New Saab 9-4X to premiere in LA

As Saab claws its way back from near death, the Scandinavian brand is poised to release its all-new mid-size crossover at next month's Los Angeles Motor Show; the third vehicle in the brand's revived range.

Said to offer a sporty persona, the 9-4X is an important next-step in Saab's recovery, and will sit midway between the new 9-5 sedan and smaller 9-3X crossover in the 2011 line-up.

The new 9-4X brings Saab's inimitable styling cues to the mid-size crossover segment. Its designers say the body is "aircraft-inspired" with such standout motifs as its wraparound windshield, three-port grille and ice-block lighting theme, all shared with the award-winning Aero X concept car.

In profile, a 'hockey stick' waistline with strong C-pillars is complemented again by a wraparound window at the rear. The single glasshouse graphic emphasises Saab's traditional cockpit look, while a visually lowered roofline is extended by an integrated rear spoiler at the top of the tailgate. 

At the rear, the lighting carries forward a signature introduced by the new 9-5 sedan. An 'ice-block' bar illuminated by LEDs extends across the lower tailgate and wraps around the light units. Twin rhomboid-shaped exhaust tailpipes are also neatly integrated into the lower bumper molding.

Inside, the 9-4X reintroduces Saab's aeronautical themed layout with a driver-orientated dashboard, centre stack and instrument cluster forming a single sweep around the business seat. Finished in a fibre-effect carbon trim, the interior decor boasts a selectable, aircraft attitude-style speed read-out, green illumination for the needles of the three main dials and traditional Saab 'joystick' adjusters for the mesh-style air vents.

Features include a start/stop ignition button, 8-way electric seats, third-row seats and ample oddment storage compartments including a two-tier glovebox. A 10-speaker infotainment system by Bose includes 5.1 surround sound, eight-inch touchscreen satellite navigation, USB music player connectivity and 10GB hard disc music storage system. Integrated Bluetooth mobile phone connectivity and voice control are also fitted as standard.

In the rear, passengers can select their own onboard audio/visual entertainment through an optional dedicated unit in the back of the centre console. This has a video AUX input and two eight-inch screens in the rear face of the front seatbacks.

Under the bonnet a compact and fuel efficient 2.8-litre V6 engine utilises twin-scroll turbocharging and adaptive electronic control to muster 224kW and 400Nm. Acceleration to 100km/h is managed in just 8.3 seconds. The all-aluminium engine is mated exclusively to a six-speed automatic transmission driving all four wheels via Saab's XWD system.

Saab XWD is a pre-emptive and lightweight all-wheel drive system that can infinitely vary drive torque between the front and rear axles to optimise grip in all driving conditions. It is combined with DriveSense adaptive chassis control and an electronically-controlled rear limited-slip differential (eLSD) which can transfer up to 50 per cent of rear torque between the rear wheels, diverting torque to the wheel with more grip.

Fuel consumption figures are still being finalised and will be published closer to launch.

"The 9-4X significantly broadens the appeal of the Saab brand," said Saab Automobile CEO, Jan Åke Jonsson.

"It gives us entry to the fast-growing crossover segment with a vehicle that reflects our brand values in key areas, such as progressive Scandinavian design and sporty, responsible driving performance.

"The 9-4X is an exciting package and we're confident it will appeal to many existing Saab owners, as well as win new customers for the brand."

The Saab 9-4X will go on sale in North America in May next year, with sales in Europe and other global markets due to begin from August.

Australia can expect to see the new Saab 9-5 in local showrooms from February 2011 with the 9-4X following later in the year.

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