2003-2011 [Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup
It's a couple of days old, but maybe some haven't seen it yet. It's an interesting piece. D
Date: Tuesday - August 22, 2006 5:37 PM
Subject: 9-3 road test
E-mail | Print | License Reprints | RSS
2006 Saab 9-3 Aero SportCombi Test Drive
Best Saab Ever?
Traditionalists may lament the discontinued Saab 900 hatchback and GM's ownership of the quirky Swedish company, but the 9-3 is the best Saab we've ever driven.
Originally published 08/16/2006Written by Stephan Wilkinson
As a card-carrying Saab zealot who's owned four of the Swedish-to-the-core cars, I approached the company's new compact model, called the 9-3, with skepticism: It's built on the same platform as the Chevrolet Malibu and Pontiac G6 sedans.
Surprise — this is the best Saab I’ve ever driven.
With the help of parent company General Motors, Saab has gotten rid of all the things that appealed to a precious few — goofy forward-tilt hood-opening mechanisms, wild torque steer, styling by Lyle Lovett’s hairdresser. They’ve now created a handsome, strong, sophisticated and useful mainstream car that deserves to be cross-shopped by anyone considering substantially more expensive cars such as the Audi A4 and BMW 325xi.
+ click to enlarge | view gallery >
GM is having a hard time selling Saabs, probably because the traditionalists shun them and mainstream buyers still think of Saabs as some weird semi-Arctic off-brand. It's a shame, because the 9-3, the wagon version in particular, is a car that would sell better if the brand weren’t lumbered with a reputation as a counterculture favorite.
The two terms carmakers dare not use these days, lest they be perceived as stodgy and uncool, are "minivan" and "station wagon." So Saab names its best-ever station wagon “SportCombi,” whatever that means. (Yes, I know, there was a hatchback version of the Saab 99 called a Combi back when Nixon was president, but is there anybody still alive who cares?) So let’s be frank: The SportCombi is a station wagon. Deal with it.
Sedan and convertible versions of the 9-3 are also available, but this review primarily concerns the wagon.
Here's the url to see photos, etc :
http://www.forbesautos.com/research/reviews/2006/saab/9_3/sportcombi/test-drive.html
posted by 216.86.72...
No Site Registration is Required to Post - Site Membership is optional (Member Features List), but helps to keep the site online
for all Saabers. If the site helps you, please consider helping the site by becoming a member.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
