Viscouse
18-12-03, 02:50 PM
Here's a story I found in the Detroit News (http://www.detnews.com/2003/autosinsider/0312/18/b01-12376.htm).
Saab adds sport utility to lineup
By David Phillips / The Detroit News
Swedish automaker Saab, moving to retain customers and attract new buyers, will enter the popular U.S. sport-utility vehicle market when the 9-7X goes on sale in the spring of 2005.
Saab’s U.S. sales have surged 27 percent in 2003. At the same time, though, the company said 28 percent of its owners bought an SUV this year.
“We must position ourselves to recapture many of those lost sales and continue to broaden our brand’s appeal to new buyers,” Debra Kelly-Ennis, president and chief operating officer of Saab Cars USA, said.
“We need a product like this to continue to grow our brand — and to fuel our product development program.”
While overall U.S. light vehicle demand has been flat this year, SUV sales have surged 8.5 percent, according to Autodata Corp.
Saab rivals Volvo, Acura and other near-luxury brands have benefitted from the introduction of mid-size SUVs in recent years.
The 9-7X will be a mid-size luxury SUV and be equipped with all-wheel-drive and two engine choices.
It marks Saab’s first product collaboration with the North American operations of parent General Motors Corp. It will be built at GM’s Moraine assembly plant in Ohio beginning in the first quarter of 2005.
Right now, GM builds the Chevrolet TrailBlazer, Buick Rainier, GMC Envoy and Oldsmobile Bravada mid-size SUVs in Moraine.
Saab said the 9-7X will be produced specifically for the United States and Canadian markets — with sales projected to be 10,000 to 15,000 a year.
It will be formally introduced at the 2004 New York auto show in April.
Saab adds sport utility to lineup
By David Phillips / The Detroit News
Swedish automaker Saab, moving to retain customers and attract new buyers, will enter the popular U.S. sport-utility vehicle market when the 9-7X goes on sale in the spring of 2005.
Saab’s U.S. sales have surged 27 percent in 2003. At the same time, though, the company said 28 percent of its owners bought an SUV this year.
“We must position ourselves to recapture many of those lost sales and continue to broaden our brand’s appeal to new buyers,” Debra Kelly-Ennis, president and chief operating officer of Saab Cars USA, said.
“We need a product like this to continue to grow our brand — and to fuel our product development program.”
While overall U.S. light vehicle demand has been flat this year, SUV sales have surged 8.5 percent, according to Autodata Corp.
Saab rivals Volvo, Acura and other near-luxury brands have benefitted from the introduction of mid-size SUVs in recent years.
The 9-7X will be a mid-size luxury SUV and be equipped with all-wheel-drive and two engine choices.
It marks Saab’s first product collaboration with the North American operations of parent General Motors Corp. It will be built at GM’s Moraine assembly plant in Ohio beginning in the first quarter of 2005.
Right now, GM builds the Chevrolet TrailBlazer, Buick Rainier, GMC Envoy and Oldsmobile Bravada mid-size SUVs in Moraine.
Saab said the 9-7X will be produced specifically for the United States and Canadian markets — with sales projected to be 10,000 to 15,000 a year.
It will be formally introduced at the 2004 New York auto show in April.