2011 Saab 9-5
Posted by admin on 22 Jun 2010
Saab will be bringing out the new 9-5 sedan in 2010 as a 2011 model. Even though GM is planning on shedding itself of the Swedish brand, the new 9-5 will share the same platform as the 2010 Buick Lacrosse. The new vehicle looks like it will be bigger than the model it is replacing and will provide the 9-5 with a much needed overhaul.
The 9-5 was introduced in the US market in 1997 and has not had any major updates since. The new platform – GM’s Epsilon II – is capable of delivering both FWD and AWD vehicles. Expectations are that the new 9-5 will have a version of Saab’s XWD all-wheel-drive system as an option.
The 2011 Saab 9-5 for the US market is likely to have the 3.6L V-6 engine from the Buick Lacrosse and perhaps a hybrid powertrain as an option. The base European model will be powered by a 2.0L four-cylinder, turbo-charged engine that is capable of producing 210 horsepower. The European model will also likely have a diesel engine as an optional powertrain available to customers.
Although it is hard to spot anything under the camouflage photographs that are available of the new vehicle, it is predicted that the 9-5 will take design cues from Saab’s 9-4X BioPower concept vehicle. The vehicle will likely be heavier than the outgoing model because of its larger length and width.
Saab lost about $340 million in 2008, and GM has decided to relinquish ownership of the Swedish company on January 1, 2010. Despite Saab’s and its parent company’s difficult times, Saab is not likely to exit the US market. All internal sources questioned by the media have said that Saab is continuing plans for its new vehicles – like the 2011 Saab 9-5.
The new 2011 Saab 9-5 is expected to be officially released at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show in September. The new model should make a nice mark in its competitor segment. The new model will definitely give the Mercedies-Benz E-Class, the Cadillac STS, and the Volvo S80 something to worry about.
