Out Of The Mouths . . .
by David Finlay (25 Sep 01)

They say that the simple pleasures are often the best, and although they and I don't always see eye-to-eye on everything (we sometimes stop talking for days because of it, though it usually sorts itself out in the end), I do see their point. The simple pleasure I experienced with this Saab occurred while I was driving it at a speed of perhaps 0.2mph in reverse gear, and it was possibly the defining moment of the whole test.

A few boys, average age approximately ten, were cycling in the vicinity. They looked at the Saab, shouted out a cheery "nice car, mister!" and pedalled off. The whole incident lasted less than three seconds.

Well, you should have seen me for the rest of that afternoon. I was a delight to know. I was kind to small animals. I refrained from arguing with people who were obviously wrong. I thought generous thoughts about Rufus J. Flywheel. And all because of one "nice car, mister!"

A lot of this was based on the fact that the young cyclists must have thought the car belonged to me, which in turn meant they must have thought I could afford it. That was quite pleasing, in a poignant sort of way. But every time I looked at the car after that, I realised what they meant. Saab is very good at making bulky cars look sleek, and they are up to their best standards with this one. The red paintwork is quite to the purpose, the twin-three-spoke alloy wheels are just so, and the general stance correctly suggests considerable performance.

Even The Ranks Of Tuscany 

The fact that it is a convertible makes it look even more appealing, and I say this as one who believes that a car without a roof makes about as much sense as a tree without wood.

Unfortunately, looking at the thing in a stern and logical manner, I feel this is one of the car's main problems. Deleting the upper reaches of the bodywork is always a recipe for poor structural integrity, and any manufacturer who does it has to find ways of curing the resulting rattles and squeaks.

Saab has not done this effectively. From the first moment I drove it, it was obvious that the car would start wobbling under any provocation, as indeed it did. I couldn't help wondering how long it would take for the whole thing to shake itself to bits, and what the owner would have to say about it when this happened.

This is the first of two serious problems. The second, which almost everyone who has written about the 9-3 Aero, roofed or roofless, has had cause to mention, is that the 205bhp produced by the turbocharged engine can not be dealt with by the rest of the car.

It would never do to get into a public argument with professional colleagues over this, but I do think some of them are creating a situation which most owners are unlikely to come across. There is a tendency among members of the motoring press to jump on the throttle pedal of any performance car and see what happens. In the case of the Aero, if they do this when turning a corner or driving over a bump or crest, the results are alarming. Torque steer takes over, and you either have to fight the car back on line or - preferably - lift off and let everything settle down again.

Straight-Line Performer 

On the other hand, if you leave the throttle alone until the car is travelling in a straight line, there is no problem at all. There is a pleasant surge of power and the car swishes forward to the next obstacle. Drive like this and swift, smooth progress can be made without any drama or fuss. All you have to do is remember that this Saab is a high-performance cruiser, not a sports car.

Which is fine, but what if an inexperienced driver hits the loud pedal too early and can't cope with what happens next? Saab's determination to provide maximum passive safety over the years has been almost second to none, but here's a case where a bit of active safety would be a Good Thing. Other manufacturers have been able to push 200bhp and more through the front wheels without causing a major handling imbalance, and I can't believe it is beyond the wit of Saab to do the same.

Plus points include comfort behind the wheel, and surprisingly good fuel economy (if the trip computer wasn't paltering with the truth, I averaged over 30mpg for a week). One negative point not mentioned so far was that synchromesh on third gear felt a little shaky, though that's not unusual in powerful press cars, which are apt to have a hard early life.

I liked the car more than I thought I would, but I don't miss it, and it won't figure in my list of favourites for the year. The fact that its biggest fan that I know of won't be able to drive legally for another seven years may be significant.

Price: £28,995
Capacity: 1985cc
Power: 205bhp
0-60mph: 6.9 seconds
Maximum speed: 146mph
Economy: 42.8mpg extra urban, 31.4mpg combined
CO2 emissions: 216g/km
Insurance: Group 16
Saab figures.

Second opinion:
Mildly restyled, this is an elegant car, hood up or hood down, and you can understand why it's the best-selling premium four-seater soft-top in Europe. Apart from the cut-off roof effect, there are plenty of built-in safety features. There's an impressively good hood, with several layers of material and a soft-feel effect where it acts as the cabin "roof". The electric hood operation is fuss-free, but I did once get into the situation where it refused to click into place properly at the back, after being raised. Tried again an hour or so later, it worked correctly. Although the hood compartment takes up a fair amount of what would otherwise be boot space, there's very reasonable luggage volume left. Open, the Saab wafts airflow over the front seat occupants' heads, with only some hair-ruffling when the extra-cost (but essential) deflector is in place. The Aero's low-profile tyres don't help the ride quality, and I agree that the lower-powered 2.0t model would be easier to control on corners, although there's nothing wrong with a sub seven-second 0-60mph time. Excellent leather sports seats in the Aero, but restricted room, as with most convertibles, in the back. I do wish Saab would offer tilt adjustment of the steering wheel, though, rather than just telescopic. Ross Finlay.

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