The folks over at Saabsunited were quick to pick up an article from Swedish business daily Dagen Industri claiming that, according to an unnamed inside source, GM will re-badge the 2010 SAAB 9-5 sedan as a Buick in the USA and use some of the tech on a future flagship Opel sedan in Europe. The author of the fable story, Ian Wadenal, goes on to tell us how well the 9-5 would fit in Buick's range, sitting atop the new 2011 Regal a.k.a. the U.S-spec Opel Insignia.
You'll probably read the same story elsewhere, and if you're a car guy, you'll shake your head with stupefaction because Buick already has a similar-sized model in the States, the new LaCrosse that shares the same Epsilon II platform and possibly other hardware with the 9-5.
A more compact version of the Epsilon II is also used on the Opel Insignia - Buick Regal.
We're not saying that there's no place for a re-badged Saab 9-5 in GM's global portfolio, but we can't see it being done for Buick in the States (obvious why) nor for Cadillac and Opel (at least in their core markets) simply because both of these brands have spent money and time to create their own design language.
We're all in for saving SAAB and we respect the efforts of enthusiasts, but if anything else, some common sense is necessary when re-telling / reporting stories...
Source: Dagen , Via: Saabsunited
24 Comments:
Well said sir!
Actually, this SAAB 9-5 would fit quite well as a rebadged Opel car above the Insignia, since this Saab is bigger than the Insignia. It's just sad that such an awesome car will never be put on sale, when all the work's done so far. Such a waste of money.
it would work better as a much needed replacement for the outdated looking Chevy Impala.
Anon No2: Ur saying that Opel will rebadge the 9-5 which is based on the Insignia? Doesn't make any sense. They'll have to redesign the car, in, other words, make a new body + interior for the Insignia.
Never underestimate GM's managerial and decision making incompetence. Remember, they're the same people that produced the 9-2, 9-7, Aveo/G3, Aztek, Rendezvous, Ranier, Sunfire... the list goes on. I won't be the least surprised to see GM pull off another incredibly stupid stunt, its part of GM's corporate culture since the 70s.
No, I agree with Carscoop. The LaCrosse is in essence Buick's 9-5. Period. Me thinks it's just pi$$ed of Saab fans trying to make GM look bad
Indeed I saw the story on other sites and yes, I chuckled. Stupid story that has no truth in it
The 9-5 would have sold in the $40,000 plus range, the LaCrosse tops out at $40,000, fully loaded. This could easily be a Buick/Opel flagship sedan, sitting above the Lacrosse/Regal/Insignia. Look for the 9-4x to become the new Buick CUV to replace the Vuick (Saturn Vue) that was cancelled.
No, I agree with Carscoop. The LaCrosse is in essence Buick's 9-5. Period. Me thinks it's just pi$$ed of Saab fans trying to make GM look bad
GM can look bad by themselves.
Some comments and questions.
I think Greg nailed it.
It's not that it wouldn't fit in the pricing range of Opel or Buick for instance. Instead it's more that its styling inside and out does not fit with the design language of the adopting brand.
Put a Buick badge on it and it may still look and feel like a SAAB or at best not feel or look like a Buick. Not to mention the number of consumers that will know what the car really is or was intended to be.
Now the questions.
Since all the tooling and development money has been and committed spent, it makes business sense to go ahead with the project and try to get some money out of it. Right?
If it would be taken up by another brand, you wouldn't want to sink more money into the project by moving assembly facilities to the US, training the crew, and so on when all of this is already set in Sweeden. Right?
Selling the 9-5 as a non-SAAB would also mean investing in cosmetic changes, renaming the model, re-marketing it or at least changing the whole marketing campaign around. Right?
So if the investment has been done, the SAAB crew trained, all the SAAB stamping made and ready, why not continue selling it as a SAAB until the model life runs out? In the meantime, someone could come along and buy it, especially if it makes business sense to the potential buyer.
--Jorge
Why would a Saab "sounds" worst than a Opel rebadged with a Buick logo ?
... In any case, Insignia is already big and nice enough for most needs.
Why would they need another duplicate ?
Europe is not America!!! Europeans don´t really like badge-engineering.
^ Oh really? Then what about VW's products (Seat Exeo anyone?) , Toyota Augo, Peugeot 107, Citroen C1, Lancia / Fiat Musa, the new Chrysler-Lancias
"Europeans don´t really like badge-engineering."
That doesn't mean it doesn't happen and that many turn blind eyes to the practice.
Fuck GM
Yeah not a good idea - even with different grill, its still styled as a saab - Kinda like putting a Hyundai badge on a Merc, you'd still tell it was a merc..
hey hey hey firs buick in the USA with 6 speed manual transmission!!!:)))
Never underestimate GM's sheer managerial and decision making incompetence. It's been a core of part of their corporate culture since the 70s. Remember, they're the same people that brought us the 9-2, 9-7, G3/Aveo, Ion, Aztek, Rendezvous, Ranier, Sunfire. I won't be the least surprised to see GM pull off another incredibly stupid stunt again.
"9-2, 9-7, G3/Aveo, Ion, Aztek, Rendezvous, Ranier, Sunfire"
They also brought us the CTS, Lacrosse, balt SS/TC, Z06, ZR1, Commodore, Astra, Insigniam Malibu. So why should I belive you?
I wish gm would just go away!
The Saab 9-5 would take an ideal basis for the successor for fossile-like Buick Lucerne,in my notion.
Namely,the brand-new full size Buick should be a combination of low-pressure turbo charged 3.6-litres V6 and Saab-derived body architecture. New V6 yields 340bhp or so,ideally,yet body shell shall be redesigned from Saab one,more Buick-like!
That 9-5 rendition looks much more like a Buick then the actual 'Lacrossed-eyes' does.
Reg; ..."Well said sir!"
I second that..... 3Deuce27
Well, glad that this discusion has become irrelevant and glad that europe has another full european car factory back, it looks very promissing for new models to come. And we dont have to worry that there will be another fake Saab car like 9-2. Just compare the interior with the impreza, it is really rediculous. Tom
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