Saab to build bespoke platform - report

According to a recent report, the 2012 Saab 9-3 will ditch the Epsilon platform for a completely new Phoenix architecture.

Details are limited, but Autocar says the platform is highly adaptable and will be able to accommodate vehicles which measure from 4.2 to 5.5 meters long. It is reportedly being developed with the assistance of Scania, who is helping the company create a "future-proof" platform which can be easily upgraded over several generations without significant re-engineering. Furthermore, insiders tell the magazine the architecture will underpin the replacements for the 9-5 and 9-4X.

More specifically, the platform will feature a unique MacPherson strut arrangement and a new "race-car style" five-link rear axle. It remains to be seen what this implies, but everything appears quite promising.

If everything goes according to plan, the new platform will debut in the next-generation 9-3 when it is launched in October 2012.