Saab 9-3 sports sedan in three flavors draws on turbo power
Bob Plunkett
Date Posted: 5/10/2005
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STOCKHOLM, Sweden -- Running north out of Sweden's capital of Stockholm, the route through Ranas and Knutby to Gimo traverses dense fir forests on wiggly blacktop bereft of shoulders.
Tree trunks as thick as thighs spike the rim of the road like sentries protecting a dark forest from intrusion by lax motorists who might miss one of the blind corners and attempt to chart a new course into Swedish woods.
So a driver must be diligent and careful when steering a vehicle through this maze, although we discover on a recent romp up to Gimo that the new sport-tuned 9-3 sedan by Sweden's Saab makes a tricky course cut through trees so much tire-gripping pavement play.
Cast low on a new compact-size platform tuned for sporty maneuvers with 17-inch low-profile tires clawing blacktop, the 2.0T Arc edition of Saab's redesigned 9-3 sports sedan charges through the forest in zig-zag-zig-zag maneuvers without so much as a whimper of protest from the rolling rubber.
It carves tight turns with the precision of a laser scalpel while supporting the action with surging muscle drawn from a high-pressure turbo-charger on the four-pack engine and no hesitation apparent like the typical turbo's latent manners.
For extra control, the short-throw shifter puts six forward gears at hand -- and we work it like a joy stick to dance through all the unforgiving curves.
Left hand grips the leather-wrapped steering wheel, right hand holds the shifter stick, shoulders pin back against the contoured sport bucket as legs stretch long to ply the floor pedals and a big smile curls across the face: Our kicked-back pose while tossing this new Saab around a forest mimics a line drawing of a driver -- arms and legs outstretched, head tossed and the grin apparent -- which automotive designers at Saab drew originally to express the essence of this remake for the 9-3.
Where the typical car designer might logically draw a picture of a car to convey its concept, the Saab stylists instead sketched a driver enjoying the spirit of the 9-3.
This unusual approach to automobile design comes as no surprise for a company that prides itself on casting cars that look and act differently from ordinary vehicles.
A Saab, as any die-hard owner will confirm, is a car of character, one that meets precise Swedish engineering standards and can plow through severe arctic winters, thanks to a front-wheel-drive format and superior safety systems such as a steel cage to encase passengers and multiple air bags plus anti-lock brakes (ABS) and traction control (TCS).
Saab cars also represent consistency of design and models because styling changes do not appear often at Saab, the name an acronym for "Svenska Aeroplan Aktiebolaget," which translates into English as "Swedish Airplane Company."
This corporation, now in the folds of General Motors, is so steeped in aviation that its first automobile -- the 1949 Saab 92, which became a forerunner of today's compact-class 9-3 series -- resembles an aircraft wing in profile because Saab's engineers at the time had more experience designing aerodynamic wings than car bodies.
But change is what Saab presents with the generational new design for 9-3.
Gone is the hatchback treatment, replaced by the shape of a conventional notchback sedan that, although streamlined and stylish, seems more mainstream than quirky.
Also absent is not only the hesitation or lag of a typical turbo engine but that annoying wheel-jerking torque steer effect in the usual front-wheel-drive vehicle.
The new 9-3 sports sedan, representing the largest product development program in the history of Saab, begins with the Epsilon platform employed for various products of General Motors.
It features a long wheelbase and wide track with world-class chassis dynamics that set up superior handling traits.
The new design is longer and wider than the previous 9-3 and bumps up to the premium compact sport sedan segment.
It projects the sleek wedge-shaped silhouette of a racy coupe with all windswept lines flowing over a sharply raked windshield. Wheels push to edges of the platform with little overhang apparent, and a thick air dam guards the prow.
While only the sedan will reach America during the 2003 model-year, other conformations such as a coupe and convertible or wagon will follow.
Saab 9-3 as a sports sedan offers a choice of two new aluminum engines, each a 2.0-liter four-in-line design with dual overhead cams and a turbo-charger tacked on to boost the muscle while still economizing on fuel.
Different tuning changes the power output -- from 175 hp at 5500 rpm and torque of 195 lb-ft at 2500 rpm to 210 hp at 5500 rpm with 221 lb-ft of torque at 2500 rpm.
The two versions go by badges of 2.0t (for the 175 hp plant) and 2.0T (the 210 hp issue).
Standard transmission for the 2.0t is a manual five-speed, while 9-3 2.0T gets a six-speed manual, yet both offer Saab's five-speed automatic with new Sentronic manual shift mode for 2.0T plus optional shifter tabs mounted on the steering wheel.
All versions stock an extensive collection of mechanical equipment geared for performance and safety. Included is a power rack and pinion steering system, four-wheel disc brakes with alphabetical controllers like ABS, and TCS plus electronic brake force distribution (EBD), an electronic stability program (ESP) and mechanical brake assist (MBA).
The safety gear ranges from frontal and side-impact air bags to side curtain-style air bags over all doors and Saab Active Head Restraints (SAHR) for front seats, child seat anchors in the rear, even OnStar telecommunications.
A new instrument panel in 9-3 seems to wrap around the driver's seat. The steering wheel adjusts for both tilt and reach, and gauges glow in muted green illumination at night for enhanced night vision down the road.
Three themes for decor are labeled Linear, Arc and Vector, the latter with a sporty flair.
First version to touch down in America is the 9-3 2.0-t Linear and it carries significant content including leather upholstery. It will be followed by a well-equipped 2.0T Arc and deluxe 2.0T Vector.
Optional gear includes a Touring Package for Linear with by-xenon headlamps and automatic climate controls, or the Sport Wheel Package with 17-inch alloy rollers plus sport chassis tuning and a tire pressure monitor.
Prices begin at $ 25,900 for 9-3 2.0t Linear.
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| 2003 SAAB 9.3 VEHICLE SPECIFICATIONS |
| Description: |
Compact-class four-door notchback sports sedan
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| Model Options: |
Compact-class four-door notchback sports sedan
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| Wheelbase: |
105.3 inches
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| Overall Length: |
182.5 inches
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| Engine Size: |
2.0t: DOHC 2.0-L I4 L-P T
2.0T: DOHC 2.0-L I4 H-P T
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| Transmission: |
2.0t: Manual/5
Auto/5
2.0T: Manual/6
Auto/5 Sentronic
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| Drive: |
Front
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| Braking: |
Power 4-disc/
ABS/EBD/TCS/ESP/MBA
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| Airbags: |
2 (front) + 2 (side)
+ 4 (side curtain) |
| MSRP Price: |
9-3 2.0t Linear: $ 25,900, 9-3 2.0T Arc: $ 29,995, 9-3 2.0T Vector: $ 32,495 |
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