REPORT: Outgoing Saab 9-5 to live on... as Chinese BAIC

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If Billy Joel is right that only the good die young, the outgoing Saab 9-5 has been very, very bad. In automotive terms, the 9-5 is positively ancient, having first seen the light of day in 1997 and getting very little in the way of meaningful changes since that time.

If, though, you happen to like cars that feature a design that's... shall we say, "proven," we have some good news to report. According to Autocar, the old 9-5 will get a new lease on life from China's Beijing Automotive Industry Corporation (BAIC). It's not clear what changes (if any) will be made to the car in its new incarnation, or if BAIC will also purchase the rights to Saab's turbocharged four-cylinder engines.

Last month, BAIC made a $400 million investment into the Swedish automaker, becoming a minority shareholder in Koenigsegg, Saab's new parent company. As for the 9-5 in America, well... let's just say we're happy to be getting the completely reengineered 2010 model.

[Source: Autocar]

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