news, perhaps, for those who want more choices in alternative-fuel vehicles.

[Northstar]

Good, it would have been a waste of money. Why would they make a concept car based on the outdated 9-5? At least they could show off some future cues and see if it's even worth keeping Saab around.

[Cadillacfan]

I was really looking for Saab to build a kappa based two door wagon as a replacement for the 9-2x in the spirit of the nomad concept.

[sciguy_0504]

Empowah beat me to it. Anyway, there should be a "speechless" smiley because my post would only consist of that. I was neutral on giving Saab a Kappa vehicle but I'm definately not neutral on a ethanol 300HP 9-5 concept car. AN AWESOME, BRAND-NEW (OR MORE UPDATED) 9-5 COULD HAVE ATTRACTED A TON MORE PEOPLE TO THE BRAND THAN AN ETHANOL 9-5 CONCEPT COULD! :angry: :( :blink:

[Flybrian]

Doesn't seem very concept-worthy to me. Kinda like how it took them so long to release the station wagon version of the 9-3.

[mike saunders]

Hi guys....The concept part of that concept car is under the hood, not in what surrounds it. Saab has been working with ethanol-powered vehicles for several years, and with gas flirting with historic high, now's a great time to roll this out as an option. The 9-5 updating is done, and making the rounds now. Remember: Saab's engineering is one of the reasons GM bought it. The Ecotec engine was co-developed by Saab and shares much of its lineage from Saab's Ecopower engine and earlier mills.