Geneva Preview: More Details Uncovered on Saab

[Variance]

Geneva Preview: More Details Uncovered on Saab Sports Concept

Date posted: 02-03-2006

DETROIT — With the Geneva Motor Show less than a month away, Saab insiders have begun to leak additional details about the concept sports car that will be unveiled on March 1.

Described as a two-passenger coupe about the size of the Aston Martin DB9, the Saab two-door — which may or may not revive the old Sonett badge — is said to be a pure concept. Contrary to widespread speculation, it is not based on any existing General Motors platform and, unfortunately for Saab aficionados, there appear to be no immediate plans for production.

However, Saab executives say the concept is significant because it points the way to the brand's future family design theme, or "form vocabulary," which is being developed at GM's European studios under the direction of design boss Bryan Nesbitt (of PT Cruiser and HHR fame).

What this means to you: Saab's next concept may not reach production, but it will provide a strong clue as to the brand's future styling direction.

Link: http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=109166

[pow]

Ugh, I hate how they tease us with concepts. The 9X and 9-3X and a few others were fantastic and showed great potential for the brand. What did we get in reality? A refreshed 9-5 with a mutated 9X front end.

[91z4me]

DB9, isn't that a fairly large coupe, GTO size? And a 2 door at that. I am guessing it won't have a 4 cylinder engine.

[balthazar]

Let's hope Nesbitt pulls off something a lot more cohesive than the designed-in-a-dark-toolshed sonnett pictured above.

BTW- how much is this 'pure concept' costing?

[91z4me]

DB9 dimensions SAAB 9-3 (smallest Delta) G6 convertible (longest Delta)

Length 185.4 in. 182.5" 189.1

Width 73.8 in. 69" 70.6

Height 50 in. 56.8" 56.7

So it seems as though Epsilon II could be the starting point for this concept and it could head for production.

I predict a 300 hp version of the Turbo HF V6 with AWD and SAAB's new face.

[Ghost Dog]

http://www.popularmechanics.com/blog/automotive/2041447.html

Jay showed us some sketches of a radical sports car concept that Saab will be unveiling at the Geneva Auto Show in 2006. Saab had a funky little sports car in the 1970s called the Sonett (right). It was a pretty neat car. This concept hints that an all-new Sonett might be in the works for 2008 or '09. We can’t show you the sketches now, because they’re under embargo for a while. But take it from us--this is a seriously cool concept. The front doors and the cockpit glass are connected and tilt forward in one big unit. Sorta like the scissors doors on a Lamborghini.

The proportions are very sporty with short overhangs and crisp styling. This Saab sports car concept will be the “big” news from GM at the Geneva show. And we think it's under serious consideration for production.

[Aerodynamic]

the sonetts are beautyful cars! we have 3 in our garage right now i think... well we might be down to an orange one and a blue one... they are awesome fiberglass sports cars...

i think the best saab concept ever was the EV-1 but they never produced the 300hp sports car in the 80's because they thought people would want a more "family sedan" so they scraped it and built the 9000 Aero at 225 hp ... and the ev-1 would have been sweet! i guess i shouldnt complain because if they did produce it i probably wouldnt have my aero!

-KM

[regfootball]

nesbitt? i hope its no PT/HHR saab

[balthazar]

Why not? The PT model-line just about outsells the saab brand worldwide. saab could use that kind of volume to realize a profit for a change. Get the little bell over the showroom door a-jinglin'.

Maybe a retro coupe loosely based off the late-50s saab; you know- the one all hunched over like a bug taking a crap.

I see where subaru got their 'new' corporate face from...

Edited February 6, 2006 by balthazar

[Robert Hall]

DB9 dimensions    SAAB 9-3 (smallest Delta) G6 convertible (longest Delta)

Length 185.4 in.    182.5"                            189.1

Width  73.8 in.      69"                                    70.6

Height 50 in.      56.8"                              56.7

So it seems as though Epsilon II could be the starting point for this concept and it could head for production.

I predict a 300 hp version of the Turbo HF V6 with AWD and SAAB's new face.

Hmmm..or maybe a slightly disguised version of the G6 coupe. Given how the 9-2X and 9-7X came about, I wouldn't be surprised to see something like this. I still think Saab needs a 3-dr version of the 9-3.

Edited February 7, 2006 by moltar

[haypops]

Maybe a retro coupe loosely based off the late-50s saab; you know- the one all hunched over like a bug taking a crap.

I see where subaru got their 'new' corporate face from...

I so wanted one of these when I got my driver's lisence. They pulled through the snow better than a Jeep and the 2 cycle engine just sounded so great.

[Ghost Dog]

http://www.channel4.com/4car/news/news-sto...p?news_id=13932

It's a two-door coupe, though ('DB9-sized', a Saab insider told us) and to signal its high-performance intent, it will be fitted with a 400bhp twin-turbo Biopower (ethanol-compatible) engine, probably a new version of the Holden 2.8-litre V6 fitted in the 9-3 range. Should this model ultimately revive the Sonett name (as used by Saab for sports cars in the 70s) it's certainly not going to be a rebadged version of the more-show-than-go Pontiac Solstice/Opel GT/Saturn Sky, as originally suggested.

The show vehicle is to be built on an all-new platform not shared with any current production Saab. And it's expected to have four-wheel drive - well, 400bhp through the front wheels is a bit much, even for Saab.

Saab enthusiasts' blog Trollhattensaab.net has discovered that the concept is to be called Aero-X: X, in Saab-speak, usually designates an SUV or crossover-style vehicle with all-wheel drive, as in the 9-7X (rebadged Chevrolet SUV sold in the US), 9-4X (still-born sister model to the Subaru Tribeca) and 9-2X (reworked Subaru Impreza wagon). However, in this case, it could simply refer to the all-wheel drive powertrain.

[Clownzilla]

Why not? The PT model-line just about outsells the saab brand worldwide. saab could use that kind of volume to realize a profit for a change. Get the little bell over the showroom door a-jinglin'.

Maybe a retro coupe loosely based off the late-50s saab; you know- the one all hunched over like a bug taking a crap.

I see where subaru got their 'new' corporate face from...

You know, Mini does not have ANY competition. GM could crash into this market, and give SAAB a new lease on life. A retro "bug crap" vehicle would do more for SAAB's recovery than ANYTHING else they could make. Just think about the press that would follow something like this!

[haypops]

You know, Mini does not have ANY competition. GM could crash into this market, and give SAAB a new lease on life. A retro "bug crap" vehicle would do more for SAAB's recovery than ANYTHING else they could make. Just think about the press that would follow something like this!

I love it.