2008 Saab 9-3 Reviews

Owners of the new Saab Turbo X will get a personalised greeting when they switch on the ignition.A “Ready For Take-off” message flashes in the main instrument display with the owner's name and car edition number.The mean-looking Turbo X will be launched next month in all-wheel-drive, rekindling the spirit of the 1980s Saab 900 Black Turbo.Only 30 Turbo X vehicles will be released in Australia and New Zealand, with 25 Sport Sedans at $88,800 (manual) and $91,300 (auto) and five SportCombi models at $91,300 (manual) and $92,800 (auto) arriving before September.GM Premium Brands communications manager Emily Perry said they had three confirmed orders for the Turbo X.Perry said the Turbo X AWD technology would become available in an all-wheel-drive version of the Aero late in the year.“That is, by Christmas you'll be able to choose the current 188kW FWD Aero or the 206kW XWD Aero,” she said.However, Turbo X will include unique features that won't be available on the standard XWD Aero such as the electronic limited slip differential but it will be an option.The Turbo X is powered by the 2.8-litre turbocharged V6 engine and features Saab's Cross-Wheel-Drive technology, which allows torque to be split to either side of the rear axle by way of an electronically limited-slip differential, based on information from the stability-control and traction-control systems.To optimise traction at take-off, Saab XWD incorporates a pre-emptive engagement of the rear wheels, eliminating the need to detect front-wheel slip before rear drive is activated.It also features an active rear limited-slip differential; which can transfer up to 50 per cent of maximum rear torque between the rear wheels to which ever has more grip.Turbo X also has retuned suspension, an electronic chassis, special throttle and powertrain settings and special styling.All cars will be black, with the front grille and all exterior detailing accented in a matte-grey titanium-like finish.Up front is a deeper lip spoiler and integrated air intake and, at the rear, the reprofiled bumper and insert panel lowers the point of air-flow separation to reduce drag and assist the vehicle's high-speed stability.The Sport Sedan features a rear spoiler that extends the line of the trunk deck, reducing high-speed lift forces at the rear axle, and the SportCombi has a similar spoiler that extends the rear roofline.They sit on 18-inch, three-spoke titanium-like alloys (19-inch available as a factory option at $2250) and feature twin, rhomboid-shaped tailpipes.The black theme is continued in the cabin with black leather upholstery (premium upholstery costs an extra $4000), and carbon-fibre fascia, door inserts, glove box and gear shift console.The Turbo X boost gauge is a replica of the original 900 Turbo display.  SnapshotAudi A5 3.2 FSIPrice: $91,900Engine: aluminium, 3197cc, 24-valve, direct injection, DOHC V6Power: 195kW @ 6500rpmTorque: 330Nm @ 3000-5000rpmTransmission: 8-speed continuously variable multitronic transmission with DRP sport program, front-wheel drive with electronic stabilisationSuspension: 5-link (front), independent-wheel, trapezoidal-link (rear)Brakes: dual-circuit brake system, ABS, EBD, ESP, brake assist, tandem brake boosterWheels: 7.5J x 17 cast alloysAcceleration: 0-100km/h in 6.6 secsFuel: 95 RON, 65L tankEconomy: 8.7L/100kmCarbon emissions: 207g/kmOptions: metallic paint $1600, 18-inch wheels $1350, sports seats $800, memory seats $1300 and B&O sound system $1550 

Looking for the “real you” usually involves selling the family wagon and buying a red convertible.However, after your toupee has been torn from your head, you have been stared and pointed at by giggling schoolgirls, and you have been drenched in the rain when the roof has refused to return to its raised position, you will be ready to sell your convertible and try something else.At this stage you realise you have wasted a lot of money and tested the patience of your family and friends.Yet some of us take time to learn and this process can go on for a while as you flit from one midlife crisis purchase to another. There's still a coupe, V8, ute and SUV to try.I went through the process with a succession of vehicles that I am too ashamed to admit to in public.My wife would argue that my midlife crisis is still going with my six-monthly turnover of motorcycles, but that's another story. Besides, they're a bit cheaper than cars.If only I knew then what I know now, I would have saved some money. The lesson is; if you must have a midlife crisis, buy a Saab 9-3 Convertible and get it out of your system.The Saab is one of the few four-seater convertibles around, which means you can actually justify it as a sort of family car (we won't mention the lack of luggage space).Saab 9-3 convertibles also have good private resale value, which is absolutely vital, unless you enjoy throwing money down the drain.And remember, you will pay almost $20,000 more for the convertible over the sedan.Now Saab has a diesel version, which means it is not only cheap to run but should have an even better residual value when you go to sell it — and you will sell it a seemingly short time after you've had it.There are stacks of reasons for this.First, it's a rag top, so you can never be sure about its security. It takes only one brazen thief with a box cutter to get in.As a rag top, it is also loud, even with the top up, although Saab has a triple-lined rag top, so it's quieter than most.There is also the problem of handling. Convertibles don't have a roof to take the stresses of the chassis twisting in a corner, so they tend to handle like a leaky boat in a 50-knot wind on Moreton Bay.The fact it's a four-seater means there's an even bigger non-stressed area of chassis to bend and wave in the breeze.Saab has greatly improved the handling, but it still is no track-day special.The main reason for selling the 1.9-litre turbo-diesel model will be that engine.Yes, it is their most advanced diesel engine yet, with a two-stage turbo, common-rail direct and multiple fuel injection, greater maximum boost pressure, lower compression ratio and alloy cylinder head.And true, you get about 6.3 litres per 100km fuel economy (which is actually worse than the sedan's 5.8L/100km because the convertible is heavier).However, that two-stage turbo just doesn't work. In theory it should have no turbo lag. But the lag here is best measured by a calendar.Don't be tempted to cut into a stream of traffic or you will be left stranded before the boost cuts in just over 2000rpm.At that point you get peak torque of 320Nm available instantly, which yanks the steering wheel out of your hand and spears the front-wheel driver first one way then another.If that's not bad enough, the typical clattery noise of the diesel engine is even more evident, either with the top down or up.Outside, the new model looks much smarter with a few aluminium bits of trim which add to, rather than detract from, the ageing style. Inside is a different story.Saab's adherence to their traditional aircraft cockpit look is well past its use-by date and the switch gear all feels very light and flimsy.Admittedly the list of standard features is quite impressive; leather upholstery, heated seats, automatic climate and cruise control and MP3 compatibility.Our test car included a fully integrated, but retrofitted, Kenwood sat nav and entertainment command centre that Saab is testing for the Australian market.GM Premium Brands (Saab, Hummer, Cadillac) communications manager Emily Perry said it was a pre-production evaluation unit. “It's not currently available, but we are close to bringing it to market for the 9-3,” she said.“We hope to have this Kenwood unit available to customers as an accessory by the end of the year. At this stage it's only being tested in the 9-3, not 9-5, but there is a possibility that it may also become available in 9-5. I can't give pricing details or launch timing yet,” she said, although she estimated it would be under $4000.I have advised Perry that they shouldn't bother, for several reasons.The navigation function was so difficult to operate, I gave up and used a UBD instead. As for changing radio stations, forget about it.The screen was almost unreadable in any daytime conditions because of glare. And, although I find touch screens preferable for ease of use, my fingerprints, together with the glare, made it even more difficult to see.It also reflected the glare off the rear window, which allows little vision because the light blue paintwork on the test model's rear deck directed sunlight straight into it.There also didn't seem to be any clock in the sat nav unit that I could find, which left the driver with no means of telling the time in the cabin. What is this, a Harley?I'd stick with the factory-fitted sound system and get a portable sat nav unit.  SnapshotSaab 9-3 1.9TiD Convertible Price: $68,000 (Linear), $72,100 (Vector)Engine: On paper this should be a good unit, but the turbo lag negates the fuel savings. It is also too loud for a soft top.Handling: The laws of physics are against it from the start.Economy: The diesel is frugal, but hindered by the heavy convertible body.Value: Expensive, but you should get good resale value if you look after it.Body: 2-door, 4-seater convertibleEngine: DOHC, 1910cc, 4-cylinder, common-rail turbo-dieselPower: 110kW @ 5500rpmTorque: 320Nm @ 2000-2750rpmTransmission: 6-speed manual, 6-speed sequential Sentronic auto ($2500), front-wheel driveFuel: 6.3L/10km (claimed), 58-litre tankCO2 emissions: 166g/km (187 auto)Kerb wieght: 1687-1718kg depending on specificationTyres: 16 x 6.5 alloys — 215/55 R16 93V; 17 X 7.0 alloys — 225/45 R17 94W; 17 X 7.5 alloys — 235/45 R17 94W; 18 X 7.5 alloys — 225/45 R18 95W, space-saver spareFor: It's a midlife crisis must-have.Against: Too many to list.Verdict: The diesel experiment in a convertible just doesn't work. 

Actually, it's something I've never done in our wide, brown land.Neither is sitting beside a 60- something crazy man; as he flings a Saab 9-3 Turbo X along a snow-covered forest track at close to 200km/h with nothing but a wall of snow between us and a disastrous trip into the trees.Yet this is all everyday stuff for one-time rally champion Per Eklund and the team from Saab Ice Experience.Every year, they take small groups of journalists for a deep-frozen dip into the history of Saab, the engineering of its cars, and what makes Sweden different from the rest of the world.It's all done deep inside the Arctic Circle, in a white wonderland that's as far from Australia as you can possibly imagine.It's beautiful in a desolate way that contrasts with the hot, dusty plains of the outback, but a huge shock when you land at minus 20 after taking off from Australia at plus 30.There's a special hook for the Saab Ice Experience this year, as the company is about to bring its first all-wheel-drive cars into showrooms.If that sounds a little unusual, given the ultra-slippery winter conditions in Sweden — and most of Europe — it has taken Saab a while to gather the money and enthusiasm to upgrade from its traditional front-wheel drive.But it's about to feed more than 200kW to the road with the limited-edition 9-3 Aero X and Turbo X models, which are close to local showrooms.These are family vehicles, not Lancer Evo-style road rockets, so Saab felt it was essential to upgrade to all-paw grip.“If it works here, it works anywhere,” Saab engineering chief Anders Tysk says.“We do it the Saab way, with the latest Haldex drive system. It's always on, always all-wheel drive."“We want to eventually have it on all our models, because of the safety.”Saab calls its system cross-wheel drive, written XWD, and there's no doubt it has put a lot of work into the task, from the gearbox hook-up to the electronic brain that controls the active rear differential fitted to the Aero X.The technical talk is nice, and the Saab people — who now operate as part of the GM Premium Brands team in Australia, where the family includes Hummer and Cadillac — are warm and welcoming. But we want to drive.Soon enough, we're standing on a frozen Swedish lake alongside a line-up of pristine silver Turbo X automatic wagons.Per Eklund, a one-time World Rally Championship firebrand who still wins in rallycross with a very special Saab 9-3, introduces us to the event.The idea is that we will run through some safety demonstrations and exercises before a bit of fun against the clock on a twisting course; that has been carved through the 60cm-deep snow covering the ice.“We start a little bit slowly, to get a good feeling; later, we maybe have some fun,” Eklund says. “Here, you have a chance to try all the things in these new Saabs, like the cross-wheel drive and the turbo engine.”Eklund points to the 100 steel studs in each tyre, their to give some grip, but also points to the waiting bulldozer — with a tow rope that gets plenty of action each day — as he gets to the warning about driving technique.“A lot of people close their eyes when something goes wrong. This is not a good solution,” he says, with typically deadpan Swedish humour.“You have to drive the cars. Eventually, computers will do it for you, but not today."“Always do something. Do not stop driving. Otherwise, there will be some problems — and you have the chance to take some nice pictures while the tractor comes to tow you out.”So we get down to action and quickly learn that a simple braking exercise is much, much tougher on sheet ice than it is on dry bitumen.Try turning the wheel as well, to steer away from a make-believe moose (a man in a snow suit with antlers on his head), and it's easy to trigger a potential disaster.When we head to the twisty forest track for some fun, and to see what cross-wheel drive can really do, things hot up. A lot.It seems impossible that any car can go so quickly with so much control, although it's easy to slide over the limit and into the powdery snow banks. The tractor gets some work, including one tow for us.We learn about the need to be gentle, smooth and elegant to drive well in these conditions — lessons that should flow back to everyday driving without the white, icy edge.Then Eklund and another rally champion, Kenneth Backlund, show us how it's really done when they jump into a pair of black Aero X weapons equipped with narrow snow tyres and giant rally studs for extra grip.Whereas we struggled to get through the icy corners at 60km/h, Eklund and Backlund are sliding sideways at well over 100km/h on the ice lake, before uncorking the Saabs on a mock-up rally stage through deep snow in the forest.They are silly fast, with the speedo needle twisting around past 190km/h, yet the cars feel safe, secure, comfortable and toasty warm.So, what is different? Apart from the drivers and the studs, absolutely nothing. These are showroom-stock Saabs, exactly the same as the cars that are coming to Australia. And that is massively impressive.So, what did we learn? Probably not a huge amount, beyond the quality of the new cross-wheel-drive Saabs and the potential for a significant Saab sales boost in Australia once the Aero X and Turbo X hit our shores.But the ice-driving experience was a reminder of the need to learn to drive well — really well — to get the best from your car and to avoid the sort of nasty incidents that are so common on Australian roads.Make a mistake on the ice track, and you get an embarrassing tow out of the white stuff for another go, but there's no second chance on the road in the real world. 

With only two models on offer, the Swedish brand sold just 1862 cars last year. A small slice of the market, but not for lack of choice within the range.Within the two model range — 9-3 and 9-5 — there are diesel, petrol and ethanol BioPower options, as well as the choice of a sedan, wagon or convertible body styles.Without a definite all-new model on the horizon, the ageing 9-3 recently had a late-life nip and tuck. After years of continuity — it was last refreshed in 2002, the 9-3 has been dressed with some bolder styling cues. Inspired by the brand's Aero X concept car, the 9-3 is now a little more sporty.The front end is practically new, with a more prominent grille, new bumper mouldings and lights and the return of a “clamshell” bonnet.Elsewhere there's been some extra tweaking to give a freshened look, although the changes aren't dramatically different and the Swede is still left looking a little plain.At $50,900, the 9-3 falls into the luxury market, yet it doesn't quite deliver on expectations of price and performance. The 9-3 experience is like watching a movie that doesn't quite satisfy. You're initial impression is “will people notice if I walk out?”.Stick around and there are aspects that might try to win you over, but overall its a B-grade movie.Our car version of that experience was powered by a 1.9-litre turbo diesel engine, which accounts for 31percent of total 9-3 sales. While mid-range performance was good, it was getting there that was the problem.The first thing you notice is the massive turbo lag. Put your foot down and you're left waiting for what seems an age for any meaningful reaction.It finally comes on around 2000rpm, hanging around through to about 2750rpm — and you had best be ready.With the foot planted the arrival of all 320Nm of torque can come as a surprise, as can the torque steer along with it. Peak power of 110kW comes through at 4000rpm.The automatic transmission was comfortable and effective in drive mode, but venturing into user-chooser territory was disappointing.When shifting to the manual function, the gear changes are at your fingertips with paddles located on the steering wheel, but you're often left disputing your gear choice with the transmission nanny.Any attempt to get into fifth gear about the 80km/h mark resulted in a heated argument and a mechanical dummyspit with the driver definitely not coming out on top.Auntie Saab knows best and while you may want a toodle along in a fuel-saving gear the transmission continues to flick back down a cog.The same is the case in the lower gears and slower speeds as well.Try the Sport Drive mode and there's too much of a strain, simply holding the lower gears for too long.And it's not a sporty revving sound, but more of a moaning for the anticipated but non-present shift.On the upside, the ride quality is comfortable around town with soft suspension and it's quite an easy car to manoeuvre, with steady steering and a fairly tight turning circle.Overcome the starting obstacles and the 9-3 is a comfortable cruising car. The interior design feels a little boring and outdated — but still so functional in that very Swedish way — but uplifted by the comfortable black leather seats.The inside is also a quiet location, with minimal intrusion from road noise or the engine.Although the diesel engine is recognisable with the windows down.In trademark Saab tradition the ignition sits on the console between driver and passenger, while there is an ample supply of interior storage.You also get the reassurance of safety thanks to ESP, traction control, driver and passenger adaptive dual stage front airbags, front seat mounted head/thorax side airbags as well as active head restraints.It also comes with some decent equipment, including a electrically adjustable drivers seat, 17-inch alloy wheels, heated front seats, cruise control, a “cooling” feature in the glovebox, a full-size spare wheel and automatic climate control.But you will have to pay extra for parking assistance, a sunroof and a centre headrest in the rear.The 9-3 claims 7.0 litresper100km fuel consumption, but our test showed it to be a little higher for urban driving, averaging 7.7litresper100km.Saab has been a scrapper for some time. It doesn't sit at the top of the European luxury tree but there is enough about them to keep those who do love them enamoured.We are not one of them. Time spent in the 9-3 was just that little bit empty, as if there was something more, something better, just out of reach.But there is hope. A new twin-turbo diesel powertrain expected here next month. The TTiD, 1.9-litre four-cylinder two-stage turbocharging engine will join the range and should give a better low-down performance.The two turbochargers are different sizes and provide instant torque at low speeds as well as stronger top end power at higher rpm. THE BOTTOM LINESaabs 9-3 comes with a decent equipment list, but the performance hurdles of this diesel are hard to conquer. SNAPSHOTSAAB 9-3 LINEAR SPORT TIDPRICE: $50,900ENGINE: 1.9L/4-cyl turbo diesel, 110kW/320NmTRANSMISSION: 6-speed autoECONOMY: 7.0L/100km claimed, 7.7L/100km tested THE RIVALSAUDI A4 TDIPRICE: $57,700ENGINE: 2.0L/4-cyl turbo diesel, 103kW/320NmTRANSMISSION: multitronicECONOMY: 6.4L/100km VOLVO S40 D5PRICE: $44,950ENGINE: 2.4L/5-cyl, turbo diesel, 132kW/350NmTRANSMISSION: 5-speed autoECONOMY: 7.0L/100km BMW 320DPRICE: $56,700ENGINE: 2.0L/4-cyl, turbo diesel, 115kW/330NmTRANSMISSION: 6-speed autoECONOMY: 6.7L/100km