Initially planned to be built in Germany, the next-generation 9-3 will finally be manufactured in Sweden reveals a German newspaper.
The Handelsblatt reveals that GM changed its mind about the 9-3 by keeping the production in Sweden. Back in 2005, the carmaker had announced that the production contract for the next Saab 9-3 would land at the Opel factory, located in Russelsheim. However technical considerations led the company to reverse its decision. In an attempt to finally build a consistent product range, the Swedish carmaker wants the next 9-3 to be based on a smaller platform in order to keep a true distinction with the next-generation 9-5. The company hopes it will also reduce its fleet average CO2 emissions.
As a consequence, the 9-3’s launch date has been postponed by two years from 2009 to 2011. The next-generation will likely based on the Delta II platform. The decision raises concerns about the future engine range. The current topping engine is a 276bhp V6 unit. Will a smaller platform be able to bear a powerful V6 engine, essential to move upmarket?
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