First Photos of New SAAB 9-3 Convertible Independence Edition

On Wednesday, February 23, SAAB will host a special party at its Trollh?ttan plant in Sweden to celebrate what it describes as "the first anniversary of Saab?s rebirth as an independent carmaker".

I"d argue if Saab is really independent given that the company heavily relies on GM for its current portfolio (one example is the new 9-4X which is based on the Cadillac SRX and is built at the Detroit automaker"s Ramos Arizpe factory in Mexico) and is actively seeking help to develop its future models having already sealed a deal with BMW for the supply of 4-cylinder engines, but that"s another story for another time.

Case in point is that at the birthday party, the Swedes plan to debut a commemorative edition model based on the 9-3 Convertible, the first pictures of which were spilled on the internet today. According to Saabsunited, the 9-3 Convertible Independence Edition will be built in a limited run of 366 units, apparently one for each day that passed since Spyker Cars took over the company from GM.

The special edition model gets a 220HP 2.0T Biopower engine and will boast several unique features such as the bespoke Sunset Red color, new 18-inch alloy wheels, gray leather seats with a center strip and piping in orange, numerous Hirsch interior appointments and an orange-colored turbo instrument needle.

SAAB to Celebrate its own...Independence Day on February 23rd

A little over a year ago, Saab"s future was very much in doubt. GM was looking for a buyer for the Swedish brand and even contemplated closing down the Trollhattan plant. On the other hand, investors weren"t exactly anxious to put their money on what they thought was a sinking ship. But, on the 23rd of February 2010, Saab"s fate took a surprising turn for the better as GM sold the company to Spyker Cars, saving thousands of jobs and decades of tradition.

To celebrate the first anniversary from the sale, Saab will throw a massive party on February 23, 2011, turning its factory in Trollhattan into an entertainment arena. All 3,800 employees will have the day off and will be joined by dealers, suppliers, VIPs and media in celebrating Saab"s rebirth as an independent carmaker.

The highlight of the event will be the unveiling of a special edition model, most likely the ?Independence Edition? of the 9-3 Cabriolet. It might also be a good occasion to show the employees the concept car that Saab will premiere at the Geneva Auto Show. This car will be the starting point for the future compact Saab hatchback, which will be positioned beneath the 9-3 model range.

But Saab has other reasons to celebrate as well. ?We?ve triggered the biggest new product offensive in Saab?s history with the launch of the 9-5 Sedan and the 9-4X crossover, the introduction of the 9-5 SportCombi later this year, and the arrival of a new generation 9-3 range next year,? said Saab"s CEO Jan Ake Jonsson. Who would have dared thinking about that a year ago?

First Saab 9-4X Rolls Off Assembly Line in Mexico

It"s been a rough ride for Saab"s 9-4X, but the very first production model has now rolled off the assembly line at General Motors" Ramos Arizpe plant in Mexico, just three months after the compact crossover was unveiled last November at the 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show.
?This is a great day for Saab,? said Jonsson. ?The arrival of the 9-4X is another important step in the fulfillment of our business plan. This sporty and distinctive product will significantly broaden the appeal of our brand and give us access to an important new vehicle segment that is still growing, particularly in the United States.?

The first vehicle bearing the chassis number 00001, is a 9-4X Aero model finished in an Ice Pearl metallic and powered by a 2.8-liter turbocharged V6 engine. According to Saab, it bound for a media test drive event in the United States before being shipped to Sweden for display at the Saab car museum.
Based on the Cadillac SRX, the new Saab 9-4X is will arrive in U.S. showrooms in May 2011, with sales in Europe and other global markets due to begin from August.

2010 SAAB 9-5 Sedan and SportCombi: Official Illustrations?

A pair of allegedly official computer generated renderings showing the 2010 Saab 9-5 in both sedan and SportCombi (station-wagon) forms have found their way into the net through a dedicated Saab site. The author of the article on Saabsunited, Swade, supports that both CGIs are "original Saab stock" and that the Swedish automaker requested their removal, which he did, but uploaded them again since they had been copied on other sites.

There"s no way of confirming their authenticity, they may or may not be official, heck maybe even Saab let the photos slip out for all we know. If you"re up to it, you can compare these illustrations with our spy shots of camouflaged and partially unmasked 2010 Saab 9-5 prototypes by clicking here.

Via: Saabsunited

Saab Recalling 2010-2011MY 9-3 Models Due to Faulty Fuel Pumps

Saab is recalling 4,400 passenger cars from the 2010-2011MY 9-3 series manufactured from June 2010 through October 2010 to fix fuel pumps that can seize and cause the engine to stall. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), some of these fuel pumps may have internal components with incorrect specifications.

The Swedish automaker said it will notify all owners of the affected cars and replace the fuel pumps free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on or about February 18, 2011.

Owners may contact the automaker directly at 1-800-955-9007 or the NHTSA?s Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236.

By Csaba Daradics

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Saab Releases First Official Photo of 2011 9-5 SportCombi

Following a preliminary release earlier today, Saab has issued the first official photograph of its 9-5 SportCombi. The estate version of the 9-5, which will carry the SportWagon moniker in certain markets including the UK, will get its public debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March.

Saab has not yet released detailed information on the engine lineup, but buyers should expect to see a similar mix of turbocharged diesel and gasoline motors (depending on the market of course) to the sedan variant when it arrives in the market this Fall.

For the time being we only have a single official picture of the 9-5 SportCombi / SportWagon, but Carscoop reader Torben just sent in several renderings of the car sourced from the patent drawings filled in the U.S., which you can check out after the jump.

Hat tip to Torben for the drawings!

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Saab"s All-New 9-5 SportCombi to Debut at Geneva Motor Show

We"ve been fielding rumors of an estate version of the all-new Saab 9-5 series for some quite time now, but today, the Swedish automaker made it official announcing that the world premiere of the SportsCombi will take place at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show in March.

"The launch of the 9-5 SportCombi is a much-awaited next step in the roll-out of our new product offensive," said Saab Automobile CEO Jan Ake Jonsson. "It will take Saab back into the large wagon segment where we have established a strong presence in many key markets with our previous offering."

While Saab is keeping official photos out of sight for now, it did release some preliminary details on the 9-5 SportsCombi. According to the Swedes, the premium estate model will come equipped with many practical features. These include an adaptable multi-fold floor, flexible U-rail load space configuration and under-floor stowage with a sealed wet storage compartment, a programmable powered tailgate, and 60/40 split rear seatbacks that fold down almost completely flat without having to reposition the seat squab or remove the head restraints.

Turbo engines, Saab"s XWD all-wheel-drive system and an array of features such as, adaptive cruise control, Bi-Xenon adaptive lighting, key-less entry and starting, tri-zone air conditioning and a Pilot Head-up Display which projects information on the windshield, will also be available.

Saab said the 9-5 SportCombi will arrive in the US in the Fall of 2011.

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Saab to Offer Hirsch Performance Products for 9-3 and 9-5 Models in the USA

Current and future Saab owners in the U.S. looking to tune their cars with factory approved upgrades will be happy to learn the Swedish automaker announced today that Hirsch Performance aftermarket products will be available for its 2007-11MY 9-3 and 2010-11MY 9-5 cars through select Saab dealers in the States starting in spring 2011.

The Switzerland-based tuning firm has a longstanding relationship with Saab and already offers dealer-installed performance upgrades in other parts of the world including Europe.

Hirsch Performance"s aftermarket offerings include a variety of products ranging from software tweaks that boost output by 30HP and sports springs, to comprehensive aero kits with carbon fiber parts, alloy wheels and interior appointments such as aluminum pedals, leather sets and carbon trims.

John Anderson, director of aftermarket sales and new business for Saab Cars North America, commented:

"Saab has had a long relationship with Hirsch in Europe and now we can offer performance enhancements for Saab customers" vehicles in the US. The advantage to Hirsch Performance parts is they are installed at authorized Saab dealers, do not affect the warranty or emission system performance of the vehicle and are high quality systems designed especially for Saab cars. Installation of the Hirsch Performance parts within 60 days of sale of the new vehicle will give the consumer the same warranty as a new vehicle, an advantage for our customers."

Saab said pricing information and participating dealers for the Hirsch Performance parts will be available on the firm"s US website in the near future.

*All photos are from Hirsch Performance"s European lineup

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