#SwedishCars

Last month Heico teased us with renders of their upcoming Volvo S60 accessories and now those renders have become a reality. Heico Sportiv even goes so far as to say the Volvo S60 is sexy and not chivalrous, but we wouldn’t want to take away a car’s chivalry now would we? Regardless, the new generation Volvos aren’t the same ‘ol tanks your grandparents used to drive to keep your safe. They’re sporty and unique, offering a unique blend of styling and performance. And the fact that Heico specializes in tuning Volvos makes this S60 is an instant winner.

In his first press conference as the newly appointed CEO of Volvo, Stefan Jacoby gave a vague outline of where he intends to take the company. Top on Jacoby’s list are improving Volvo’s emotional appeal and looking for ways to work with suppliers and other automakers in the industry.

Saab is reportedly considering a return to the World Rally Championship. News of this exciting development comes after executives at Saab’s new parent company (Dutch sports car maker Spyker) recently met with WRC bosses in private.

With ownership of Volvo now having officially changed hands from Ford to Geely, the Swedish automaker will look to develop a plan for profitability and growth. And while it’s domestic rival Saab is looking down market, Volvo will reportedly head in the opposite direction, instead planning a new flagship model that would compete directly with the likes of the BMW 7 Series and Mercedes S-Class.

It’s going to be a busy few years for Saab, as the company readies its re-entry into the auto market with a wave of all-new product. First up is a refreshed 9-3, Saab’s bread and butter range that encompasses a sedan, station wagon and the infamous convertible. Minor cosmetic tweaks will be on hand, as will a revised 2.0L four-cylinder making 163 horsepower, or 220 horsepower when turbocharged. A diesel engine will be offered in Europe, and you can bet that it won’t be offered in North America.

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.

In an effort to convince Saab to move ahead with plans to build a new small car, a Facebook group calling itself Saab91 Support Group, has released some compelling renderings that are sure to spark discussion.

Saab is about ready to launch its second model since leaving General Motors, the 9-4X, and new spy photos of the crossover doesn’t leave much to the imagination. Caught by the folks at AutoExpress, the 9-4X looks much as we suspected.

The next-generation Saab 9-3 (rebadged the 93) will arrive in late 2012, marking the return of the 900’s classic hatchback style in a bid to compete with the Audi A3. According to a recent report by AutoCar, Saab is also planning to develop both a sedan and a convertible version of the car, which will ride on the Swedish automaker’s all-new Phoenix Architecture. Those same underpinnings will also form the basis of the next-generation 9-5.

If you’re hoping to pick up a new Saab 9-5 and you’re not already on a waiting list, you’ll probably have to keep hoping. This year Saab will deliver just 500 of its new 9-5 luxury sedans to dealers in the U.S. That means that each dealership will only get a handful of cars before the 2011 models arrive this Fall. And with the car originally announced back at the Frankfurt Auto Show last September, dealers have had a long time to build up waiting lists from the notoriously loyal Saab customers.

Saab‘s proposed 92 small premium model could ride on a BMW platform say recent reports. According to Swedish outlet Dagens Industri BMW and Saab are holding talks on sharing both platforms and engines.

Saab will decide within the next 100 days if it will move ahead with plans to introduce a small premium 92 model to compete with vehicles like the MINI Cooper, Audi A1, BMW 1 Series and Mercedes B Class.

Rumors have floated around about Saab‘s planned 9-2 MINI competitor, but now company CEO Victor Muller has confirmed the Swedish automaker is in talks with other manufacturers about the project. Muller told Bloomberg that Saab is looking to work with another automaker over technology to develop a new small car platform for the 9-2.