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2008 Saab 9-3 Preview

Whenever we hear the term “cockpit” being used to describe the interior froma driver's perspective, one of the few car companies that can claim credit for the verbiage appropriateness is Saab. You see, Saab stands for "Svenska Aeroplan Aktiebolaget", which translates to Swedish Aeroplane Limited. The aeronautical heritage of Saab began in 1937 with the company manufacturing warplanes for the Swedish Air Force. In the mid 1940s the company wanted to diversify into automobile production and with that goal, the first Saab 92001 rolled off the production line. Design cues mimicked the innovative approach the brand took with their warplanes, so this first Saab was rather unconventional for the era, in terms of styling, drivetrain and its platform architecture. First it was one of the first cars to be driven by the front wheels on a transversely mounted engine. Second, a major emphasis on safety was integrated into the design with a safety cage concept designed into the shell. Finally, the overall shape of the vehicle demonstrated the influence of Saab's

The 9-3 family has been redone for 2008. It's noticeably different with a stylish new look. (Photo: Saab)

aerodynamic expertise, as the profile looked very much like the profile of an airplane wing. The 92001 was the birth of the Saab automotive legacy of forward thinking design, safety, and aviation influence.

After 60 years in the business and enjoying several mergers prior to its current ownership by GM, for the better part of the last decade, the new 2008 Saab9-3 (pronounced “nine three”) model range has been unveiled. The new 9-3 is still a compact executive car geared to compete against BMW's 3-Series and the like, and continues to be based on the Opel Vectra and Cadillac BLS architecture, both sold in Europe while in North America, cousin to the Chevrolet Malibu, Pontiac G6 and Saturn Aura. It comes in three configurations:

The 9-3 soft top cabriolet carries through. It's a handsome looking car. (Photo: Saab)

Sport Sedan, SportCombi (wagon) and convertible. In addition, there will be three engine choices available, including a 2.8-liter V6 turbo, a 2.0t BioPower four-cylinder, and an extremely thrifty 1.9-liter two-stage turbo diesel.

Loyal Saab enthusiasts will be happy to find out that, despite 70-percent of the new 9-3 being made up of new parts, the styling cues remain quintessentially Saab-like. Think of it as a refined facelift if you like. Fascia design elements were drawn from the Aero X concept, giving the 9-3 a more defined presence. Most notably up front, its deeper and wider trapezoidal grille and slimmer headlights that wrap around the sides have greater visual presence. The lower half of the front bumper is fitted with a functional black mesh air vent, which really makes the new 9-3 more aggressive looking than its predecessor.This

Clear taillights are now a Saab trademark. (Photo: Saab)

treatment actually reminds me of the BMW E39 M5, which isn't a bad role model to take after. Another recognized Saab feature is the clamshell hood that closes neatly on top of the grille.

Look at it in profile and you'll notice that the new doors which sit higher on the beltline are void of any black rubber side strips, thus giving a very clean look. The wheel arches are flared and when completed with side skirts, give the new 9-3 an air of confidence.

The rear treatment is finished with dual exhaust tips encased in a matching black lower bumper valence as up front. The only controversial design elements are the taillights, as the white “smoked” light casing will be a hit or miss with buyers. It reminds me of the once trendy aftermarket craze to “clear” out the taillights, when do-it-yourselfers would literally remove colored casings, such as the standard orange turn signals, and retrofit white fluorescent lamp

Minimal changes to the 9-3's interior, but that's because the big modifications were done last year. (Photo: Saab)

shades bought from the local hardware store ... not that I did this myself.

Like the exterior styling, the simple yet upscale interior is very much Saab-like, and yes the ignition is still on the center armrest area behind the shifter. It's actually refreshing to see simplicity in interior design compared to the button clad consoles of many premium rides today. With three control knobs for the climate control and an LCD screen control center, the driver can focus more easily on the road. Saab is a pioneer in interior ergonomics and was the first to address the amount of unnecessary clutter of lit dials and gauges by giving the driver the option to black out all dials other than the speedometer during night time driving, known as the Night Panel. This feature continues forward with the new 9-3. As with the exterior, the car's cabin still retains the Saab “cockpit” environment with console and control orientation dedicated to the driver. The monotone dashboard is dressed with metallic strips and panels to create a sporty yet

More power has been extracted from the turbo V6. (Photo: Saab)

sophisticated appearance. Equipped with available Bose Centerpoint Surround Sound audio, tuned just for the 9-3, occupants can enjoy everything from dance music to symphonies thanks to 11 speakers in the sedan and 10 speakers in the Sportcombi.

The first of three engine choices is the 1.9 liter, 16-valve two-staged turbo diesel badged as the TTiD, which can be mated to a six-speed manual or automatic. It produces 180 horsepower and, more impressively, 295 lb-ft of torque. Even better it enjoys an estimated fuel consumption rating of 40 miles per gallon. Having two staged turbochargers of varying sizes helps reduce turbo lag, as the smaller charger offers instant grunt at low engine speeds (under 1,500 rpm) while the larger turbine helps at 3,000 plus rpm. Engine speeds in between get the support of both turbochargers. Overall, the diesel is an engine that delivers exceptional power for only pennies. So far there's no word about Saab following the lead of other premium brands by bringing this thrifty engine to America, but current trends could see it here sooner than later.

The second choice is the all new 2.0t turbocharged BioPower four-cylinder

Ethanol is a big part of Saab's European program. On their vehicles, ethanol actually produces more power. (Photo: Saab)

that runs on E85 bioethanol blended fuel and produces 200 horsepower. With E85 having a higher octane rating of 104 RON, higher pressure boost is required as does advancing the ignition timing, compared to when using regular gasoline. Saab's Trionic 8 engine management system automatically monitors fuel quality andadjusts the timing, airflow, and boost pressure accordingly. In the event that a fueling station doesn't carry E85, this engine will also run on regular gasoline. Expect it to scoot from zero to 60 mph in 7.9 seconds on E85 and 8.5 seconds on regular gasoline.

The third engine choice is the all-aluminum variable valve timing 2.8-liter V6 turbo that will come standard with 9-3's equipped with XWD. The XWD model produces 280 horsepower and can propel you from zero to 60 miles per hour in just 6.3 seconds. While the two-wheel drive model is scaled down to 255 horsepower.

XWD, for those curious, wasn't developed in-house by Saab. They received help from neighboring Swedish engineering firm Haldex, the makers of the all-wheel drive system that's been used by Volvo for years. This, however, is the most advanced generation of the Haldex differential yet, in that it's capable of transferring power to the rear wheels even

The big news is the XWD all-wheel drive system. Developed by Haldex, it's capable of torque vectoring, and is said to be remarkably good. (Photo: Saab)

before wheelspin is detected. This all-wheel drive system is fully automatic and can either provide 100-percent of power to the front wheels or rearwheels, or vary the torque anywhere in between to allow exceptional handling wet or dry. The XWD system ensures control of oversteer or understeer during high-speed cornering by channeling power to the rear wheels, similar to the Super Handling All-Wheel Drive system featured in the Acura RL, RDX and MDX. During highway driving, less than 10-percent of the engine's torque is sent to the rear wheels to ensure maximum fuel efficiency.

All in all, the new Saab 9-3 range should satisfy die hard Saab enthusiasts and new buyers alike. It still retains all the technical innovations fans of the brand have grown to appreciate, and once again they're inside a well recognized shell. These days, it's getting harder and harder to find cars that don't share platforms and components with other cars from different brands, so the fact that Saab uses parts from a number of GM midsize models is hardly out of the ordinary. Take Chrysler and Mercedes-Benz, or Ford and Volvo, and any number of other combinations. It's good see that Saab retains at least 60-percent of components exclusive to the brand, and that the 9-3 still gets assembled in Trollhättan, Sweden. A fact that Swedish loyalists must be proud of.

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