LA 2010: Saab 9-4X is another glimpse of good fortune for Trollhättan
Saab is looking to move forward after its long relationship with General Motors. Saab CEO Victor Muller quoted Winston Churchill today at the LA Auto Show saying “If you’re going through hell… keep going.” Muller says that Saab has gone through hell and is seeing the light on the other side. The 2012 Saab 9-4X is the latest taste of what Saab now has in store for us.
2012 Saab 9-4XThe 9-4X takes aim at the luxury crossover segment and is prepared to do battle withs some heavies, such as the Audi Q5, Lexus RX and BMW X3. The Cadillac SRX platform-mate arrives chock full of upmarket goodness like eight-way power adjustable seats, Bluetooth connectivity and a tri-zone climate control system; all part of the standard features list.
The exterior styling stays true to what we see with the Saab 9-5 sedan, and clearly states that the vehicle comes from a line of sporty cars. To match this style, the under-hood offerings come in two spirited flavors: a naturally-aspirated 265-horsepower 3.0-liter V6 and a direct-injection, turbocharged 2.8-liter V6 that pumps out 300 hp. Both engines are mated to a six-speed automatic gearbox that feeds all four wheels through Saab’s XWD system.
It wasn’t just the 9-4X on the menu at the 2010 LA Auto Show. We learned that the 9-5 wagon is set to make its debut at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show next March, Saab is expanding distribution into China and Russia and all operations have officially been moved to Trollhättan. It’s also the first time in Saab’s history that the 9-3 convertible has been built on Swedish ground.
Hop the jump to find out more about the 2012 Saab 9-4X including a chance to watch the model’s first commercial, and stay tuned for more from this now-independent Swedish automaker in the near future.
[Source: Saab]
Categories: Auto Show, Crossover, LA Auto Show, Saab Tags: LA Auto Show, Saab
2011 Nissan Juke details, specs spilled ahead of New York
Nissan’s new-for-2011 Juke is set to make its North American debut at tomorrow’s New York Auto Show, and the small crossover’s polarizing moon-buggy styling is sure to set tongues wagging, just as it did during its global premiere at the Geneva Motor Show. Having seen this vehicle in person already, we can tell you that its “Baby Predator” front end takes some getting used to, but it all comes together better than expected, and the interior seems surprisingly roomy and well-resolved.
Much smaller in person than one might think, the curvy ute is significantly shorter than vehicles like the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4 – it’s even shorter than the new Hyundai Tucson and Nissan’s own Rogue, not to mention the likes of Mitsubishi’s Outlander Sport (itself another NY debut). The closest competitor we can think of is Suzuki’s SX4 crossover, which is, believe it or not, actually longer than the Juke. In the end, we fully expect it to be cross-shopped with more conventional hatchbacks (Mazda3), as well as ‘box cars’ like the Kia Soul.
Featuring the first application of Nissan’s 1.6-liter direct injected four-cylinder turbo in North America, it will be available with torque vectoring all-wheel drive, so it might just be the driver’s car of the bunch, too. Featuring “180+ horsepower and 170+ lb-ft of torque,” it will be available in both six-speed manual form and CVT with a sport setting. Unfortunately, the three-pedal setup will only be available in front-drive SV and SL trim, however. That torque-vectoring system? It defaults to a 50:50 front-to-rear split, but it can push power from side-to-side along the rear axle when situations warrant.
Categories: Auto Show, Crossover, New York Auto Show, Nissan Tags:
New York 2010: 2011 Nissan Juke is actually pretty neat
Attention all you small crossover fans out there, now is the time to get excited. Nissan pulled back the curtain on the 2011 Juke and although we’ve seen it (at the Geneva Motor Show), we’re still glad it’s here. We’re being implored to mention that some of us think the front end has a Pontiac Aztek quality about it. Others (“Hi, Mom!”) feel different. Yeah, it’s… not normal looking, but we’ve seen worse. At least it’s not derivative. The rest of the Juke’s styling, however, is much less controversial. Especially that rear three-quarter view.
Categories: Auto Show, Crossover, New York Auto Show, Nissan Tags:
Brawnier 2011 Mercedes-Benz R-Class leaked ahead of New York debut
The R-Class has had a rough life. Not only did it suffer from odd, disproportionate styling, but Mercedes-Benz never really marketed the vehicle the way that it should have, choosing to position it as a “sports tourer,” rather than the obvious upscale family hauler that it is. Dismal sales ensued. Makes sense, then, that the 2011 R-Class benefits from a slightly more comprehensive overhaul than the standard mid-cycle refresh usually entails.
Right away, we must say that the R-Class’s new schnoz is a giant leap forward from drooping proboscis of the outgoing car. New, more chiseled headlamps accent a larger, more upright grille and a less angular hood. The revised lower fascia features the automaker’s new quad foglight design – something we’ve already seen on the E- and GL-Class. Not much has been changed out back, save the standard mid-cycle enhancements (revised taillights and a tweaked bumper).
Categories: Auto Show, Crossover, Mercedes-Benz, New York Auto Show Tags:
