Comments on: Saab 9-3 Turbo X coming to GCC http://www.drivearabia.com/news/2008/05/19/saab-9-3-turbo-x-coming-to-gcc/ The only automotive blog in the Middle East with a real opinion Fri, 05 Dec 2008 07:26:42 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Chox http://www.drivearabia.com/news/2008/05/19/saab-9-3-turbo-x-coming-to-gcc/#comment-7151 Chox Wed, 21 May 2008 08:33:47 +0000 http://www.drivearabia.com/news/2008/05/19/saab-9-3-turbo-x-coming-to-gcc/#comment-7151 Lack of support from the dealer. If you were around at the time - say early 80's - Abdullah Masood & Sons had the franchise. It was going great guns until a relative died in a Saab. Although it wasn't the car's fault, the dealer took it to heart and the franchise went downhill from there. Soon after Habtoor bought it and the entire middle/senior management was replaced; out with the few who knew, in with the expats who couldn't make it work. In a nutshell - this is a car in the same league as volvo and jagaur - to a point where it was actually Saab that used the tag line 'safest car in the world' - but due to lacklustre local support, the GCC market simply doesnt see it as such. Chox Lack of support from the dealer.

If you were around at the time - say early 80’s - Abdullah Masood & Sons had the franchise. It was going great guns until a relative died in a Saab. Although it wasn’t the car’s fault, the dealer took it to heart and the franchise went downhill from there.

Soon after Habtoor bought it and the entire middle/senior management was replaced; out with the few who knew, in with the expats who couldn’t make it work.

In a nutshell - this is a car in the same league as volvo and jagaur - to a point where it was actually Saab that used the tag line ’safest car in the world’ - but due to lacklustre local support, the GCC market simply doesnt see it as such.

Chox

]]> By: vivek http://www.drivearabia.com/news/2008/05/19/saab-9-3-turbo-x-coming-to-gcc/#comment-7103 vivek Tue, 20 May 2008 19:33:37 +0000 http://www.drivearabia.com/news/2008/05/19/saab-9-3-turbo-x-coming-to-gcc/#comment-7103 why is Saab an almost complete failure in the GCC market?? why is Saab an almost complete failure in the GCC market??

]]> By: ali http://www.drivearabia.com/news/2008/05/19/saab-9-3-turbo-x-coming-to-gcc/#comment-7093 ali Tue, 20 May 2008 15:09:58 +0000 http://www.drivearabia.com/news/2008/05/19/saab-9-3-turbo-x-coming-to-gcc/#comment-7093 it still looks dull like the one before.looks are important to me,like 4 example:chrysler 300c it still looks dull like the one before.looks are important to me,like 4 example:chrysler 300c

]]> By: deathberry http://www.drivearabia.com/news/2008/05/19/saab-9-3-turbo-x-coming-to-gcc/#comment-7077 deathberry Tue, 20 May 2008 05:31:15 +0000 http://www.drivearabia.com/news/2008/05/19/saab-9-3-turbo-x-coming-to-gcc/#comment-7077 Whilst the back looks sexy yet conservative, the front looks more like a throwback to their old school cars (from the 70's). But 400nm of torque from a 2.8? That's just too sweet. I think it will be in the price range of G37. I'm interested in this, but I'd rather wait for some impatient fool to get his now and then buy it off him 2 years later for less than half the price :wink: Whilst the back looks sexy yet conservative, the front looks more like a throwback to their old school cars (from the 70’s). But 400nm of torque from a 2.8? That’s just too sweet.

I think it will be in the price range of G37. I’m interested in this, but I’d rather wait for some impatient fool to get his now and then buy it off him 2 years later for less than half the price :wink:

]]> By: Mashfique Hussain Chowdhury http://www.drivearabia.com/news/2008/05/19/saab-9-3-turbo-x-coming-to-gcc/#comment-7067 Mashfique Hussain Chowdhury Tue, 20 May 2008 01:28:09 +0000 http://www.drivearabia.com/news/2008/05/19/saab-9-3-turbo-x-coming-to-gcc/#comment-7067 You're thinking of the USA-only Saab 9-2X, which was simply a Subaru Impreza WRX wagon with a Saab front end. That car flopped back in 2006. The 9-3 is based on the Opel Vectra platform, and this is the first time it has all-wheel-drive. You’re thinking of the USA-only Saab 9-2X, which was simply a Subaru Impreza WRX wagon with a Saab front end. That car flopped back in 2006. The 9-3 is based on the Opel Vectra platform, and this is the first time it has all-wheel-drive.

]]> By: Tamzed http://www.drivearabia.com/news/2008/05/19/saab-9-3-turbo-x-coming-to-gcc/#comment-7065 Tamzed Tue, 20 May 2008 00:10:05 +0000 http://www.drivearabia.com/news/2008/05/19/saab-9-3-turbo-x-coming-to-gcc/#comment-7065 Its got the underpinning of the old impreza right . I still wonder why middle east dosent get the sti's or even the wrx for that matter . Its got the underpinning of the old impreza right . I still wonder why middle east dosent get the sti’s or even the wrx for that matter .

]]> By: cb http://www.drivearabia.com/news/2008/05/19/saab-9-3-turbo-x-coming-to-gcc/#comment-7057 cb Mon, 19 May 2008 22:20:32 +0000 http://www.drivearabia.com/news/2008/05/19/saab-9-3-turbo-x-coming-to-gcc/#comment-7057 hmm something about that 1st pic reminds me of the accord. hmm something about that 1st pic reminds me of the accord.

]]> By: Mashfique Hussain Chowdhury http://www.drivearabia.com/news/2008/05/19/saab-9-3-turbo-x-coming-to-gcc/#comment-7052 Mashfique Hussain Chowdhury Mon, 19 May 2008 20:14:19 +0000 http://www.drivearabia.com/news/2008/05/19/saab-9-3-turbo-x-coming-to-gcc/#comment-7052 Are you kidding? But looks aside, this is the first proper car from Saab ever. Are you kidding? But looks aside, this is the first proper car from Saab ever.

]]> By: cb http://www.drivearabia.com/news/2008/05/19/saab-9-3-turbo-x-coming-to-gcc/#comment-7051 cb Mon, 19 May 2008 19:06:11 +0000 http://www.drivearabia.com/news/2008/05/19/saab-9-3-turbo-x-coming-to-gcc/#comment-7051 i think the styling looks somewhat similar to the new accord i think the styling looks somewhat similar to the new accord

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