Saab Brings PhoeniX Concept Car and All-New 9-4X Crossover to Streets of Washington, DC

Washington DC May Come join Saab and members of the leadership team on Monday, May 9 from 3:00 p.m. 6:00 p.m. at The Ritz Carlton Georgetown, 31000 South Street N.W., Washington, DC to experience the next generation of Saab cars, the Saab PhoeniX concept and the all-new 9-4X crossover.

See Saab's first crossover, the 9-4X with design that expresses true identity as the premium alternative with distinct elements immediately recognizable to Saab.  Understated and clean Scandinavian design incorporating the typical Saab brand cues such as wrap-around windscreen, three-hole grill, hockey stick, turbine wheels, Saab signature air vents and start button in center console.

See "Aeromotional" design inspired by Saab's aviation roots with an opportunity to meet Saab's lead designer, Jason Castriota and experience new design direction as well as members of Saab's leadership team including Victor Muller, Chairman Saab Automobile AB.

Based on new architecture which will empower the next Saab 9-3 model, the PhoeniX introduces 'aeromotional' design: a visual evocation of the aerodynamic design principles and passion for innovation that inspired the creators of Saab's first car, the iconic Ursaab.

Learn more about the ground-breaking Saab IQon infotainment communications system – comprising an embedded computer platform which seamlessly connects to the internet when the car's ignition is switched on.  The touch-screen provides access to audio and entertainment streaming, online navigation, on-board music storage and smartphone-like downloading of applications.

Mr. Castriota hails from the state of New York and graduated from Emerson College in Boston before attending the prestigious Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. In 2001, he left the college to join Pininfarina's design studio in Turin, Italy, where he rose to hold the positions of Chief Designer and Responsible for Special Projects. He took up the position of Director of Design at Stile Bertone in 2008 and then opened a design consultancy with offices in New York and Turin. In June 2010, he was appointed Executive Director Design at Saab Automobile. In this position Mr. Castriota and his design company are responsible for exterior and interior design and will lead the design activities at Saab.

About Saab

Saab, or Svenska Aeroplan Aktiebolaget (Swedish Aircraft Company), was founded in 1937 as an aircraft manufacturer and revealed its first prototype passenger car 10 years later after the formation of the Saab Car Division. In 1990, Saab Automobile AB was created as a separate company, jointly owned by the Saab Scania Group and General Motors, and became a wholly-owned GM subsidiary in 2000. In February 2010, Spyker Cars N.V. of the Netherlands, acquired the company from GM as an independently-run business.

Saab cars reflect the brand's unique Scandinavian design ethic, which is fused with its aircraft engineering heritage. The company is a global premium car maker with a distinguished history of innovation. It is recognized for its pioneering role in turbocharging, as well as occupant safety and the introduction of flex-fuel technology through Saab BioPower. Saab Automobile AB currently employs approximately 3,800 staff in Sweden, where it operates world-class production and technical development facilities at its headquarters in Trollhattan, 70 km north of Gothenburg