A real Saab. History, continued

With all the focus on the current developments at NEVS, some recent news about the past would almost go unnoticed. First of all the fact that about a week ago, Spyker lost the appeal in a $3B law suit against General Motors. Secondly, a local court in The Netherlands ordered Spyker to vacate their facilities in Zeewolde today after having cancelled their contract as the lease hadn’t been paid for seven months. I visited their offices some time ago with my 9-4X, a truly amazing car that has been manufactured in late 2010 during the Spyker ownership of SAAB Automobile AB.

One of the two crystal red 9-4X Aero's ever produced in front of the Spyker facilities in Zeewolde, The Netherlands.
One of the two crystal red 9-4X Aero’s ever produced in front of the Spyker facilities in Zeewolde, The Netherlands.

A real SAAB

Although the 9-4X shares many design features with the 9-5NG, it has a real distinctive own look and feel. Unfortunately only around 700 units were ever produced at the GM factory in Ramoz, Mexico; quite a difference from the about 20,000 units that were made of GM’s earlier SAAB SUV: the 9-7X.

I guess the fact that the 9-4X is rather outnumbered by the 9-7X and the fact that the 9-4X never got launched outside of the US, explains why the 9-4X too often gets confused with its older “brother”.
Having said that, the 9-4X also has a GM sibling: the Cadillac SRX. Despite commonalities, the 9-4X looks, drives and feels like a real SAAB and I am planning to write more about this in a future post.

US-spec Aero MY11 #165, US-spec Aero MY11 #2 and EU-spec MY12 Premium #5 in Stockholm
US-spec Aero MY11 #165, US-spec Aero MY11 #2 and EU-spec MY12 Premium #5 in Stockholm

Family reunion

Here in Sweden, the 9-4X is a real rare sight. Getting as many (or rather as few…) as three together in one location was almost impossible, but on 5 October the impossible actually became possible when I was joined in central Stockholm by two more family members in stunning Diamond Silver. Two 2.8T Aero’s with US specs and one –even more unique- 3.0i Premium with European specifications.

Under the hood of the 9-4X Premium, housing the 3.0i engine.
Under the hood of the 9-4X Premium, housing the 3.0i engine.
Lots of attention for this unique collection of 9-4X's!
Lots of attention for this unique collection of 9-4X’s!

We turned out to be quite an attractive sight with passing cars slowing down to take pictures and several people inquiring whether we doing a photo shoot of “the new SAABs”. When we explained the actual situation, disappointment almost immediately was superseded by admiration and melancholy: “if only the 9-4X would have reached the market …”. History indeed, but continued!

 

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bergsaab
bergsaab
9 Jahre zuvor

..mir ging es andersherum, ich wurde mit dem 9-7x gefragt ob das schon de neue ist(..also vor 2 Jahren denke ich war das..) obwohl er von vielen nicht gemocht wird ist der 9-7x Teil der Saabgeschichte und bei uns das Arbeitstier in der Saab-Flotte!

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Mr Santa C
Mr Santa C
9 Jahre zuvor

Latest news about the EV’s:
swedish
http://ttela.se/ekonomi/1.3554884-bildalbum-vad-tyst-den-ar-

Mr Santa C
Mr Santa C
9 Jahre zuvor

Perhaps they will build them again, but this time as a 9-4EV?
Nevs are going to launch 4 new models! (swedish)
http://www.automotorsport.se/artiklar/nyheter/20141008/nevs-ska-storsatsa-med-fyra-nya-saabmodeller

Martin
Martin
9 Jahre zuvor

A very nice car. As I knew, this car was, unlike the 9-7 Trailblazer, a genuine Saab development, and Peter Doerich, who was responsable for the whole programm, came from Saab too.
Thank you for this article and kind regards
Martin

X900
X900
9 Jahre zuvor

Amazing Cars, really nice 🙂

Jouissance
Jouissance
9 Jahre zuvor

Chevrolet SRX or Cadillac SRX?