Saab Saab aiming for 1er and A3

[Zafiro]

Saab to target BMW 1-Series with new model

Saab is considering adding a car positioned below its lower-premium 9-3 to take on the the likes of the BMW 1-Series and Audi A3, says a report in Automotive News Europe.

Saab wants to capitalise on the recent success in the entry-premium segment of BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi. With more than 800,000 sales, Europe's entry-premium segment grew by almost 180,000 units or 28.6% last year, following 10% growth in 2004.

'We are looking at the segment below the 9-3 that would compete with an A-class, a 1-Series or an A3,' Saab managing director Jan-Ake Jonsson told Automotive News Europe. "We would like to see a vehicle in that segment."

The Saab vehicle is in the early stages of GM's product development cycle and so is at least three years away from launch. The small Saab could be built on the next-generation, lower-medium Astra platform, or a stretched version of the small-car segment Corsa.

http://www.channel4.com/4car/news/news-story.jsp?news_id=13882

 

[Giannis]

Don't they have the new 9-2 as a competitor to the 1er and A3?

As for the sales, i don't think they will get better. I have a strange feeling that it will be like the C30. Nothing special...

 

[Centurion]

The word on the streets are that GM has planned a total Saab-make-over with a brand new design language. Hopefully their will do things right and we will not have to se too much Detroit DNA in future Saab cars.