The SUV launch is an attempt by GM to staunch the drop in sales in the Saab line. GM’s research showed that almost 30% of Saab customers who left the brand purchased a four-door SUV, and that 39% of current Saab customers also have an SUV in the household. Ergo, the 9-7x, and some marketing language that is a bit out of date:

Expanding its model offering to four vehicle lines, Saab is now targeting one of the fastest-growing market segments in North America.

Combined sales of the Envoy and the Trailblazer, two of the 9-7X’s platform cousins, are down 18% during the first five months of 2005 from the same period last year.

The 5.3-liter V8 delivers 300 hp (224 kW) and 330 lb-ft (447 Nm) of torque. The engine is a Gen IV version of GM Powertrain’s 5.3-liter Vortec. This engine differs from other Vortec 5300 engines in its cast-aluminum engine block with pressed-in iron cylinder liners. Because of the lighter block, a fully dressed engine weighs 100 pounds less than a comparable iron-block V-8.

High-flow, cast-aluminum cylinder heads plus larger intake valves and a 0.6mm increase in valve lift significantly increase engine airflow. A new, flat-top piston profile combined with the chamber volume of the new cylinder head increases the compression ratio from 9.5:1 to 9.9:1.

The Displacement on Demand (DOD) technology provides fuel economy gains of up to 8% in certain driving conditions by reducing the number of cylinders engaged in the combustion process. The engine controller determines when to deactivate cylinders, allowing the engine to maintain vehicle speed in conditions such as highway cruising.

When the cylinders are deactivated, the engine effectively operates as a four cylinder, with every other cylinder in the firing order disabled. The engine seamlessly returns to V-8 mode the instant the controller determines that vehicle speed or load requires additional power.

(This is, of course,  similar to Chrysler’s MDS system, most recently deployed on the new Ram 1500—earlier post.)

By contrast, the  Vortec 4200 4.2L inline-six, standard on the 9-7X, produces 290 hp (217 kW) and 277 lb-ft (375 Nm) of torque. These figures represent slight increases (+15 hp, +2 lb-ft) from the engines in the related models (Trailblazer, etc.)

The math in support of the 5.3-liter engine doesn’t seem all that compelling. With an increase in displacement of 28% (1,168cc), the larger engine delivers only 3% more power with a 6% drop in fuel economy.

Compare that to Chrysler, where the 5.7-liter HEMI, with a 21% increase in displacement size over the 4.7-liter engine delivers 47% more power at a cost in fuel economy of 2%. The table below depicts the engines with cylinder deactivation from each, along with the percentage change delivered compared to the preceding engine in the line. For example, the Chrysler 5.7-liter engine is compared to the Chrysler 4.7-liter engine.

From one perspective, the Saab 9-7X launch is logical for GM. Saab sales are dropping, the company is losing customers to SUVs, GM has plant capacity, powertrain and chassis to crank out 9-7Xs right next to Trailblazers, Envoys, Rainiers and Ascenders. All of which share rapidly falling sales as well as a hardware platform.

But Saab, with its history, could offer so much more potential to GM as a brand to help it break out of its rut. GM could revamp Saab as its leading Green brand, focusing on fuel-efficient and alternative platforms. (Some of which (Flex-Fuel turbo, diesel) it already sells in Europe.) Even bring back the porcupine look of old.

Competing for market share in a diminishing segment with a homogeneous product that doesn’t appear to be all that compelling and whose closest cousins are all seeing sales drop...doesn’t seem like a strategy for success.