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BMW to build 9-2 on Mini chassis for Saab

3426 Views 37 Replies 17 Participants Last post by  94cde, 
snowsaab
Yeaaaa. Not all sure about it....

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/08/02/report-bmw-to-build-9-2-on-mini-chassis-for-saab/
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rage22
i dont see anything wrong with it, just a faster way to get some new models out there for everyone.
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snowsaab
i dont like the front end. it doesnt look like a saab, looks like a mini with a new grill/hood. i know its built on a mini chassis but it doesnt need to look like one too...idk...i think they threw this one together without putting too much swedish design into it. Back end on the other hand looks good, i think the new saab rear ends (born off the new 9-5) are stylish, distinctive.
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Paul Campagna
Throw more classic saab looks to the front and It'd be a sweet car. Of course at least Viggen power in the little thing wouldn't hurt...
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JLausch
All those pictures are are minis with a few saab aspects drawn in (atleast the one i saw). Look at the lights, the car will look nothing like that. I posted this a while when it was strictly a rumor, before Muller commented supposedly. Glad to see its true, could be the start of a good partnership.
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Snabb SAAB
The front end looks boring but the rear end looks nice. Just rake the rear pillar a little more, like the stereotypical SAAB (93,900, NG900, 9000...), change the roof a bit from the MINI style and you got a winner. Imagine that little booger with a Turbo 2.0...!
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BurnsSide42
Yeah - front end is a major FAIL - but again - these photo's have been floating around for about a year now - so I don't believe any of them yet. The mini version might be the most accurate since the plan IS to use a cooper to build this car - but they NEED to do something to rid those horrid cooper lights and the forced buldge in the hood... Agreed the rear of it looks pretty nice - the "C Pillar" isn't too bad looking - but I'd imagine it's probably a nice sized blind spot...
Aren't the Mini's a 1.6L Turbo currently? Eitherway - if it's built light enough it'll move quite nice and be track friendly :) Perhaps a low 20's to mid 20's sticker price?
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9
my g/f wants a mini but loves her saab.. this could be perfect harmony for the young up and coming buisness oriented person that wants comfort and style mixed with a bit of pep and perfomance. the mini is already a hit so lets run with it and put a nicely styled body on top.

bmw sounds like a much better partner than gm....
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BurnsSide42
94cde said:
bmw sounds like a much better partner than gm....
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GM would not be hard to beat.... I am not sure yet about Saab/BMW.... It could be good, but again - have you seen BMW parts pricing? lol They are just as complicated and advanced as Saab once was - but BMW kept going and is leagues ahead of Saab these days in some ways. Either way it's change and change is what Saab has been needing since 2003 just about. I'd like to see another 9000 like car built - a joint venture of 3 different companies building a quality car to share across the board - not to be mistaken for how GM does this.

I'm hoping the 9-4 turns out to be what it was supposed to be and priced cheaper then predicted. I could see the 9-4 being a replacement for OUR 9-5 if it's as capable.

As for the 9-2 - I think I may be getting past the point of "Geo Metro Sized" toy cars... given the 9-2 would be a nice replacement for the Geo, but I would never be able to justify the cost. I think a Scooter would make a better replacement for my Geo. I'm at a place where I want to get rid of a few cars and get a few more older ones to restore and drive - and get 1 new car for trips (when the 9-5 is a little more worn out)
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turbocon86
I'd be willing to bet that the finished car will look nothing like those photos. That is clearly a poor attempt by some mouse jocky to depict what the car will look like with out having any real knowledge of Muller's real intention--to make an updated version of the Ur saab. There are much closer CAD concepts out there from people who have actually seen the artist's rendering that VM has on his Blackberry.

My understanding, is that SAAB has no intention of tainting the 92 model further by making the same mistake GM made with the SAABaru. It will not look like a Mini.
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Powar
http://www.saabsunited.com/2010/08/auto-express-and-the-saab-92.html

We'll see.
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Sedan
BurnsSide42 said:
I think a Scooter would make a better replacement for my Geo.
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You mean one of these? ;-)
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BurnsSide42
notchback said:
You mean one of these? ;-)
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Something tells me the Geo is faster, more stylish and get's better MPG's then that... good try though :)
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M
Feh. How is this different from the Saaburu or the Trollblazer? It looks like a Mini with a bodykit. I know they need to share with other makes to save on costs, but they need to go their own way as much as possible. Look at the Focus/c30/mazda3. Platform siblings don't have to be clones.
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zingZACH
mwegner said:
Feh. How is this different from the Saaburu or the Trollblazer? It looks like a Mini with a bodykit. I know they need to share with other makes to save on costs, but they need to go their own way as much as possible. Look at the Focus/c30/mazda3. Platform siblings don't have to be clones.
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It's different because it's not Japanese or American... It's still European and it's a hatchback... something we desperately need. I think out of any partners, BMW would be the best to hook up with. They have great chassis, engines, transmissions, etc... As much as I'd love to see a PURE Saab, it's not going to happen for a while. They need to get back on their feet first.

Also, that rear end is full of win.
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JLausch
BurnsSide42 said:
GM would not be hard to beat.... I am not sure yet about Saab/BMW.... It could be good, but again - have you seen BMW parts pricing? lol They are just as complicated and advanced as Saab once was - but BMW kept going and is leagues ahead of Saab these days in some ways. Either way it's change and change is what Saab has been needing since 2003 just about. I'd like to see another 9000 like car built - a joint venture of 3 different companies building a quality car to share across the board - not to be mistaken for how GM does this.

I'm hoping the 9-4 turns out to be what it was supposed to be and priced cheaper then predicted. I could see the 9-4 being a replacement for OUR 9-5 if it's as capable.

As for the 9-2 - I think I may be getting past the point of "Geo Metro Sized" toy cars... given the 9-2 would be a nice replacement for the Geo, but I would never be able to justify the cost. I think a Scooter would make a better replacement for my Geo. I'm at a place where I want to get rid of a few cars and get a few more older ones to restore and drive - and get 1 new car for trips (when the 9-5 is a little more worn out)
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The more i look into it, bmw isn't all that bad, i mean for generic parts the prices are somewhat in line, more advanced components are pretty high, but hey, i guess its the price you pay for the latest tech?

A friend of mine backed into my dads x5 (this guy drives truck in his families business btw, lol but anyway) and it cost 700 bucks installed for a whole new rear bumper assembly and labor, not exactly terrible, not cheap, but not terrible.
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9
idk all im sayin is there hasnt been an ALL SAAB car in like 50 years lol they are not a big enuff company to design thier own chassis, motors, transmissions etc...

truth is they have to square up with someone. best if they keep the roots in europe and since germany is the best as far as refinement and quality might as well start there. (thank god they arent looking to audi)

i mean they(saab) eventually made the b202-b235 out of half a unreliable triumph motor IMAGINE what they could do with one of bmws straight 6 TT motors:cool:
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Snabb SAAB
As long as they stay away from BMW's repair-shop prone engine management systems that's good. Trionic 9 anyone?
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M
zingZACH said:
It's different because it's not Japanese or American... It's still European and it's a hatchback... something we desperately need. I think out of any partners, BMW would be the best to hook up with. They have great chassis, engines, transmissions, etc... As much as I'd love to see a PURE Saab, it's not going to happen for a while. They need to get back on their feet first.
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The point is not who they partner with (although I'd rather see them partner with someone else), but how much it looks like the platform twin. Saab isn't going to do themselves any favors setting themselves up as knock off BMWs. If the NG92 is just a Mini with the ignition in a funny place, Saab will be gone again inside of 10 years. They need something that is distinctively Saab that just happens to share hardware with another car. The renders here are not that different from the Mini that they are based on. They need to take the platform as far from the partners as they can, make it as distinct and Saabish a car as they can get.
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ohlins8990
Im on bimmerforums as well and distinctly remember a thread about bmw wanting to put out some fwd cars. Of course bmw cant do that because its...err...bmw. And the Mini has to stay something remotely Austin Mini looking. With that in consideration, a deal with saab could let bmw experiment without watering down bmw with fwd cars.
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