ALL NEW AUTO CARS

It's been a rough ride for Saab's 9-4X, but the very first production model has now rolled off the assembly line at General Motors' Ramos Arizpe plant in Mexico, just three months after the compact crossover was unveiled last November at the 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show.

“This is a great day for Saab,” said Jonsson. “The arrival of the 9-4X is another important step in the fulfillment of our business plan. This sporty and distinctive product will significantly broaden the appeal of our brand and give us access to an important new vehicle segment that is still growing, particularly in the United States.”

The first vehicle bearing the chassis number 00001, is a 9-4X Aero model finished in an Ice Pearl metallic and powered by a 2.8-liter turbocharged V6 engine. According to Saab, it bound for a media test drive event in the United States before being shipped to Sweden for display at the Saab car museum.

Based on the Cadillac SRX, the new Saab 9-4X is will arrive in U.S. showrooms in May 2011, with sales in Europe and other global markets due to begin from August.

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Here are some snapshots of the next Saab vehicle to help justify the brand's survival, the 9-4X crossover. Seen here in production guise before its LA Auto Show debut in November (unless Saab surprises us in Paris...), what we've got is a nice, safe, smart step in the right direction for the brand.

While nothing is official yet, the 9-4X engine lineup should include a ~180-hp 1.6-liter Turbo, a ~220-hp 2.0-liter Turbo, and a 2.0-liter turbo diesel. A 300-hp 2.8-liter V6 may also show up, and we can expect transmissions to be 6-speed manuals and automatics in a front- or all-wheel drive layout.

From the pics, the new Saab crossover looks to stay fairly true to the 9-4X BioPower concept by showing off Saab's new rear end styling; we can clearly see its full-width taillight setup and hockey stick C-pillar. Up front is more of the same, with the only concession appearing to be smaller front fog light openings.

Also, the propeller-inspired rims are a nice touch that symbolize both Saab's aviation heritage and its new ownership by Spyker. All in all, this appears to be a welcome addition to the new Saab product range.

With a Jason Castriota-penned 9-3 on its way and possible BMW power in the pipeline, Saab looks to be viciously clawing its way back up a slope that it was so carelessly pushed down by GM.

By Phil Alex

Source: Saabsunited [Photos: Djup Strupe]

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Gallery: 2008 Saab 9-4X BioPower Concept