Last Monday, General Motors unleash a tiny Saab that promises big things. The Saab 9-X BioHybrid concept, shown on the eve of the motor show’s press preview, features wraparound windows and high belt line this is why the concept is strongly likened to its sibling Saab Aero X displayed in Geneva a couple of years ago.
The genes of the 9-X can be traced back to one of Saab’s first cars – the 92, which has a production run lasting for more than 3 decades. That remarkable!
Also, GM is displaying the 9-4X Saab crossover. "Here we’re showing 2 concept vehicles that signal the resurgence of Saab," said GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz. The vehicles are GM’s effort to build up its European premium brand Saab.
"You never do a concept without wanting to get market reaction to guide you to eventually doing a car like that," said Steve Shannon, general manager of Saab Automobile USA. "Given where Saab plays in the market — very efficient, sporty yet functional, slightly smaller — it makes perfect sense for Saab to do a premium compact."
The Detroit automaker first showcased a 9-4X prototype at the NAIAS in January. The car, which will be built in North America, will serve as a replacement for the 9-7X sport utility.
Execs at GM said such a car would help Saab fight sales doldrums in Europe, where premium subcompacts are a big hit. "It would round out the Saab brand in the broad base of the European pyramid — where the BMW 1 Series and Audi A3 are — that is where the volume is," Lutz told Detroit News.
Lutz said there would be demand in the United States, too, for such a car. "As fuel prices rise, more Americans will be willing to pay premium prices for a luxury small package, which Europeans have been willing to pay for years."
It’s undeniable. Saab new packages will surely pull plush lovers. At any rate, when they’re around, who would think of Hyundai XG350 parts?