2004 Saab 9-1 ReBadged Imprezia?
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2004 Saab 9-1 ReBadged Imprezia?
This might b e old news but...
New Saab will be Subaru based.
This is an impression of what could be the new Saab 9-1, a small five-door hatchback to slot below the 9-3, could look like. If this car looks faintly familiar that's because it is: the car is heavily based on the current five-door Subaru Impreza estate, examples of which have been remodelled with Saab front-end styling and a redesigned tail for management assessment. Our picture is a computer-generated image, but inside information suggests that it is pretty accurate, not least because most of the Impreza on which this Saab is based remains unchanged. Nose and tail restyles apart, most panels, including the doors, rear wings and the roof would be left unchanged, as would all the glass. As yet, no go-ahead has been given for the project, but it is said to be under serious consideration, and if it gets the green light, the 9-1 would go on sale sometime in 2004.
Mechanically, the new car would be almost entirely Subaru, which means a range of 2.0-litre flat-four turbocharged engines with outputs potentially ranging from 218- to 265bhp, although Saab may alter the final tune of the engines. Full-time four-wheel drive would be standard, making this Saab's first all-wheel drive model. Inside, much of the Impreza's (not entirely classy) interior would remain, although Saab will make some minor modifications, and use its own trim. But traditional Saab features, such as the centre console-mounted ignition lock, will not appear because they are too expensive to engineer.
Saab is also considering the possibility of basing a 9-1 on the next-generation Impreza, although this would mean a longer wait for the new model. But it would allow the Swedes to have more significant input into the design, improving its crash performance - a major Saab selling point - and potentially allow the development of a range of diesel engines. Subaru does not offer a diesel, and using a unit from another manufacturer in the current car is virtually impossible, because its under-bonnet architecture is designed to accommodate the wide, low flat-four engine rather than a taller in-line four. For the new model, though, Subaru will have to find a way of offering a diesel.
The sudden decision to add a smaller model to the Saab range is the result of owners General Motors' growing impatience with the Swedish maker, which continues to make losses. One quick fix, GM reckons, could be to add a third model to the range - even if that model is far from a Saab at heart. The tie-up with Subaru is possible because the Japanese company is part-owned by GM. Though Subaru's management would have to give the project their blessing - GM does not have majority control of the Japanese maker - the deal is a potentially profitable one for them. It would be built in Japan, and would improve the profitability of both the Impreza and Legacy, which share the same platform.
The resultant hybrid could be quite attractive in itself, and would bring the merits of the Impreza, which are considerable, to a wider audience. But in its effort to make a success of the brand, GM may find that it has done the Saab brand long-term damage - existing owners are loyal subscribers to the Saab ethos, and may not take kindly to this impostor. And while most manufacturers are attempting to design cars that are truer to their more characterful brands in a bid to make them more attractive to buyers, Saab would be heading the opposite way with this highly compromised model.
New Saab will be Subaru based.
This is an impression of what could be the new Saab 9-1, a small five-door hatchback to slot below the 9-3, could look like. If this car looks faintly familiar that's because it is: the car is heavily based on the current five-door Subaru Impreza estate, examples of which have been remodelled with Saab front-end styling and a redesigned tail for management assessment. Our picture is a computer-generated image, but inside information suggests that it is pretty accurate, not least because most of the Impreza on which this Saab is based remains unchanged. Nose and tail restyles apart, most panels, including the doors, rear wings and the roof would be left unchanged, as would all the glass. As yet, no go-ahead has been given for the project, but it is said to be under serious consideration, and if it gets the green light, the 9-1 would go on sale sometime in 2004.
Mechanically, the new car would be almost entirely Subaru, which means a range of 2.0-litre flat-four turbocharged engines with outputs potentially ranging from 218- to 265bhp, although Saab may alter the final tune of the engines. Full-time four-wheel drive would be standard, making this Saab's first all-wheel drive model. Inside, much of the Impreza's (not entirely classy) interior would remain, although Saab will make some minor modifications, and use its own trim. But traditional Saab features, such as the centre console-mounted ignition lock, will not appear because they are too expensive to engineer.
Saab is also considering the possibility of basing a 9-1 on the next-generation Impreza, although this would mean a longer wait for the new model. But it would allow the Swedes to have more significant input into the design, improving its crash performance - a major Saab selling point - and potentially allow the development of a range of diesel engines. Subaru does not offer a diesel, and using a unit from another manufacturer in the current car is virtually impossible, because its under-bonnet architecture is designed to accommodate the wide, low flat-four engine rather than a taller in-line four. For the new model, though, Subaru will have to find a way of offering a diesel.
The sudden decision to add a smaller model to the Saab range is the result of owners General Motors' growing impatience with the Swedish maker, which continues to make losses. One quick fix, GM reckons, could be to add a third model to the range - even if that model is far from a Saab at heart. The tie-up with Subaru is possible because the Japanese company is part-owned by GM. Though Subaru's management would have to give the project their blessing - GM does not have majority control of the Japanese maker - the deal is a potentially profitable one for them. It would be built in Japan, and would improve the profitability of both the Impreza and Legacy, which share the same platform.
The resultant hybrid could be quite attractive in itself, and would bring the merits of the Impreza, which are considerable, to a wider audience. But in its effort to make a success of the brand, GM may find that it has done the Saab brand long-term damage - existing owners are loyal subscribers to the Saab ethos, and may not take kindly to this impostor. And while most manufacturers are attempting to design cars that are truer to their more characterful brands in a bid to make them more attractive to buyers, Saab would be heading the opposite way with this highly compromised model.
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Re: 2004 Saab 9-1 ReBadged Imprezia?
Originally posted by shaft73
Saab is also considering the possibility of basing a 9-1 on the next-generation Impreza, although this would mean a longer wait for the new model. But it would allow the Swedes to have more significant input into the design, improving its crash performance - a major Saab selling point...
Saab is also considering the possibility of basing a 9-1 on the next-generation Impreza, although this would mean a longer wait for the new model. But it would allow the Swedes to have more significant input into the design, improving its crash performance - a major Saab selling point...
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