Category Archives: Saab 9-3 Sport Combi

Saab 9-3 SportCombi

Tuesday Snippets – possible Saab recall alert!

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If you’ve got a 2006 or 2007 model Saab 9-3 Aero then you might want to give some thought to your brakes. Are they working OK or have they had you wondering.

It’s not a recall as yet, but the Detroit News report that it’s being looked at:

General Motors Corp.’s Saab 9-3 Aero sedan is being evaluated by a U.S. safety agency after officials received five complaints of a loss of braking power, Bloomberg News reported today.

The probe may affect 49,932 vehicles from model years 2006- 2007 equipped with a 2.8-liter V-6 turbo engine, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on its Web site today. One low-speed crash related to the alleged defect was reported, with no injuries, the Washington-based agency said.

“We’re cooperating with the agency” in the investigation, Alan Adler, a GM spokesman, said.

They might be co-operating with the NHTSA but I don’t think they’ll co-operate with this agency. Nevertheless, I’ll fire off an email to SaabUSA and Sweden tonight.

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Chrysler could be going belly up!

One of their parts suppliers has filed for bunkruptcy after Chrysler cancelled a contract with them. That’s Chrysler’s perogative, I guess, but it becomes a big problem when that supplier holds your tooling and won’t let you get your hands on it to shift it to another supplier.

Supplier Plastech are claiming that the tooling form part of their business assets under protection and the whole shebang is set to go before a bankruptcy judge asap. The whole debacle has already halted production at four Chrysler plants, and is tipped to spread if not resolved quickly.

The big question is whether the resultant withdrawal would help GM, r would the wider nervousness amongst suppliers start a domino effect that disrupts other US manufacturing.

filed under what makes GM sneeze causes Saab to catch a cold

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Sometimes you get a case of internet serendipity. Such has happened this morning with separate stories coming to my attention with regard to US-Canada pricing of motor vehicles.

This is not a new issue and has been raised here before. Back in November, GM Canada announced a round of incentives that were part aimed at closing the gap between prices. I don’t tknow if they’re still in effect, but as you’ll see, $1,500 ain’t even coming close to making things right anyway.

Web link #1 – Toyota have just announced a price revision for Canadian vehicles that is an attempt to “reflect the new normal”. They’re not the first manufacturer to do so, and hopefully they won’t be the last, either.

And the big one – web link #2 – is a new website aimed squarely at comparing Canadian and US prices for motor vehicles. You can select the manufacturer and model line and look instantly at the comparative prices.

I’d suggest all aspiring Canadian Saabers take a look, copy the link and send it to Saab Canada with a three letter question.

WHY?

A full article on this whole issue (recommended reading) at The Truth About Cars.

Canadian Driver review the 9-3 SportCombi

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I’m not quite sure what to make of this review of the 2008 Saab 9-3 SportCombi in Canadian Driver. On one hand, the reviewer seems to really like the car over all. But on the other, his writing style annoyed the daylights out of me and now that I’ve read it, I’m not sure whether he actually drove the car or not.

A second look tells me he probably didn’t and the title of the review – “Inside Story” – tells me that he’s just looking over the interior of the vehicle. A new approach to car reviews, to be sure. Given that the Saab 9-3′s interior has been a subject of conjecture, it’s an interesting exercise.

In keeping with the Jeckyll and Hyde nature of the review, he had a very close look over everything and covers all the features and amenities quite nicely. But then he photographs everything at night with annoying flash-ridden pictures. Didn’t he have the car during daylight hours at all?

One thing he did manage well was to expose one of the 9-3′s niggling issues – the sliding center armrest. This is the only thing that’s consistently annoys me when I drive a 9-3. If I owned on I’d take to it with super glue.

But even more annoying than the slide-factor is the photo he managed of the underside. There’s no other way to put this – it’s just embarrassing to see in a premium vehicle in 2008.

staples

That’s the lowlight, however…..

There’s plenty of positives in there too and in the end, he gives the whole thing a 4.5 star rating, which I must assume is out of five.

Read this one for entertainment. Maybe you’ll learn a little about the interior of the Saab 9-3 SportCombi as well.

And Saab – please do something about that center armrest.

MPT 9-3 Sportcombi test now on video

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I covered the Motorweek test of the Saab 9-3 SportCombi last week and Chris has just emailed me to let me know that the test is available on video.

It’s the full text of the article I linked to, narrated over some great footage of the 2008 9-3 SportCombi. There’s a whole bunch of driving footage there, including handling and braking tests.

Here’s the money quote, once again:

The 9-3 SportCombi is extremely stable and maneuvers with the utmost confidence. Its ability to corner flatly makes you forget that you’re driving a wagon. Add in standard stability and traction control and there is no better handling front-wheel drive car on the planet than a Saab 9-3.

If you didn’t click through and read the written version last week, then I can highly recommend you watch the video, available here.

This is just a screenshot:

9-3 SportCombi

We all love a good Saab story

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I don’t typically read the Canadian newspapers, but perhaps I should start. Canada seems to be such a sensible place — and apparently Harry Pegg is a sensible man. At least he was sensible when he wrote his recent review of the 2008 Saab 9-3 SportCombi.

Entitled: “We all love a good Saab story”, Mr. Pegg certainly seems to like the 2008 9-3 SportCombi, to wit:

SportCombi is a bit of an awkward moniker, but there was nothing ungainly about the top-of-the-line Aero version provided as a test vehicle by General Motors Canada.

Step on the gas and the 2.8-litre V6 turbo whips up 255 horses in a hurry, providing a highly satisfying launch and plenty of pop to push the ponies past pokey traffic on the highway.

And:

There’s no sob story to be found in the handling, either. Just because it’s a wagon doesn’t mean it handles or rides like one. This one loves to play on tight, winding roads, handling corners as though it were glued to the pavement – little understeer, only a tiny bit of body lean.

It’s all good, except he uses the “q” word (it rhymes with “irky”), and that he’s a little hard on the fuel economy of the SportCombi, which I believe is just fine.

Kudos for a balanced and realistic review, albeit a bit on the short side.

What is the best color for the Saab 9-3?

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THe heading for this post is taken from a search query that came up today.

Saab color query

Now, I tend to think that if you’ve got to ask Google that question rather than make up your own mind, then something’s a little amiss. But it does make a good topic for a poll – doesn’t it?

Because the convertible seems to attracts some different opinions (and because it has some exclusive colors) we’ll make this about the Sport Sedan and the SportCombi.

Step 1 – Take a look at the Saab color palette for the 2008 model year. Then click the back button on your browser and return for…..

Step 2 – Place your vote in the poll below

{democracy:14}

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I’ll post the results tomorrow morning. I have a feeling that the winner will be…..well……you know. But let’s not count any chickens before they hatch.

Saab Competes at 2007 Michelin Challenge Bibendum in Shanghai

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Saab 9-3 competes at 2007 Michelin Challenge Bibendum in Shanghai

Swade reported on this earlier, but I thought I’d add some more details.

Saab has been reluctant to compete in motor sport due to the excessive cost required to do so. They do have a small motor sport department, but I believe most resources are dedicated to supporting racing teams such as Per Eklund’s and the JL Racing team in Canada.

Recently Saab competed in a road rally “race” and did quite well. The race was an event held at the 2007 Michelin Challenge Bibendum held this year in Shanghai, China. The lone Saab entry, a 2007 9-3 BioPower 60th Anniversary Edition Sport Combi, placed ninth out a field of 16 “alternative fuel” or “environmentally-friendlier” vehicles in the “Passenger Car Inter-City” class.

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Another Saab XWD video

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I’ve had a couple of links come through via email to this video overnight. Thanks to all who sent them through.

You’ve all probably seen the video I shot with Kenneth Backlund from the Saab Performance Team at the 9-3 launch event in Sweden back in June.

This new video was also shot at the same event, using the same car(s) and on the exact same track. The great thing about this video is that they must have had heaps of cameras there because there’s a lot of external shots as the car progresses around the track.

Enjoy.

Saab Turbo X pricing for the US released

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I predicted a few days ago that it’d be somewhere just north of US$40,000 – and it is.

To save you reading through, the Saab Turbo X, which is unveiled in the US for the first time later today, will be priced from $42,510 for the Sport Sedan and $43,310 for the SportCombi. First deliveries will be made in Spring 2008.

Here’s the full press release:

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2008 SAAB Turbo X: Black To The Future

Little Turbo XBOSTON – Saab celebrates three decades of leadership in turbocharging by launching the 2008 Saab Turbo X, a driver-focused performance car that sets new standards of performance and capability for the brand.

Flanked by a classic, black 1985 Saab 900 SPG, the new Saab Turbo X made its North American debut at the 2007 New England International Auto Show in Boston – paying tribute to the Northeast region where Saab originally started its U.S. business more than half a century ago, and where many longtime Saab aficionados reside.

“The Turbo X is the ultimate performance expression of the new Saab 9-3 range,” said Saab Automobile USA General Manager Steve Shannon. “It delivers levels of driver involvement and dynamic chassis control never experienced before from Saab .”

The first turbocharged Saab, a 99 hatchback, debuted in the fall of 1977. Combining brisk performance with excellent fuel economy, that car started a trend that was followed by many other manufacturers. Now, the all-black Turbo X takes Saab “back to the future,” evoking the iconic appeal of the first black 99 and 900 Turbos – and introducing innovative Saab XWD all-wheel-drive technology.

“Like the enthusiasts who have remained loyal from the first turbo models, we are very proud of our turbocharging heritage,” said Shannon. “The new Turbo X is one of the most satisfying Saabs ever built.”

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