Yesterday we saw some excellent images of the Turbo X from northern Sweden.

Now, we have the first reports from media attending a special Turbo X Ice Experience. This report has just come online at Edmunds Inside Line.

I was a bit worried that he was complaining at the start….

we had to fly all the way to Sweden, sleep in a hotel made of ice and drive all day on a frozen lake to find out [about how the car drove].

I’d say there’d be no shortage of volunteers who would like to trade places

Fortunately, the whole experience seems to have been quite worthwhile. XWD continues to get rave reviews and again, there’s no complaints about the power on tap.

Here are some snippets:

Once you switch off the ESP stability control, the Turbo X will hold a four-wheel drift until the fuel tank runs dry. Per Eklund, a Saab works rally driver from 1970-’79, was there to show us how it should be done, and we did a pretty good imitation….

….Driving on snow-covered ice is a good test of an all-wheel-drive system’s capability to respond to quick changes in wheel speed, and we came away impressed by the XWD system’s overall cooperative nature.

….Power from the 2008 Saab Turbo X’s 2.8-liter V6 is ample, with its full 280 horsepower arriving at a relatively low 5,500 rpm. A twin-scroll turbocharger fortifies midrange torque to a maximum of 295 pound-feet, which is on tap from 2,150-4,500 rpm. Squeezing the throttle reveals an engine with a character that’s at once stout and relaxed, like it’s never really working hard.

They’re going to reserve judgement until they get to drive it on a proper road, but needless to say they were pretty impressed with the car in the slippery stuff. They got one lap of the ice curcuit in a Turbo X pre-production model and then extended time in a XWD Aero.

It’s a good read, and another positive view of what I’m sure is going to be a vehicle that’s somewhat more sought after once it’s sold out.

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Edmunds have some more photos from the Ice Experience, too. Similar to the ones from yesterday. Unfortunately, the links to enlarge them don’t seem to be working properly right now.

Bummer.