Not a bad looking car for Saab. Its still ugly though. It reminds me of Subaru.

how does that look anything like the aero-x???

Looks much better, but the body could use some refinement. I love the head and taillights.

It doesn’t, seanm415. LLN writers needed SOMETHING write a story about, didn’t they?

Not bad, but Saab still has a way to go. It needs distinctive cars again. The cars they have now are easily forgetable.

it just looks like what they did to the 9-5…

Well, the trim pieces are plastic mock-ups, not the final product. Compare to the new 9-5, which has already been given the Aero-X treatment. More important than the new fascia, is this the new Epsilon platform 9-3, or is it the current chassis?

The 9-3 is the only car from GM I’m seriously considering buying in the next couple of years.

Saabs have always had good looking, reasonably performing automobiles. They’ve done a lot to quell the turbo lag and torque steer (and Haldex would take care of that).

The unfortunate thing is the indifferent dealer experience. I’m not sure how GM will fix that… it seems rather ingrained.

Saabs were never good looking in my opinion. I call them sloobs.

I am so in Saab’s target market and they just don’t do anything for me. I used to crave them in the eighties, but now they seem so early nineties Audi.

Saab’s reliabilty ratings are still disappointing though.

You have to give credit to the company for trying. Alpha, Renault, etc. all gave up and left the US market, but Saab is still in there, fighting away….. trying to sell a car very few people want to buy. Few because of the quality reputation, or the strange designs, or for the same money, that BMW makes you look way better when pulling into your brothers driveway.

But in my eyes they are not trying due to the fact that the cars cannot compete dynamically with BMW and Audi.

I DO NOT understand why it’s so hard to make a car handle and ride well.

This FL does not do much for this car.
global_lightning: this is the old chassis unfortunately. That is one of Saabs big problems. They are built on oldplatforms. (The 9-5 is based on early 90’s Opel Vectra) They are doing a good job with what they got, but it is hard to make gold from crap!

Get Real: Who is Alpha? Are you talking about Alfa Romeo?

This is does in no way put them closer to Mercedes and BMW

Motorheader:
Thanks for the info. I’m waiting to see if the new Epsilon 9-3 will come out before 2009. If it has the 260HP Ecotec turbo-4, then it may be in the running. Otherwise there are many attractive cars in this segment.

Not bad looking, but not nearly as cool looking as the Aero-X. Saab got some nasty electrical buggery going on. The Aero-X’s top even malfunctioned during a showing and a reporter was left stuck inside. Reliability is key to Saab’s success.

How old is this car? This used to be one of the world’s most innovative brands, they pioneered turbo-charging, had an enviable motorsport history and a reputation for engineering reinforced by their association with an airplane manufacturer. Under GM they have become an undernourished little sister surviving off Opel’s scraps.
What genius at GM decided that buyers of quirky cars that were respected for individuality, innovation and reliability would be interested in something built on the worst platform in its sector?

Do I have to agree with europerspective again?!

Yes…What happened to SAAB? They were ahead of Volvo, but today they’ve become sort of recycled Opels with a bad nosejob…I used to like SAABs a lot, looking forward to what they would come up with for their next model, but this is saddening.

I dont even know why I clicked on this damn link. This Saab is nauseatingly boring like the rest of them. I cant even imagine why anybody would by any Saab. Except for the aero-x. Which will never be on sale. How do you go from designing jets to designing uber bland cars like this. Who is Saab supposed to compete with? Infiniti? BMW? Lexus? If so, I feel sorry for them. Its not even a fair match anymore.

If Saab stopped selling cars in the US today………..nobody would care. Its been atleast 5 years since I even talked to anybody who owned a saab.

Looks boring. Where is the Aero-X treatment? They are kidding themselves if they say so. The Saab 9-5’s revised face is a better execution than this disappointing design. saab needs to be bolder with its mainstream model but now they missed this chance.

Doesnt the bottom of the bumper look like it was stripped off a Focus ST??

Looks pretty damn good, but gm is gonna have to continue spicing up saab, or else saab might end up like oldsmobile.

I agree with the other posts. I looks like the new headlights were taken from the old Saab 9-2X.

All the pictures are not looking very exiting to me. I don`t see any important differences to our 2006 model 9-3II SC.

This is a very ugly swan song for Saab. The marque will be dead before 2010.