8/8/05 - 2006 9-5 Wagon spyshots; clear picture =)

[timmehhhhhh]

And there you have it!

[1985 Gripen]

Thanks for the pic. It looks in the rear shot like they decided not to do that staggered taillight thing. However, it does look like they just added a part to the bottom of each taillight to fill-it-out. I wonder if the lower part is an opaque reflector and the upper part is the lens?

Weird how in the front of the car the grill and SAAB logo seem covered with some sort of tape like it's being disguised, but in the rear you can clearly see the badging. Maybe the grill tape is some sort of shipping protectant? Interesting that it has the Swedish license plate.

What was this car doing in L.A.? Was it parked outside of one of the American car magazine's offices (like European Car or EuroTuner, or something)?

The look is growing on me. I was just looking at the 05 9-5 wagons yesterday and this suddenly makes them look more dated than they already are.

Looking at the second picture again, there's that red tape at the bottom of the smaller light again. I think they're trying to fool people who are taking spyshots. It's not fooling us anymore.

[SaabKen]

By the looks of it I'm guessing the car is still under semi-secret disguise, judging from the black taping at the nose around the outer flanks of the headlights housings (fenders) and also around the grille. And on the tailights it looks as if there is simply red taping beneath the bottom of the red tailgate reflectors, meaning if you take the tape off the reflector would look staggered against the main reflector housing.

Overall I see nothing new we haven't seen in previous pics

I kind of like the current tail/tailights treatment:


I'm also curious where these were taken, by whom and under what circumstances.

Originally Posted by 1985 Gripen

Thanks for the pic. It looks in the rear shot like they decided not to do that staggered taillight thing. However, it does look like they just added a part to the bottom of each taillight to fill-it-out. I wonder if the lower part is an opaque reflector and the upper part is the lens?

Weird how in the front of the car the grill and SAAB logo seem covered with some sort of tape like it's being disguised, but in the rear you can clearly see the badging. Maybe the grill tape is some sort of shipping protectant? Interesting that it has the Swedish license plate.

What was this car doing in L.A.? Was it parked outside of one of the American car magazine's offices (like European Car or EuroTuner, or something)?

[timmehhhhhh]

I think "the part" you speak of is really just magic marker; maybe they're testing it out to see if it looks good or not. And I didn't take these pictures

Source: carspyshots.net forums

Originally Posted by timmehhhhhh

And I didn't take these pictures

Source: carspyshots.net forums

Really? The trash next to the curb makes the street look exactly like something out of the valley

[aero1116]

The back looks like the previous generation E-class

Front's not too bad though.

[1985 Gripen]

Originally Posted by apzer09

Really? The trash next to the curb makes the street look exactly like something out of the valley

Hey! I live in the Valley!

Maybe I shouldn't have admitted that.

Originally Posted by 1985 Gripen

Hey! I live in the Valley!

Maybe I shouldn't have admitted that.

Maybe I should have made it clearer that it resembles the trash in less desirable parts of the valley. I'm sure the trash in your street is much nicer than the one in the picture.

[joshd2012]

Anyone notice it says "2.3T" instead of Aero? Are they getting rid of the names and going back to old-style?

Glad to see the tripple grill is back - somewhat. That other spy shot was horrendous. I sleep better with this.

I guess what has been confirmed is that US fleet buyers will only get the choice of sedan or wagon model. All 2006 9-5s will have the 2.3T tuned to 260 horsepower. What we don't know is whether or not some kind of Aero model will be available or if any engine upgrades will come with the Aero.

[Swade]

That tape on the front is covering up the chrome trims that made a lot of people cringe in the last lot of shots. Same with the tape at the back, it's just a disguise to hide the offset taillights to the casual observer.

I'm pretty sure we've heard that the 9-5 will eventualy get the V6 as well (I'll look it up later). It would make no sense whatsoever to not have it.

[SaabKen]

My guess is if base 9-3s have the 2.0T, future base 9-5s will prolly get nothing less than the 2.3T. And given the 9-3 Aero gets a 250bhp 2.8T V6, it's conceivable that 9-5 Aeros will have nothing less than the 9-3 Aero. So with that I'm guessing the '08 9-5 will get the 2.8T as base engine and something even larger and more potent as its Aero engine (which hopefully will also spawn a 9-3 Viggen higher than the Aero).

A logical positioning strategy is applied at Audi where the top rung A4 and the bottom rung A6 both share the 3.2 FSI, while the S4, top rung A6 and bottom rung A8 share the 4.2 V8.

Lexus shares the similar approach. Acura is more one engine per model. BMW is a bit more convoluted with a mish-mash of different displacements that seem to be available across most model lines.

[SaabKen]

The grey 9-5 rearview spyshot has two tailpipes. Now why would a four-banger 2.3T require TWO tailpipes ? Hmmmm

Originally Posted by Swade

I'm pretty sure we've heard that the 9-5 will eventualy get the V6 as well (I'll look it up later). It would make no sense whatsoever to not have it.

[benji9k]

The new V6 turbo that I've been seeing? Or the NA one? Or both?

[1985 Gripen]

Originally Posted by apzer09

Maybe I should have made it clearer that it resembles the trash in less desirable parts of the valley. I'm sure the trash in your street is much nicer than the one in the picture.

Yeah, they don't even sell that brand of condom in my town!

[timmehhhhhh]

Originally Posted by benji9k

The new V6 turbo that I've been seeing? Or the NA one? Or both?

The NA one?? THE NA ONE????? GET WITH THE TIMES MAN! ALL (real) SAABS ARE TURBOCHARGED!

Originally Posted by timmehhhhhh

The NA one?? THE NA ONE????? GET WITH THE TIMES MAN! ALL (real) SAABS ARE TURBOCHARGED!

Sh*t! Here we go again IMHO, a V6 on the 9-5 would make the car so much better and so much more competetive, but something tells me we're sticking with the turbo fours for a little longer.

[Swade]

Inside Line had a story a few months ago which stated, in reference to the 9-5, "In the U.S., the top engine is expected to be a turbocharged V6, while a new diesel is earmarked exclusively for European customers."

Carl-Peter Forster made no mention of it in Car magazine back in May and I don't think Jay Spenchian made any reference to it recently either, in his very brief interview with whoever it was.

In short though, it'd be a bit embarrassing to have your flagship outgunned by it's smaller sibling. I can't see them not doing it.

Either way, all should be revealed later this week in Frankfurt.

[SaabKen]

In a previous thread Edusaab suggested there'd be a 2.8T V6 in the 9-5. We'll see


http://www.saabcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=54939