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Saab 9-4X crossover arrives In the US
ROYAL OAK, Mich., – 15 July 2011
Saab's all-new 9-4X crossover has landed in US dealer showrooms. The greatly anticipated vehicle is Saab's newest addition to the Saab product family. Currently, over
100 orders have been placed for the vehicle.
"Our first vehicles are just hitting retailers and our first customer sale took place last weekend at Saab North Olmstead in Cleveland, Ohio," said Tim Colbeck, President
and COO SCNA. "This is an exciting product, with a true Saab crossover that gives us entry into a new segment."
Saab's first 9-4X sale went to Martin Reuben of Ohio. "Before even driving it off the lot, I put my butt into the seat, looked around and bought it on the spot," replied
Martin. "So far everything I've discovered on this car is pure Saab – purposeful & well designed."
The 9-4X which was recently awarded "Top Safety Pick" by IIHS, brings car-like handling and ride qualities to the crossover segment. Key to its dynamic performance is a
unique body structure, purpose-designed for a crossover application and free from compromises through adapting an existing sedan or wagon format. The Saab 9-4X's advanced
chassis offers car-like handling characteristics with sporty and responsive driving qualities. Available technologies include Saab's DriveSense adaptive chassis, with real-time
damping control, and Saab XWD, a cutting edge all wheel-drive system with an electronically-controlled rear limited-slip differential (eLSD).
Comfort and convenience standard features range from a start/stop button and adaptable cargo storage. As well as options including: passive entry and exit, a powered
tailgate, tri-zone air conditioning and rear seat entertainment packages. Satellite-navigation with an 8-inch touchscreen, Bose surround sound system and hard disc
'jukebox' music storage are among the infotainment options.
The 9-4X crossover entry level price is $34,205 MSRP for front-wheel-drive and $48,835 MSRP for the 9-4X Aero XWD model
Saab Automobile Launches New Engineering Structure
- Shaping highly efficient and capable engineering organization
- New organization gears up for developing competitive future vehicle program
Trollhättan, Sweden: As it continues to establish itself as a successful independent premium car manufacturer, Saab Automobile today announced a new organizational structure
for its engineering department. The new structure will optimize Saab Automobile's ability to build competitive premium cars for the 21st century and allow the company
to realize its ambition of creating one of the most efficient engineering organizations in the automotive industry.
Since becoming an independent company on February 23, 2010, Saab Automobile has worked intensively to revitalize its engineering department which until then was integrated
in the General Motors structure. The new engineering organization is now well-equipped to support Saab Automobile's extensive development program and current product offensive, with vehicle electrification and the
successor to the current Saab 9-3 being two major focal points.
Announcing the new structure, Saab Automobile's Executive Director Product Development Vehicle Mats Fägerhag said: "The car industry has changed immensely in recent years,
as flexibility and sharing know-how have become keys to success. Virtual tools such as CAD and computer simulations have changed the way we work and have led to
increased efficiencies and class-leading development times for new vehicles, as well as the need for a new mix of skills and competences within Engineering.
"The new engineering organization embodies the new way of working at Saab Automobile, for instance in the new highly advanced vehicle architecture we have developed for
future Saab models. This architecture, on which the successor to the current 9-3 will be built, is based on a modular approach with a set of components and systems,
as well as a bandwidth flexibility allowing it to serve multiple vehicle needs."
The fresh approach within Engineering is also reflected in several strategic technology partnerships with parties such as BMW, Boston Power, American Axle Manufacturing and
VICURA, while Saab Automobile is also sharing its engineering know-how with third parties. In order to facilitate all this, Engineering is creating the right balance
of skills and competences for the future through retraining, new hirings, internal redeployments, voluntary separation packages, specialist consultants and other ways. Going
forward, the department will continue to improve this balance by hiring highly-skilled people and experts in key areas, which will be instrumental in developing and meeting
customer demand for highly-competitive premium vehicles
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