British The Telegraph has included Saab 9-2X in your choice of “10 surprisingly familar cars you’ve probably never heard of“.
So you’re a car manufacturer, and you’ve decided you need a new model. Problem is, times are tight, and you simply haven’t got the resources to develop the car you need.
The solution is simple: take the already existing car, perhaps from a brand with which you have a tie-up, or maybe even from your own back catalogue. Slap your logo onto it, perhaps spruce it up with a new set of bumpers and headlights, and hey presto – you’ve got your new model.
This kind of badge engineering has resulted in all sorts of alien combinations in overseas markets that might look rather strange to our eyes. The Saab 9-2X is a case in point.
Essentially a small crossover seen by Saab’s owner, General Motors, as crucial for the brand’s success in the USA, it was little more than a Saab front end bolted on to the body of a Subaru Impreza WRX estate.
It was certainly fast and capable – but Saab’s traditional clientele were put off by the blatant badge engineering, and Subaru buyers were, of course, quite happy just to buy the Subaru version. Consequently, the 9-2X only lasted two years.
These are a lot better than the LOUD (92x has 200 lbs of sound deadening) and ugly subies. You get heated seats, side airbags, the STi steering rack, and a rare beast. Put snows on it and it is unstoppable in the snow. Some even had a sunroof, with was never available on a Subaru at the time. Cool car and you can find nice examples because people who bought them, took care of them. About 5k more than the WRX of the same year, so people really didn’t see the point. I picked one up last year and really like it. Saabs first AWD and it is a blast to drive.