The saga that is called Saab entered a new phase today as GM confirmed it has selected restructuring firm AlixPartners to supervise the liquidation of the Swedish automakers assets and at the same time, has requested approval of the selection by the appropriate authority in Sweden.

“The wind down process is expected to take several months, and will ensure that employees, dealers and suppliers are adequately protected. As stated previously, Saab customers can be assured that warranties will continue to be honored and that service and spare parts will continue to be available,” GM said in a prepared statement.

General Motors added that the appointment of AlixPartners will not affect the evaluation of the bids it has received for Saab so far. But while GM’s “evaluation process” will not be affected, we’re pretty sure that any interested parties won’t see the orderly wind down of Saab with a positive eye.

In: Carscoop

Do these images actually show official manufacturer renderings of the 2010 Saab 9-5 sedan and 9-5 wagon?  Two different blogs seem to think so.

Both Autoblog.nl and Saabunited.com believe that the source of these images is Saab itself.  We’re not so sure.  The images are far from perfect (is that a scratch on the front bumper of the 9-5 sedan?), showing two drawings that need some finishing touches.  Most recently, the wagon was seen under a tight-fitting cloth cover teasing us with an idea of what the vehicle will look like.

Comparing these pictures with the rendering, we think we can spot a few differences.  The rendering does not appear to have a steep enough angle just over the rear headlights.  Rigidity looks to be key in the back end of the covered up car, as opposed to the smoothness seen in the drawing.  Also, the rendering shows a roofline that plunges down at the back quite a bit more than the concealed 9-5 wagon, which shows a flatter roof.

However, what the artist seems to have been accurate on is the overall shape of the front bumper, including headlight placement, air intakes, grille shape, and fog lght location.  Also, the wheels appear to be fairly close in design to what Saab has included on their teaser car.

If the wagon looks remotely similar to this drawing, it could definitely be a hit for the Swedish automaker.

In: www.worldcarfans.com

Despite Saab’s fall from grace and fact that their future is in doubt, the company has released a new video showing their performance driving team in action.

The footage was shot in northern Sweden and it starts out with a pair of 9-3′s running through a snow covered course at a high rate of speed. The clip’s climax comes at the halfway point as a 9-3 Convertible does an amazing stunt where the passenger side lifts up and the car continues to drive with only the driver side’s two left wheels touching the ground. This is nothing terribly unusual for Saab’s Performance Team, but it’s one of the few times that the stunt has been preformed on a snow covered surface.

Fancy driving aside, the video’s real purpose is to promote the brand’s new 9-3X which will debut at the Geneva Motor Show later this week. Although the wagon is only shown for a few seconds, it does offer a glimpse of what the Audi A4 allroad competitor will feature in terms of capability and appearance.

Source: saabsunited.com