More pics of the 2006 9-5

[edusaab]

At trollhattansaab.net there are some pics of the 9-5.....

also here http://www.autorevue.cz/Bleskovky/AR.asp?ARI=6140 there are more.....

[Cojoroh]

just a personal opinion here...they need a complete redesign. this body style has been around for quite some time now. don't get me wrong...i like the current body style...much better than this barely redesigned one, but it's time to move on. from these photos, it doesn't look like they touched anything but the headlights and taillights (and in my opinion, they made them worse).

[aero1116]

Is it just me or is the front extended more? Geez... now scraping is unavoidable. Not too bad but the front seems... wrong.


Just redesign the damn car already!!!!

[MrRun2Fast]

I like the 9-5, but it's time for a new one!

Agree with the total redesign. Unless Saab has done something drastic with the engine, I can't imagine people buying the 9-5 just because of new headlights and a grille.

Even though the front is taped up, it reminds me of the Toyota Camry (last generation).

[aero1116]

Nice color though.

[SaabKen]

There's still rumors that it'll get the 2.8T V6 in addition to the HOT 2.3T 260bhp mill. The spyshots showing the silver 9-5 clearly show two rear tailpipes. Maybe SAAB is purposely keeping an ace card up its sleeve until Frankfurt Motor Show

Originally Posted by MrRun2Fast

I like the 9-5, but it's time for a new one!

Agree with the total redesign. Unless Saab has done something drastic with the engine, I can't imagine people buying the 9-5 just because of new headlights and a grille.

Even though the front is taped up, it reminds me of the Toyota Camry (last generation).

[edusaab]

The next generation of the 9-5 will appear in 2008-9 with the 2n gen of the 9-3ss, and both will be build in russelheim.

It is quite disapointing that the 9-5 has a simply, common and cheap Audio system that is used in the "cheap" brands and models of GM as Saturn, Chevrolet, Pontiac and so..... Take a lootk at the Opel, it has his own interior design, audio and climate panels and don't use sinergies like that with Saturn, Pontiac or Chevrolet, and why Saab??

Bob you are liying us, I remember very well when you said about sinergies and badge engineering, about the customers will not take a look under the dashbord to know who make the radio, infotaiment and something like, is quite logical, and every brand will have his own design, but I see that this is not true....

it is quite disapointing that Saab that takes care of the development of the Infotaiment and Audio systems for GME,(for example the next opel Corsa) it seems that they haven't time to design its own systems.

if I pay for a Saab I would like to have a Saab not a remake or redesign of Chevy, Opel, Saturn or other brands or equipment(with all the respect for that brands).

I know that this is a transition, but Saab is in this transition during the last 10 years, in the 90's was the SuperLopez issues and quality issues, now is the badge engineering, what will be next?? When Saab will have his recognition in GM?? Why it developes something special and then appear another brand, take it and has more margin to increase the capabilities? and Saab only can take a limited version?

It has no sense if Saab has a sporty feeling the 9-3ss has an Aero version with 250bhp and then comes an Opel with the same power or more....and all the job is made by Saab, but the glory is for opel. Those are simply details, but easy to see the idea I would like to express.

Another example is the Cadillac BLS.......with 2.8T V6 and 280bhp....ein??? and the 1.9TID with 180bhp.......

[cinemarr]

yaaaaawwwnn........

it looked better before.

The front end is really growing on me, but that's probably because you can't see the chrome. Why is chrome in again? It looks cheesy except on Rolls-Royces, Maybachs, and the Chrysler 300 (even that's pushing it). But that turbo V6 better be for real, or else it's going to be a long 2-3 years before we see that all-new 9-5 and GM better not cut back on the funding for that.

[oddferkout]

When I first saw this re-design I remember making a comment about them not keeping the black mouldings. This one seems to have kept it and I like it. Not sure why, but it just looks better to me aesthetically.

The redesign comes 10 years after the realised the current 9-5 which isn't TOO bad compared to other cars on the market. Ten years later we'll get a new 9-5, isn't it much like the lifespan of the E-Classe and the 5er?

I could be just babbling here, but of course I wanted to make a stamp in here.

The new design is growing on me. But if I were to get a new 9-5, I'd probably get a 2004 at the newest. I'm also not keen of how they hide the exhaust pipes on the 9-5 now. =/

Ok I'll stop there.

[SaabKen]

The original 9000 debuted in '84/'85. While I don't recall exactly which year they began selling in N. America ('86 ?). At any rate, it then took 8 long years for the 9000 to even get a nip & tuck in '93, although the 2.3L B234 motor was introduced in '90/'91. Then after the '93 another 4 years went by before the 9000 was phased out and replaced by the 9-5 sedan/wagon. A total of 13 model years ! But during this time, new luxo or near-luxo brands like Acura, Infiniti and Lexus started up and made their indelible marks on the international automotive horizon, meanwhile prompting Audi, BMW, Mercedes and Porsche to engage in a revival to reclaim their status as makers of some of the world's best cars. Even Jaguar, Range Rover and other traditionally small-volume makers were beginning to turn around (some under mergers with other larger companies' capitalization). I guess what I'm getting at here is Saab started with a classic looking, practical design like the 9000 which is why it even lasted so long before a replacement was needed by the mid 90s when the entry/luxo market segment no longer could look past a +$40,000 car that only had a 4-cylinder turbo motor (not counting the V6 LPT). Had Saab been able to update and keep the 9000 just that much more competitive in the late 90s by adding features like its own V6T, AWD and new SUV crossover variant, it would have kep the fizzle in that segment well into the 21st century.

GM completed its ownership of Saab in 2000 (remaining 50%). I think they've done pretty well in the past five years to engage Saab into the real world mentality where the business mantra calls for survival or extinction. Let's give Saab some patience and latitude, let them celebrate their successes (and learn from their mistakes) cuz I'm quite certain 2005-2010 will be even more exciting for the Saab community and the world than what the past five years have brought.

[PaulHumpage]

Originally Posted by apzer09

The front end is really growing on me, but that's probably because you can't see the chrome. Why is chrome in again.

Is chrome in again? Good oh

[edusaab]

another disapointing thing of this new design is that the central grille it disapear the word SAAB, this grille is like another designs, more common and less Saab, is like the korean designs....

They didn't care that this part is an heritage of the old grille of the 92/93/96 and old Saab badge....

Also there is something interesting and someone can ask to Bob at his blog.... it seems that in Trollhattan some Engineering departments are been closing and moving to Russelheim(One friend of the saab club said it to me the last week, he has a good friend that his mother is swedish and his uncle is a Saab engineer) it seems that one of the departments is related to powertrain.... I hope that Trollhattan and the Saab Brand Center not will be only a factory for putting and designing Saab badges and how to put it in a Opel or a Cadillac.....