Autoblog

The midsized sedan has been growing in all directions for decades, but soaring fuel prices have customers begging for something smaller. GM is heeding the call as it is preparing a smaller batch of next generation Saabs. The next 9-3 was originally slated to be underpinned by the Epsilon II, but in March GM decided to instead utilize the lower-medium Delta architecture. The Delta platform will also be used for the next-gen Chevy Cruze, which is slated to eventually replace the Cobalt. The end result will be a smaller, lighter, more efficient Swedish sedan.

With the 9-3 shrinking, Saab will also need to down-size its planned 9-1, which was originally scheduled to be Delta-based. Speculation has Saab reaching into GM's global architecture bin to use the Gamma platform that currently underpins the Opel Corsa. The idea has legs, too, as the Swedish automaker calls the idea "imaginable." Both vehicles are said to contain small, efficient turbocharged powertrains, which is in line with what Saab already uses. We're all for smaller, more agile Saabs, and killer fuel economy wouldn't hurt either.

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]

Click image above for a high-res gallery of the 2008 Saab 9-3

Tougher emissions and fuel economy regulations in Europe and the United States have forced Saab to put the brakes on development of the next-generation 9-3. The current Saab 9-3 is built on GM's Epsilon platform (shared with the Opel Vectra, Chevrolet Malibu, and Pontiac G6). The next-gen model was set to be based on the longer and wider GM Epsilon II platform (used for the 2009 Saab 9-5). However, Saab and parent company General Motors are considering radically downsizing the model to fit GM's upcoming 'Global premium compact' platform - a size rivaling the Audi A3.

GM design sources told Autocar that a smaller chassis would dictate new technologies to maximize interior room. These would include a slim modular roof assembly and slimmer doors with advanced side-impact technology. General Motors has also hinted that the new 9-3 could be manufactured in the United States. Many European automakers are feeling the impact a weak dollar is having on profits and, like BMW, are moving or increasing production in the States.

[Source: Autocar]

Click to enlarge the Yellow Edition

Just as spring seems to have finally arrived in force around here, Saab dropped us a line this morning to let us know that it's releasing a new special edition of the 9-3 convertible. The 2008 Yellow Edition is the third of the type following the 1991 original and the 1997 version. The new Yellow Edition gets propulsion from Saab's 210-hp 2.0L turbo four cylinder with either a 6-speed manual or 5-speed autobox. Befitting the name, the body is coated in Lynx Yellow paint (although I don't think I've ever actually seen a Lynx in this particular shade of yellow), and you get 17-inch alloys, a rear spoiler, and a laundry list of standard equipment. The Yellow Edition will cost Saab aficionados an extra 3 grand over the standard convertible with an MSRP of $42,830. If you are so inclined, head on down to your Saab dealer while they last.

Update: We just some additional info from Saab. It looks like their will only be about 300 Yellow Editions for the US although the final number isn't nailed down yet. Interiors will be available in black or parchment (light cream), with tops of black, tan, or blue.


[Source: Saab]

click above to watch Ask Autoblog: How do you cook with your car engine?

We've been working hard to add more video content to Autoblog, and one bright idea was to resurrect Ask Autoblog as a video series. To kick things off, we decided to answer a question that we had ourselves: How do you cook a meal using the only heat generated by a car engine. We didn't want to try something easy like hot dogs, so we went with ham and potatoes. Follow the jump to see whether or not we found success in the plastic-clad engine bays of today's cars, and let us know what you think of the results. Also, if you've tried to cook food in your engine bay, let us know what you made, and whether it worked out for you.

We'd also like for you to ask us any questions in the comments section of this post that may be on your mind, and we'll pick the ones best suited for video and answer them on Ask Autoblog. If the response is good, we'll make this a regular thing and maybe pick up a sponsor to pay for it. So check out the first Ask Autoblog video after the jump and ask away in the comments.

click above image for many more high-res pics of the 2008 Saab 9-3

The new Saab 9-3 in all of its various forms (Sedan, SportCombi and Convertible) has been the worst kept car secret of 2007. For weeks engineers and more recently executives have been driving the new 9-3 around Trollhattan, Sweden for all to see. The day has finally come, however, for the actual unveiling of the new 9-3, and it's accompanied with more high-res pics than you can wave a white flag at.

The big news, of course, is the Aero X-inspired front end design. No, not everyone will like it, especially considering the current model's design was considered a sharp execution of Saab's traditional styling elements. Nevertheless, the look has grown on us considerably since we first saw spy photos, and the new clip up front is considerably bolder and more aggressive than the current model's. The clamshell hood adds a nice crease to the car's otherwise soft lines, and the trapezoidal lower air intake flanked by a pair of recessed fog lights really fills out the car's chin nicely.

More info as well as press releases for all three models can be found after the jump. All of the high-res pics released by Saab today can be found in the two galleries below.

[Source: Saab]

It doesn't seem that Saab is too concerned about the public getting a glimpse of its 9-3 sedan wearing a new front fascia. We've already reported on spy shots of various lightly camoflouged models, and now we've discovered shots of a 9-3 sedan with no camo spotted in Sweden by a member of the Saab Turbo Club Sweden forum.

As we've noted in the past, the new 9-3 will receive a face that's directly inspired by the well received Aero X concept that debuted at the 2006 Geneva Motor Show. The interpretation of the Aero X face on the 9-3 looks a bit exaggerated, almost like a charicature of the concept, but the car looks better in these images than any others we've seen. The matte black grille set against the gun metal gray paint minimizes the sense of exaggeration, and the car looks significantly more aggressive than the current model.

We've posted one pic here for you, but a couple more full shots can be viewed by clicking the Read link.

Thanks for the tip, Dave!

[Source: Saabturboclub.com via TrollhattanSaab.net]

General Motors says it will eliminate $1 billion from its spending on mid-size cars by sharing more parts, designs and factories to get 'er done. If this involves a little process called "badge engineering," we urge GM to beware of the inevitable onslaught of negative comments following this post.

Ahem. The platform used for the Chevrolet Malibu, for example, will be shared with Saab convertibles among the plants in North America, Europe and elsewhere. The idea is part of a larger plan to get the General, which lost buku bucks last year (try $10.6 billion), back to profitability as competitors such as Toyota Motor Company suck market share away from them. GM Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner plans to reduce annualized spending by a total of $9 billion by the end of this year.

[Source: Bloomberg]

The next Saab model won't be a Sonnet redux as rumored. Instead, Inside Line reports, buyers should expect a compact designed to compete among the growing class of small premium hatchbacks - BMW's 1-Series, Audi's A3, the MINI Cooper and Volvo's coming S30.  

The smallest of the Swedes will fill the gap created by the departure of the "Saabaru" 9-2x in 2007 (pictured), and will more than likely share its platform with the Opel Astra platform and the Saturn Ion. Look for hints of the Saab Aero-X in the Trollhattan-assembled design.

[Sources: Inside Line; Saab]