General Motors on Friday reportedly said it would build on Saab’s reputation for luxury and add a sport utility vehicle model, possibly in time for the 2008 model year.
According to the Associated Press, Carl-Peter Forster, president of GM Europe, said a four-wheel drive version would be developed, as well as continued production of Saab’s 9-3 and 9-5 models.
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“We really have to go after the growing segments,” he reportedly said at a news conference at Saab Automobile AB in Trollhaettan, where Saab is based. “The fact that GM is basically only half represented in the premium segment is not something which we would like to continue.”
According to AP, Forster said that GM has an overall market share globally of 15%, but its premium share was only 8%.
“That should show that we have substantial room to improve with the Saab brand,” he said, according to the report.
Reuters cited GM as saying: “A major initiative is expected for the expansion of the Saab model line-up.” The new model would be a premium “crossover” model that blends characteristics of cars and sport utility vehicles but the statement did not reveal where the crossover would be built.
Saab has recently launched its 9-7 SUV in the United States. It’s a variant of other GM medium SUVs such as the Chevrolet TrailBlazer and is built in a US plant.
Saab also sells a Japanese-made, rebadged Subaru Impreza wagon as the 9-2X in the US.
Neither will be sold outside the US, Saab has been quoted as saying.
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