Thursday Snippets

Posted by swade on February 28th, 2008 6 Comments Printer-Friendly

Aside from Cuba at Saab Central, I don’t think I’ve come across any prime time Saab nuts in New Zealand (I think you’re more of an interested party, Robin C, right?).

That’s changed.

Although the Poelsmas bought the building for its traditional architecture and its appeal was subsequently enhanced by the chiropractic connection, Mr Poelsma admitted there was another reason why he liked the building.

“I have a problem,” he confessed. “I’m a Saab (car) nut - I have nine of them.

“And the house has a 130 metre square shed out the back for me to store them. That’s very important.”

Nine Saabs? Nice problem to have.

——

Saab are the only company here in Australia to market an E85-capable vehicle.

It’s good to see that fact noted in a story about the V8 Supercars race series switching to E85 in 2009.

The V8 Supercars series is the biggest motor racing series in Australia. It’s our Nascar, except they drive left and right corners and stuff. The V8 Supercars are Holdens and Fords. The crowds are significant and most have been fighting for thir preferred brand since they first watched their Dads do the same many years ago.

That the V8’s are planning a switch to E85 will likely be lost on many of these hardnut supporters, but the V8 Supercar hierarchy recognise that E85 is likely to play a bigger part in Australia’s fuel future, so they’re getting on board.

In light of this, PT’s BioPower advertising discovery from Saab Australia seems all that more impressive.

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Here’s a quick question for the convertible owners out there…and everyone else too, I guess.

Do you see your vehicle as a performance vehicle or as a cruiser?

I came across a convertible review today. I don’t have time to cover it right now but it criticised the Saab 9-3 convertible for not having XWD and the 280hp engine. It sounded like the reviewer had caned the car through a mountain pass or something and was complaining about the handling as a result.

I’ll look it up and cover it soon enough.

I’ve always considered convertibles as cruisier vehicles. The lack of roof structure and added weight of the roof mechanism generally means that performance is always going to be somewhat short of tin-tip standards.

Sure, you can have some fun in them, but I generally view them as relax-mobiles.

Am I the only one?

——

A few weeks ago I covered a 2008 Saab 9-3 review by an Aussie website called CarAdvice.com.au. The writer of that review was gracious enough to join us in comments and listen to the feedback we gave. A rarity these days.

I’d just like to give all the Car Advice guys a shout out, my congratulations, and let them know that I’m extremely jealous.

They’ve just finished test driving the Bugatti Veyron, which I believe is a pretty difficult gig to get. Here’s a teaser:

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Kroum said:

My god, the sound of that Veyron makes me want to work overtime, evenings and weekends. Too bad. I’ll still need to switch from 24- to 240-hour business days to even stand a chance.

Talking about convertibles, Swade, I don’t think of topless Saabs as just cruiser beauties. I’ve had the chance to drive the 9-3 Aero convertible on a few occasions, the car is just magnificent and downright sexy! But it’s also a very capable vehicle, surely not as capable as the one on the video above, but I would definitely stretch its legs and push the V6 at each opportunity.

If Saab offered a Turbo X Convertible, I’d be itching for one. Though it will probably cost somewhere in the vicinity of $75K CAD. But just imagine rolling past those 3 feet snowbanks we now have in Toronto with the top down and XWD even further down. Damn nice!

-February 28th, 2008 at 2:27 pm
eggsngrits (Author) said:

I’m not so sure that Cuba qualifies under the Saab nut category as much as he’s just there to rile everyone.

With as few people as there are in NZ, I imagine that there are proportionally fewer Saabs.

-February 28th, 2008 at 3:22 pm
jw said:

I think if they could XWD the convertible, then they should.

There are plenty of Quattro A4 convertibles on the road, and id say that the 93 has a pretty stiff chassis in comparison.

-February 28th, 2008 at 6:41 pm
Kaz said:

I would LOVE for XWD to hit the ‘vert, heck, I even emailed Bob Lutz about it, and was very surprised to get a reply.

Apparently it is to do with the undercarriage, and the chassis strengthening obstructs the transmission enough to not allow an XWD system.

The only way it would probably be possible is with the all wheel drive hybrid convertible concept they have doing the rounds, where a pair of electric motors power the rear wheels.

Either that or re-engineer the strengthening to allow XWD. I’m guessing they do not think they will sell enough XWD equipped convertibles to justify the cost. Personally, I think they are wrong, you just have to see how many quattro convertibles are out there.

As for the cruiser/sports car conundrum. I have a different take, I call it balanced. The car can be both, albeit not on very tight a or b roads. On sweeping country roads the 9-3 Aero ‘vert with the V6 is an absolute hoot! But it is also able to lay back and chill out. I call that balance, and it is a GOOD thing to have.

BMWs’ have extremely harsh rides now, and you certainly are unable to relax as much as you can in a Saab. Even audis fail to ride with aplomb over a great distance.

No, balance is more important to me than excellence in one area. Probably why Saabs tend to appeal to the more intellectual sectors of society.

-February 28th, 2008 at 8:23 pm
saabyurk said:

Kaz, I couldn’t agree more on the “balanced” comments. To me, that has always been a SAAB advantage, and I hope it stays that way.

-February 28th, 2008 at 10:42 pm
1985 Gripen said:

Steve Shannon explained at the 2008 U.S. 9-3 media launch in Washington, D.C. in August that the ‘vert can’t get XWD because it won’t fit with all the bracing they have to do under the car to increase rigidity due to the lack of a hard top.

-February 29th, 2008 at 2:25 am