Saabrobz has a knack for taking great photos that end up on this site. Try here, here and here, for example.
This latest shot isn’t posted because of the quality of the image – Saabrobz himself apologises for that – but because of the importance of the subject matter.
Saabrobz’s Flickr album is here and it contains some more images of this car.

Yep, someone in Sweden has taken a Turbo X down to the local shops and being dark, thought they could get away with it undetected!
This is most interesting because according to what I heard in Detroit last week, and from one dealer independant of Detroit, production hasn’t started of the Turbo X’s to be sold to the public yet. So what we’ve got here is a pre-production Turbo X wearing some winter wheels and possibly undergoing some last minute testing.
Congratulations to Sabrobz on a brilliant catch.
300hp or not, I still want one
Does that say “Jose” on the back??
Last minute testing my eye! That’s a Saab exec using his privilege to get his Saab with all of the goodies before it’s available!
Well, maybe.
Owned by Saab Automobile so it’s likely a preproduction test car..
I saw one in the flesh at the Brussels car show. It doesn’t look that special to me. And the tupperware at the back, combined with the tailpipes, doesn’t make it look that good. Same for the interior: the carbon makes it look cheap. It might have impressive mechanics, but It doesn’t get my vote.
BaRa – agreed, this is no M3 or RS4. I know Saab have a gently gently approach to life, but the Viggen and Carlsson made more impact in their day. To the man in the street, this is almost indistinguishable from the normal 9-3 (which by the way is very smart and eye-catching). If you expect people to pay premium prices, or perhaps to jump out of the german exec motor or an Alfa, you’d want a bit more stylistic muscle/ panache?
Err, why it’s got those wheels not the 3 spoke fork we saw earilier?
Mark, BaRa, I can pretty much guarantee that when we first spot one of these on the street, in a clear setting with those proper Turbo-X wheels, it’s going to have some real presence.
Can’t wait. I’m very pro-Turbo-X. Can you tell?
I want one in Artic White !!
Yes – bring back white on ALL models. It’s becoming ever so popular once again!
The registerd owner according to the swedish car register is SAAB in trollhättan so it is to 99% last minute testing..
I want that metallic white colour to be introduced, it would sell like wildfire!!
This metallic white colour has been shown on so many concept vehicles that I am surprised that no-one has actually said, ok, let’s put this colour into production!!
Snow Silver is close, but it is still silver rather than metallic white. The one on the Saab biopower 100 convertible concept is the one I want to see!! Such a lovely colour!!!!
And as for the Turbo X, imagine it in that metallic white with black wheels! Yummy!!
I can’t wait…argh!
Look cheap? Perhaps it was just raining and cold in Brussels..oh wait it is always raining and cold in Belgium. Ah just kidding – I’m just jealous about the beer thing…I mean our beer here in the US stinks and Belgium beer is of course the best.
The car is killer. The 9-3 Aero was great and the X is even better.
Kaz,
That makes two of us. Its annoying how the white only comes on the convertible. I want a white sedan
yep iwant a arctic-white or metallic white with black rims. right now my 08 areo is solid black with black rims because no white was availiable….