You definitely want one...

[Chris_Doane]

http://www.leftlanenews.com/saab-9-3-turbo-x-review.html

[NOS2006]

Are they P-Zero Rossos or P-Zero Neros? I'm going to guess Rossos because the Neros are $h!ty tires.

Glad you liked it. I'd love to just drive one; those cars are sexy inside and out and have a great powertrain (on paper at least).

[Northstar]

Are they P-Zero Rossos or P-Zero Neros? I'm going to guess Rossos because the Neros are $h!ty tires.

Glad you liked it. I'd love to just drive one; those cars are sexy inside and out and have a great powertrain (on paper at least).

You have that backward. The P-Zero Nero's are awesome tires. I have them on the GTO and they stick like glue, even under full throttle. Tirerack rated the all-season version the best ultra high-performance all-season. The P-Zero Rosso's are what they put on Cobalt SS's and they aren't rated very well on Tirerack.

As for the tires on the Saab, those are the new tires that are considered one of the best in the world, simply called P-Zero. I believe the F430, 599GTB, R8, and Gallardo use them among other supercars, so they're obviously great tires.

[CSpec]

Damn, Saab has a ton of potential if it got the funding. It seems that Lutz and GME recognize this.

[Chris_Doane]

As for the tires on the Saab, those are the new tires that are considered one of the best in the world, simply called P-Zero. I believe the F430, 599GTB, R8, and Gallardo use them among other supercars, so they're obviously great tires.

Actually the Saab has the Neros.

[Oracle of Delphi]

Damn, Saab has a ton of potential if it got the funding. It seems that Lutz and GME recognize this.

I agree, and GME does recognize Saab's potential, CPF will fight for it should anyone in GMNA try to kill or sell it off. IMHO!

[PurdueGuy]

Saabs of the last 5 years or so are great looking cars (some are decent before that as well). Can't really complain about turbos, either. Only things that would keep me from considering one (if I were in the market for a car) is cost of purchase and repair. Friend with a '99 saab (forget the model) decided to live with a cracked fog light, because they were over $100 each. That was the best price he could find... USED. FROM A JUNKYARD. That's crazytalk.

Of course, I'm a Saturn owner, so I'm a tightwad. lol

[ZL-1]

http://www.leftlanenews.com/saab-9-3-turbo-x-review.html

Jättebra!

[Oracle of Delphi]

Jättebra!

OMG, such language young man.

[ocnblu]

They don't speak to me. NO, I don't want one.

[VenSeattle]

But but but... It's an Epsilon sedan priced like a Cadillac CTS... this can't be allowed!!!

I haven't driven this version of the 9-3, but would love the chance. I think it looks fantastic and would be great to own.

[z28luvr01]

The 9-3 Aero goes like it was shot out of a cannon. I could only imagine what the Turbo X is like.

Nice writeup, CD. Very fair assessment of the car. The pricing issue (as with all Saabs) is likely tied to the unfavorable exchange rate. I really wish they'd wise up to that and start making US-bound Saabs here.

[Oracle of Delphi]

They don't speak to me. NO, I don't want one.

Were you hearing those voices again blu?

[regfootball]

Saabs of the last 5 years or so are great looking cars (some are decent before that as well). Can't really complain about turbos, either. Only things that would keep me from considering one (if I were in the market for a car) is cost of purchase and repair. Friend with a '99 saab (forget the model) decided to live with a cracked fog light, because they were over $100 each. That was the best price he could find... USED. FROM A JUNKYARD. That's crazytalk.

Of course, I'm a Saturn Opel owner, so I'm a tightwad. lol

lol....saturn will soon be opel......

[ocnblu]

SAAB speaks to a tiny niche of the market. It is not worth the money because it is not a brand that can grow much beyond what it already is without pissing off the faithful. It's GM chasing rainbows again.

[PurdueGuy]

lol....saturn will soon be opel......

I only own S-Series, Opel's got nothing on me!

[ZL-1]

OMG, such language young man.

[z28luvr01]

Hey, CD. I know you weren't exactly very gentle on your test drive, but can you give a decent estimate as to what kind of mileage you got out out of it? Given that in my experiences GM's EPA numbers don't reflect real-world mileage (in a good way), I'm very interested in the V6's fuel economy.

[Chris_Doane]

I averaged 20.1 for the week. If you drove it "normally" you'd probably get 22-24.

But this car doesn't want you to drive it normally.

[Camino LS6]

I'll pass.

[Robert Hall]

The ultimate Epsilon-based car, sounds like. Sounds like a fun Audi-esque GM model.

Edited September 24, 2008 by moltar

[Robert Hall]

But but but... It's an Epsilon sedan priced like a Cadillac CTS... this can't be allowed!!!

I haven't driven this version of the 9-3, but would love the chance. I think it looks fantastic and would be great to own.

Yes! and it's a rare GM with a manual transmission, a feature GM seems to have largely forgotten on most of it's US brand models.. nice to see this coexisting with the CTS and G8 GXP... there is room for a variety of sports sedans within GM...they have more than enough pedestrian vanilla FWD models for the mainstream.

[Chris_Doane]

I'll pass.

I had a G8 GT press car the other week and the Saab stuck to the corners way better.... :AH-HA_wink:

[Sixty8panther]

There's WAY better chance that I will own a sixteen cylinder, 452 cubic inch

powered car than the chances of me owning a modern SAAB. Really.

They don't speak to me. NO, I don't want one.

+1

[Camino LS6]

I had a G8 GT press car the other week and the Saab stuck to the corners way better.... :AH-HA_wink:

I don't mind a car that kicks the tail out from time to time.

I just find the Saab completely unappealing. Not my style in any way.

[Sixty8panther]

PS: for $44K I would own a brand new G8 GT & a solid, drivable pre-war car with patina.

[Camino LS6]

Nicely written article though.

[Robert Hall]

For some reason, SAAB's have had an appeal to me for a long time, since reading about their rally exploits in Road & Track as a kid... back in the '90s, on several occasions I had fun driving the '92 900 Turbo my sister had then around the Boston area, out on Cape Cod, etc.. fun, quirky car.

Not something I'd need in Arizona, but the AWD would be a nice to have if I moved to a place that has snow and ice.. I've never been much for FWD, but there are certain SAABs, Acuras, and Audis I've long liked..

Edited September 24, 2008 by moltar

[Camino LS6]

To each his own.

Saabs have always looked goofy to me, and this one is no exception.

[turbo200]

one of the best designs on the road, period. one of the best looking cars in that price range. i would love to own one. be torn between M3 sedan, AMG C of course.

[Z-06]

Good vehicle. I think the SAABs are $3-4 K too expensive. Nice ride-up write-up Mr. Doane.

[Camino LS6]

one of the best designs on the road, period. one of the best looking cars in that price range. i would love to own one. be torn between M3 sedan, AMG C of course.

No contest: M3.

[Sixty8panther]

It's GM chasing rainbows again.

It's funny cause it's true. You have a way with words O.B.

[2QuickZ's]

My wife and I really liked the 9-3 2.0t we leased from '05 - '07. It was a great cruiser and got excellent gas mileage. Still, Saab's are way overpriced, IMO, and the only reason we got it was because of a ridiculous lease deal they offered us. This thing basically competes head to head with the M3 and a nicely equipped CTS (on price, not size ) and I would take either of those cars before this Saab. 9-3's should start in the mid 20's and top out in the mid 30's with convertibles a couple grand more. Of course, how many Saabs are ever actually sold new? When I bought my 9-2X the salesman said he couldn't remember the last time he sold a car as opposed to leasing it. Mind you, we got both of our Saabs from one of the largest Saab dealerships in the U.S.

[Camino LS6]

My wife and I really liked the 9-3 2.0t we leased from '05 - '07. It was a great cruiser and got excellent gas mileage. Still, Saab's are way overpriced, IMO, and the only reason we got it was because of a ridiculous lease deal they offered us. This thing basically competes head to head with the M3 and a nicely equipped CTS (on price, not size ) and I would take either of those cars before this Saab. 9-3's should start in the mid 20's and top out in the mid 30's with convertibles a couple grand more. Of course, how many Saabs are ever actually sold new? When I bought my 9-2X the salesman said he couldn't remember the last time he sold a car as opposed to leasing it. Mind you, we got both of our Saabs from one of the largest Saab dealerships in the U.S.

Very telling.

[Sixty8panther]

A FWD SAAB acan NOT hold a candle to a RWD BMW....

bringing the Motorsport-tuned 3 into the mix just makes the comparison that much more absurd.

[regfootball]

My wife and I really liked the 9-3 2.0t we leased from '05 - '07. It was a great cruiser and got excellent gas mileage. Still, Saab's are way overpriced, IMO, and the only reason we got it was because of a ridiculous lease deal they offered us. This thing basically competes head to head with the M3 and a nicely equipped CTS (on price, not size ) and I would take either of those cars before this Saab. 9-3's should start in the mid 20's and top out in the mid 30's with convertibles a couple grand more. Of course, how many Saabs are ever actually sold new? When I bought my 9-2X the salesman said he couldn't remember the last time he sold a car as opposed to leasing it. Mind you, we got both of our Saabs from one of the largest Saab dealerships in the U.S.

if GM pulled their head out of their ass they could sell the snot out of 9-3's right now because of their awesome mpg.

but the pricing is a huge problem and the fact that they pretty much won't lease them out cheap if at all anymore.

[pow]

Saab is a brand with so much potential, as evidenced by their stunner concepts... it's a shame they don't have the financial resources to turn that into reality.

People will overlook the fact the next 9-3 or whatever can't match the 3-series in driving dynamics, if Saab succeeds in making a car that looks like nothing else. Design sells, it creates buzz, and it can cover up technical shortcomings. In these times especially, people tend to like Saab's "brand values" of responsible luxury, sustainability, and so on, but what do we get instead? A 12-mpg rebadged TrailBlazer SS and a 15-mpg 9-3 2.8T.

Edited October 1, 2008 by empowah