Saab is entering the crossover segment with its new 9-4X, which will make its world premiere at next month’s Los Angeles Auto Show. The vehicle will expand Saab’s product portfolio to three car lines, and is targeted as a fresh, alternative choice for independently-minded crossover buyers.
It will be powered by a 2.8 litre V6 twin-scroll turbocharged engine, offering 300 hp at 5,500rpm and 400Nm of torque between 2,000 and 5,000rpm, mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. Performance figures include a 0-100 kph sprint time of 8.3 secs.
Saab’s XWD all-wheel-drive system, with an electronically-controlled rear limited-slip differential, gets strapped on board, as is as Saab DriveSense, an adaptive chassis function offering real time damping control in three modes – Intelligent, Comfort and Sport. There’s an Eco mode as well; activated via a separate button, it re-maps the throttle pedal and gearshifting patterns for optimal fuel economy.
In design terms, the 9-4X is aligned in looks and size between the 9-3X and new 9-5 saloon, with a front that borrows cues from the Aero X concept car. Outside and inside, it communicates the Saab identity with clean, uncluttered design and signature motifs, such as a wraparound-effect windshield, ice block lighting theme, driver-focused cockpit and flexible cargo handling.
Disguised windshield and door pillars create Saab’s signature wraparound-effect, and other exterior Saab identifiers include the shaping of the headlamps, a ‘hockey stick’ waistline and strong C-pillars complemented by a wraparound-effect rear screen.
The roofline has been visually lowered and extended by a rear spoiler integrated in to the tailgate. At the back, the lighting carries forward a signature introduced by the 9-5 sedan – an ‘ice-block’ bar of LED lights extends across the lower tailgate and wraps around the tail lamps. Twin rhomboid-shaped exhaust tailpipes, integrated into the lower bumper molding, round off the rear.
Inside, the five-seater features a sweeping, single form centre console finished with a carbon-fibre effect trim, as well as a number of subtle references to Saab’s aviation heritage, including a selectable, aircraft attitude-style speed read-out, green illumination for the three main dials’ needles and traditional Saab ‘joystick’ adjusters for the mesh-style air vents. Being true to tradition, the ignition – in the form of a start/stop button- is naturally in located between the front seats, next to the gear shift lever.
Plenty of cargo space options at the back too – you get single movement fold down 60/40 split rear seats, which provide a completely flat cargo deck in a stored position. A hinged front section of the boot floor provides access to additional under floor storage, and floor space can be tailored as required by an optional, U-shaped track with a telescopic cargo dividing rail, movable to any position to keep items in place.
Other items on the 9-4X’s standard kit list include 20-inch wheels and 235/55 series rubbers, bi-xenon adaptive headlights and a 10-speaker Bose system with 5.1 surround sound and an eight-inch touchscreen, hard disk-based navigation system with 10GB of storage space for music files.
The 9-4X will make its market debut in the US in May next year, with sales in Europe and other global markets starting from August 2011.
Gallery after the jump
[zenphotopress number=999 album=1634]
Looking to sell your car? Sell it with Carro.
sweet~!
apasal aku rasa keta ni cool hah.. summore engine VW..
no mention of vw engine anywhere.
BMW engine actually. They got rights to use BMW engine.
yup beemer engines for future models. but not this car. the 2.8 twin scroll turbo (i believe they’re using the TD-04) is from the 9-3 aero and the engine is a gm unit.
Saab owned by Spyker of India, right? this model better sell well there first.
spyker is a old dutch coach building company that then went into hand made luxury cars even though its mostly russian money that baught Saab
since when Spyker from India?
spyker not from india, it’s a dutch company
i think u got it confused with the fact that 2 Indians millionaire bought Spyker F1 and turned them into Force India..;)
wah, cool, smart n macho la
very nice looking car.
Somehow, I felt like this car is a Lincoln when first saw it…
a good looking saab. now thats new.
looks much better than the concept
It looks good..but they need to improve and keep up since Korean cars have better design now..
i thought this saab was already in production – since the cars were driven by the amazing race participants on the recent sweden challence earlier this week!! (check out Season 17, Leg 4 – We Should Have Brought Gloves and Butt Pads). i thought i did missed this car’s launch news somewhere – not.
promotional cars it seems on the show, but i think 9-4X is swede’s masculine version of XC60. i seriously like it.
aha~
It’s actually a rebadged Cadillac SRX made in Mexico.
rebadged it may be but at least the designers gave it a completely different looking body. they’ve got pride in how their car looks.
It looks like latest lexus rx350 from the rear. We still can feel the Saab sense of design. Cool!
looks like the old gen harrier to me or lx300.
Is it just me… The side Glass Profile LOOKS SIMILAR TO recently launched in Malaysia: Mitsubishi ASX.
probably just you ;)