Saab developing new compact car

Saab’s currently ailing product line can look forward to a revamp, according to the carmaker’s US general manager Steve Shannon. The exec also confirmed that a new compact model is at the top of Saab’s wishlist, along with a new crossover and redesign of the aging 9-5.

Careful to not make the same mistake it did with the 9-2, a rebadged Subaru WRX that was sold as a Saab in 2006, Shannon told Automotive News that designers will focus on giving the entry-level model a striking design and strong performance matched with functionality. Expect it to use many of the same design cues as the Aero-X concept (pictured).

The baby Saab will be facing a slew of competitors in an already established market segment where Saab is not as recognized as its rivals. The premium small-car marketplace is quick to judge the superficial qualities of a car and competition from BMW’s fashionable Mini Cooper and 1-Series, as well as Audi’s A3 and Volvo’s C30 will prove tough for Saab, especially if its design is as shockingly awful as the older 9-2.