Saab 9-7x news in Motor Trend March 2005

[timmehhhhhh]

"Saab's 2006 9-7x will be offered long after 2008, contrary to what we suggested in this space in January. The GMT360 truck-based 9-7x and the 2007 9-6x crossover, developed with Subaru, are designed to complement each other in Saab showrooms, the automaker says. But other GMT360s--Chevy TrailBlazer, Buick Rainier, GMC Envoy, and Isuzu Ascender--are scheduled for a major makeover for 2008, and we're told the 9-7x isn't on that program. This bit of news indicates the 9-7x will carry on for a few years with the old design, after the new GMT360 replacement is unveiled."

-March 2005 issue of Motor Trend

[squishmann]

so it is quite possible that they plan to make the 9-7X a rugged seven seater that crushes the range rover with one wheel

[Lodro]

Don't know if it is true or not, but I can understand why Saab PR would find it very important to have this story out there. No one is going to want to buy a "lame-duck" vehicle.

[SaabKen]

My guesses:

1. future platform of 9-7X undecided;
2. future of 9-7X undecided (ie: discontinue after 2008);
3. future of Saab itself undecided, GM not ready to make further investments

Ughh, I try to squint really hard and imagine future 9-7X styling tweaks back to this original concept:


Then my faith in Saab would be restored some more

I'm betting Saab really doesn't know what platform to put the 9-7x on after 2008. The GMT360 is beneath them, and they probably want something better if they try and go up the scale in terms of refinement and price.

[CosmicSaab]

I have to agree totally with SaabKen's possible reasons for this. The GMT360 is body on frame, which is not very great for anything performance, but then again, the 9-6x is all ready unibody, and they are more or less similar sizes, so there would be major overlap then if the 9-7x went unibody. It will probably be dropped once it is at the end of its life, hopefully they will give it a nice update (with its own rear end and a new interior) in a few years though...