With U.S. sales of just 36,349 units last year, Saab is looking for a way to boost the brand from a niche market vehicle to a more mainstream one. In an effort to achieve this goal, Saab will refresh its current lineup–including complete redesigns of the 9-3 and 9-5 in 2010 and 2009, respectively–and will also introduce two all-new crossover vehicles by the end of the decade, a new report says.
The first crossover Saab plans to introduce will be the 9-4X. Developed by using a mix of the re-engineered Theta and Epsilon 2 architectures, the small crossover should hit the market in 2009.
According to Automotive News, Saab will also be introducing a mid-sized CUV in 2009 or 2010. While a name has yet to be confirmed, the new mid-sized crossover will be designed as a Saab from the start.
General Motors has tried to increase Saab’s sales in the past with the 9-7X, a mid-sized SUV based on the Chevrolet TrailBlazer, and the 9-2X, based on the Subaru Impreza . However, both models never saw any real sales success and GM has since discontinued the 9-2X. The 9-7X could be dropped next year with the phasing-out of the Chevrolet TrailBlazer and the GMC Envoy.
