Comments on: Car Magazine with Saab model news

By: Jeff

Jeff — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 01:32:45 +0000

I remember Swade mentioning that legislation, but I didn’t think it had gone through at that point. I figured it finally had, and that’s why Autoblog reported it. Wonder why it took them so long.

By: turbin

turbin — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 00:10:41 +0000

Jeff,

Yeah, Swade reported on that a month or two ago. Saab and particularly MB are fighting it vigorously. In real terms it means no P-plater in Vic can drive any post 1996 Oz delivered Saab. Let’s face it, if Bracks’ son can prang a N/A 900, what hope have we got.

The irony is that the most inexperienced drivers no longer have access to the safest cars on the road.

The flip-side is that any force-fed car is readily and invisibly modifiable, BSR tune on a base 9-3 or swapping an Aero-spec ECU into a LPT 9000 can make otherwise sedate cars quite potent and 9000′s are very affordable now.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 21:17:52 +0000

Did anyone see that story about low power turbo cars being banned for preliminary drivers in Oz (or parts of Oz, I couldn’t tell)? No Saabs, no Merc turbos, but the Porsche GT3 is just fine because it’s low powered, apparently. Teehee.

By: Tiago do Vale

Tiago do Vale — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 18:55:23 +0000

I wonder if that Vectra is a mule for the new 9-5: I don’t see the extended Epsilon II having the same wheelbase as the old small Epsilon…

By: zippy

zippy — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 16:22:44 +0000

Sept07 issue of Automobile magazine, I should have said!

By: zippy

zippy — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 16:20:11 +0000

Did anyone else notice that the new 9-3 is supposed to come in hatch, wagon and ‘vert form come 2010? I doubt very much that Saab will ditch the sedan as the market has spoken when it comes to big hatchbacks – nobody wants them!

i think the game-changer for Saab is going to be that new Haldex XWD system. I have just received the Sept 07 issue and they rave about the handling on the 9-3 XWD.

By: Jon

Jon — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 15:41:43 +0000

If thay do build a roadster why not use the Lotus Elise frame like GM did for the VX220?

By: Jeff

Jeff — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 15:32:56 +0000

Yay Sonett! If it’s being badged as a 9-2, that means cheap(ish) convertible and that means happy Jeff.

Some Saab people have said that a new Sonett would be most likely based on Delta (and not Kappa), according to Wikipedia. That means FWD, I think. Personally, I think they should figure out how to shoehorn the XWD system in as an option, because that would be awesome. Even if they don’t, though, FWD is fine for 200hp, which is fine for a smallish car like a new Sonett would be.

Though an AWD 500 horse torque-monster Saab superconvertible would be cool too :p

By: mark_belfast

mark_belfast — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 15:21:43 +0000

PT, I couldn’t resist the jibe at Volvo!

But it is true isn’t it? There was some mud attached to the Jaguar X-type for being a Mondeo clone (not actually a terrible thing as the Mondeo is a good motor), but by-and-large Ovlov seem to get away with it.

Having seen several S80s and V70s on the road, I have to say Ovlov designs have gone from being mould-breaking (at least from the cube mould!) to being same-again iterative and boring. The new V70 is plain ugly!

If that is what the 9-5 is up against, I feel confident. Audi will produce a same again A6, BMW’s new 5 looks like a pumped 3 (a backward design step IMHO) and Merc C-class looks more Korean than ever.

Roll on the Aero school of design!!

By: Adam

Adam — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 14:42:31 +0000

I’m not sure this PA is something new. Isn’t that what already exists on the GM mild hybrids like the Saturn VUE Green Line?

So would they pair it with a start/stop system? Would that be what they mean by “short range zero-emissions mobility”?