Though news came out of Sweden this morning that Saab has narrowed the list of potential suitors down to just two or three buyers, a source close to the automaker says that General Motors CEO Fritz Henderson is concerned that the upcoming Saab 9-5 replacement will overshadow the Opel Insignia.
The 9-5, which is still on schedule to appear later this year at the Frankfurt Motor Show before officially going on sale shortly thereafter, was designed wholly by GM and is based on the automaker’s Epsilon II architecture. According to Sweden’s Expressen, GM engineers and GM CEO Henderson say that the new Saab is even better than the related Opel Insignia, which was recently named European Car of the Year by the European press.
A source at GM told the publication that “Henderson is very scared to have Saab as a competitor in the future” and that he would apparently prefer to see Saab go bankrupt than become a rival for the Insignia. Still, GM needs the money that would come as a result of the Saab sale. Even though GM is attempting to divest itself of Opel, it intends to keep a share in that German division.
05/11, 4:25 PM
posted by:
A4
so hurry up and release the 9-5. lord knows the current one probably only sold 3 this year.
05/11, 4:26 PM
posted by:
anyclearer
thats awsome, hope to see it sooner
05/11, 4:31 PM
posted by:
DenverGuy217
Isn’t the 9-5 at least 50% more expensive than what an Insignia goes for and in a totally different class?
Why worry about a car that will never sell more than 15-20,000 units a year
05/11, 4:42 PM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
Oh please. If Fritz’ tactics were any more transparent you could stick a flashlight up his ass and his nose would glow. When something seems too good to be true, it probably is.
05/11, 4:49 PM
posted by:
DB9
Shhh… The same sources told Cool Dawg that the trans-warp conduit network, so recklessly destroyed by Janeway and crew, is almost fully operational again. Now if only we didn’t jettison Doohan off into orbit the transporters would be functioning and we could beam aboard and set course for the delta quadrant…
[Aside] Cool Dawg are you sure about this… He says you can take it to the bank – in the vault;-))
DB9
PS. Silly? Well who started it? Not…;-)
05/11, 5:01 PM
posted by:
Borat
Johnny, summed it up. When time will be to sell Opel, Saab which more expensive will be piece of dang found on the side of the road.
05/11, 5:21 PM
posted by:
carstuff
Guess the question is why the 9-5 will be so expensive. Based on the Insignia arch., perhaps lower volume and probably more content but still should be comparable in price. So is it could be sold at a competitive price.
05/11, 5:22 PM
posted by:
Mutant@DCX
Sell it, or they’ll take it away from from in bankrupcty… wtf, are you paying attention?
05/11, 6:19 PM
posted by:
JakeK66
“Oh I don’t think I want to give you the A-Rod card now, I think he’s just heating up…”
-That sounds like something a 8 year old says to try and negotiate baseball cards. Seriously, JohnnyC is right.
When, or will GM sell the Insignia here? Will Saab be around long enough for us to see the 9-5? From what Fritzy said – I think it’s a matter of time before the Insignia is here as SOMETHING – heck, with LLN saying it will be something else everyday – I have money on it being the next Oldsmobile Intrigue…
05/11, 6:53 PM
posted by:
anti-believer
I don’t believe this crap!
They just trying to hype this sale up so they can sell it for more!!!
Oldest trick in book behind selling yourself !
GM is such BS. No wonder they gonna bankrupt!
05/11, 8:52 PM
posted by:
jayjc08
I don’t know about the rest of you, but for a car that is so important… or was… to Saab, it had best be very good. They aren’t so much “hyping it up”, as this is the first tidbit of info I’ve really heard on the 9-5 aside from speculation, with even this being “inside speculation”.
05/11, 9:16 PM
posted by:
bigp
well this car better be an looker inside and out because the insides have always let me down .. the power must be about 275-300 for the base model and 350-375 for the flagship or no one will take this car for real.. i pray its as good as they hype it to be cause they can use this boost in pr… go gm
05/11, 9:17 PM
posted by:
Borat
What would you expect announcement that next 9-5 will be crap? This is half of original line-up.
05/12, 2:06 AM
posted by:
No more oil for GM
well, good then that saabs fate is decided by a small court in sweden and not by general garbage.. anyway, this henderson will be out the door one year from now so what he thinks of saab is of no interest..
05/12, 10:40 AM
posted by:
SomeGreek
“was designed wholly by GM and is based on the automaker’s Epsilon II architecture”
They s****ed up for sure. I mean “designed wholly by GM”? Is there a worse drawback than that? And of course the Epsillon II is a front wheel drive platform. Not good enough to compete with all the RWD rivals, including the new 5 series.
05/12, 11:21 AM
posted by:
yarddog82abn
WOW… SINCE WHEN DO AUTO-HEADS START THINKING LIKE SALES MEN????
HIPE UP THE CAR BEFORE YOU GO IN FOR THE SELL, MAYBE THEY GOT A HOLD OF THE MOVIE “SUCKERS”…….????????????
05/12, 10:51 PM
posted by:
Other Man
“… GM CEO Henderson say that the new Saab is even better than the related Opel Insignia …”
I should freaking hope so if it’s going to be a more expensive platform-mate!
” ‘Henderson is very scared to have Saab as a competitor in the future’ and that he would apparently prefer to see Saab go bankrupt than become a rival for the Insignia. ”
The way I understood it. The Opel Insignia was an upper middle-class family sedan, whereas the 2010 9-5 would start more at CTS-like prices, even in the EDM market. That’s like VW being scared the Passat will bang into A4 territory.
05/13, 7:49 AM
posted by:
SomeGreek
They arenot scared of SAAB. The’re scared of the Chinese owning the SAAB…