2012 Saab 9-4X officially revealed

2012 Saab 9-4X Crossover SUV

First revealed as a concept vehicle almost three painful years ago, GM's Saab 9-4X mid-size crossover SUV has finally been revealed as a 2012 model year vehicle.

Sharing its underpinnings with GM's entry-luxury Cadillac SRX crossover, the new vehicle doesn't drift too far away from the 2008 Saab 9-4X BioPower Concept that was first presented to the public in January, 2008 at the North American International Auto Show.

The 2012 Saab 9-4X features the same tinted windshield and black door pillars that create Saab's trademark wraparound glass-effect.

Unlike many of the recent luxury and entry-luxury sport utility vehicles, the new crossover comes with the lower parts of its body and both bumpers made of unpainted plastic, which makes it a lot easier negotiating particularly nasty pieces of unpaved forest roads with stones protruding here and there. Going fast on gravel roads can also become less of a hassle when there is no risk of damaging the paintwork.

Inside, the car looks like a message from the 1990's with lots of dull black plastic and not particularly refined leather upholstery. However, Saab's signature driver oriented cockpit is still there with the traditional ignition key hole on its central tunnel replaced with a trendy engine start/stop button.

Initially (at least) the car will be available with a choice of only two 2.8-liter and 3.0-liter engines. The bigger mill is a naturally aspirated job that produces up to 265 hp of power and features direct fuel injection and variable valve timing. The smaller engine features a twin-scroll turbocharger and produces up to 300 horsepower.

According to the Spyker-owned company, the 2.8-liter engine will be reserved exclusively to the Saab 9-4X Aero models.

There is still no info on the vehicle's price, but the company promises that the long-overdue 9-4X is going to hit Saab's North American dealerships in May, 2011. It will cross the Pond in August of the same year.

Photos: Saab

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