9-2X in Aprils MotorTrend

[finklejag]

It looks like Gary Smalls Aero made it in Aprils edition. Gary Small is the owner of a SAAB dealer here in Portland. I posted a couple months back about his car. He sent it down to LA, so the car mags could test drive it. I would have thought European car would of did a article about it. I was suprised to see it in MotorTrend.

what kind of mods did he do?

[earthworm]

Originally Posted by finklejag

It looks like Gary Smalls Aero made it in Aprils edition. Gary Small is the owner of a SAAB dealer here in Portland. I posted a couple months back about his car. He sent it down to LA, so the car mags could test drive it. I would have thought European car would of did a article about it. I was suprised to see it in MotorTrend.

Should this not be posted on the Subaru forum under Subaru 92X ??
Motor Trend - what a rag ! And I used to collect these - must have nearly 500 !

[McG]

Originally Posted by earthworm

Should this not be posted on the Subaru forum under Subaru 92X ??
Motor Trend - what a rag ! And I used to collect these - must have nearly 500 !

You put the "troll" in trollhaten, hehe.

Seriously...when will this resentment stop?

[benji9k]

Originally Posted by McG

You put the "troll" in trollhaten, hehe.

Seriously...when will this resentment stop?

It eventually ended for the 9-3ss...no wait there's still some C900 guys that resent it. And there's still V-4 junkies that despise my Italian-influenced 9000

[finklejag]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...klejag/gp2.jpg

[earthworm]

Originally Posted by benji9k

It eventually ended for the 9-3ss...no wait there's still some C900 guys that resent it. And there's still V-4 junkies that despise my Italian-influenced 9000

What GM is doing to Saab in pasting a Saab emblem on a Chevrolet Trailblazer or on a Subaru is not right..
At least the 9000 was a cooperative effort - the way things should be done..Same with the Opel based Saab - but I do not care for this badge engineering .
The most pathetic example of this, from a failing small company was the '57 "Packibaker" Clipper...As with the 92x, it was so obvious- most disrespectful of the customer base !!

I used to think much more highly of GM when they were able to successfully use 2 or 3 body shells between 5 brands.
Recently they simply no longer try - people knew the Oldsmobile was little more than a Chevrolet with a different face..
Will Saab go the same way ???

[MikeNeri]

I just don't get why people take this so personally. If you don't like the car, and we all know that you don't, don't buy it. Simple.

I like my 9-2X, thats why I bought it. Its amazing how people feel "disrespected" by this.

and people who alienate others about how the car they want to buy is simple a gussied-up subaru or chevy will not want to buy the car and therefore cost saab sales, and therefore, saab won't be able to continue development on core models that are more saab-ish. it's the domino effect.

[Raven18940]

Originally Posted by MikeNeri

I just don't get why people take this so personally. If you don't like the car, and we all know that you don't, don't buy it. Simple.

I like my 9-2X, thats why I bought it. Its amazing how people feel "disrespected" by this.

I think we're more offended by the lack of thought and effort that seems to have gone into it. Did they think we won't notice it's just a subaru with saab badges on it. I had high hopes when they first announced the 9-2. I was thinking a wrx with with saab looks and saab interior. They did a great job styling the exterior and then just forgot to do the interior, well I shouldn't say that they did remember to put the badge on the steering wheel. Then to make matters even worse they charge you several thousand more than the equivalent wrx. Who do they think we are, BMW owners? Saabs aren't status symbols.

*sigh* I'm sorry, I've probably offended you. Truth is I'm more dissappointed than anything. The car had so much potential and the 9-3 was great, and GM just didn't deliver.

I have hope for the future cause I read the 2008 9-2 might be based on an Opel platform and the only small opel seems like it would fit would be the Astra. I got to drive one of those in during a trip in europe and I really liked it. Plus they don't sell them in America so it'll be new to us at least.

[finklejag]

Boo Hoo. I'm getting so sick of the SAAB purist on this site crying about how GM killed SAAB, and how the 9-2 and 9-7 are just rebaged cars. Who cares. SAAB needs more cars and trucks in their lineup to survive. The 9-2 and 9-7 are stop gap cars until a real replacement can come to the market in a couple of years.

Do you remember these SUV's?

http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/1...7/000046-E.jpg

http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/1...0/004851-E.jpg

They were two rebadged Isuzu's. Honda and Acura needed a stop gap SUV on the market at the time. Now look what they have. Two of the most desirable SUV's on the road.

There is reason the 9-2 cost more then the WRX. The 9-2 has stuff you can't get on the WRX like. Sunroof, xenons, heated seats, STI steering rack, more soundproofing and upgraded carpet, leather seats, longer warrenty, free service. I think these items equal the 3-4K more for the Aero compared to the WRX. Nobody is going to pay MSRP for the 9-2 anyway. The 9-2 is great stop gap car for SAAB.

[Grimace]

Saab unique front exterior styling
new aluminum hood with redesigned hood scoop on Aero
new front fenders
new front grille and bumper cover
new headlamps, marker lights and projector driving lights

Saab unique side and rear exterior styling
new tailgate and rear bumper cover
new rear roof spoiler
new rear taillamps
17" alloy wheels standard (in Canada) on Aero
Saab specific Bridgestone tires

Saab unique Chassis
Steering: improved on-center feel/feedback as well as better response & linearity
Handling: improved overall stability, particularly emergency handling fully laden
Ride: revised shock tuning for a more controlled ride. Less low speed rebound & compression
new dampers
new suspension bushings - stiffer anti-roll bar bushings
100% stiffening of the front sub-frame where the steering rack mounts
unique lower steering gear ratio of 15:1 vs. previous 16.5:1
aluminum rear suspension forward lateral link
10mm shorter rear bump stops

Saab unique interior materials
upgraded carpeting
two-tone cloth seat materials
availability of leather interior
instrument cluster with metallic trim rings around the gauges
upgraded door panel materials
metallic centre stack dash fascia

Saab unique insulation kit
dramatically reduces noise, vibration and harshness
heavier toe-board insulation and addition of fender insulation
rear quarter trim sealing, tailgate sealing
acoustic treatment on roof trim
insulation under the shift boot
new rear engine mount

Saab unique active head restraints for the front seats

Security System (n/a Impreza models)
Block Heater (n/a Impreza models)

Leather interior optional on Linear & Aero (n/a Impreza models)
Sunroof optional on Linear (n/a on Impreza Outback Sport)
6 Disc In-dash CD Changer optional on Linear (n/a on Impreza Outback Sport)

Heated Front Seats & Outer Mirrors optional on Linear (standard on Impreza Outback Sport)

Warranty: 48 month/ 80,000 km (Impreza models 36 month/60,000 km)
Saab value advantage approx. $1,000

Freight & PDI: Saab $1050 (Impreza $400 Freight + $795 PDI=$1195 total)

[Raven18940]

finklejag and Grimace thanks for laying that out for me, I never realized how much they tweaked it. Looks like it's more of a saab than I thought it was.

[Grimace]

No need for the embarressed smilie. Saab has done a terrible job of marketting this car. Not many know of all the differences between the WRX and the 9-2x. Even the guys on the WRX forum are confused about the differences.

Us Saab guys and them Subaru guys should be the MOST well informed about the 9-2x, and the fact that we don't know all the differences speaks volumes about how GM dropped the ball on how this car was marketted.

No wonder sales are so slow, despite it being a pretty good car. Oh well.

[TC]

0-60 in 4.3, that is one seriously fast Saab!

[redline514]

I may be a little late to this thread, but a couple things to say.

I think we can all agree that if the 9-2x was actually selling well, things would be different. I think that is why the 9-3SS was warmed up to. So unless more 9-2's start selling (only 161 in Feb!!!!!) than people are going to continue to bash it.

As for the pics of the Isuzu SUV's, I didn't think they did a whole lot to Honda Motor company. How many years was the SLX produced? (Trooper rebadge) Does anybody even know what it is? The Honda Passport faired slightly better, but to attribute them to the success of the Acura MDX and Honda Pilot/CRV is a stretch.

[finklejag]

Who said the MDX and Passport are a success because of the rebadged Isuzu's? Why don't you go back and read my post again.

[redline514]

Originally Posted by finklejag

They were two rebadged Isuzu's. Honda and Acura needed a stop gap SUV on the market at the time. Now look what they have. Two of the most desirable SUV's on the road.

What other SUV's do Acura and Honda have that are desirable? Unless you're referring to Isuzu, which is now dead!

[finklejag]

I guess you still don't understand what I wrote. The so called SAAB purist on this site are whining that the 9-2 and 9-7 are just rebadged GM cars. They are not true SAAB's. The Acura and Honda purist probably thought the same thing back when the SLX and Passport came out. Honda knew these two rebadged Isuzu's were stop gap vehicles until they could come out with their own design. Now Honda has two great selling SUV's on the market.

The same will happen when the next generation 9-2 and 9-7 come out. SAAB just needed to get their foot into the market with these two vehicles.

[redline514]

I getcha now. I hope this is the case.