Saab Reveals the New 9-3 Convertible
The 9-3 Convertible confirms Saab’s leading position in the premium convertible segment and is the product of more than 20 years’ experience in designing four-seater, four season soft tops that are as practical as they are stylish.

The Saab Convertible has a level of structural integrity, build quality and running refinement that places it at the very top of its class. Innovative product features further develop the Saab concept that an open-top car should be ‘more than a Convertible’ by offering effective all-year-round transport. In addition to its functional qualities, the Convertible also offers strong driving appeal through sharing the excellent chassis dynamics of the 9-3 range.

The extensive engine line-up incorporates a ‘tri-fuel’ choice of gasoline, diesel or bioethanol (E85) powered engines. It is led by an all-aluminum 2.8-liter V6 turbocharged engine rated at 255 bhp.

Exterior Design

The impressive looks of the Saab 9-3 Convertible radiate power, sporty performance and great strength; all elegantly packaged with a Scandinavian design flair that ensures the lines are clean and flowing, but never cold or clinical.

As an indication of the success of the overall design, this is an open top car that looks like a unique model in its own right, free from any awkward styling compromises. Furthermore, the car looks just as good, top up or top down – effortlessly exchanging the looks of a sporty coupe for those more akin to a roadster.

The automatic soft-top operates entirely at the push of a single button. It incorporates three innovations and new performance standards for the class, including its speed of operation and means of deployment.

Interior Design and Features

The overall interior design reflects the curves and flowing lines of the exterior. In the same way, the fascia layout, the supportive seating, the shape of the door panels and trim, together with the feel of the tactile, soft-touch controls, are all very modern interpretations of classic Saab styling themes. It is a warm, harmonious interior, without undue ostentation, that is typically Scandinavian and could only come from Saab.

The high quality materials include the use of Hydroblox, the first water repellent seat upholstery to be fitted to a convertible. A polyester membrane lines the underside of the textile seat covering in order to prevent water penetration. This is a particularly useful feature for a convertible if the driver is caught in a shower of rain, for example, before being able to raise the soft-top.

The sporty, well-shaped front seats have been specially designed for the Convertible. They make a very visible contribution to the high quality appearance of the interior and demonstrate Saab’s excellent reputation for class-leading seating comfort.Both the seat cushion and back rest are deeply bolstered, giving good lateral and under thigh support without restricting seating comfort.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVxTxSMxz_8[/youtube]

All Aluminum 2.8-liter V6 Turbo

This sophisticated 255 bhp engine is exclusive to the top-of-the-line Aero model. Maximum torque of 258 lb-ft is generated from just 1,800 rpm all the way to 5,000 rpm, with 90 per cent of this value available from an exceptionally low 1,500 rpm.

With a 60o vee-angle between its cylinder banks for perfect balance, the engine combines excellent multi-valve refinement with outstanding performance. The all aluminum construction provides a light and compact architecture, well suited to its transverse, front-wheel-drive installation in the Saab 9-3.

The twin-scroll, water-cooled Mitsubishi TDO4-15TK turbocharger, operates at 0.6 bar maximum boost with intercooling and an integral by-pass valve.

For the 2.8V6 Turbo, a close-ratio six-speed manual gearbox is standard, and a six-speed automatic transmission is available as an option. The automatic transmission includes ‘Saab Sentronic’, a sequential manual gearshift giving closer driver involvement. When the shift lever is moved across the gate to ‘manual’ Sentronic mode, ‘up’ and ‘down’ changes can be made with full lock-up in 3/4/5 or 6th gears. This process can be taken a step further by the option of steering wheel buttons, which bring gear-shifting right to the fingertips of the driver.

Specifications
Brakes & Tires
Brakes F/R:     ABS, vented disc/vented disc
Driveline:     Front Wheel Drive
Tires F-R:     235/45 R17
Engine
Displacement cu in (cc):     170 (2792)
Power bhp (kW) at RPM:     255(184) / 5500
Redline at RPM:     n.a.
Torque lb-ft (Nm) at RPM:     258(350) / 1800-5000
Type:     Turbocharged V6
Exterior Dimensions & Weight
Length × Width × Height in:     n.a.
Weight lb (kg):     3725 (1690)
Performance
Acceleration 0-62 mph s:     7.2
Fuel Economy EPA city/highway mpg (l/100 km):     n.a. (10.6)
Top Speed mph (km/h):     152 (245)

Independent thinking car brand Saab has teamed up with leading sports brand Salomon to launch an innovative new ski. Named the ‘Salomon Aero X’, the ski is inspired by the award winning Saab Aero X concept car and is an expression of Salomon’s very latest technology. The skis add a totally new dimension to the performance of carving as they deliver unrivalled control on demand.

Benoit Saint Venant, Head of Design at Salomon, “This collaboration is testament to the fact that Saab and Salomon complement each other perfectly and understand each other’s independent-minded target audiences. Both brands are celebrating their 60-year anniversary this year and together represent cutting edge design when it comes to sporty, activity-related products.”

The Aero X skis are the first to feature ‘hybrid’ technology – rather like car axles the front and back of the skis have very different functions. The front half of the ski is designed to enable the skier to maximise the turn and to continue to gain power through it, allowing the skier to choose and control the radius of their turn.

The two highly innovative companies, both known for their dynamic design and performance, first embarked on joint initiatives in early 2001. The Aero X ski is the latest collaboration and there are further projects in the pipeline for the outdoor sports sector.

Saab Aero X Concept Showcases Future Design Themes
The Saab Aero X concept harnesses the power of Saab’s aviation and Scandinavian roots to make a unique statement in performance car design.

Conceived as a study to explore future design directions, its innovative features preview the development of an enhanced design language that will inspire future Saab products.

As you would expect from Saab, this dynamic two-seater sports coupé breaks with automotive design convention both outside and inside.

That’s because the Saab Aero X adopts a cockpit canopy, just as you would see on a jet aircraft.
It offers the Aero X pilot full 180 degree vision, and also facilitates entry and exit from its low-slung cabin.
Thrust for the all-wheel-drive Saab Aero X also comes from a powerplant with a difference.

The 400 bhp, twin-turbo, BioPower V6 engine is fueled entirely by bioethanol, a sustainable energy source that is kinder to the environment by cutting fossil CO2 emissions.

- Inspired by aviation and Scandinavian brand heritage
- Previews more progressive design language
- Innovative opening canopy eliminates doors and windshield pillars
- Green Power’ from 400 bhp BioPower engine using 100% bioethanol fuel

The Saab Aero X concept harnesses the power of Saab’s aviation and Scandinavian roots to make a unique statement in performance car design. Conceived as a study to explore future design directions, its innovative features preview the development of an enhanced design language that will inspire future Saab products.

As you would expect from Saab, this dynamic two-seater sports coupé breaks with automotive design convention both outside and inside.

First, there are no doors…or windshield pillars. That’s because the Saab Aero X adopts a cockpit canopy, just as you would see on a jet aircraft. It offers the Aero X pilot full 180 degree vision, and also facilitates entry and exit from its low-slung cabin.

Thrust for the all-wheel-drive Saab Aero X also comes from a powerplant with a difference. The 400 bhp, twin-turbo, BioPower V6 engine is fueled entirely by bioethanol, a sustainable energy source that is kinder to the environment by cutting fossil CO2 emissions. The ‘green power’ of this advanced engine gives new meaning to the phrase ‘performance with responsibility’.

Inside, the Saab Aero X’s cockpit also adds a new dimension to clean Scandinavian interior design by completely eliminating conventional dials and buttons. Instead, Saab has applied techniques derived from Swedish glass and precision instrument making, displaying data on glass-like acrylic ‘clear zones’ in graphic 3-D images.

All exterior and interior lighting is by LED (light-emitting diode), which has given the design team new freedoms to exploit the compact packaging benefits of a technology that will be featured increasingly in future Saab products.

With weight-saving carbon fiber bodywork, a lightweight powertrain, electronically-controlled suspension and all-wheel drive, the Saab Aero X is an exciting driver’s car that promises a level of performance to match its looks. Computer simulations anticipate zero to 100 kph in just 4.9 seconds and a top speed of 250 kph (limited).

Despite being so tightly driver focused, the Aero X still offers surprising practicality, again, a quality you would expect to find in all Saab designs. That dramatically sculpted tail conceals a useful twin storage facility, with a conventional hatch opening and sliding drawer underneath.

“This study shows how the strength of the Saab brand heritage can inspire bold, innovative design,” says Bryan Nesbitt, Executive Director, GM Design Europe. “As we move forward with new Saab product, we will remain focused on carefully cultivating this brand equity in the context of Scandinavian design values.”

“This concept shows the exciting possibilities that are open to us as we evolve a more progressive design language for the brand,” says Jan Åke Jonsson, Saab Automobile’s Managing Director. “Our designers, engineers and marketers in Sweden are ideally placed to nurture and communicate the unique DNA of the Saab brand. Their work will ensure that future product proposals express core qualities, such as progressive design, sporty performance and emotional functionality, in a way that is specific to Saab.”

The Saab Aero X is the latest in series of concepts from Saab, each accentuating different brand qualities. These include the ‘four-dimensional’ 9X (IAA Frankfurt 2001), the 9-3X Cross-over Coupé (Detroit 2002) and the 9-3 Sport Hatch (IAA Frankfurt 2003).

Saab’s Chevrolet TrailBlazer-based 9-7X SUV is now plying our roads, and the sky has not fallen, despite the predictions of diehard Saab fans who were horrified by the notion of an Ohio-built Saab truck. The 9-7X is not likely to go down as one of Saab’s greatest, but it is the best iteration of the GMT360 platform that underpins the TrailBlazer, the GMC Envoy, and the Buick Rainier. It also is the most expensive, but it’s loaded as standard, and the V-8-engined 9-7X is substantially cheaper than a comparably equipped Volvo XC90 V-8.

The 9-7X is not just a Chevy with different badging and options packages. Real, live, blond Swedish engineers with names like Kjell and Per ventured to the Ohio factory and performed some serious surgery on the GMT360, such as lowering the ride height by an inch, strengthening the frame, firming up the dampers and springs, quickening the steering response, and beefing up the brakes-welcome improvements all. There is still no mistaking the basic GM underpinnings, but body control is markedly better, and you can pitch this beast into a fast corner without much drama.

The 9-7X’s exterior and interior both have smatterings of Saab design cues, such as the dashboard vents and the centrally located ignition key, but the overall effect is more GM than Saab, a situation exacerbated by the lack of Saab’s usual superb seats, no doubt a result of cost constraints.

In a world where Porsche recently built its 100,000th Cayenne, there is no question that Saab needs an SUV. It’s too bad the 9-7X wasn’t conceived in Trollhättan, but such is the reality of GM’s global operations. Those same operations, in fact, will produce the next Saab SUV, a variant of the new Subaru B9 Tribeca called the 9-6X, by 2007.

You thing can you drive!!

You thing canyou drive like this…

Alberto finally got some time to walk around the Aero X and take some live shots, although we’re still lacking a view of the interior. To make up for it we got you some video of the concept’s cockpit canopy in action. Enjoy.