Saab's stand at the New York show was highlighted by the Phoenix concept car and the very attractive new 9-5 wagon - but the most important car on the stand in the immediate term was the new 9-4x, because right now, it's the only Saab in production. Production in Trollhatten has been suspended since very late March because of disputes with suppliers, who are afraid they won't be paid. But the 9-4x is made in Mexico, a legacy of its GM-era origins.

Back in 2005, Saab's chief engineer Peter Dörrich worked closely with his GM counterparts to lay down a foundation for a new crossover that would replace the unloved Chevy Trailblazer-based 9-7X (sometimes called the "TrollBlazer" by detractors) and give Saab a mid-size crossover/small SUV. Although it is based on GM's Theta-platform architecture, the 9-4x ended up only closely related to the Cadillac SRX, introduced two years ago. That was all before Saab was sold off and the GM era became only a memory.

But thanks to the long gestation of this product - and Saab had begun developing a vehicle like this way back in 2003 - then on the same platform as the Subaru Tribeca - the 9-4x is in production in Mexico alongside the SRX while the regular Saabs are in a holding pattern in Sweden.

It was Dörrich's job to make the 9-4x more "Saab" and less "GM" - and he succeeded - though there is only so much that can be done to really differentiate something that needs to be built on a product line with another vehicle with which it shares engines and mechanical components.

The 9-4x is a distinctive machine, handsome and clean both inside and out. Unfortunately the interior suffers from a common Saab ill - just too much monochromatic gray. Though executed to a higher standard than ever, it doesn't feel as rich as similarly spartan but well-done interiors from the likes of BMW. The surfaces feel good though, and the seats are first-rate.

At the same time, this is a very pretty looking Crossover externally - something the BMW X3 can't claim. But Audi's Q5 can, as can a host of rivals in this crowded sector.

The 9-4x It plays on many of the same virtues as the larger GM crossovers, the Buick Enclave and GMC Acadia specifically - but it's smaller. Smaller in physical dimensions anyway - the main enemy of the SRX - weight - is also the reason why the 9-4x is not a machine to be hustled through turns on twisty roads, despite Saab's sporty pretensions. Saab's suspension setup is more geared towards responses and a hard ride than Cadillac's, but this is a two-ton plus automobile - which also hinders performance and mileage.

Standard power comes from a 3-liter, 265-hp V6 with an optional turbocharged 2.8 liter V6 (300-hp) available - both engines previously available in the Cadillac, though only the non-turbo remains over at the wreath-and-crest brand.

Overall, the 9-4x is not a bad vehicle - and the entry level model starts at just $34,000 - not bad. But the options quickly bring the top-line cars to around $50,000 - a much tougher sell.

The New York Show came just three weeks after the sudden retirement of Saab's long-time CEO, Jan-Åke Jonsson. Jonsson, a career Saab man who had been with the company since the early 1970s, had guided the manufacturer through one improbable save after another over the last couple of years and indeed was the man who first introduced the 9-4x as a concept back at the 2007 New York show. Jonsson has been temporarily replaced by Spyker Cars CEO Victor Muller. Spyker Cars bought Saab from GM last year.

Muller is now in talks with Chinese car distributor Pang Da Automobile Trade, which will theoretically provide the short-term funding that Saab needs to get Trollhatten moving again. Another investor, Russian tycoon Vladimir A. Antonov, is also attempting to inject some cash into Saab in exchange for equity.

Photographer: Alex Kwanten.