New 9-5 Floor pan and delays....

[Redleicester]

There's a little article in this weeks Autocar, and I quote:

"Saab's all-new 9-5 is set to steal the flexible underpinnings of its little brother, the 9-3. Despite intensive work, the Swedish firm has axed plans to use the Premium platform it was developing with Alfa Romeo, on cost grounds. Saab will now use the Opel Epsilon platform for the 9-5, due 2006..."

Well hello and goodbye. Yet again Saab are having to change direction at the whims of its General Masters. I have few fears for the capability of the Epsilon chassis, and that at least means the new 9-5 can be 4x4 too if it so desires, but pushing the launch back another two years could be the straw that breaks the camels back.

Saab have sustained a massive loss this year with the delays and problems of the new 9-3, and the run-out discounts on the old model. By the time the new 9-5 comes on line, the old one will be 8 years in the running.... not good news. I know that is par for the course for Saab, and no bad thing, but now is the time to be jumping ahead of the competition, not lagging behind it once again.

[markcanderson]

As stonking as the 9-5 is.. its already way behind the others.. and with a new 5 series coming out this year, the new merc E class already out, a new A6 next year... and increased pressure from the premium SUV market ..BMW X5.. Lexus etc... I think things will look pretty bleak for the 9-5 in 2006.

[murphwiz]

Originally posted by Mark_A:
[qb]As stonking as the 9-5 is.. its already way behind the others.. and with a new 5 series coming out this year, the new merc E class already out, a new A6 next year... and increased pressure from the premium SUV market ..BMW X5.. Lexus etc... I think things will look pretty bleak for the 9-5 in 2006. [/qb][/b]

Perhaps it will just be light years ahead of the competition when it does arive...
After all they will have had a good couple of years to see what the others have done...

[James]

Or maybe they'll do what they did with the NG900 and the 9-3SS, and just rush it to the market when it's not ready ...

[Gerald Wu]

Haha! ... well i am optimistic abt the new 9-5, afterall this will be the first car for the new chief designer Mike Mauer? ... lets see how well he does. =)) At least the 9-5 model line will not be running as long as the 9000!