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This is a mystery GM prototype snapped wearing Swedish registration plates – but although it’s a similar size to next year’s long-awaited replacement for the Saab 9-5, we believe that it’s a new Holden lurking under the disguise.
According to registration details this car is a Holden, and the shape of the grille opening and the large circular badge clearly visible under the front disguise seem to back that up – it’s possible that this is a close-to-production prototype of Holden’s version of GM’s new large front-drive family of vehicles.
According to the database attached to this particular licence plate, this car is 485cm long, 180cm wide and weighs 1650kg. It has a 260bhp engine (probably a V6 unit) driving an automatic gearbox and rolls on 245/45 R18 wheels.
If it is a Holden, Saab engineers could be working on either a four-wheel drive transmission, or on turbocharged petrol engine for the car. Saab is a centre of excellence within GM for both these areas of engineering.
All GM brands will use the Epsilon 2 platform as the basis for new vehicles. The first to be unveiled in Europe will the Vauxhall Insignia in July, followed by the new Saab 9-5 in early 2009. Buick, Saturn, Pontiac and Chevrolet will also build cars based on the Epsilon 2 chassis.
Epsilon 2 is flexible enough to be fitted with a least three ‘levels’ of engineering content. For example, Saab is expected to the top-end chassis specification of double wishbone front suspension and a multi-link rear end. Lower status models, by contrast, will get plain McPherson struts at the front end.
Hilton Holloway
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