Mystery Gm Car

The Age

Saturday May 3, 2008

Steve Colquhoun

THIS heavily camouflaged sedan caught on test in Sweden could be a Saab, a Buick, an Opel or even a Holden. More likely, it's an amalgamation of bits and knowledge from all three GM-owned subsidiaries.

Its registration papers reveal the car is owned by GM Holden and registered to Saab, but English website autocar.co.uk rejects the possibility it may be the new Saab 9-5, instead suggesting its Commodore-like proportions indicate a Holden-built prototype of GM's new, large, front-drive family of vehicles.

The car is 5 cm longer but 10 cm narrower than a Commodore, 40 kg lighter than Commodore's base model and is fitted with a 195 kW engine - the same capacity as Holden's high-output, 3.6-litre V6 - according to registration details.

Autocar speculates that Saab - which GM owns - may be working on either a four-wheel-drive transmission or a turbocharged petrol engine for the car. Saab is a centre of excellence within GM for both these areas of engineering.

However, Drive's own spies believe the grille and overall proportions indicate the car is based on a Buick LaCrosse, despite the US-based LaCrosse being 18 cm longer and 5 cm wider than the car shown here.

There's some speculation, too, it could be the next Vectra mid-sizer.

-- STEVE COLQUHOUN

© 2008 The Age

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