New 2010 Saab 9-5 unveiled: Photos and Video
Saab’s Head of Brand Design says these are exciting times for Saab and that’s quite true actually, as Saab now has a new car and a new owner as well.
GM and Koenigsegg’s deal has been confirmed and 100% of Saab stock will be transferred to Koenigsegg by the end of the year, subject to terms and conditions including funding commitments and transitional assistance for Saab by GM from being a GM brand into a new independent marque.
The new Saab 9-5 looks considerably less like its predecessors and it reminds me a little of a large Skoda Fabia with a butt, for some reason. It’s got design cues inspired by the Saab Aero X concept car. The interior is typically Saab with jetfighter cockpit inspiration and the backlighting is all done in an old school green. I think one of the last manufacturers around to use green backlighting was Ford with the pre-facelift Focus, Ranger and etc. Know of any else? But Saab’s green has a much more premium look to it – more jetfighter instrumentation than pasar malam digital clock.
The engine options can take either one of 3 fuels – petrol, diesel and E85 bioethanol. At launch time, the 9-5 will have a 160hp inline-4 turbodiesel, a 220hp 2.0 liter turbocharged petrol engine, and a 2.8 liter V6 turbo with XWD all-wheel drive making 300 horses and 400Nm of torque to help get all those horses down onto the tar. The BioPower E85 engine will be available after the launch – a 2.0 liter unit. Another petrol engine will also be added, an entry level 180hp 1.6 liter petrol.
Loads of buzzwords are packed into the marketing brochure – head-up information display (HUD); adaptive headlights (Bi-Xenon Smart Beam); adaptive cruise control; Saab DriveSense adaptive chassis with real-time damping control; keyless entry and starting; dual-zone climate control; dynamic parking assistance, and Saab XWD with eLSD. The car’s entertainment system uses a hard drive for map data and has reserved 10GB of dedicated music storage.
Look after the jump for a video and photos of the new 9-5.
VIDEO: Head of Saab Brand Design talks about the new 9-5
August 27, 2009 @ 11:46 pm
Nice…very futuristic design & good range of engine selection too!
August 28, 2009 @ 12:00 am
Beautiful. It does remind me of the Skoba Fabia back, especially the C-Pillar and the wrap around A-Pillar and windscreen to bonnet line of Skoda Fabia too. I was never keen on the design of Skoda Fabia, but the design execution here is done well.
August 28, 2009 @ 12:03 am
Discreet Sweedish design with powaah under the hood, i loike it!
August 28, 2009 @ 12:04 am
Great improvement from the previous model however the decison to keep the tradition of the aircon vents spoils everyting.
August 28, 2009 @ 12:16 am
the interior looks quite ok and the technology is quite amazing too..but in terms of exterior looking, SAAB really needs to have another designer..it’s ugly..it wont be able to compete with BMW, Merc, Audi n Lexus in terms of luxury looks..anyway, keep it up SAAB..
August 28, 2009 @ 12:27 am
beautiful car especially the backlight that run throughout the bonnet. very beautiful at night
August 28, 2009 @ 12:29 am
y saab not famous in Malaysia? i think they r damn nice. not sure bout the performance
August 28, 2009 @ 1:04 am
clean front..
simple n purely elegant unlike korean n japs who seems to overdo things a bit.
August 28, 2009 @ 1:07 am
this guy is having lipstick on his lips!
August 28, 2009 @ 1:20 am
>>KS said,
y saab not famous in Malaysia? i think they r damn nice. not sure bout the performance
========================
Because there are Toyota and Honda…
August 28, 2009 @ 1:32 am
KitKat….u sound like Jeremy Clarkson hehe
Btw the all black meter cluster looks like airplane…cool without being too fancy
August 28, 2009 @ 5:40 am
it’s like driving a plane!!
August 28, 2009 @ 5:54 am
too bad,in malaysia no SAAB..once but not now..however,i like saab, for its beauty and safety..
August 28, 2009 @ 8:15 am
black-ed A-pillars reminds me of M.Astina n S.Swift Sport.
Overall a very clean design. But really like those cockpit inspired meter panels
August 28, 2009 @ 8:21 am
we don have SAAB, but we have SAAT…
August 28, 2009 @ 8:33 am
Look like korean cars with Jaguar’s new tail light.
August 28, 2009 @ 8:43 am
what is the reason the front pillar is black color?
August 28, 2009 @ 8:57 am
The Swede is back.
I don’t think they are worried about competing with BMW, Audi and Mercedes. People buy SAABs for being SAABs. (Same like Alfa Romeo customers). Since the 900, they always had thier own quirky look.
Now SAAB, don’t forget the stationwagon.
The front is pure Saab, but its a pity the rear ended up looking a bit lexus….which didn’t quite well as a package.
Now if they can do something about the 9-3…..(for what its worth the 9-3 Sportscombi looks awesome)
August 28, 2009 @ 9:00 am
Wow….the rear looks like ASTON MARTIN
August 28, 2009 @ 9:21 am
I have no surpraise they (SAAB) inspiring from a fighter…in fact, they are one of the jet fighter producer!!
August 28, 2009 @ 9:21 am
Superb Car…….. Absolutely Complete…..
August 28, 2009 @ 9:33 am
Hope SAAB will be back in Bolehland.
August 28, 2009 @ 10:02 am
tikus,
saab will only come back once they have established a strong sales programme in europe and u.s.
toy car,
the blacked out front pillar was an early saab design feature. general motors did not continue it when they took over. other saab design features are the hockey stick rear window design (this i think they have already omitted in recent models) and the 3-hole grille which has somewhat evolved with the edge holes now merging with the headlamps.
yoezpo,
saab (the car company) was an aeroplane manufacturer. today saab aviation still makes fighter jets and commercial planes. that is why their dashboard is always dark. it is to reduce glare as that is how pilots like their dash panels. same for the night panel feature which allows pilots and drivers to turn off specific lights on the dashboard so they can concentrate on the speedo only or other meters during night driving. so, their dashboard features will always be aircraft inspired… not sure about the direction taken by the new saab company though.
KS,
saab is not popular here because they cost more than the equivalent mercedes and bmw. nothing to do with toyota or honda. they are also more expensive than volvo. another reason is that their cbu status makes them higher in price and this will turn off many would-be buyers. in terms of performance,
you have to drive it to experience it. there is a reason why owners fondly refer to their performance oriented turbocharged cars as ‘jets’.
american born ah beng,
saab design has always been very scandinavian. this means it is clean, simple, functional and elegant. much like ikea. if you notice their designs, they’re also simple functional and clean but at the same time being elegant. the swedes are simple people who appreciate nature and simple stuff like that. that’s why their design and even volvo design is organic and simple. less fussy and if you notice, their designs tend to stand the test of time better than design-for-the-sake-of-it designs.
August 28, 2009 @ 10:16 am
yeah…the aircon vents look really old skool
August 28, 2009 @ 10:17 am
the rear somehow kinds of remind me of the jaguar XF…
August 28, 2009 @ 12:51 pm
The car looks fine and elegent. I think this is the best car ever produced by Saab. Feel sad because cant see it in Malaysia… Haiz…
August 28, 2009 @ 1:21 pm
Possibly the cleanest design since I can remember or simple ir you prefer, it says a lot about the swedish too (or swedish babes!)
The engine bay is quite ok given to the typical european demands, I mean 1 engine for soccer moms, 1 for dads and one for the raceboys.
The meter cluster with the HUD looks like it’s zeroing in on a target (jetfighter inspired lah katakan). The interior… combo of black leather, graphite and aluminium.. I like!!
August 28, 2009 @ 2:45 pm
The dashboard reminds me of another Saab product… The Gripen
August 28, 2009 @ 4:22 pm
They have taken some design cue from Saab Aero-X. Brilliant!
August 28, 2009 @ 4:54 pm
looks like koenigsegg with 4 doors ..
August 28, 2009 @ 5:14 pm
Nice. Though side panel profile a bit bare without strong character lines but it resembles 5 series. A-pillar and roof lining also reminds me that Godzilla Nissan GTR. Interior is practical and well placed. Overall very nice. Oh ya before i forget, SAAB has been using 6 sigma for determining build datum concept same as it’s jet fighter. Proton can purchased it’s engineering division if they is up for sale and let go the Lotus.
August 28, 2009 @ 7:20 pm
180hp 1.6 liter petrol~~
August 30, 2009 @ 12:22 am
i want it black..put green light up front…now i’m Kato..
October 5, 2009 @ 1:45 pm
The brits knows best when it comes to make a car look good (eg. Aston Martin, altho , if im not mistaken the vantage was done by an indian guy from india) however, under that aston’s hood is a german engine. , , This new 9-5 looks bloody good, and faithfully a Saab , with that wierd C-pillar , I always HATED SAABs cuz their friggin ugly, except this 1, the aero-X ,and the 9-3 convertible.
I dont mind driving this car if its priced competitively, and 4s centres are nearby,
Oh yeah, Paul, does this car still have the butterfly cupholder? its not a car wo cupholders