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New Saab 9-5 monster coming out of China

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Chinese brand BAW bought the rights to built the “old” Saab 9-5 for the local market, a few months ago.

Now they are showing us how they intend to ruin the design :
by crafting this horrible wannabe futuristic front end to one of the most conservative looking car ever.
Let’s hope this stays local…

Conversation 9 comments

  4. if by "old" u mean the "current" saab 9-5, which cost $40k+, with its awesome standard FWD like your run-of-the-mill camry and accord, theawesome turbo engine that produces less power and is slower to travel from 0-60 than v6 camry, accord, altima. with a FIVE speed trans, while camry and mazda 6 comes with six. and it also has a successor coming out very soon, which looks relatively and conservatively similar, with a mild bump in power, a guaranteed price hike, same powerfully awesome slower-than-used-japanesefamilysedan acceleration, and the exciting unpredictable chance that your entire dealership network and the brand of your car might bankrupt and disappear which makes owning this car that much of a hassle (but proves how much of a risk taking badass you are for buying this car), then yes, this slightly revised updated head lights on this Chinese-only model which most ppl won't even notice is definitely the deal breaker, the earthquake-induced-tsunami-sized waves of potential buyers who are lining up and camping outside at the many, many, many saab dealerships across the continent will now disappear, yes, it's that bad, they screwed up, royally.

  5. I like that front end. The rest of the bodywork looks very dated in comparison, but hey, the designers had to polish a turd, did what they could, and I'd say the result is interesting

  6. Dutch Saab buyer Koenigsegg should sue GM for selling design rights for this vehicle to a 3rd party…it totally confuses and dilutes the brand.

  7. It's a bit of a halfhearted redesign. They could do a lot more to differentiate this car from the original.
    I'll just assume that BAW knows their market and that this is what Chinese buyers want in 2010.

    It will be interesting to find out if the Chinese version has Saab's legendary durability. My mechanic calls the old 9-5 a "30 year car."

    There's nothing you can do to that car (short of crashing it) that's not easily fixable, and it won't rust unless you really neglect it.

    There was an oil sludge issue on some early cars, but the fix is cheap and easy to install. If you've had the problem it's covered under a GM extended warranty, and if you haven't you never will.

    The other elephant in the room is "will the new 9-5 be as durable as this one?"
    Nothing wrong with bigger-faster-more luxurious, but Saab's customers are used to cars that get better with age.

  9. I don't like anything that I've seen from the Chinese automotive "industry." But I actually don't hate this. Kinda like it a lot.

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