When a Saab weds a Subaru

0 Comments | USA TODAY, May, 2004 | by James R. Healey

ATLANTA -- Hoping to grab fast and hard onto what it sees as a rich opportunity, Swedish automaker Saab, 100%-owned by General Motors, has cut a deal with Japanese automaker Fuji Heavy Industries, 20%-owned by GM, to sell a Saab-ed version of Fuji's Subaru Impreza, built at a Fuji factory in Japan.

Global auto industry, indeed.

The result is the 2005 Saab 9-2X, starting at about $24,000, making it the cheapest Saab and the first with all-wheel drive.

It is Saab's entry into what's called the premium sports compact segment. Mini Cooper is the marquee model, and Mini's success suggests that Americans not only will do something they generally don't -- buy small cars -- but also will pay extra for them if they are sufficiently interesting.

Saab sees 9-2X...