Filed under: Ethanol, Flex-Fuel, Saab
Saab 9-4X possibly another victim of GM cash crunch
Click the Saab 9-4X for a high res gallery from its Detroit debut
It looks like the cash flow crunch down at the Ren Cen has claimed another product victim. This time it's the Saab 9-4X that looks like it will see a delay of up to a year before it's launched. The new Saab crossover debuted as a concept at this year's Detroit Auto Show and had been scheduled to launch in the fall of 2009. The Saab shares its platform with the Cadillac SRX that will debut at Detroit in January and go on into production in May. In concept form, the Saab used a direct injected and turbocharged 2.0L four cylinder that's optimized for operation on E85. The production version will likely use something similar. While the concept didn't use a hybrid drive system, and GM hasn't given any indication in that direction, the production version could potentially use the two-mode hybrid transaxle that will debut shortly in the similarly-sized Saturn Vue. The premium-priced Saab could prove to be a more viable platform for selling the pricey two-mode system.
[Source: Left Lane News]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
1985 Gripen 11:56PM (11/04/2008)
TrollhattanSaab.net has been quoting inside sources for quite some time now that the production version, at least in the U.S., will only be available with a (very non-Saaby) normally-aspirated non-flex-fuel-capable 3-liter V6. The upscale "Aero" variant will come with a 2.8-liter (non-flex-fuel-capable) turbocharged V6.
The Saab 9-4X concept appeared first at the North American International Auto Show (Detroit) in January 2008 and was announced to go into production in "18 months", which would have been June 2009. Then it was delayed until Fall 2009 (as a MY2010) and now it's being reported it's possibly delayed another year (meaning Fall 2010 as a MY2011).
To show the preferential treatment GM darling Cadillac gets over Saab, they're yet to even debut the concept for the SRX, but it's going to go into production before the 9-4X.
GM: set Saab free!
Reply
Summazooma 7:02AM (11/05/2008)
Actually, the teaser for the SRX was shown at the same time (2008 NAIAS), as the Provoq.
I agree with your basic point (that Cadillac gets preferential treatment) but that doesn't surprise, really, does it?