Now under control of the Swedish super car manufacturerKoenigsegg, SAAB is currently enjoying a bit of a revitalization and in doing so took the wraps off of their latest generation 9-5 sedan at the 2009 Miami Auto Show. Although the new car made it’s international debut in Frankfurt, this 9-5 is still new to North America and the South Florida Show marks the car’s first appearance here in the U.S. The nose of the new 9-5 sedan is inspired by the Aero-X Concept featuring a deep grille flanked with curving, ice-block headlamp units. The entire greenhouse is presented as a ‘wraparound’ mono graphic, the disguised windshield and side pillars giving the cabin Saab’s signature cockpit look. Squint slightly, and the proportions of the windshield and roof become reminiscent of the classic 900 model. The new car comes with a variety of engine options, however here in the U.S. SAAB expects the 2.8 Liter turbocharged V6 engine that puts out approximately 300 HP to be the big seller.
The new Saab 9-5 Sedan marks an all-new era for Saab. It is not onl;y the first model revealed after the Swedish brand is under Koenigsegg’s ownership, but it also comes with new design, inspired by both Aero X and Saab heritage. The all-new Saab 9-5 Sedan will make its world debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show with sales to start later in model year 2010.
For the new 9-5 sedan the front is inspired by the Aero-X Concept: deep grille flanked with curving, ice-block headlamp units. The entire glasshouse is presented as a ‘wraparound’ mono graphic, the disguised windshield and side pillars giving the cabin Saab’s signature cockpit look. Squint slightly, and the proportions of the windshield and roof become reminiscent of the classic 900 model.
The car comes with a variety of engine options with the base model having a 1.6-lite engine that can produce up to 180 hp. On the other end of the spectrum, is a 9-5 that comes with a 2.8-liter turbo V6 engine that puts out approximately 300 hp. While engines may differ depending on which version of the car you get, all 9-5 sedans do come with the same six-speed tranny in either stick-shift or semi-automatic.
The interior comes with all the neat trinkets – including a Harman Kardon surround sound audio system that can be configured and controlled through the touch screen display - that befit a car of this stature.
We don’t have any new updates regarding the sale of Saab to Koenigsegg but we do know that it hasn’t stopped the former from working tirelessly in developing their latest flagship sedan, the 2010 Saab 9-5.
Now we have news that the 9-5 - turbocharged powertrain and all – has finally been released.
It doesn’t come as any surprise to us that the new 9-5 has somewhat veered away from all other previous 9-5 incarnations and while GM may have still had a hand in the car’s development, the striking changes attributed to the car can be traced back to its new – or incoming – owners.
Apparently, Honda isn’t the only one with a countdown these days.
Saab, which has made the headlines over the past few months because of its impending sale to Koenigsegg, is taking a step back from the business side of the industry to release a countdown towards the unveiling of its new flagship car, the 9-5.
Unlike Honda, which has their own countdown in anticipation of the sneak preview of the still mysterious Accord Crosstour, a lot of us already have a good idea of what the new Saab 9-5 looks like.
As you may recall, a number of photos of the 9-5 sedan have already made its way to the Internet and whether it was an intentional marketing ploy by Saab or a case of pre-emptive photo-leaking, the Swedish-based company is nevertheless pushing through with the car’s official unveiling on – judging by how many days the countdown has left - August 27.
We have been talking about the next generation SAAB 9-5 for a while now and the Swedish automaker has finally released a few official images of the new car. So that can mean only one thing, the 9-5’s official debut should take place any day now. The new SAAB 9-5 will be offered with a choice of four or six cylinder power plants that are E85 BioPower capable as well as an alternatively fueled four cylinder diesel engine. The future 9-5 will be built upon the same Epsilon 2 as its European GM cousin, the Opel Insignia, except the Saab will feature the longer wheelbase version.
The last Saab 9-5 rolled out of the production line, after the company decided there are enough models produced until the launch of the next generation 9-5 in Frankfurt Motor Show.
In 12 years of existence - ever since 1997 - Saab sold 9-5 units. During all this period the car had only one major facelift.
The new Saab 9-5 will be produced at the Opel’s factory in Russelsheim. The new model will share its platform with the Opel Insignia, but we are still waiting for an official statement from Koenigsegg.
Saab has been officially bought by the Swedish company Koenigsegg, but this doesn’t mean that they stopped building the cars they already announced. The 9-5 sedan is one of those. The car will be revealed in September at the Frankfurt Motor Show.
Compared to the previous generation, the new 9-5 will be longer, wider and with more room for passengers. Under thew hood Saab will place a 2.0-litre turbo unit producing 210bhp.
In Europe the Saab 9-5 will also be offered with a 2,8 liter V6 engine, while in America it will go with a 3,8 liter V6 engine. Diesel and hybrid versions are also expected.
Thank you SAAB for making the word wagon an acceptable term in automotive vernacular, we don’t have to be ashamed about calling the new SAAB 9-5 a cool looking wagon, there is no need to use the term crossover here. These are the first images to hit the web of the next generation of their four door sensation that the Swedish automaker is planning on bringing to the Frankfurt Motor Show.
Thanks to the super car manufacturer Koenigseg, the future SAAB 9-5 should start to appear in showrooms as early as the end of this year, but certainly by 2010. The renderings seen here make the Frankfurt show car look very similar to a four door Audi A5, with that sportback notch at the back of the sedan. The wagon has a roofline that looks very similar to a Nissan GT-R.
The Swedish automaker will offer the new 9-5 with a choice of four and six cylinder power plants that are E85 BioPower capable as well as an alternatively fueled four cylinder diesel. The future 9-5 will be built upon the same Epsilon 2 as its European GM cousin, the Opel Insignia, except the Saab will use the long wheelbase frame.
Struggling to make ends meet, it looked as if it was only a matter of time before Saab would have crumbled under the mounting debts it had incurred over the past couple of years. Fortunately for them, there’s finally a sliver of light at the end of the tunnel.
On the heels of reports that said that Saab was on the market for anyone willing to take a stab at restoring the company to its glory days, it appears that someone has taken up that challenge. Swedish supercar makers Koenigsigg, together with a group of Norwegian investors, has ironed out a lot of the details involved in the company’s imminent purchase of Saab. While there are still a few kinks left to iron out, it’s becoming more and more apparent that Saab has found new life under the Koenigsigg brand.
The Swedish automaker’s Saab should be happy, despite losing their home at GM; the super car manufacturer Koenigsegg has signed a letter of intent to purchase the orphaned car company with the help of a few Norwegian investors. Imagine going into a showroom and finding a Saab Turbo X sedan sitting next to a 9-7X SUV alongside a Koenigsegg CCX. That will definitely get new car buyers into showrooms, at least for a test sit in the limited edition super car.
The vehicle hiding underneath a form fitting car cover in the showroom of the future Saab Museum in Trollhattan is the 2010 9-5 sedan. One of the benefits of the tightly wrapped display is that you can see the Saab Aero-X inspired headlights and grill sticking through, but not as good of a view as you will this September get when the next 9-5 makes its world debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show.
The 2010 9-5 will be built on the same Epsilon 2 platform as its European GM cousin, the Opel Insignia, except the Saab will stretch the wheelbase just a little bit. It has been said that the car company that was born from jets will offer two different types of suspension for the 2010 car. Standard and premium; as well as an optional four-wheel drive layout and a series of engines ranging from an alternatively fueled economic four cylinder diesel to a high performance 2.8 Liter turbocharged V6. No matter which variation you choose, the next 9-5 should be as fun to drive as ever, especially if they get an injection of attitude from the Swedish super car manufacturer.