The story regarding Saab over the past few months has been playing out like a drama, with one crisis after another. Production stoppages, inability to pay workers, on/off deals, you name it.
The latest scuffle regarding worker pay has been resolved thanks to a short-term loan from the Gemini Investment Fund. But with all the talk about financials, what about product? Finally the focus has shifted a bit with some news about the 9-5 SportCombi. The 9-5 is arguably Saab’s most important model, and in the European market wagons are the biggest sellers.
This makes the SportCombi a crucial model for Saab and any hopes of a sales recovery. Interestingly enough though, the car is also coming to the United States. This will make it one of few wagons available here by luxury manufacturers – there is the Acura TSX Sport Wagon and Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon.
Specifications for the car’s U.S sale have been released, and you can check out the full marketing materials below. One thing we can tell from this though is Saab plans for the SportCombi to be priced at the high end of the lineup. This is preliminary information at the moment, but standard features appear to include the Technology Package with lane departure warning, park assist, cornering headlights and head-up display (HUD) and Rear Passenger
Package that comes with two eight-inch screens, a DVD player, rear seat audio, wireless headphones and a tri-zone climate control system. Other features include heated seats, panoramic moonroof, keyless start and a navigation system with eight-inch touchscreen. Nice! It would be great for Saab if somehow these gained a following with enthusiasts looking for a stylish wagon with a lot of features instead of a large crossover.
The standard engine on the SportCombi will be Saab’s 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder making 220 horsepower and 258 pound feet of torque. It will be mated to a six-speed automatic and Saab’s all-wheel drive system (XWD). No word on pricing yet. Hopefully Saab’s financial situation will be resolved and we can see these out on the road soon.
