The Saab 9-4X is a

mid-size Mid-size—also known as intermediate—is a vehicle size class which originated in the United States and is used for cars larger than compact cars and smaller than full-size cars. "Large family car" is a UK term and a part of the D-segment in ...

luxury

crossover SUV A crossover, crossover SUV, or crossover utility vehicle (CUV) is a type of automobile with an increased ride height that is built on unibody chassis construction shared with passenger cars, as opposed to traditional sport utility vehicles ( ...

that was introduced at the 2010 LA Auto Show. It is based on the

all-wheel-drive An all-wheel drive vehicle (AWD vehicle) is one with a powertrain capable of providing power to all its wheels, whether full-time or on-demand. The most common forms of all-wheel drive are: ;1x1 : All unicycles Reflecting one axle with one w ...

GM Theta Premium platform, which also forms the basis for the

Cadillac SRX The Cadillac SRX is a mid-size luxury SUV and compact luxury crossover SUV (CUV) manufactured and marketed by Cadillac over two generations: the first generation as a five-door, three-row, seven-passenger CUV (2003–2009), and the second genera ...

. Production of the 9-4X began in 2011, at General Motors' Ramos Arizpe Assembly in Mexico, but halted before the end of that year due to the

bankrupt Bankruptcy is a legal process through which people or other entities who cannot repay debts to creditors may seek relief from some or all of their debts. In most jurisdictions, bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor ...

cy of Saab, a total of 814 assembled.

Design

The 9-4X took shape once the Saab 9-6X project was canceled, after the divestment by

General Motors The General Motors Company (GM) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturing company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It is the largest automaker in the United States and ...

of its holding in

Subaru ( or ; ) is the automobile manufacturing division of Japanese transportation conglomerate Subaru Corporation (formerly known as Fuji Heavy Industries), the twenty-first largest automaker by production worldwide in 2017. Subaru cars are ...

. The 9-4X replaced the larger Chevy Trailblazer based Saab 9-7X built in the U.S. that was discontinued in December 2008. The concept of the 9-4X made its debut at the 2008 North American International Auto Show. The production car is almost identical to the concept of 2008 on the exterior and similar to the second generation Saab 9-5 on the inside. The mechanical parts such as the engine, transmission, and other mechanical systems are all GM with exterior trim and lighting specific to the 9-4X. As such, a review noted specific Saab identity and "charm" as well as its flaws that included excess weight and lackluster fuel economy, but "it is easily as compelling as the Cadillac SRX on which it is based." The car began selling as a 2011 model year in June in the United States and in August elsewhere. A 2012

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version was reviewed by ''

Road & Track ''Road & Track'' (stylized as ''R&T'') is an American automotive enthusiast magazine. It is owned by Hearst Magazines and is published 6 times per year. The editorial offices are located in New York, New York. History ''Road & Track'' (often ...

'' in April 2011. The 9-4X was the only Saab built in Mexico.

Production

manufactured the 9-4X and the closely related

at the Ramos Arizpe, Mexico, assembly plant. The company announced that the 9-4X would go on sale in 2010 to bolster Saab's position in the United States, the brand's largest marketplace. The first unit was produced in February 2010, and it was displayed at Saab's Museum in Sweden. In November 2011, GM announced that production of the 9-4X would end, because General Motors was unwilling to provide a modern chassis and engine to a Chinese buyer that was a potential competitor to GM in China. In February 2010, GM sold Saab Automobile AB to the Dutch automobile manufacturer Spyker Cars N.V. According to information at the Saab Museum in Trollhättan, Sweden, 814 9-4X units were produced.

Specifications

The 9-4X was available with a choice of two petrol V6 engines: a 3.0 L producing , torque and a 2.8 L turbo with , . The 2.8T engine is mated to an Aisin-Warner six speed automatic transmission, operable in manumatic mode via paddle shifters. A

diesel engine The diesel engine, named after Rudolf Diesel, is an internal combustion engine in which ignition of the fuel is caused by the elevated temperature of the air in the cylinder due to mechanical compression; thus, the diesel engine is a so-cal ...

for the market in Europe was discussed, but not offered.

References

External links

Saab 9-4X forum, tutorials, and media archive on SaabWorld
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saab 9-4X 9-4X Crossover sport utility vehicles Compact sport utility vehicles Luxury sport utility vehicles All-wheel-drive vehicles Cars introduced in 2010