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My local Saab dealer has sent me a brochure and price list for the updated 9-5 on sale in Europe now (and an invitation to come and have a test drive).
With the old model you could combine interior and exterior colours and materials, extra options etc. in almost any way you wanted.
Thus, 18 months ago I ordered an Aero (wanted the sport chassis and HOT engine), ventilated seats (they're great in Mediterranean summers - and I don't consider performance and comfort mutually exclusive!), no wooden dash (thought it looked like brown plastic), parking aid (very useful for European cities where available parking spaces were usually last occupied by a VW Golf) but no auto-dimming mirrors (couldn't care less - certainly wouldn't pay for it!) and so on and so on until I had exactly the car I wanted.
But now Saab have introduced this Soviet style system of options where you
have four versions (Linear, Arc, Vector and Aero) where sporty options can ONLY be had with the Vector and Aero versions and comfort/luxury options can ONLY be had with the Arc versions.
Why can't I have ventilated seats in an Aero?
Why can't I have a wooden dash (or a base dash) in an Aero?
And why on earth can't I get an Aero in Mica sun green metallic???
Adding to the silliness there are these "packages" where in order to get something you want you are forced to pay for a host of other options even if you have no interest whatsoever in them:
Why in order to get cruise control do I have to pay for an SID level 2 with additional functions that I never use?
Is Saab aiming for the Ford T level of choice ("you can have it any colour you want ... as long as it's black")???
There are probably good reasons why only 9 colours exist for the 9-5 (whereas my girlfriend's $7000 Fiat Punto exists in 47 colours!) but which Soviet supermarket manager decided that Aeros - unlike Linears and Arcs - cannot be had in Mica sun green metallic???!#£$§??? GRRR!
A Rolls-Royce can be ordered in Shocking Pink with leopard skin seats and the Spirit of Ecstasy replaced with a silver sausage - but soon Saabs will be delivered in any colour you want ... as long as it's black!
posted by 212.190....
, Sat, 22 Sep 2001 00:27:46, Wed, 19 Sep 2001 20:59:05
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