Saab 9-3X spied with no camouflage

Aims to compete with Volvo XC70

Saab 9-3X spy photos
Saab 9-3X spy photos
Saab 9-3X spy photos

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Comments (11)

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Bristol411S3

The huge front and rear overhangs necessary to meet crash and pedestrian safety regs render such cars with useless asecnt and descent angles -- most would struggle to dismount a curb, let alone climb up or over anything. So you get the worst of both worlds: a car that can do nothing off-road, with an unaerodynamic body and handling on stilts for the highway.

November 26, 2008 1:18 pm

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Motor_Yakuza

I was really expecting something else.

November 26, 2008 2:00 pm

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machida

The perfect car to launch in 2003! Yeah, Saab, go after the 37 Volvo shoppers considering the XC70 but looking for something just a little rounder. Wasn't Saab once an innovator?

November 26, 2008 2:33 pm

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wjaprep

This shuld be the closest that Saab ever gets to an suv ever.

November 26, 2008 5:54 pm

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politz

Saab, you're late. You know, Saabs were once clever, original and somewhat weird. Now 'the General' has left it with the 'weird' part alone. Sell it to somebody who cares, GM, and cash some! Just sell it!

November 26, 2008 5:54 pm

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archytype

The fact that this company will be sold or drown is inevitable. Nowadays if your products sells slow from the beginning and you don't re-invent your products for a decade you are screwed. Saabs are late-model GM kit cars.

November 26, 2008 6:05 pm

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BabyMilo

hmmm mixed feelings...

November 26, 2008 6:40 pm

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NaBUru38

The 9-3 is one segment below the XC70. This 9-3X would be a rival to a V50-derived XC50 or an A4 Allroad.

November 26, 2008 8:00 pm

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2 replies

ivanadrive

I would rate the V50 below the 9-3 and A4 since it's on the Ford Focus platform, comparable to GM's Astra platform and Audi's A3 platform. Saab uses the more sophisticated Vectra platform that is similar to the Ford Mondeo/Volvo S60/V70/S80 one.

November 26, 2008 9:21 pm

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machida

Yes but it's a $40-50,000 Focus! ;) Seems like this car will compete most directly with the Subaru Outback, a company who's weird goodness remains mostly intact, unlike these pseudo-Swedish Opels.

November 26, 2008 10:04 pm

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miller

brother XC70 hehe

December 30, 2008 6:03 pm

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