Saab 9-5 at Frankfurt - looks promising

The Saab 9-5 revealed at Frankfurt

Saab has revealed the 2010 Saab 9-5 at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

It’s a shame that Saab got sunk under the corporate blandness forced upon it by GM. But it seems very likely – and a necessity – that Saab will re-capture the mantle it had for many years as the car of choice for those with style in their genes now Koenigsegg is in the driving seat. And although the new Saab 9-5 was conceived under GM’s stewardship, it still manages to be a competent and modern interpretation of much of what Saab has represented in the past.

In the flesh the new 9-5 is impresive. Stylish – without being a parody of Saabs gone by – and exuding a feeling of quality and thoughtful design. It’s not cluttered with design whimsies, but a clean and very focused shape shouts ‘Class’.

A Saab wouldn’t be a Saab without some reference to aviation, and the 9-5 does have a heads-up display and the option to view the speedo in an ‘Altimeter’ style. But we can forgive Saab cashing in on its heritage, even though the digital speedo is an unnecessary frippery.

And the new 9-5 offers not just lashings of style and quality, but acres more space than its rather ancient predecessor. Which all augers well for the short-term prospects for Saab. The long-term ones are in the hands of Koenigsegg, but the new 9-5 should give them room to breathe.

The new Saab 9-5 Press Release has a raft of detail. It all looks good, but we’ll reserve judgement until Saab sends us a new 9-5 to play with.