Date: Fri, 23 Oct 1998 10:27:33 GMT From: r600nopsamejanews.com Subject: Re: Saab 9.5 Wagon to be shown in USA Nov 1!
In article <362F83A9.60FF6DB0nopsamspam-ON.com>, Chieko Mori <chiekonopsamspam-ON.com> wrote: > r600nopsamejanews.com wrote: > > PS -- Drive the 9-5 and you'll see it's not an Americanized pretender. > > When last brought my '94 9000 CSE-T 5-speed to the dealer for > repair, I took a 9-5 automatic out for a test drive. Yes, it's > a nice car, fresh new modern styling, lots of advances, > more luxurious, etc. > > BUT. I'm not crazy about the new styling. I suppose I could > learn to like it eventually. While there are Saab styling cues, > it struck me as having gone too mainstream for my taste. > I found myself thinking, It's an Accord! It's a Camry! LOL. > (Especially from the back.) I suppose this is how some 900 > owners might have felt when the 9000 came out. Part of this > could also be due to the sedan instead of hatchback > configuration. > > But putting aside my non-enthusiasm for the styling, I wanted > to see how it FELT to drive. Relative to my 9000-bred > expectations, I was a little disappointed. There seemed to be > less connection with (more isolation from) the road, > less feeling of oneness with the car, less feeling of > direct, instantaneous response between gas pedal and engine/car. > Less rearward visibility (and the 9000 isn't all that good > in that dept. to begin with). More of a closed-in cocoon > feel, rather than an open feel. > But getting back to driving feel, basically, less > European/Japanese sport, more American "family luxury car" > mainstream. (Not surprising, since Saab wants to appeal to > that segment.) > > When I press or let off the gas pedal on the 9000 by > a millimeter or three, I am accustomed to an immediate > response. (As in NOW. And I'm not even talking about kicking > in the turbo or 0-60 boyracer driving here, just normal driving.) > The 9-5 felt like there was a Fortune 500 company committee > meeting debating what to do. ("He pushed the pedal in by a > small amount? Hmmm. I vote we speed up by a proportionate > amount. All in favor, say AYE!") I exaggerate a bit, of > course, but that's the picture that came to my mind. > > When I mentioned my opinion to the salesman, he said, > "Well, if you want sporty, try a 9-3!" I thought to myself, > "BUT I DON'T WANT A 9-3! I want my 9-5 sporty! Like a 9000!" > Returning to my 9000, the difference was quite noticeable, > and, in a way, comforting (I'm sure glad I got the 9000 before > it went away.) > > Maybe a 5-door 5-speed hatchback could redeem the 9-5 > for me. But as it is, I didn't see the Saab driver's feel > in the current 9-5 sedan that I wanted and expected. > I'm surprised by your comments. I've driven several 9000s and 9-5s and found the 9-5 superior in termd of responsiveness. I'm assuming you drove the 2.3t, which should be compared to the 9000 2.3 LPT. In this comparison, the 9-5 not only has dramatically more torque at far lower rpms, it also has drive-by-wire electronic throttle. To me, it feels far superior to the LPT. If you're driving a 9000 with the 200hp full-pressure turbo, then you should wait to compare it to the 9-5 3.0V6t. Again, in this comparison, off-the-line acceleration is enhanced by the electronic throttle. Personally, the 9000 Aero is my favorite. Exciting performance and handling, fantastic seats, unusual but handsome styling, and unbelieveable versatility (who needs an SUV). The styling of the 9-5 is too mainstream for me, although it's amazing to see the transformation from slightly dull to incredibly aggressive when you add 17" wheels and the U.S. accessory front and rear spoilers. The car goes from being nice but unexciting looking to WOW (looks like what Darth Vader would drive if he had a car). BTW, an Aero version of the 9-5 with a 240hp, 280lbft turbo is coming in about a year. Finally, believe it or not, I think the forthcoming wagon with the sport package (including the 17" three spoke viking axe wheels) is one of the hottest looking Saabs ever). -----------== Posted via Deja News, The Discussion Network ==---------- http://www.dejanews.com/ Search, Read, Discuss, or Start Your Own
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
