It's great that SAAB continues to go mainstream, because only broader appeal and higher sales will assure the survival of the marque. GM cannot carry a loser forever. So far the GM-era SAAB has defied all the pessimists by making sure that their products, even the 9-2X, have plenty of genuine SAAB character. Also please note that the worst of the NG900 mistakes were not repeated. Having seen and driven the 9-2X I am confident that the 9-7 will be a true SAAB also in some senses (whereas 5 years ago I quite rightfully feared that it would be a poor Aztek rebadge). As for the V-6 problem, when the 9-5 came out around 1998 or 1999, the NG900 V-6 disaster was in recent memory, and I feared that the 9-5 Aero would be a V-6. Of course I was relieved when it turned out not just to have a 2.3 turbo, but also to be the best Aero ever. We are going to see more V-6s, for two reasons, (1) if rebadged cars originally had V-6s (e.g. TrailBlazer), then the SAAB versions will also have V-6s, and (2) the marketing people will insist that the top-of-the-line SAAB (recently the 9000, now the 9-5, and in the future, who knows, maybe a 9-9) MUST have something "better" than a 4-cylinder, because they recognize that many mainstream buyers will not pay north of $30k for a 4-cylinder car. So far GM has done a good job of compromising between marketing reality and true SAAB character. Let's give them the benefit of the doubt.

posted by 66.69.10...

• From the horses mouth......, Mike Lynch , Fri, 7 Jan 2005 12:47:36
  • Re: From the horses mouth......, Erik W, Sun, 9 Jan 2005 06:09:36
  • Sounds great!!!, Nino's Viggen, Sat, 8 Jan 2005 13:33:28
  • is the the same nightmare V6 or a new new one? nm, baggsly , Fri, 7 Jan 2005 13:54:16
    • Alloytec...., Mike Lynch , Fri, 7 Jan 2005 16:09:24
      • 2.8L v6 is in the 1SA package CTS, Mark, Sat, 8 Jan 2005 11:14:36
    • I think it's an Aussie one (?), Trev, Fri, 7 Jan 2005 15:07:55
      • Re: I think it's an Aussie one (?), al Aero, Fri, 7 Jan 2005 16:37:38
    • Re: is the the same nightmare V6 or a new new one? nm, steveC, Fri, 7 Jan 2005 14:15:34
      • A few kind words re GM and their V-6s., Rafe, Fri, 7 Jan 2005 19:05:28 <-- Viewing This Message
        • No V6 in 9-7x, No.9, Sat, 8 Jan 2005 09:12:52
          • Thanks,, Rafe, Sat, 8 Jan 2005 13:01:24
        • Good words., SWEDECAR , Sat, 8 Jan 2005 08:38:28
      • You mean the recent, good V6 of the old 9k one?, LesH, Fri, 7 Jan 2005 15:17:26
  • I assume still no real skinny on the Sport Hatch?, saw, Fri, 7 Jan 2005 13:09:55
    • Same here, AdamB , Sat, 8 Jan 2005 17:29:51
    • Mainstream 9-3 with new body....., Mike Lynch , Sat, 8 Jan 2005 11:36:23
  • wow, sounds great except..., not_too_shabby, Fri, 7 Jan 2005 13:03:27

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