It seems the 9-4X will be making 245 HP at 5,300 RPM and 295 lb-ft of torque at 1900 RPM from its 2.0-liter turbo mill. That'll be good for a 0-62 MPH run in 6.4 seconds — if we're to believe the numbers published on the Chilean Saab website. Fuel economy is impressive for the power output: 25 MPG city and 37 MPG on the highway, though we assume those aren't US EPA numbers. Chilean pricing is about $66,000 including taxes, but it's tough to divine a US dollar equivalent from that number. [Saab Chile (Translated) via WCF]

Though we've seen the crossover lapping the ring with everyone else, we don't expect the Theta Premium CUV to be a challenger to the CTS-V or ZR1 anytime soon. We do expect it to premiere sometime within the next six months. [The Car Connection]

Among the initiatives Wagoner announced today were:

-Truck capacity reduction by 300,000 units, including stamping and engines
-Cutting sales and marketing budgets, particularly in motorsports and promotions
-Holding engineering expenses steady
-Reduce salaried headcount
-Eliminate health care coverage at 65 for retirees, but increase pension payments
-No base compensation increases for salaried employees through 2009
-No cash bonuses for executives
-Delaying next gen full size pickups and SUVs
-Delay V8 engine design developments
-Alternative and small displacement engine design budget increases
-Suspension of dividend payments
-Defer health care spending payments
-Explore sale of assets: Hummer under review, remaining brands focused on profit improvements
-Additional borrowing against assets

Prior to the news conference, an anonymous GM executive familiar with the plan said, reportedly with a straight face, "It will be a clear message on the ways we will restore our health, our measures to realign capacity. It's tough medicine, but it's real." Unlike every wave of job cuts since 1973, this one is REAL. Well, that should do it then.

Saab has hit the Nürburgring with their new 9-4x midsize crossover. While we've seen the Swedish variant of GM's Theta/Theta Premium people movers on GM test tracks and on the public roads around Michigan, this is the first time we've seen it getting a true workout to test its handling dynamics at the limit.

5.) Saab 9-4x BioPower: Stainless-steel ski rack. Sure, it looks fine, and having the titanium-carbon-fiber Rossignols on the roof is just too risky these days. But where will the douchebag couple who spends the eight hours to Vermont talking about their trip to St. Bart's sit? Think about it.

4.) Saturn Flextreme: Clamshell trunk. While shellfish and trunk space are both well liked, combining the two is a pipe dream that'll, unfortunately, never be fulfilled. Saturn designers deserve credit for out-of-the-mollusk thinking, though. Hiho!

3.) Lincoln MKT: Those massive gauge tubes were reportedly inspired by Swarovski crystal. While they do add an upmarket, Ice Pirates ambiance to the Lincoln, no corporate lawyer in Scarsdale who's ever had a knock-down-drag-out with his spouse in the living room would risk another crystal decanter to the face, under any circumstances.

2.) Maybach Landaulet: Rear-seat convertible top. When everything shakes out, the 2010s may be known as the decade robber barons returned to lord it over the faltering middle class. But will the new JP Morgans and Vanderbilts really want to be chauffeured al fresco? We're betting not. These days, the proles have guns and laser scopes.

1.) Mazda Furai: Itself.

BONUS: One Feature Missing from a Detroit Concept Car: Hummer HX. Notwithstanding its visual connection to the Halo 3 Warthog fighting vehicle, the Hummer HX concept could be a great success on the dystopian streets of post-revolutionary America. But the kids would demand a turret mount, a glaring omission from the concept. Keeping the Covenant from attacking humanoid refugee shelters would be impossible without it.