Date: Tue, 27 Aug 2002 07:19:31 +0100 From: "dave" <nospamnopsamom> Subject: Re: GM Influence
Here's the review,the first one don't say much in line with this discussion........... Feast your eyes on Saab's spanking new 9-3. Packed with the latest chassis and engine technology, the stylish and innovative newcomer is aimed at the thousands of image-conscious executives currently driving a BMW 3-Series or Audi A4. Saab wants their money - and it has had to make some big changes to ensure the business comes its way. The old 9-3 was a hatch, alone in its class. Not only is the latest version a saloon, but it also has an all-new platform and a fresh family of engines. And if the styling is less radical, it has evolved into a smart package. On sale in the UK from September, the next 9-3 also promises to shake up its rivals with a competitive price tag, starting from £18,495. While the launch of this saloon may come as a shock, Saab hatch fans need not despair. Also in the pipeline are a sportwagon-type estate, plus extended coupÈs with both three and five doors in the style of the radical 9X and 9-3X concepts. There'll be a convertible, too. But before all this happens, the firm will have to get customers used to its fresh look, and as a result, the new 'Sport Sedan' is deliberately understated. The nose, rising waistline and angled-edge tail-lights are typical Saab features, but even so, the car treads cautiously. Yet any worries that the 9-3 may not be distinctive enough to win independent-minded buyers disappear when you sit inside the wide, airy cabin. The no-nonsense facia style and Scandinavian decor, which incorporate matt wood or aluminium, clean curves and bold switchgear, are as you'd expect in a new Saab, while soft surfaces give the appropriate upmarket feel. And never before has a handbrake been so neatly integrated, hidden cleverly in the centre console when released! The ignition key is located by the gearshifter in usual Saab fashion, but it no longer secures the lever in reverse. Instead it triggers a remote electric steering wheel lock. And as for the cup-holders, prepare to be amazed: Saab's designers wanted to develop the world's most remarkable mechanism yet, and have come up trumps. It does a double flip and emerges virtually butterfly-like from the dash. Under the skin, the 9-3 shares its hi-tech Epsilon platform with the new Vectra. But this is far from being a reskinned Vauxhall: it has a shorter wheelbase, its rear suspension in- corporates Saab's own geometry, and the entire platform was developed with the Swedish firm's input as much as Vauxhall's. So the new 9-3 is more the way Saab wanted it to be than either the outgoing model, which was built on an ancient Cavalier platform, or the 9-5, which uses a stretched old-Vectra chassis. And the engines? We tried the quartet initially available. The three 2.0-litre units have a distinctive Saab sound - but the aluminium blocks and 16v heads are taken from the 2.2-litre Vauxhall motor used in the new Vectra, Astra and VX220. The remaining parts are Saab-specific, as are the manual transmissions, which include a new six-speeder. Alternatively, there's a 2.2-litre diesel, similar to the old 9-3's but now with a variable-geometry turbo and a crankshaft damper to improve both response and refinement. The oil-burner, plus the 150bhp (confusingly badged the 1.8t) and 175bhp petrol engines can be ordered with a choice of trim levels: the base Linear; the Arc, with is dark maple wood; or the aluminium-finished Vector. There's also a top Aero with 210bhp, lower suspension, flared sideskirts and an oval tailpipe. Yet while it's the quickest - 146mph and 0-62mph in 7.5 seconds - and turbo lag is minimal, the soft throttle response initially makes you wonder how fit those horses are. The 175bhp unit has a more progressive power delivery, and isn't much slower. Our test drive left us in no doubt that the new 9-3 is an impressive machine. Yet the real revelation is the handling. Saab's rear suspension geometry, dubbed ReAxs, steers the back wheels a hundredth of a degree in the opposite direction to the fronts, making the 9-3 dive keenly but smoothly into corners: the car is called a Sport Sedan with good reason. The brakes prove equally excellent, offering consistent stopping power. Even on uneven surfaces the 9-3 pulls up without fuss, thanks to ABS and electronic brake force distribution. Clearly, Saab has made a quantum leap with its new challenger. The model's appeal trades on more than simply brand identity, and promises to tempt customers with a mix of style, refinement and driveability. It looks like the car maker has hit a Swede spot! John Simister Comments: 1 Article from: Auto Express -- All outgoing mail certified virus free-Norton AV 2002 Version 9.07.17C "cn" <nonenopsam.com> wrote in message news:3D6AE8ED.5000401nopsam.com... > There is so much speculation in this thread. Why dont you all read > reviews/articles about the car rather than spout information that is > wrong, speculatory, stupid. > > http://autobuy.about.com/cs/trends/a/saab93121.htm > > http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/previews/previews_story.php?id=28183 > > > > Four Weis wrote: > > How many complaints have been about the drive train, engine and chassis? The > > majority of complaints has been the little things like electric door locks, > > knobs, plastic/rubber trim and fancy things like the security/remote entry > > systems. Even the Classics shared the same power door locks as the Volvos of > > the same era. I would suspect the same is going on now - GM is buying the > > components in bulk, to reduce price and putting them in all off their cars. > > The power locks and window components on the current Saabs are probably the > > same as any other GM car. The cruise control may even be made in Mexico. Any > > confirmation or corrections by current Saab technicians? > > > > Ed wrote: > > > > > >>What is the input in design on current and future models of Saab? Is > >>drivetrain, chassis of Swedish design or is it GM. Also powerplant. > >> > >>If the answer is that the new Saab is basically a GM product then why would > >>one buy it? > >> > >>-- > >>mailto:epugh1nopsamp.rr.com > > > > > >
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