Saabini / Minaab In The Works?

[Joey D]

Oh hey, it was written by some member here on GTP.

Hope For Saab Yet? 9-1 Compact Could Use MINI Platform
Antony Ingram

To gearheads, the turbulent times Swedish carmaker Saab is facing really pulls at the heart strings. It's one of an elite group of makers that real car enthusiasts like to know is around, even if they wouldn't buy the products themselves.

Having had its personality and vitality steadily eroded under General Motors ownership for the past two decades and having struggled to meet the bills of creditors in recent weeks under current owners Spyker, many are fearing the formerly quirky marque is doomed.

All is not lost though. U.K. magazine Autocar reports that Saab is lining up a bid to buy the rights to BMW's platform for the current MINI. If successful, the platform would form the basis for the touted 9-1 compact car, a spiritual successor to the 92 and 96 Saabs of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s and possibly inspired by the styling of the PhoeniX concept shown at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show.

BMW is expected to replace the current R56-generation MINI in late 2012 and there have already been moves tieing Saab to BMW in engine sharing deals, so platform sharing would be a logical step.

The premium small car segment is booming at the moment with models from MINI, Fiat with the 500, and in Europe the Audi A1 and Citroen DS3. Saab wants a slice of the action and current chairman Victor Muller is keen to break into the small car market with a unique design inspired by the classic Saab models.

We think the MINI platform could be perfect for an upcoming small Saab. It's already known for great road manners, and is suitable for a range of engines including turbocharged units. There's even the potential to fit BMW's upcoming 3-cylinder engines, which whilst not two-stroke like the Saabs of old, would certainly be fitting successors.

A small, fun Saab? Maybe those non-Saab owning gearheads will finally have a reason to reach into their pockets...

This would be a rather interesting car and would peak my interest for sure. I don't know how I feel about the MINI platform being whored out so much though, BMW is already going to rebadge it as a BMW in 2013 so part of the exclusivity you get with buying the overpriced compactness of a MINI is getting kinda lost. Oh well, we won't get it in the states anyway.

 

[Jim Prower]

Okay, we've had the Saabaru, the Saabhalls (Basically the GM-Era 9-3 and 9-5) The Saabrolet Trollblazer (9-7x) and now the Saabini?

Oh, and don't forget the Saab-Fairchild...

Damn. Seems that company's had a lot of other people's platforms under their products...

 

[Philly]

I'm curious to see what Saab can cook up with the MINI platform. And I don't blame them for basing all their products on other peoples' platforms. They don't exactly have the dough to develop a bunch of new platforms at the moment.

 

[jmsbrydon]

There was the Saabcia aswell:

 

[Dan_]

That would do an interesting blend, SAAB's styling identity has grown on me lately and relying on the exceptional MINI platform they shall be able to build a pretty competent little premium hatchback. Bring it on.

 

[Leonidae@MFT]

As long as they stuff that 2.8l twinturbo and AWD from the hottest Saab ever on it, I'm game.. But if it's going to be just another glorified premium shopping trolley, no thanks.

 

[xNEVER-ONEx]

Man that Saab is a slut.

 

[homeforsummer]

Heh, wonder who wrote that?...

As you might be able to tell though, I'm a little excited. Victor Muller is known to want to bring back a really characterful small Saab, and the MINI is a great platform... put two and two together and you've a modern version of the old 96. Sure, it won't have a two stroke engine but there's real potential in it.

Incidentally, the 2013 MINI will be an entirely new platform. Shared with BMW yes, but I suppose that's only fair! IMO platform sharing is a great thing and as long as cars have their own individual character, it doesn't really matter what platform they're on as long as it does the job.

 

[Greycap]

Speaking of Saab's platforms, I doubt it can be a bad thing to borrow someone else's remembering how the "true" Saabs like the 900 OG drove. Anything turns better than that thing... it was stable as a train on the straights but unfortunately nothing changed when arriving at a corner.

 

[eran0004]

Well, last time SAAB made something based on German technology it ended up being the fastest airplane in the world. So why not?

 

[homeforsummer]

Speaking of Saab's platforms, I doubt it can be a bad thing to borrow someone else's remembering how the "true" Saabs like the 900 OG drove. Anything turns better than that thing... it was stable as a train on the straights but unfortunately nothing changed when arriving at a corner.

Really? From everything I've heard about the old 900 it was supposed to handle pretty well, especially the turbo versions. Certainly better than the GM stuff that followed.

And older 96s and the like can't have handled too badly either given how many rallies they won. It took the Mini Cooper S to finally start beating them...

Anyway, a MINI platform has got very little to prove after years of Saabs being based on Vectras....

 

[Leonidae@MFT]

Go and find old Saab 90/900.. It drives like an old Audi 80/100, all the weight in front of the headlights, and some of them didn't even have power steering. Low speed turns were a major pain in the arse, and you could forget pocket parking the thing, as it would had required Mike Tysons arms.