Newswheel @ Geneva: Saab Aero-X

Newswheel staff :: 03 March 2006 :: Filed under Coupe, Saab, Saab Aero-X, Europe & UK, Trade shows,

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Hello Aero-X, goodbye Saab?

Duly the Saab Aero-X did make its debut appearance at the Geneva show. And duly did the industry analysts, general chin scratchers and career trash talkers condemn the concept as the last twitch of a decaying corpse. Shame, really. If there was a more attractive concept at Geneva, we didn’t see it…(click below for high res images)

Based on a Chevy Corvette chassis, the Aero-X is a seriously good looker that pulls off the difficult trick of looking simultaneously extremely aggressive and effortlessly elegant. But under GM ownership, the odds of Saab knocking out such a beautiful car are near-as-dammit nothing. And that despite the fact that GM supremo Bob Lutz was on hand at Geneva to big up the brand. We’ll leave it to Robert Farago from The Truth About Cars to sum up the Aero-X and Saab’s depressing predicament:

“Lutz dutifully mouthed the usual crap about incorporating <Aero X> “design cues” into Saab’s lineup, but it’s hard (not to say nauseating) to imagine GM adding the X’ aeronautic themes to Saab’s rebadged Trailblazer. The Aero X is physical proof that “crisis what crisis?” GM is happy to celebrate its corporate diversity– even as it grinds its divisions, and itself, into the dust.”

Oh, happy days!

Linkage:
The Truth About Cars