Oh yes it has, GM has seriously considered dropping the SAAB name because of poor sales. I read that if SAAB dont improve sales in a year or so they could dissapear. GM dumped Oldsmobile so dumping SAAB is no difficulty for them... thank god that Fiat got out of the GM tie up...

Small car companies need big car companies today. Saab couldn't possibly have come up with the current 9-3 without GM. Without them they would have been another Rover story

The SAAB 9-2 is a Subaru Imprezza and the 9-3 is an Opel Vectra. The 9-5 is the only real SAAB left, but for how long? They nearly closed the SAAB Factory in Sweden recently and gave notice that it will close if things don't turn around. I suspect the next one (if there is one) will be an Opel Omega.

raton_laveur said:

The SAAB 9-2 is a Subaru Imprezza and the 9-3 is an Opel Vectra.

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The 9-3 only shares some parts with the Old Vectra and is an excellent all round car. What gave you the impression that the 9-2 was merely an impreza with Saab lights?

mad_colm said:

The 9-3 only shares some parts with the Old Vectra and is an excellent all round car. What gave you the impression that the 9-2 was merely an impreza with Saab lights?

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The 9-2 is probably not that bad an idea.... At least unlike any other saab it is querky, designed for performance from the outset and would suit people who like the subaru/power image that hate the chav image that comes with it...

It's just the Americans just dont get that. But if they could sell it here for 20 grand with 4x4 and turbos I think it would shift like warm cakes!


Jim
(what the feck do I know, I dive a panda... But did own a saab once and took it back to the factory via the Arctic)

mad_colm said:

The 9-3 only shares some parts with the Old Vectra and is an excellent all round car. What gave you the impression that the 9-2 was merely an impreza with Saab lights?

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The story was in all of the US car magazines. There's also the issue that Saab doesn't make a boxer motor. The only one on the planet still left after the Alfasud engine ran its course is made by Subaru.

The new Croma is stating to show up in other French motoring magazines. First impressions are mostly positive. Lack of side support for the front seats has been mentioned each time but overall the car has been well-recieved. The car is expected out this summer. Petrol engines are Opel 1.8 and 2.2. Diesles are Fiat 1.9 with either 120 or 150 hp or the 2.4 with 200, the most powerful in the range. There are four trim levels planned. Fit and finish are above average, and not just for Fiat. There will be full tests and the comparisons with rivals closer to launch time.


BTW, Croma 2 is my personal designation. The badge on the car only says Croma.

Well sounds good and credit to them for not starting with a boring 1.4 or 1.6, it must have been tempting Where did you get the info any links?

Interesting that they have gone down the route of Opel petrols and have got the top of the range a diesel. Possibly just for the Euro market though?

Dr_Pepper said:

Well sounds good and credit to them for not starting with a boring 1.4 or 1.6, it must have been tempting Where did you get the info any links?

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There are quite a few French language car magazines here in Belgium. Some of them have websites si vous parlez français. Try Auto Plus, L'Automobile, Le Moniteur Automobile...

The Negotiator said:

Interesting that they have gone down the route of Opel petrols and have got the top of the range a diesel. Possibly just for the Euro market though?

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I don't know what the offer will be in the UK or when it will go on sale there. I'd like to have that 150 hp JTD in my Idea and a sport suspension to go along with it plus a six speed...