Saab and Subaru - the Saab 9-6X - the missed opportunity?

In the Saab Museum Trollhättan, Saab 9-6x and the Saab 9-4x BioPower study stand side by side. One never went into series production, the other was only built for a short time. An opportunity that we use to take a closer look at the Saab 9-6x. The 9-6x was created in cooperation with Subaru. He was ready for the series, but then the big red traffic light came from Detroit.

For Saab, an SUV was imperative to make the brand more attractive. Because the strategists in the USA had simply overslept the trend and were now trying to find a solution in a typical GM way. In other words, we turn a Subaru into a Saab.

Saab 9-6X and 9-4X BioPower Concept at the Saab Museum
Saab 9-6X and 9-4X BioPower Concept at the Saab Museum

Saab 9-6X - a disguised Subaru

Something like this rarely goes well, as almost everyone knows. Just not the Americans on the Potomac. But this time the project failed for reasons other than the usual. General Motors sold its Subaru shares in 2005 and instead of the 9-6X came the Saab 9-7x. A hastily Saab labeled Chevrolet Trail Blazer, a reliable and very American car built until 2008. Mostly on stockpile, so that the sale continued even after the end of production. The flop after the flop, so to speak. But back to the Saab 9-6X.

On the basis of Subaru Tribeca, with a 6-cylinder boxer engine, the Japanese could have given a good basis for a Saab. Had! The exterior design is only slowly approaching the Aero X study, based on which the facelift on the Saab 9-5 took place.

At least the front of the SUV could pass as a Saab. On the other hand, it looks bad at the rear, the Subaru comes through here and we look for Saab Gene with a magnifying glass.

The front can go through as typical for Saab, if you like.
The front can go through as typical for Saab, if you like.

We search and find - none. The tail is Japanese. Point. A similar picture in the interior. A steering wheel with Saab logo, that was all. The rest? Taken over completely 1:1 from Subaru. That's not unfashionable but not a Saab. Even with the 9-7x, Detroit and Trollhättan had tried harder.

There was even a Saab design team taking care of it. With success. The Chevrolet Clone has its ignition switch where it should be on Saab.

Rear of the Saab 9-6X - clearly Subaru
Rear of the Saab 9-6X - clearly Subaru

The Saab 9-6X a success?

The Subaru-Saab would not have been a success. It's not a small piece of Saab, except for the grille. This is too little. More could have been made from an interesting technical basis. But the Tribeca was not a hit for the Japanese either. A missing diesel, a petrol engine with 245 hp that is far too weak to accelerate the heavy SUV in a befitting manner.

No turbo that would have fixed the performance deficit. No friendly Saab tuner from Switzerland who could have eliminated the state of emergency.

After the Subaru flop - not without costs, and after the 9-7x disaster you might have learned in Detroit. Or one had listened to Carl-Peter Forster for a brief moment, who had influence and prestige at GM Europe at the time. The Saab 9-4x, developed in Sweden in much the same way as its Cadillac brother, would have been a success.

For Saab the lifeline and the number of units on the Asian markets. But this is another story.

Subaru or Saab - the interior
Subaru or Saab - the interior

That's actually disappointing, I expected more from the Saab 9-6x. More Saab, more Sweden and at least some independence. But complete non-existent. Two copies of this model, which never went into series production, exist worldwide. Both are owned by the Saab Museum in Trollhättan. But only one has been shown to the public so far. The brother that the press hasn't seen yet is in the museum's storeroom.

Another body variant. So far under lock and key, it is a two-door example. Surprise! At some point, when you see the time for it, you will pull it out and roll it into the exhibition. Until then, the unknown 9-6X remains one of the many secrets kept in Trollhättan.

11 thoughts on "Saab and Subaru - the Saab 9-6X - the missed opportunity?"

  • Volvo had and is very successful with the XC90 here in USA. The car sells better than V70 and XC70. Saab wanted to tie that in now. But unfortunately not with own models. That the 9-7x was just an Oldsmobile Bravada with slightly changed front and other dashboard, was also clear to the American buyers. So you do not build an image of a luxury SUV.
    And the 9-2x (Saabaru) was also not successful. A little body modifications are not enough. The 9-4x then went rather in the right direction than a stand-alone SUV, but came too late. He could no longer save Saab in the USA.
    The better had to develop much earlier independent SUVs than as a Bloedsinn like the Cadillac BLS.

  • For Saab, it would certainly make sense today to enter into such a partnership, just to keep the distribution channel open. Whether an SUV fits Saab is another thing.
    But the design language has to be preserved and has already made too much concessions with the 95-2 cockpit (speedometer).

  • So glad the 9-6x didn't go into production - the Subaru Tribeca was one of the ugliest vehicles ever!
    Saab, instead of just trying to repackage Opel / Vauxhall and Subaru platforms in a Saab skin.
    At least Saab in Sweden smiled at GM then did things the way they wanted, but the US was flooded with rebadged Subarus and other GM products.

  • Please do not stone: But I don't think the 9²x is bad at all - I especially like it as an aero!

  • The second, not shown variant of the 9-6X was more interesting from the idea, but whether the version would have come ever? Nevertheless, from my point of view, good that this thing did not come on the road. However again wasted money unnecessarily.

  • Just read in the Financial Times Germany that Sweden keeps SAAB Parts AB for the next 7 years.

    Since no bidder since last Friday, this mission is considered failed. Bo Lundgren, head of the authority, gave a meek at a press conference, so far none of the former Saab bidders is willing to pay 2,2 billion crowns for the division. Therefore, the debt authority has decided to take over the parts trade for the next few years. With fenders and windscreen wipers you could earn more money than now with a quick sale below value, so Lundgren.

    http://www.ftd.de/unternehmen/industrie/autoindustrie/:volkseigener-betrieb-schwedens-regierung-expandiert-mit-ersatzteilen-von-saab/70048739.html

    What is this supposed to do?
    Now that we all believed and hoped with the new addition of 400 Mio Euro from Youngman, for SAAB Automobile AB and SAAB Parts AB, the deal had to be perfect ???

  • Hi,

    But I have to say the design of the Subaru is especially great inside. The consistent design from the cockpit to the side panels - all due respect.
    But do not stop Saab which is the real reason for the coverage

  • Does anyone actually know the 9-2X? As far as I know, it was sold in the USA and is occasionally to be found under the name “Saabaru”. Was a relabeled Subaru station wagon ... and never a box office hit.

  • The second 96x was on the inventory list when it came to the sale of the museum ... With picture in the familiar PDF! 😉 But it looked even worse to me than the one in the exhibition ... Fortunately, these vehicles never went on sale.

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