In Reply to: I agree: brand identity and uniqueness are lacking, Paul [Profile/Gallery] , Sun, 1 Aug 2004 14:09:41

Saab is in big trouble. The 9-3SS is a lackluster car in most respects. Saab's new product development continues to fall behind. There is almost no innovation left in the company. Future product roadmap is completely unclear and at the mercy of that fickle god, GM.

The only Saab I intend to buy in the future is my current '02 9-5 Aero, coming off lease in February. The last of the great Saabs, IMHO. It will do quite nicely with a $1k ECU upgrade (more than enough to leave any TL I run across far behind). Too bad for Saab, because I have the means and he desire to buy their top of the line model, but certainly not if it offers zero improvement over my own current, lovingly maintained Aero.

Sad, sad statement that the long-in-the-tooth 9-5 is still Saab's best design in terms of value, performance, safety, and utility.

Please, Saab, get your head out of your arse and build me a car I can get excited about. Here's the formula for the flagship car Saab needs, so people will once again aspire to the brand:

- Modern electronics and entertainment
- AWD
- Six cylinder, turbocharged
- 300+ HP
- Tons of low end torque
- Great handling
- Decent interior, with great Saab seats
- Nice Saab sheetmetal, maybe a little more edgy than the limp 9-3SS
- Some sort of compelling innovation that drives people to the brand -- e.g., maybe a trunk that opens backwards so that there is a massive cavity to fit stuff into...something kind of radical!

Time-to-market a problem? I've got the solution. Pull a 9-2X job on the AWD CTS. Turbocharge the six cylinder engine. Fix the sheetmetal and the interior. Tune the suspension to Saab standards. End-of-life the 9-5 a couple years early, use the CTS-based Saab as a stopgap replacement (similar to what Saab is doing with the Trailblazer) and start the 9-5 redesign from a blank piece of paper.

Sieglo

posted by 68.98.170...

• 9-3 Aero 03-04 vs Volv AWD S60 R or Acura TL, Cornwallis, Sat, 31 Jul 2004 21:36:30
  • Everything is attainable, the question becomes ..., Pierre, Tue, 3 Aug 2004 03:29:41
  • 9-5 Competitors, price and power......, Mike Lynch , Mon, 2 Aug 2004 12:06:52
  • sans over-analytical sphincter clenching, I'd go for, Steeleye, Mon, 2 Aug 2004 11:33:34
  • Re: 9-3 Aero 03-04 vs Volv AWD S60 R or Acura TL, Wasaab, Mon, 2 Aug 2004 10:19:10
  • I agree: brand identity and uniqueness are lacking, Paul , Sun, 1 Aug 2004 14:09:41
    • Saab Identity, Wasaab, Tue, 3 Aug 2004 17:48:24
    • What I conclude from this thread, Sieglo, Mon, 2 Aug 2004 00:55:32 <-- Viewing This Message
      • Re: What I conclude from this thread, eric, Mon, 2 Aug 2004 11:28:04
      • Hardly... when you sell a record number of cars last, Scott Paterson , Mon, 2 Aug 2004 01:20:37
        • Re: Hardly... when you sell a record number of cars last, Paul , Mon, 2 Aug 2004 13:26:14
          • Yeah, but how bad can it be when you sell that many?, Scott Paterson , Mon, 2 Aug 2004 15:36:08
        • Re: Hardly... when you sell a record number of cars las, Mark, Mon, 2 Aug 2004 10:46:13
          • agree with Mark and JB..., Scott Paterson , Mon, 2 Aug 2004 12:20:33
        • Re: Hardly... when you sell a record number of cars last, JB, Mon, 2 Aug 2004 07:23:36
          • That's just the way I feel. n/m, AdamB , Mon, 2 Aug 2004 19:24:38
          • Re: Hardly... when you sell a record number of cars last, Sieglo, Mon, 2 Aug 2004 11:05:15
            • 02 Aero practically perfect......, Mike Lynch , Mon, 2 Aug 2004 14:42:22
  • I share your concerns, Hood, Sun, 1 Aug 2004 09:11:10
  • Re: Volv AWD S60 R STEERING..., royw, Sun, 1 Aug 2004 08:32:42
  • probably buying a TL, Dean C, Sun, 1 Aug 2004 07:43:11
    • Re: probably buying a TL, allen, Mon, 2 Aug 2004 19:03:18
    • Re: probably buying a TL, rob sherman, Sun, 1 Aug 2004 20:00:08
      • really slow product launch!!!, Mark, Sun, 1 Aug 2004 21:53:12
        • Re: really slow product launch!!!, GM, Mon, 2 Aug 2004 20:18:44
  • Re: 9-3 Aero 03-04 vs Volv AWD S60 R or Acura TL, Andrew , Sun, 1 Aug 2004 03:26:57
  • The 9-3SS has handling as it's distinguishing feature, AdamB , Sun, 1 Aug 2004 02:57:43
    • Re: The 9-3SS has handling as it's distinguishing feature, baas, Tue, 3 Aug 2004 06:58:46
    • Bingo! handling: weight, aluminum and Re-Axe...., Mike Lynch , Mon, 2 Aug 2004 11:59:24
    • Re: The 9-3SS has handling as it's distinguishing feature, gkhowell, Sun, 1 Aug 2004 10:19:38
      • Re: The 9-3SS has handling as it's distinguishing feature, AdamB , Sun, 1 Aug 2004 16:28:46
  • Re: 9-3 Aero 03-04 vs Volv AWD S60 R or Acura TL, jc, Sat, 31 Jul 2004 22:04:13

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