Perhaps an indication that sale negotiations are going better than expected, our spy photographers have just sent us the images of the 2011 Saab 9-5 SportCombi wagon undergoing cold weather testing. The fate of General Motors’ Saab brand was put into question last year when a proposed sale to Koenigsegg fell through.
Our spy photographers caught this pre-production test car in the northern parts of its home country, Sweden, where it was part of a huge test-group with lots of Swedish drivers and engineers in each of the cars. The Saab 9-5 estate pictured here was scheduled for launch in autumn 2010, by which time the company hoped to have sorted out the complicated separation from GM. It’s one of four new Saabs that were supposed to come within the next 18 months: the 9-5 sedan and estate, the new 9-4X crossover and the next 9-3.
The prototype is said to be remarkably close to the finished 9-5 estate. We would have loved to see a smooth style, with a visor-like wraparound rear screen, a large tailgate for easy access and a heavy dose of Swedish practicality.
The current 9-5 estate ushered in aviation-spec cargo lashing tech. Many will remember the press launch, where the Swedes hung a wagon upside down hanging from a single aluminium lashing point… That sounds like a symbolic parallel to Saab’s situation today. While the new 9-5 shares many mechanical similarities with the Opel Insignia, Saab product planners have told openly that 70% of the 9-5 was designed in Sweden and was thought to be 100% built in Sweden. Originally, GM had planned to switch production to Russelsheim in Germany.
01/22, 1:51 PM
posted by:
bigdman
STATION WAGON!
don’t like it.
01/22, 2:01 PM
posted by:
TOZO
It’s so stupid. I hate Saab and GM is dumb for testing this car. Maybe it had nothing else to do that day. Saab will either be sold off or closed, and yet GM continues to pour its taxpayer funded money into this project that will never see a return for GM. (Well, maybe $1) Hummer, which is much more likely to be sold off, ceased all production. What I’m trying to say is: Why can’t Saab be more like Hummer?
@bigdman: Station wagon. I don’t like it either.
01/22, 2:01 PM
posted by:
livelyjay
Soooooo ugly
01/22, 2:05 PM
posted by:
saabaru1
Besides the tailgate –> bumper it looks pretty similar to the leaked image. NHSTA bumper standards must have influenced that. It’s been a while since I’ve seen a Buick estate wagon.. maybe its time.
01/22, 2:10 PM
posted by:
howsmydriving
SAAB’s future is assured with its recent acquisition by IKEA. The news articles about the ongoing SAAB negotiations are merely for a minority shareholder interest.
01/22, 2:32 PM
posted by:
Sanandraes2004
Maybe General Motor’s so called sale of SAAB is just a publicity stunt to see if a new wave of customers will be attraced to the brand and make it profitable again. If it becomes profitable again GM will look for an excuse to keep SAAB and never give it up! If it continues to loose money GM will send SAAB to join Oldsmobile, Saturn, and Pontiac and not really allow some other company to turn it into a potential competitor some day. All this is probably JUST A BIG PUBLICITY STUNT taking potential bidders on a wild goose chase!
01/22, 3:48 PM
posted by:
JakeK66
JohnnyC/Lefty/A4 – Which one of you took this car out for a spin? We weren’t supposed to be caught using this prototype anymore until our offer was finalized. This is supposed to be kept secret!
01/22, 4:08 PM
posted by:
global_lightning
Saab would be profitable if they had cars that weren’t decades old. This brand needs new models ASAP. GM has been bleeding this brand for years. Sell it and let it prosper again.
01/22, 4:28 PM
posted by:
Donfuy
What is wrong with you guys. It looks pretty to me.
01/22, 4:41 PM
posted by:
Borat
What the point of this? It’s not gonna fly as a Buick and Saab is good as dead.
01/22, 4:56 PM
posted by:
adrian8806
I’m with Borat.. It’s niiiiiiiiice
01/22, 4:57 PM
posted by:
adrian8806
I meant Donfuy
01/22, 5:08 PM
posted by:
85ZingoGTR
As we are still being jerled around by our balls with the future of SAAB.
01/22, 6:00 PM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
Jake, it was obviously me. I mean c’mon… cold weather testing… Canadian… and the fact you know I’m a wagon guy. And if you look closely at that second picture you’ll see the sign with the 34 and the 25. Those actually indicate the kilometers to the nearest beer. What you can’t tell is that I’m driving backwards.
01/22, 10:54 PM
posted by:
PJPHughes
Having spent time with the new 9-5, I can tell you it is probably the best car GM has made in years. The fact that they left replacement cycles at 7 and 10 yrs for the 9-3 and 9-5, rebranded a Subaru and a Chevy while taking engine technology for Cadillac and others is the main reason why SAAB suffered. Remember, GM needed a bailout b/c due in part to poor sales….don’t invest in your product, and people don’t come back to buy the same thing again. My ‘03 9-5 Aero wagon is the same car as the ‘09…no reason to buy a new one. GM really screwed SAAB.
The deal with Spyker should hopefully go through next week hopefully, and that means this wagon will be on my shopping list very soon. SAAB deserves a fresh start and the 9-5 certainly will help.
01/23, 4:34 PM
posted by:
leftwingagenda
clearly that’s johnny headed to the local curling club, you can see the anticipation in his pale blurred out eyes…