Comments on: AWD 9-3 Speculations

By: PGAero

PGAero — Fri, 20 Oct 2006 10:31:01 +0000

Wow Swade, “Old Man River.” Nice.

By: Swade

Swade — Fri, 20 Oct 2006 04:52:55 +0000

Excellent description, Bill (of the bed-flute).

By: Saabill

Saabill — Fri, 20 Oct 2006 04:03:13 +0000

ctm, As the bed-flute is in the trouser department a high note indicates a very high level of excitement.

On the relative merits of AWD, I have an AWD as a daily driver (Saabs are for weekends!) and find the system superior on wet, iced or gravel surfaces. No doubt FWD beats RWD in these circumstances, but is not equal to AWD. Times have moved on and so must our favourite car maker. As for road feel I don’t know as I have not driven identical cars at the limit with/without AWD.

An obvious drawback with with high output Saabs is getting the torque onto the tarmac.

Bring on an AWD V6 HO turbo 9-3 in my view, taking it to the competition.

By: Swade

Swade — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 23:33:38 +0000

Gunnar,

You old musical showboat, you.

That “Ol Man [Spenchian], he must know som’thin, but don’t say no’thin”

I’ll do what I can to make sure the musical quotes “just keep rolling along”.

By: fred

fred — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 23:02:32 +0000

All Im saying is when AWD finally is offered that it be the RDU. The mechanical systems are a??? way to go. The NVH etc.
Ive lived in “snow” country, Ive talked with Aspen PD who used to have 95s with some hefty snow tires…they said, I say that it was/is a very rare occasion for a stuck Saab.

By: Eduard

Eduard — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 16:30:48 +0000

Isn’t strange that after the launch of the 9-3ss and all the reactions of GM to reduce costs, cancellation of all projects, Michale Mauer decided to leave the company when received the offer of Porsche……

When the 9x and 9-3x where launched, Mauer said, that both concepts have about 80% of parts ready for production and those models would be in the Saab portofolio sooner or later.

The 9-3x it would be an innovative and very good premier and gived to Saab the leadership in the segment of Compact/Coupe SUV/Crossovers.

At the end of 2003, it appeared two pics of two variants of the 9-3ss, thos pics it seems were made in the Saab design Center in Pixbo. One was the 9-3ss convertible, and the other was the 9-3 Sporthatch(was delayed 2 years) but in a crossover version.

By: WooDz

WooDz — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 14:08:00 +0000

Anyone who thinks AWD is not important is unfortunately not looking at the bigger picture.
If there is one thing that Auto magazines knock the Saab for, is lack of traction. AWD will certainly give that.
When Saab bring AWD to market it is going to put Saab in direct competition with Audi, and not as most write BMW. Audi do not offer the quattro system across the board. AWD is an optiion and I see Saab doing the same. We the public not only want choice we expect it. Audi offer a 255hp 3.2i A4 in either FWD or AWD. Would it not be natural for Saab to offer the same?

AWD for the 08MY 9-3 is all speculation right now and I can’t see anything being confirmed until about May 2007. As for Face-lift I think we need to look at the 9x styling not AeroX. The 9-3 will then fall in line with the current 9-5.

Remember; the flagship vehicle always gets the new design cues first and as we all know that isn’t the 9-3.

By: sam

sam — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 11:15:03 +0000

I would welcome AWD in a 9/3 and maybe buy one if the price were right. Around here (Utah, USA) I think the popularity of both SUVs and Subarus is due to them having 4wd or AWD. People here like 4wd or AWD vehicles because it makes life a lot easier in snowy conditions.

My wife’s Jaguar X-type has AWD, and not only handles better than my 9/3, but is way better in slick conditions. AWD was a major selling point for her.

I think that people that obsess about the limits of dry handling, road feel, or some such thing to diss AWD are missing the point. How often do most people operate their cars at the cornering limit?

And as for SAAB being steadfastly against AWD in Sweden, maybe they need to listen to their customers in the USA and elsewhere that want AWD. Who knows, they might sell a few more cars.

By: fred

fred — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 10:37:55 +0000

AWD is one of the biggest hoaxes ever…perped by autojournos and industry. Saab in snowy Sweden has been steadfast against this waste of space, weight, time…it doesnt help ya stop any faster from what is most likely a higher speed in poor conditions.
But if it has to happen then the RDU/hybrid thing in the concept car should come to fruition.

By: ctm

ctm — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 10:20:45 +0000

“the 9-3x hit a high note on the bed-flute for many, myself included”

Is that Aussie language?

Oh well, if only the 9-4X was something like that..