Saab is trying desperately to remake itself as a premium player in a market rife with competitors offering sharp styling and competent handling. The Swedish automaker has been in a marketing and design rut, which it intends to rectify by offering a new compact model that takes aim at the MINI and other small-sized competitors like the Volvo C30.



The new compact vehicle will be accompanied by a new small crossover and a redesigned 9-5, both of which will take styling cues from the Aero-X concept that has already infused the new 9-3. A new 9-5 will be based on the Theta and Epsilon 2 platforms, and is likely to debut in 2009. The CUV is expected near the close of the decade, while the 9-7X may meet its maker by the end of 2008.

[Source: Automotive News – Sub. Req and autoblog]