It’s an understatement to say that Sebastian Gupta’s parents are proud of him. What started as a summer project in 2010 has become $40,000 that’s been donated to a women’s center.

The happy recipient was the Houston Area Women’s Center, and the $40,000 was raised from the sale of a rebuilt 2000 Saab 9-5 the 18-year-old bought at auction. Once he was done restoring it, Sebastian put it up for auction on eBay.

The center is dedicated to putting the broken lives back together – kind of the same way Sebastian put back together the Saab. According to the center’s board chair Shawn Raymond, it costs $42 a night to house someone at the shelter, and the $40,000 would pay for 950 nights.

You may be wondering how this Saab went for $40,000. Saab North America president Tim Colbeck heard of Sebastian’s project and decided to get involved. Saab North America bought the car for $15,000. Then Sebastian’s dad’s company, IQ Products, bought the car back from Saab for $15,000 and donated another $10,000 to the cause. The result was $40,000 given to Houston Area Women’s Center.

Colbeck was so impressed with Sebastian’s drive and generosity, he gave him a new 2011 Saab 9-5 to “use however he wants” for a year. At the end of the year, Sebastian must modify and auction off this car and donate the proceeds for the center as well – it’s what you call a win-win situation.

[Source: Your Houston News]

For years, Hirsch Performance out of Switzerland has been producing tuner parts for Saabs. The parts weren’t just for looks either as they also increased the performance of these cars.

This partnership has just gotten serious, as Saab has now announced that Hirsch Performance will be its official performance parts supplier, and these parts for the first time will also be available in America. So come spring-time, you can go to your local Saab dealer and order items to upgrade your 2007-2011 model 9-3 and 2010-2011 model 9-5.

Upgrades include new engine mapping, aero kits, spoilers, wheels, suspension tuning, exhaust upgrades and even interior trimmings. These upgrades will be performed by Saab dealers and will not affect the warranty in any way.

Pricing has not been announced yet, but that will follow in a few months time.

[Source: Autoblog]

Saab is hoping to entice English Professors loyal fans of the brand and Saab owners to return to the fold by providing them with an unspecified “loyalty bonus” for Saab owners who purchase an all-new 9-5.

Saab didn’t announce terms of the loyalty bonus, but the Swedish assembly plant is already cranking out 250 cars per day in an effort to ship the new vehicles rapidly. 9-5′s are expected to hit North American shores in a matter of weeks. Consumer financing for the new cars has also been secured through Ally Financial, formerly known as GMAC.

[Source: Edmunds]

After unceremoniously pulling out of the Canadian market, Saab is preparing a return to Canada for 2011, as it attempts to pull off an unprecedented resurrection of its entire brand. While Saab was under the auspicies of GM (and partnered with other perrenial losers like Saturn and Isuzu) in Canada, this time the now Dutch-owned auto maker will be backed by importer International Fleet Sales, which was responsbile for bringing the Saab 9-7x to Europe and the Middle East.

IFS is expected to roll out Saab starting with the 9-3, and hopefully the 9-3X crossover and the new 9-5.

[Source: Autoblog]

At the LA Auto Show, Swedish automaker Saab had on display for the first time on U.S. soil, its new 9-5 sedan, which was touted by many to be the struggling automaker’s savior. The only problem is, with Saab current instability, this baby might just be stillborn. Recently the leading candidate to buy Saab, Swedish supercar maker Koenigsegg, pulled out of the deal, putting not just the car’s future, but the entire automaker’s future in jeopardy.

GM has announced, however, that it will continue to look for a new buyer for the brand.

As for the car, well, it will be offered with five different engines in total, although few of them are likely to make it to the U.S.  All five engines are turbocharged and relatively small, meaning fuel-economy should be quite good. Also helping in the fuel-economy department is the fact that all five engines will be paired with six-speed transmissions.

When the car first goes on sale in Europe three of the five engines will be available: a 160hp 2.0-liter turbo diesel, a 220hp 2.0-liter gasoline engine and a range-topping 300hp turbocharged 2.8-liter V6 – the same engine found in the Cadillac SRX. Both front-drive and AWD models will be avaialble.

Later on, Saab will also offer a 180hp 1.6-liter turbocharged gasoline engine as well as an E85-capable 2.0-liter motor.

The car’s proportions are somewhat awkward, but the interior is definitely luxurious and original.

Notable features on the new 9-5 include a heads-up display driver information system, adaptive lighting, adaptive cruise control, Saab DriveSense adaptive suspension, keyless entry and starting, tri-zone air conditioning, dynamic parking assistance and the option of AWD with Saab’s impressive eLSD system.

Saab has yet to set pricing and while a specific on-sale date has not been set, the car will be release some time in 2010.

GALLERY: 2011 Saab 9-5 Debut in LA

With Saab’s sales for 2009 down 62 percent so far, you wouldn’t expect the Swedish automaker’s biggest problem to be a car shortage. But that’s exactly what dealers are facing, after the General Motors brand cut production earlier this year in an effort to cut costs.

Production at the assembly plan in Sweden has been slowed even further as General Motors works to retool parts of the facility as it prepares to begin production on the all-new 2011 9-5.

GM is also, understandably, not interesting in pumping out a lot of product as the Saab brand is set to be sold to a group led by Swedish supercar maker Koenigsegg – which could occur before the end of the year.

The result is a shortage of cars on dealership lots and increased wait times. Rick Wehle of Parkfield Saab in New Jersey said he only has 30 new cars on the lot and last month the dealership sold 10 cars. Problematically, along with slow shipments of other models, the new 9-5 isn’t likely to arrive until the Spring in the U.S.

And the problem isn’t just isolated to North America either, with dealers in Saab’s home market of Sweden facing similar issues. Lars Kopp, a Saab dealership manager in southern Sweden told Bloomberg that wait times have been extended to eight weeks, and that he only has 20 vehicles in stock with orders for 50 more.

Saab spokesman Eric Geers has said that the reduced production and associated delay of product will continue until the deal to sell Saab is completed.

[Source: Bloomberg]

A company in turmoil with a less than certain future, Saab is hedging its bets on the all-new 2011 9-5 luxury sedan, which launched today at the Frankfurt Auto Show.

In total, the 9-5 will be offered with five different engines, all of which will be turbocharged and relatively small, meaning fuel-economy should be quite good. Also helping in the fuel-economy department is the fact that all five engines will be paired with six-speed transmissions.

When the car first goes on sale three of the five engines will be available: a 160hp 2.0-liter turbo diesel, a 220hp 2.0-liter gasoline engine and a range-topping 300hp turbocharged 2.8-liter V6 - the same engine found in the Cadillac SRX.

And despite Saab’s split with General Motors, that GM sourced engine isn’t the only GM part of the 9-5. The actual chassis of the car is shared with the Buick LaCrosse. That being said, like the LaCrosse, the 9-5 will be available in AWD.

Later on, Saab will also offer a 180hp 1.6-liter turbocharged gasoline engine as well as an E85-capable 2.0-liter motor.

The car’s proportions are somewhat awkward, but the interior is definitely luxurious and original.

Notable features on the new 9-5 include a heads-up display driver information system, adaptive lighting, adaptive cruise control, Saab DriveSense adaptive suspension, keyless entry and starting, tri-zone air conditioning, dynamic parking assistance and the option of AWD with Saab’s impressive eLSD system.

Saab has yet to set ricing and while a secific on-sale date has not been set, the car will be release some time in 2010.

GALLERY: 2011 Saab 9-5

Official release after the jump:

Continue Reading…

Saab has just released a selection of new photos, as well as a new information on its upcoming next-generation 9-5 flagship. The Swedish automaker has also confirmed that the new model will debut at the Frankfurt Auto Show next month.

In total, the 9-5 will be offered with five different engines, all of which will be turbocharged and relatively small, meaning fuel-economy should be quite good. Also helping in the fuel-economy department is the fact that all five engines will be paired with six-speed transmissions.

When the car launches three of the five engines will be available: a 160hp 2.0-liter turbo diesel, a 220hp 2.0-liter gasoline engine and a range-topping 300hp turbocharged 2.8-liter V6 – the same engine found in the Cadillac SRX.

And despite Saab’s split with General Motors, that GM sourced engine isn’t the only GM part of the 9-5. The actual chassis of the car is shared with the Buick LaCrosse. That being said, like the LaCrosse, the 9-5 will be available in AWD.

Later on, Saab will also offer a 180hp 1.6-liter turbocharged gasoline engine as well as an E85-capable 2.0-liter motor.

Inside, the 9-5 gets a long list of technological options, including a heads-up display, adaptive lighting, adaptive cruise control, three-way climate control, dynamic parking assistance and Saab’s DriveSense adaptive chassis with real-time damping control.

For the rest of the details, we’ll have to wait until the car’s official unveiling in Frankfurt next month.

GALLERY: 2011 Saab 9-5

Official release after the jump:

Continue Reading…

After a considerable amount of secrecy surrounding the next generation Saab 9-5, it seems as though the cat is finally out of the bag. Two German publications (Autobild and Autozeitung) have published what appear to be official Saab press photos of the 2011 9-5.

Normally a new Saab doesn’t get much attention, but with the pending sale of the company by General Motors to Swedish supercar maker Koenigsegg, there is a great deal riding on the new model. If the 9-5 succeeds, Saab will succeed. And if it doesn’t, well, it will be tough to keep funding the niche-market automaker.

The exterior of the car is certainly traditional Saab style, which means it isn’t likely to appeal to a much wider audience. The interior, however, is impressive with a nicely-designed center stack, a push-button ignition and available rear seat LCD screens.

The next Saab 9-5 is expected to be a 2011 model, with sales starting in 2010. With pictures already emerging we’d expect that car’s official debut at this Fall’s Frankfurt Auto Show, however, the Geneva Auto Show would certainly be more neutral ground for a Swedish automaker.

GALLERY: 2011 Saab 9-5

[Source: Autobild and Autozeitung via Motivemag]