View Full Version : GM's Kappa Platform Heading To Saab?
MyOwnRoad
17-01-04, 08:48 PM
A Saab sports car based on the 9-X concept might get the green light, using the all-new AWD/RWD Kappa platform found in the Chevy Nomad concept, 2006 Pontiac Solstice and the recently confirmed for production Saturn Curve.
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/?http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/ae_news_story.php?id=43248
Nomad Heading For Sweden
The Chevrolet Nomad is looking for a new home. And the concept could be heading to Sweden to become a Saab, according to GM bosses.
The Nomad, which uses the Pontiac Solstice platform, is said to be a very real production possibility. And if it gets the go-ahead Stateside, then a Saab version, based on the 9X concept first seen at the 2001 Frankfurt Motor Show, will follow for Europe.
Although the Nomad is smaller than the 9X, the shape is virtually identical, and it's easy to see how a Saab front end could be grafted on. If so, the four-wheel-drive 300bhp coupé could arrive by the end of 2005. But purists are concerned that Saab's originality - already at stake with recent developments such as the Subaru Impreza-based
9-2X - could be further diluted. It's an argument GM chief Bob Lutz was keen to play down. "Saab needs to expand - and fast," he told us. "The appeal of traditional 'Saab weirdism' is limited, and we must get away from that. The firm has always used other people's engines, so parts sharing isn't exactly an alien concept."
Saab bosses will still have control over styling, and sign off the suspension. But GM chairman Rick Wagoner said: "We need to take fast cuts, not short cuts, to get Saab into new markets and double sales to 250,000 a year." Craig Cheetham
Lol! :lol:
Why not just make the 9-X? Why wait for a few years 'till chevy comes with a poor copy, and use that to re-do the original? I'm laughing, yet it's so sad. It's never going to look like the 9-X, is it. Hell, that was a concept a couple of years ago. It could have made production for the 2005 or '06 model year. But no, they want to double Saab's sales "fast", so they wait a couple of years to base the car on a piece of junk? :lol:
And that's going to work in Europe, huh. Unless this article isn't very accurate, I'm now definitely sticking to those nice Scania badges!
Oh, another thing. All the GM brands get the go-ahead for their concepts, except Saab. While Saab has shown the nicest concepts of them all. Even the Saturn Curve now, which clearly has styling cues of the 9-X, and is designed by Anthony Lo's team! Aren't they supposed to work for Saab? Didn't Anthony do the 9-3X a while ago? The moment he does something for Saturn though, it makes production. Geez. They could just as well have given the green light to Saab a few years ago... they're not fooling me with their "double sales fast" crap. They bought Saab for whatever reason, but clearly not to develop the brand the way Ford is doing with Volvo.
BAH!
The silly thing about all of this is that the Chevy Nomad concept was blatantly stolen from the 9-3X concept...AND GM telling Saab no more hatchback - that nobody wants a hatch, then they turn around and make the Malibu MAXX (no, I'm not saying I like the car - it's hideous!)...they can Saab's original SUV design because it might hurt sales of the Cadillac SRX...
Seems like a repeating death sentence from GM...
squishmann
08-02-04, 03:20 PM
when i saw the nomad i was like what the heck that's a 9-x
omg, it's a rebadged 9x!
i feel so sorry for saab that i literally started gasping.
valbowski1980
01-09-04, 08:15 PM
A new Sonnett maybe? That would be very cool.
You people are idiots, and know nothing about how cars are made.
Those concepts shown are auto shows are nothing. They're basically empty shells, meant to show off styling more than anything else.
If you want a vehicle in the real world, you need a platform.
GM - if nothing else - has a good track with making stiff, durable platforms (witness the recent Sigma, Epsilon, and Delta, which all have world class chassis).
Saab is going to be getting an excellent platform on which to build a car. They should be grateful.
valbowski1980
01-09-04, 09:35 PM
You people are idiots, and know nothing about how cars are made.
Those concepts shown are auto shows are nothing. They're basically empty shells, meant to show off styling more than anything else.
If you want a vehicle in the real world, you need a platform.
GM - if nothing else - has a good track with making stiff, durable platforms (witness the recent Sigma, Epsilon, and Delta, which all have world class chassis).
Saab is going to be getting an excellent platform on which to build a car. They should be grateful.
Resident expert over here :roll:.
A new Sonnett maybe? That would be very cool.
definitely! that would scratch me right where i itch.
You people are idiots,
lol!
and know nothing about how cars are made.
Those concepts shown are auto shows are nothing. They're basically empty shells, meant to show off styling more than anything else.
didn't they build like 3 or 4 _real_ saab 9x's, as a _concept_ car, put them in auto shows, and drive them around in a video?
If you want a vehicle in the real world, you need a platform.
GM - if nothing else - has a good track with making stiff, durable platforms (witness the recent Sigma, Epsilon, and Delta, which all have world class chassis).
Saab is going to be getting an excellent platform on which to build a car. They should be grateful.
and on the other hand, the "general" should be grateful to have a company "in house" that can put good, clean lines on a car (_if_ given the opportunity).
also, the "general" knew what saab's balance sheet looked like before the purchase. so, it appears like the "bailout" is an assumption of risk that the "general" wanted to take, and use to its advantage. but to defile saab heritage and "essence," in the process, doesn't seem like grounds for "gratitude" (at least from the "enthusiast" perspective).
squishmann
02-09-04, 02:43 AM
i'm glad that they have platforms to share. i could care less. i'm more concerned about the looks of the car.
i don't want to pull up at a stop light in my 9-X and have some guy pull up in a cheny nomad who spent 20k less on the same car.
You people are idiots, and know nothing about how cars are made.
Not this thread also :roll:
Stefano
21-09-04, 07:37 PM
You people are idiots, and know nothing about how cars are made.
Those concepts shown are auto shows are nothing. They're basically empty shells, meant to show off styling more than anything else.
If you want a vehicle in the real world, you need a platform.
Really? that's very surprising. I wouldn't have never suspected that. Could you please tell us more about cars are built? I don't think anybody here has a clue. :wink:
Admin, is it possible to have a whole section of Saabcentral to give to Garuda so he (this wonderfully valuable man) can teach us all how cars are made? I just can't wait to gras all the knowledge this person has..... He only has the secret!
Seriuosly, the problem is that other brands do get plattforms to realize their concepts. Saab don't. If you can't understand this.....
But we should understand GM a bot. Just look at the issue this way. They have to sell plattforms, not cars. So they have to dress up their plattforms and badge them the best brand they can, to sell them. Probably they think that the same plattform would be more selling with a Pontiac or Chevy badge than with a Saab one, because would accept a unusual car from a brand they know, more than from a "exclusive" brand like Saab. And, until Saab sales volumes are what they are, they have a point. Probably that's what the 9-2X and even more the 9-7X are for :roll: , to increase Saab penetration so they will be able to sell more "personalized" vehicle.
squishmann
26-09-04, 07:21 AM
i was just on the saab9X website. i want one again.
edusaab
26-09-04, 11:49 AM
Garuda.....the 9x is made on the GM Epsilon platform. This was the fisrt step of GM-Saab coodevolopment to the mass production Epsilon platform.
In italy, one journalist crashed one of the two prototypes, and for the tokyo autoshow they must send the second prototype and then repair the first prototype.
Greetings
You people are idiots, and know nothing about how cars are made.
Those concepts shown are auto shows are nothing. They're basically empty shells, meant to show off styling more than anything else.
More and more, this is not the case. While some of these are certainly shells, I would say the majority of them are working cars, and many of them are close to what is easily produced.
Clearly, they aren't the final products, but these days, I think the car company's are doing a pretty good job of actually bringing out driveable prototypes.
edusaab
27-09-04, 09:55 PM
fabric you make me remember one thing...........as you said, some of the concepts are close to the real car. The 9x and the 9-3x concepts have a 80% of it's components and design ready for mass production.
Greetings
squishmann
29-09-04, 02:52 AM
if i where a rich man i would buy a prototype from saab.
i'm sure they need the cash
i was just on the saab9X website. i want one again.
i couldn't agree more!
unfortunately, though, the closest chance for me to own one is called the "chevy 'nomad'," and that's "so" not gonna happen!