Saab 9-3 next-generation leaked?

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By Brett Davis | November 02nd, 2011

This could very well be the next-generation Saab 9-3. The sketch was part of a package that Saab presented to the European Investment Bank last year in hope of some backing.

With Saab’s future possibly on the mend, thanks to Pang Da and Youngman purchasing the brand for 100 million euro over the weekend, we have to wonder what vehicles will make up Saab’s future showroom.

This sketch is said to preview the next-generation Saab 9-3, showcasing an all-new body design. The back features large wheel-arch haunches blending into a tapered rear hatch layout, while the front seems to offer Saab’s current design language with large headlights and a traditional nose.

There’s been no mention of possible powerplants for the model, however, reports say that a fastback and convertible version might be in the mix. The new model is expected to hit the market some time in 2014.

The sale of Saab from Swedish Automobile to Pang Da and Youngman is pending approval by Chinese authorities. Vehicle production is yet to recommence.

lu

If Pang Da is smart enough, they should lower the brand position AT LEAST to VW, then come up with product that can compete with Golf, Polo in terms of price and quality. If I were the CEO the first thing I would do is to order the engineers to come up with a supermini, priced lower than 25K. Styling is not the problem, it’s the market share, brand awareness, resale value and reliability. Move the production to China or whatever, lower the labour cost and throw on some cheap interior. The only thing that can not be lowered is safety rating, which they have no problem achieving currently.

If they keep trying to compete with Audi BMW and Merc… well same thing is going to happen again. Saab just doesn’t have the reason to be that expensive. come and think about it, Audi doesn’t have the reason to be that expensive other than the four rings logo and nice interiors, it’s basically all VW. Ok the quattro system is nice but how about the models without them?

Why the A1 cost doubled the price of a Polo is beyond me.

English is the second language, excuse me for grammar mistakes.

c3vzn

What are you talking about? Audi competes very well with its German rivals, it’s only a shade behind BMW in driving dynamics but that’s all.

lu

Yes i never said they weren’t competitive against german rivals. but how about VW? if a audi A3 1.8T competes well.. where do you put VW Golf? that 1.8T and 1.4T cost almost the same, has the same power. both cars uses dsg, manufactured on the same platform. OK audi has better exterior and interior, but does that justify another 20K? that’s before the options too. On the other hand BMW 3 series, is RWD, that alone is worth it.

So, why buy A3 when you can buy the 3 series? If you want to buy an A3, what is your reason that you just can’t buy a Golf, it has to be A3 even if it costs another 15K? The 4 rings? or the design and interior material? other than that I don’t know. Those worth 15K?! As a premium car, which is basically a Golf, standard A3 doesn’t even have leather seats.

TKs@ck

Lu, just don’t forget the some Audi shares engine, platform or technology with Porsche, Lamborghini even Bentley. So what do you say now? Don’t just pick on the current A3 and A!, that’s for people who can’t afford proper Audi but do want one, on this level, also the BMW mini shares engine with PSA, this is not how you judge a prestige car.

lu

take A1 to compare it with Golf is exactly my point. A5 and R8 charge people a premium price, i have no problem with. it’s the most popular models i can’t understand. the regular A4, A6 and A3.

It is too complicated to declare any brand “prestige” because the brand evolves over decades. in the case of audi, more than 100 years. I think what it takes to make a car brand prestige, one of the key factor is, you pay for the technology you can’t get with any other manufacture for less money. the car business is a business should be driven by technology, not brand effect (like LV). In this case, BMW and Merc both have technologies they don’t offer anywhere else. How about Audi? Mini is a different story, they have the iconic design and the heritage, you shove a Toyota 1.6 in there people would still buy it, I think even if the car doesn’t come with an engine people would still buy it for collection.

the lexus ct200h is a better buy than toyota Prius, because of the price. same story with VW and Audi. OK i admit there are some models from Audi really do worth the extra money, but not all.

AndrewF

And your solution to improve brand awareness, resale value and reliability is to move production from Sweden to China?

lu

hey i don’t mean move the production to China will solve every problem. but moving to China WILL cut cost, that’s a sure. In terms of reliability, given the correct quality control method, Chinese are no less capable of any other kind of people to make something that will last. Great wall, Forbidden palace etc, you should see the furnitures in Forbidden palace, they last for centreis. plus almost all major car manufactures have factories in China, i know internal combustion engines are more complicated than wooden furnitures, but hey, if someone point a gun at their head and say” u don’t make this good u die” like the emperor in the forbidden palace did, they will make anything last longer than their lives.

to improve the brand awareness it’s not a bad idea either, you see Chinese consumers in general, don’t aware the situation that Saab is currently in, because they don’t sell Saab in China, therefore the press doesn’t do a lot of report on the brand. if Pang Da can spare some money to pay out the press to sing about them, it should improve the brand awareness. Given China is currently the largest automobile market on this planet, it would be my first stop to open a new dealership, but with factories overseas, high import tax, it is not going to sell well compare to big 3 from germany.

resale value is something that will take longer to improve. first the other two issues needs to be addressed.

ABCD

Who told you SAAB is not sold in China? LMAO

lu

They are only sold in China by imports. if you count that…. OK i have nothing to say and leave your a$$ on the floor and keep laughing..
Flu

Like you know everything, kiddo…

TKs@ck

尼玛,就你知道.

lu

尼玛,就你知道我知道..

有劲么?..

Bangel

Very good LU , move it down market , its their only hope .

Audi get higher prices ,” sell your product at the price the market will bear ” perceptions of prestige , if i can afford it i want it .

ALL car companies do at every price level , easier at the better end to make more bucks .
crouchy

100 million euro? Thats a relative bargain when you think about it….

chippies!

I agree, didn’t Spyker pay around $400 million for it?
Thrillhouse

I guess. If losing 100 million fun tickets in a relatively short space of time is your idea of a bargain.

http://www.wmcapriceforum.com/ Troutman

Business strategies aside, that sketch looks brilliant. Very distinctive with influence from the historical Saab ‘wing profile’ look dating from the ’47 model Saab 92, combined with a thoroughly modern appearance including the ‘E Class Coupe’ inspired rear wheel arches.
Doctor

Don’t underestimate the Chinese. If they get hold of the technology cheaply then they’ll use it widely and if Saab survives then it’ll be at a lower (more appropriate) price point then it is now.
fsquared

Everyone talks about Saab’s technology, what exactly is it that any other manufacturer don’t have? Fully dimmable dashboard?