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(Wed 13 Jun 07) The 2008 model year Saab 9-3 will be launched in the UK in September.
While still absolutely recognisable as a production Saab, it bears some resemblance to the dramatic Aero X sports coupé concept displayed at Geneva in 2006. Back then, Saab said that the Aero X was "conceived as a study to explore future design directions", and that has indeed turned out to be the case. The new 9-3 comes in three body styles - Saloon, SportWagon and Convertible - and four trim levels - reading from the bottom up, Airflow, Linear SE, Vector Sport and Aero. There's a familiar range of Saab engines, from a 1.8-litre non-turbo petrol unit to the 280bhp 2.8-litre V6. The list also includes a couple of BioPower units, of which the larger two-litre version produces 175bhp on petrol and 200bhp when using E85 bioethanol.
Not available in September, but likely to cause quite a stir when it arrives a few months later, is the new 180bhp 1.9-litre TTiD twin-turbo diesel. Without specifying actual figures, Saab says that this engine provides similar in-gear performance to the 2.8 V6, but has predicted combined fuel consumption (in the saloon) of 47.9mpg. It's also cheaper than the V6. Another new feature is four-wheel drive, or XWD as Saab calls it. Available only on the Aero saloon and SportWagon, it's a fairly complex system - the press release is full of stuff like "the eLSD is installed alongside the RDM and operates via pressurised clutch plates on a principle similar to the larger TTD".
Let's tone that down a bit, shall we? XWD is fully automatic, and can transfer up to 100% of the engine's power to the front or rear wheels, according to what the system considers advisable. An optional extra is an electronically-controlled rear limited slip differential, which also transfers power where it's needed - in this case up to 40% to the left rear or right rear wheel. Like the TTiD engine, XWD will become available some time after September. Prices of the new 9-3 start at £18,575 for the 1.8i Airflow Saloon and top out at £34,495 for the 2.8 V6 Aero Convertible. |
