Do you know this car Saab? Actually, it's the same as Subaru.

Speaking of Subaru-related brother models, Toyota 86 and Subaru's own BRZ definitely come to mind at the first time, but did you know that the impreza also has a half-brother model, that is, the SAAB 9-2X hybrid Swedish model from Japan? . SAAB？ 9-2X is a special model sold only in North America. Although it looks like a Saab model at first glance, it always feels like another car, because it is completely Subaru in the bones. Panther? GD. Is it the engine? , gearbox or suspension are all impreza? GD, and the birthplace is also Fuji Heavy Industry Factory in Gunma County, Japan. The car shell was designed by Saab family, see? Car design is really not as simple as drawing two unconstrained lines as you think.

A car brand from Sweden, whose production line is in Fuji, Japan, has limited sales in North America, just as SAAB and Subaru sold their illegitimate children to North America.

SAAB？ The 9-2X only has a five-door version of the station wagon, which was sold in North America in 2004, but the business was bleak. Only 465,438+00 units were sold in the first two months. This is not the way to continue. In May 2005, Saab launched a series of promotional activities to help sales. Although the monthly sales exceeded the total sales in previous months, GM decided that SAAB would sell 8.4% of the shares to Toyota, and the remaining 65,438+065,438+0.4% would go to Fuji. After the last 9-2X rolled off the assembly line at the end of 2006, the cooperation between SAAB and GM officially ended, and the 9-2X was also discontinued in 2006. In the past two years, 9-2X has produced and sold 65,438+00,346 cars, but the classic feature of 9-2X is that only 560 cars are equipped with turbine engines, and the remaining 8,000 cars are naturally aspirated engines.

Figure: If the two cars are put together, apart from the differences in ghost face, bumper, air dam and headlights, their blood relationship can be seen in many details of the line direction. But if we are separated, I believe many angry young people will jump out and pick things up: European cars are better than Japanese cars. Don't you think Japanese cars are just copying Saab?

The 2005 "linear" model is equipped with Subaru EJ253? The 2.5-liter naturally aspirated engine has only 165 horsepower, while "Aero" is the same as the impreza? WRX*** enjoys the same 2.0 turbocharged engine. Although equipped with a four-wheel drive system, there is no five-speed manual gearbox to choose from, only a four-speed automatic gearbox. At the end of 2006, the linear model was renamed as "2.5i" and the horsepower was also increased to 173. Aero models have changed even more, equipped with a 2.5-liter EJ25 turbocharged engine with higher displacement, and the horsepower has increased to 230 horsepower. If the manual gearbox can be replaced, it is equivalent to driving a station wagon impreza? WRX, it's just that the front of the car is different.

Photo: EJ205 engine appears on a European car. I think only 9-2X can do it.

Although it comes from the same production line as the Impreza, and most parts are made of the Impreza * * *, SAAB doesn't even want to use the appearance, so it rejoins the design language of SAAB. The completely redesigned front face does not have the characteristics of Subaru, and the rear bumper has also been changed, but it still maintains the style of impreza. Most of the interiors of the 9-2x are the same as those of the impreza station wagon, just like the less gorgeous instruments and center console in the impreza, but SAAB decided to use its own front seats, adopt adjustable seat headrests and give up the impreza? WRX's fixed headrest seat shows that SAAB pays more attention to comfort rather than performance like Subaru. The rear suspension swing arm was replaced by aluminum alloy products, which further reduced the unsprung weight and SAAB's unique bushing was also changed. The shock absorber has also been re-adjusted. Did the steering gear use WRX? STI part, but the steering sensitivity of 9-2x is higher, because it has a higher steering ratio of 15.0: 1.

Photo: As a small series of Subaru GD cars that are too familiar to be familiar with, there is nothing to say when I see this picture. The only difference is that there is a similar definition? D-Gauge's triple watch ... "Brother, are you single?"

Since everything seems to be better than the impreza, why is the sales volume so bleak? There are many reasons. First, people can't be fooled by the information level on the earth now. It is estimated that those who don't check the information before buying a car will believe BBBA's joke. The key to the success of a commercial cooperation project lies in the good foundation of this product. Secondly, SAAB's popularity in North America is not too high, and it belongs to a local minority brand. China thinks Subaru is a niche brand, but it's just the opposite there. Subaru's popularity in the United States is not low, especially among young people, especially high-performance models such as the impreza. Third, consumers are more rational. SAAB's loyal fans believe that most Japanese cars are fakes, and the 9-2X is still sold in North America. A Japanese car covered with a European leather bag, you know, in the United States, the blind worship of European cars is far less serious than in our country. After all, a mature market will judge cars more rationally, even if several people fight and die.

Since it is a leopard in the bones, how can it not be modified? But the problem is coming again. We can't just start from the appearance, because we know it is an impreza, but we can't change it by changing it. It has the violent performance of the impreza, but it has the breath of a European gentleman who stands in the way. If you change the appearance according to Japanese cars, it will be even stranger. The only way is to add some European car elements, but even if you change the rims, you can only buy various Japanese rim brands. What a pity! So let's be realistic. I really like AWD turbo cars. Let's buy an impreza and be realistic.

This article comes from car home, the author of the car manufacturer, and does not represent car home's position.