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2007 Saab 9-3 2.0T Convertible 60th Anniversary Edition Road Test

With summer having drawn to a close I am most likely in possession of my last

The Saab 9-3 is a timeless machine, and a symbol for calm, slick open-air motoring. (Photo: Steven James Day, American Auto Press)

convertible/roadster for a while. This is also the time of year when thoughts turn to cooler weather and closed roof vehicles with all-wheel drive. The convertible assigned the task of delaying those thoughts is a pretty good one, the Saab 9-3, the latest in a long line of drop-tops from the Swedish-based, GM-owned auto manufacturer. Saab has been selling convertibles in North America for about 20 years now and it's hard to imagine their line-up without one. Personally, when I think Saab convertible I am reminded of Seinfeld, as Jerry always seemed to drive a black one. An episode even famously centered on the purchase of a new Saab and how far it could travel on a single tank of fuel, but when thoughts of such a contest briefly entered my mind, my wife wasn't willing to play the salesman to my Kramer.

Two models of the 9-3 convertible are available, the 2.0T and the Aero; the highlight of the latter is Saab's wonderful Turbocharged 2.8-liter 4-cam 250 horsepower V6 and sport suspension. My test example is the former, the 2.0T, which also happened to be the 60th Anniversary Edition, an $1,825 package which includes 17 x 7.5 inch alloy wheels, dual power front sport seats finished in black and gray leather with “Saab” embossed in the seat

If you like its looks, act soon as Saab has changed them up for 2008. (Photo: Steven James Day, American Auto Press)

backs, a 6-disc in-dash CD changer with XM satellite radio, walnut console trim, floor mats, fog lamps and a rear spoiler. It's a nice package, well worth the money as it adds some of the more desirable features of the Aero model, such as 17-inch alloys and a rear spoiler. The only question mark surrounding the package is the single piece of dark walnut trim. Subtle is usually a good thing when it comes to wood trim, but here it borders on downright sparse – a few additional pieces on the dash or door panels would be appreciated.

Sixty years is the brand's diamond anniversary, so Saab sprayed the 9-3's attractive body panels with a hue of Electric Blue, and even spilling it into the interior on the tops of the door panels. It's too bad the bumper rubstrips and body side moldings weren't painted as well.

2007 is the last year to enjoy (and purchase) a 9-3 in this current body style as for 2008 the 9-3 receives a major update based on the Aero X concept. Still, the front nose is all Saab with its clear-jeweled projector headlamps (xenon bulbs are optional on the 2.0T but standard on the Aero) rounded trapezoid main grille flanked on both sides by small flared

It's a very safe convertible with active head restraints, rollover protection (Dynacage) and a stiff chassis. (Photo: Steven James Day, American Auto Press)

“nostrils” and sculpted hood and fenders. The sculpture continues at the rear where the high deck lid is capped off by the subtle lip spoiler. The result is a tidy package from most angles, except in profile where the quarter panels appear as a vast expanse of metal because of the way the side swoops upward toward that high deck lid, and the radio antenna also looks out of place on the right rear fender. Top down, the hard tonneau cover flows nicely into the rear seat headrests and hides pop up roll bars that spring into effect in the event of a major collision. Thanks to what Saab calls 'Dynacage,' which incorporates a total safety structure, the 9-3 Convertible is strong enough to earn the maximum five star EuroNCAP safety ranking, the first soft top car ever to do so. On this side of the Atlantic, the 9-3 Convertible was recently awarded the 2007 “Top Safety Pick” award for open-top models in crash tests conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

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