Saab News Blog

For the first time, Swedish car brand Saab moves into the finest midsize wagon segment by fusing distinctive design, sporty driving dynamics, and the functionality of a five-door vehicle—all in the new Saab 9-3 SportCombi.

The new model caters to customers who go for versatility of a wagon that comes with smart load-carrying features and a spacious cargo area, without compromising their desire for driving satisfaction.

The 2007 Saab model inherits the signature appearance of the 9-3 line-up with its cohesive five-door styling and solid, muscular stance. But the emphasis of the car’s interior is on the driver’s experience in terms of simplicity. Under the SportCombi’s hood is the two-liter, DOHC, inline four-cylinder, 210-horsepower turbo engine with a six-speed manual transmission.Saab’s reputation for offering sporty, versatile cars is well illustrated by the SportCombi’s strong and compact proportions. It is available in various colors, including Titan gray metallic, chilli red metallic, fusion blue metallic, polar white, and black.

The SportCombi has a lot to say when it comes to safety. It has electronic traction control, stability control, front, side and roof-rail airbags, ABS brakes, active head restraints, a brake-assist system, remote keyless entry, central locking, and anti-theft device.

The new model also offers a kind of “infotainment,” which includes a CD player and auxiliary audio input standard. The Saab Infotainment CD Changer adds an in-dash 6-disc CD changer and the Saab Infotainment Plus adds a GPS sat navigation system with 6.5-inch touch screen.

The 9-3 SportCombi has zero lift levels at both axles (0.00 Clf and 0.00 Clr). The car has a drag coefficient of 0.33, impressive high-speed stability, and a standard integrated rear roof spoiler.

The future of Swedish car brand Saab is not really that bleak after all.

Commenting on speculation that auto company General Motors (GM) may drop Saab like a hot potato, GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz said Saab is still part of the GM family and the company still plans to keep Saab.

Saab is a division of General Motors Corporation, the world’s largest vehicle manufacturer. Founded in 1937 in Sweden, the Saab brand was bought out in full by GM in 2000 and today sells cars in more than 60 countries around the world.

Lutz wrote in his GM Fastlane blog that he, along with other GM officials, is convinced that Saab is a “jewel in the GM crown.” Lutz added that GM is resolute in making Saab a successful brand.

Steve Shannon, the new executive at Saab Automobile USA, has been taking a carefully planned approach. With four brand new models in the next three years, Shannon’s mantra is: Keep it simple, keep it Saab. Future Saab models will share global architectures with other GM products. But the brand will have more distinctive sheet metal around the hardware, with more Saab design cues both at the interior and exterior, as well as specifically tailored driving dynamics, more horsepower, and a renewed focus on safety and the environment.

GM is ready to take some drastic measures if Saab’s managers are unable to sell enough vehicles at least to offset the cost of developing new products. At present, Saab sells about 35,000 vehicles a year in the U.S., which is more than the brand moves in Sweden, but it is also about 90,000 units less than Ford-owned Volvo moves in America.

For the meantime, the development of Saab’s new models—including the next-generation 9-5 and 9-3—are almost done. Shannon said the upcoming Saab models are going to please even the harshest critics. When the new Saab 9-5 debuts in 2009, car enthusiasts will quickly recognize that the looks and the driving character make it absolutely a Saab.” This despite the fact that the new model will share its basic underbody design with the Chevrolet Malibu and Opel Vectra.

However, Shannon is particularly enthusiastic on the new 9-4X, a five-passenger crossover vehicle designed in Michigan and based on a new midsize architecture. Shannon described the model as “the spiritual successor to the station wagon.” He said, though, that wagons will not be totally pulled out from Saab’s future line-up.

Another new Saab model, tentatively named 9-1, elicits the most passion from the Saab executive. According to Shannon, the vehicle is going to have an interesting body style and an iconic shape with a lot of design flair.

Saab will reinvent its marketing on virtues such as responsible performance, safety, and functionality, with pioneering technology as a common thread tying everything together. Shannon stressed that Saab “continues to fill a unique niche in GM’s multibrand strategy in the U.S.”

Meanwhile, the questions remain: Will Saab supporters return to the brand in sufficient numbers? Will they create enough positive buzz to entice newcomers to the fold?

Swedish carmaker Saab takes sports utility vehicle (SUV) performance to a higher level as it adds the powerful Aero version to its 9-7X lineup.

The 2008 Saab 9-7X Aero, which is a symbol of Saab performance in the midsize SUV segment, inherits the Saab brand characteristics of previous models. These include sophisticated exterior and interior styling plus sporty and spirited performance.

The limited edition 9-7X Aero comes with a six-liter, V-8 delivering 390 horsepower (295 kilowatts) and 395 lb.-ft. (542 Nm) of torque. With 0-60 mph acceleration under six seconds, the 9-7X Aero is great for those who are actively passionate about the driving experience.

A high-performance model, the Aero has bigger 12.8-inch front disc rotors, upgraded iron twin-piston calipers, and high-performance pads to reel in the extra power. Saab’s retooled suspension offers superior handling over the standard 9-7X.

Unique to the 9-7X Aero’s version of the engine is a composite intake manifold adapted to the LS2 engine to help make balanced torque and horsepower. Maximum towing capacity on 9-7X Aero model is 6,600 pounds (2994 kilograms).

One of Saab’s newest cars, the Aero’s exterior sports a unique paint color called Carbon Flash Metallic. It also has 20-inch polished, aluminum wheels covered with P255/50R20 V-speed-rated performance tires.

As with other Saab models, the new Saab 9-7X Aero is driver-focused, with a lowered chassis tuned and tested to deliver responsive, balanced handling.

There are improvements with corner control and body roll control with front stabilizer bars that are approximately 10 percent larger in diameter. A heavy-duty rear axle with limited-slip differential adds strength to the new Saab vehicle.

The 9-7X Aero will be on sale starting this autumn.

Sporty, tight, handles well.

An all-wheel-drive is finally being offered to Saab 9-3 cars. Saab, which has established a reputation on the winter prowess of its front-wheel-drive systems in the United States, introduces the fourth generation of a Haldex four-wheel-drive system.

Dubbed the XWD (cross wheel drive) system, the advanced all-wheel-drive will be exclusive to 9-3 Aero Sport Sedan and SportCombi (or Combi) models. These models come with a 280-horsepower, 2.8-liter, V-6, turbocharged engine, and either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission.

Slated to be sold late this year, the XWD models showcase bold and more assertive looks. The new Saab 9-3 series reflects powertrain improvements that include the introduction of all-wheel-drive and more powerful gasoline engines.

Donning a sporty appeal, the new Saab 9-3’s frontal style is inspired by the Saab’s renowned Aero X concept car. The styling concept fuses contemporary and classic Saab design themes in a modern expression of the Swedish brand’s distinct character. This is reinforced by the dynamic, cohesive looks of its new front, rear, and side areas.

The new theme is complemented by brand new headlamp lenses and light units that now include a thin “eyebrow” lighting zone. Also, the appearance sees another Saab signature feature: a “clamshell” hood, closing across the top of the front wings. The hood pressing includes a sweeping, U-shaped styling line, as first seen on the Aero X, which echoes the curvature of the windshield.

At the back, all new 9-3 models offer smoked white light clusters. The exclusion of all external rubbing strips from bumpers and doors results in a cleaner and more cohesive overall look. The new door panels adopt a simple, uncluttered form with redesigned and color-keyed handles.

The Saab 9-3, which is based on the same chassis as the latest Vauxhall Vectra, is fitted with a twin front, side and curtain airbags, and anti-whiplash head restraints as standard.

Comfortable seats and smart dashboard layout makes the Saab driver’s environment superb. In addition, there are many adjustment options in the seat and steering wheel to provide the driver with an excellent driving position. There is adequate room in the back that makes the Saab 9-3 a perfect four-seat cabriolet.

Designed to withstand extreme weather conditions, the XWD system is a highly efficient tool for driving enthusiasts. It uses four wheels to power the car and act as receptors to electronic controls that foil skids and slips.

In a test drive in Sweden, the car exhibited an outstanding adaptability. Everything was seamless—from rough pavement to sharp bends.

Fully automatic, the XWD system can send power up to 100 percent of engine torque to the front or rear wheels when needed. The electronics monitor the driver’s input, the vehicle’s attitude, and driving conditions and distribute torque front to rear as needed.

Only five to 10 percent of the engine’s power goes to the rear wheels, providing heavier tactile sense of front-wheel-drive and helping save on fuel.

Adding a sporty dimension to the driving experience, the new model’s sophistication is governed by its own electronic unit. The hardware consists of a Power Take-off Unit (PTU) in the front final-drive that transmits engine torque through a prop-shaft to the Rear Drive Module (RDM). This incorporates a Torque Transfer Device (TTD) and an optional electronically-controlled Limited Slip Differential (eLSD).

The new Saab Turbo X will make its debut at the Frankfurt International Motor Show next month, in celebration of the Swedish auto maker’s 30 years of leadership in turbocharging. There, Saab will “go back to the future” by evoking the iconic appeal of its classic Black Turbo models as a tribute to the cars that started it all.

Introducing a cutting-edge technology, the Saab Turbo X has the visual appeal similar to Saab 99 and Saab 900 black turbos of the 1970s and 1980s. The Saab Turbo X is intended to revive the appeal of those classic Black Turbo models. What sets the new Turbo X apart, however, is that an all-wheel drive is introduced to the 9-3 lineup. It is in Frankfurt where the 2008 9-3 will make its first grand entrance, with an AWD system that can not only transfer 100 percent of available torque to the rear wheels but also split torque between the rear wheels.

Saab plans to feature the 2008 Saab Turbo X with a more powerful, 280-horsepower version of the turbocharged 2.8-liter V-6 that is in front-wheel-drive versions of the 9-3 Aero XWD.

Thirty years ago, Saab surprised the automotive world by presenting its first turbocharged model at the 1977 Frankfurt auto show. That car was the Saab 99 Turbo, which started a trend that others would follow suit. Since then, the Swedes have used turbocharging to enhance performance throughout their model range. Likewise, the groundbreaking features of the new Saab Turbo X are expected to get worldwide emulation.

To celebrate their passion for cars and the Saab brand, more than 300 Saab owners and their cars will gather in Troy Hilton in Michigan for the 25^th Annual North American Saab Owner’s Convention starting Thursday, August 23 until Sunday, August 26.

The five-day event, which marks the 60^th year of Saab as a car manufacturer, will draw together Saab owners and enthusiasts from all over North America, according to Steve Shannon, general manager of Saab Automobile USA. The Great Lakes Saab Club, in coordination with Saab USA and the Saab Club of North America, organized the event.

Among the convention’s lineup of activities are: Saab new car test drives, Saab vintage car rides, Saab executives roundtable, and Saab charity auction. Saab Cars President Jay Spenchian will introduce the 2008 Saab car model. Aside from older Saabs, the new Saab 9-3 will be launched. An exhibit on the Saab’s “Born from Jets” will also be displayed, including an actual-size replica of the award-winning Saab Aero X concept car.

One of the convention’s highlights is the Best Saab Fleet Competition, where participants send entries of their best Saab cars. The attendees of this year’s Saab Convention will have the honor to select the best fleet in two categories: Individual/Family and Business/ Corporate.

GM chief financial officer Fritz Henderson will be the keynote speaker on Saturday night at the GM Heritage Center in Sterling Heights, where a banquet dinner will be held.

Some of the confirmed guests to the convention include rally legend Erik Carlsson, Saab Museum Curator Peter Baackstrom, and former chief executive officer Bob Sinclair.

Saab, a Swedish auto manufacturing company, is a division of GM and its vehicles are sold in more than 60 countries worldwide. The markets of Saab include the United States, United Kingdom, Sweden, and Germany.