2010 Saab 9-5 to become a Buick

Is the 2010 Saab 9-5 destined to become the 2011 Buick LaCrosse?

Swedish newspaper Dagens Industri is reporting that GM plan to take the 2010 Saab 9-5 and turn it in to a new Buick – the 2011 Buick LaCrosse?

The rumours and accusations continue to grow in the row over the fate of the Saab brand.

As we reported over Christmas we’ve been convinced for a while that GM are looking for a way NOT to sell Saab. Perhaps because they fear the competition going forward, or maybe they’re planning on taking the excellent 2010 Saab 9-5 and the soon-to-come Saab 9-4X SUV and build them elsewhere with a GM badge or two attached.

So you can take the report by Swedish Newspaper Dagens Industri that GM are planning to take the 2010 Saab 9-5 and stick a Buick badge on in one of two ways. Either they are looking for ways to ramp up the pressure on GM to act honourably towards the Saab workforce and sell Saab to Spyker, or they have some real information. The truth is probably a mix of both, but it makes sense.

The Saab 9-5 is based on the excellent Vauxhall Insignia, which already underpins the newly launched 2011 Buick Regal. But the theory is that GM could take the 9-5 and – with a few badges and a new nose – turn it in to a new Buick LaCrosse, instantly making the quirky Swede a more palatable option for finicky US buyers. And it would fit well with the stated aim of driving new Buick sales to a younger market.

We also know that Buick are planning a new, smaller SUV for late 2010. The rumour was that it would be based on the now defunct Saturn Vue, but GM could easily take the new 9-4X and Buick-ify it. Instant quality SUV that could be built much cheaper in the US than Sweden.

It does add up.