when new isn’t new (or all that improved)

October 17th, 2005

Saab has just introduced a ‘new’ 9-5.

Unfortunately, now that Saab is a division of GM, new doesn’t mean what you’d expect.

In this case, “new” means new headlights, a new hood, new taillights and – if they’re feeling generous – perhaps even a new steering wheel (There are detail changes to suspension components but nothing more than a tweaking, really. The next complete redesign isn’t expected for another few years despite the fact that the car was outdated by the late 90s…)

This is actually quite a lot of newness for a GM product – the ‘all-new’ Monte Carlo coupe was only given a new nose…

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