Saab Forums
08-09-2010, 06:24 PM
Filed under: Motorsports (http://www.autoblog.com/category/motorsports/), Saab (http://www.autoblog.com/category/saab/), Rumormill (http://www.autoblog.com/category/rumormill/)
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/08/56042saaopt.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/saab-9-x-air-biohybrid-concept/)Saab 9-X Air BioHybrid Concept - Click above for high-res image gallery
Saab (http://www.autoblog.com/make/saab/) was quite successful in rally competition once upon a time, and it looks like the automaker's new management hopes to kick-start the brand's revival with a return its motorsports roots.
The word out of Europe is that Saab has met with World Rally Championship officials and committed to a 2012 entry into the series with a machine based on its upcoming smaller car. Depending on who you talk to, the new model could be dubbed either the 9-1 or 9-2.
The small car project originally began several years ago when Saab was still under the General Motors (http://www.autoblog.com/make/gm/) umbrella with the car expected to be based on the Gamma platform that underpins the Opel Corsa. As an independent, Saab doesn't have the resources to develop such a platform on its own and is currently talking to other potential partners including BMW and some Chinese makers. Expect its design to be inspired heavily by the Saab 9-X Air BioHybrid concept (above).
If Saab hooks up with BMW (http://www.autoblog.com/make/bmw/), it could have a Mini-based 9-1/9-2 competing against the new Mini (http://www.autoblog.com/make/mini/) Countryman WRC (http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/27/mini-confirms-entry-into-2011-world-rally-championship-with-coun/).
Gallery: Saab 9-X Air BioHybrid Concept (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/saab-9-x-air-biohybrid-concept)
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/09/1203500_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/saab-9-x-air-biohybrid-concept/)http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/09/1203502_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/saab-9-x-air-biohybrid-concept/)http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/09/1203503_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/saab-9-x-air-biohybrid-concept/)http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/09/1203504_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/saab-9-x-air-biohybrid-concept/)http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/09/1203505_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/saab-9-x-air-biohybrid-concept/)
[Source: CAR (http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/News/Search-Results/Industry-News/Yet-more-for-the-WRC/)]Rumormill: Saab to enter WRC with new 9-2 (http://www.autoblog.com/2010/08/09/rumormill-saab-to-enter-wrc-with-new-9-2/) originally appeared on Autoblog (http://www.autoblog.com) on Mon, 09 Aug 2010 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds (http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/).
Permalink (http://www.autoblog.com/2010/08/09/rumormill-saab-to-enter-wrc-with-new-9-2/) | Email this (http://www.autoblog.com/forward/19585966/) | Comments (http://www.autoblog.com/2010/08/09/rumormill-saab-to-enter-wrc-with-new-9-2/#comments)
More... (http://www.autoblog.com/2010/08/09/rumormill-saab-to-enter-wrc-with-new-9-2/)
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/08/56042saaopt.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/saab-9-x-air-biohybrid-concept/)Saab 9-X Air BioHybrid Concept - Click above for high-res image gallery
Saab (http://www.autoblog.com/make/saab/) was quite successful in rally competition once upon a time, and it looks like the automaker's new management hopes to kick-start the brand's revival with a return its motorsports roots.
The word out of Europe is that Saab has met with World Rally Championship officials and committed to a 2012 entry into the series with a machine based on its upcoming smaller car. Depending on who you talk to, the new model could be dubbed either the 9-1 or 9-2.
The small car project originally began several years ago when Saab was still under the General Motors (http://www.autoblog.com/make/gm/) umbrella with the car expected to be based on the Gamma platform that underpins the Opel Corsa. As an independent, Saab doesn't have the resources to develop such a platform on its own and is currently talking to other potential partners including BMW and some Chinese makers. Expect its design to be inspired heavily by the Saab 9-X Air BioHybrid concept (above).
If Saab hooks up with BMW (http://www.autoblog.com/make/bmw/), it could have a Mini-based 9-1/9-2 competing against the new Mini (http://www.autoblog.com/make/mini/) Countryman WRC (http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/27/mini-confirms-entry-into-2011-world-rally-championship-with-coun/).
Gallery: Saab 9-X Air BioHybrid Concept (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/saab-9-x-air-biohybrid-concept)
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/09/1203500_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/saab-9-x-air-biohybrid-concept/)http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/09/1203502_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/saab-9-x-air-biohybrid-concept/)http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/09/1203503_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/saab-9-x-air-biohybrid-concept/)http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/09/1203504_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/saab-9-x-air-biohybrid-concept/)http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/09/1203505_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/saab-9-x-air-biohybrid-concept/)
[Source: CAR (http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/News/Search-Results/Industry-News/Yet-more-for-the-WRC/)]Rumormill: Saab to enter WRC with new 9-2 (http://www.autoblog.com/2010/08/09/rumormill-saab-to-enter-wrc-with-new-9-2/) originally appeared on Autoblog (http://www.autoblog.com) on Mon, 09 Aug 2010 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds (http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/).
Permalink (http://www.autoblog.com/2010/08/09/rumormill-saab-to-enter-wrc-with-new-9-2/) | Email this (http://www.autoblog.com/forward/19585966/) | Comments (http://www.autoblog.com/2010/08/09/rumormill-saab-to-enter-wrc-with-new-9-2/#comments)
More... (http://www.autoblog.com/2010/08/09/rumormill-saab-to-enter-wrc-with-new-9-2/)