Auto Motor und Sport (AMuS) has it from "well informed circles" that GM is working on not one but two more versions of the new Saab 9-1. To get a feel for what GM should produce, AMuS commissioned Mark Stehrenberger. The design savant imagineers the first model as an aggressive two-box vehicle with a narrow greenhouse that looks a lot like MINI Clubman with a Saab grille (although maybe I've just seen too many Saab grilles grafted onto other people's designs). The second sketch shows us a weird little Saturn with Chevy Nomad-style removable roof elements. Word has it that the car could be built on either the Alpha or Kappa rear wheel-drive (RWD) platforms, and sport a Pontiac or Buick (cough crash cart cough) badge. Which means either A: GM is bringing a RWD hot hatch to the American market and badge engineering it to death or B: It isn't.
[View GM 1-Series fighter Pixamo gallery here.]
At GM, building five mediocre vehicles is always preferred to making one really good one. It looks like things aren’t going to change any time soon.
I like the concept SAAB sketch. Though I have my doubts of the ride quality coming from GM/SAAB vs the MINI.
I think I’m going to go with side B. While I do think the 9-1 will be produced, It literally has to be FWD.
I love the idea of a 1 series fighting sporty rwd Buick. GM could then release a Saturn branded Hummer H2, a Chevy branded ultra luxury sedan, and a Cadillac economy car to complement it in their super dealerships.
I thought they couldn’t decide to build FWD or RWD in the future. If they are concerned they can’t make a midsized car in RWD that will help them with CAFE why on earth would they make an even smaller one in RWD. I call BS on the RWD we are going to get 5 or 6 badge engineered Astras instead, that fits with the way they work better. I will never understand why they don’t concentrate all their production dollars on making one really great well price model instead of spreading themselves thin badge engineering all these half assed variants of the same platform. They must love competing within their own company.
Does anyone trust GM to do this without messing it up horribly?
A rear wheel drive SAAB?
What the…?
SAAB defines FWD…they have never made a rear wheel drive production car. For good reason too. The layout was considered better suited for driving fast and safely on frozen Swedish roads.
Right or wrong that is their heritage.
Well, “A 4WD Saab?” just left the scene, leaving a gaping hole for another ($@%^&&) “Saab”.
(Even though it was a Subaru.)
GM already has a RWD hot hatch (‘vette), and put one out to pasture (Camaro, Firebird).
Let me say that I enjoy the utility of my ’97 Camaro, but the room taken up by the RWD (in this case, a “live” axle) would penalize a smaller vehicle by making the limited cargo space an odd-shaped mess.
Do any of the people who post here actually work in the car industry (not speculate on it). To answer quickly…. I do.
I work in the car industry. I have worked for Jaguar, Ford, GM, The Rover Group, Dana and Hella as a product design engineer.
Whilst an industry background may make one better informed on some technical matters, I don’t see how it makes ones opinion any more valid when commenting on the strategic direction of the industry.
It does however, embue one with considerable scepticism of the competence of upper management. Particularly retards like Wagoner.
I may be the only one who thinks this could work. Anything that gets people thru the doors is a good thing, regardless of where they were yesterday. Besides, SAAB can do this with FWD, just let the guys named Lars and Torsten and Hakan do their jobs, and minimize interference from the Wagoner cadre. The upcoming generation of designers need to be given their head to find that elusive combo of price, performance and appeal. The old saying" sell the sizzle, not the steak", is apropos, but the quality will need to be there from day one. Besides, am I the only one who sees this 1-series as an overpriced wannabe car that hasn't exactly set the bar that high? I don't get the panache associated with BMW, and I am ashamed to say that my wife has one, although it was purchased used for 50% of book, otherwise it would never have been on our radar. They are very solid drivers, but under the conditions we drive, our old 96 Eldorado was equally satisfying, and half the money (comparing MSRP's) of her current 7. My son says it's an age thing (he's 15) and it is increasingly apparent that he is correct. How the hell did this happen?
Name one CAR other than the Vette GM executes to the level of class leader.
Anybody? Anybody? Buehler?
Why would anyone have faith this will either be released in the next 5 years, and if it is released, that it won’t be a complete clusterf*ck?