Date: Mon, 25 Nov 2002 23:58:00 +0000 From: C Sutherland <cggsnopsamless.co.uk> Subject: Re: front leg room new Saab 9-3?
In article <3DE2AA7F.5080702nopsamnline.net>, tom reingold <tlr244nopsamnline.net> writes > >This is the first I have heard about diesel engines in Saabs, and I have >even been reading about the European market ones. I am quite sure there >has never been a diesel Saab in the US. > >I notice US market cars get worse mileage than they used to. Americans >tolerate this quite willingly. It's strange. Nowadays, 20 mpg is >considered good. 20mpg in Europe is both very expensive and is becoming somewhat socially unacceptable. Diesels with the new sophisticated common rail high pressure efforts are increasing their market share year on year and are now being promoted seriously at the luxury high end and not just for taxis. For example in both the BMW and MB ranges, diesels can equal or exceed the performance of the petrol versions and are sometimes regarded as the most desirable model in the range. However until fuel price becomes a serious issue in the US (and ,without wishing to start a flame war, for the sake of the planet it's probably about time it did) there is little incentive to go the diesel route. I believe the diesel in the 9-3 is a GM unit bored out to 2.2litre. The early version is rated at 115bhp, the later 125bhp but with the considerable torque the performance is adequate. It's no neck snapper though. At the weekend there I did a longish motorway trip (like your interstate) at 75-80mph and 44-ish mpg. CS
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