While luxury brand rival BMW is soaring with record sales, Saab retailers are selling fewer 9-3s and 9-5s than this time last year - a 27.3 percent nosedive. Kelly-Ennis is hoping the new 9-2x hatchback will pull a new demographic of young, urban, single buyers into Saab showrooms.
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| With U.S. Saab sales way down this year compared to last, dealers are hoping the new 9-7x will be the vehicle to keep customers from changing brands. (Photo: General Motors of Canada) |
She is also bullish that the 9-7x will keep current Saab owners from moving over to an alternative nameplate in their search for a luxury SUV, such as the Volvo XC90. According to Kelly-Ennis, 29 percent of Saab owners who defect to rival brands do so for a sport utility vehicle. She adds that 39 percent of Saab owners also already own SUVs.
Will she be right? Only time will tell, but it's fair to say that some potential SUV buyers will stay with the brand even if moving up to an sport utility means getting a re-branded, stylized TrailBlazer - albeit with a much improved interior. The Subaru WRX-based 9-2x may make sense too, being that it should perform at least as admirably as the Japanese branded car while looking arguably more attractive.