Special Offer detail

FUTURE SHOCK
You’d better get used to the striking front end of the latest 9-5, because it’s the template for all future Saabs. Andy Enright reports

Straight talking is an attribute that’s rarely found in business these days. All too often, the honest truth is couched in bland and cliched euphemisms designed to fudge the issue. Therefore when Saab’s UK managing director admitted that the latest 9-5 wasn’t going head to head on pricing with the likes of Audi and BMW because the car "isn’t quite there yet" it was like a breath of fresh air. Saab are nothing but realistic about the 9-5 and it’s a better car as a result.

The company is aware that the 9-5 slots into a role that can be described as sub-premium. Positioned above most mainstream marques but below the likes of BMW, Audi and Mercedes, the 9-5’s best hopes are to pick off weaklings like the Peugeot 607, nibble away at Volvo’s S80 and attempt to take a few chunks out of Jaguar and Lexus’ sales figures. Most manufacturers would proudly show a presentation that demonstrated, via carefully chosen criteria, how their car was way superior to, say, a BMW 5 Series and retailed for thousands of pounds less. Saab are far more sanguine about this car’s chances, but they may well have underplayed their hand. The latest 9-5 saloons and estates, priced from £21,545, have a lot going for them. Let’s start with that front end. It’s not exactly easy to overlook, based as it is on the 9-X concept car and it’s a template upon which Saab’s future design direction looks set to follow. It’s certainly not lacking in impact and unlike many bold designs that often take a long time to bed in on the eye, this works very well right from the get-go. The chrome headlight surrounds and clean finish to the grille and bumper sections give the 9-5 serious presence without resorting to the sorts of me-too contrivances that have afflicted certain rivals. The facelift goes a whole lot further than a mere windowdressing, however, and Saab claim that every piece of panelling ahead of the windscreen pillars is new. The rear end has been tidied and modernised with a more streamlined-looking rear valance and bumper assembly.

"Saab have successfully modernised the styling of the 9-5"

Drop inside and you’ll be able to tell it’s a Saab even if you’re wearing a blindfold. The cliff-like fascia, the odd combination of super-soft thermoplastics and harder materials more akin to a mainstream car and the key slot on the transmission tunnel mark the 9-5 down as a product that could only have come from Trollhattan. The rather unusual steering wheel design debuted in the 9-3 (not in the Flash Gordon movies as some may suspect) and is actually rather more pleasant to use than its looks would suggest. There are also a number of small detail changes to the instruments and cabin. Chrome-ringed dials, an uprated information system, better quality ventilation controls and the repositioning of some minor functions to help ergonomics are all welcome, but expect a cutting edge executive car interior and you’re likely to be disappointed. Swedish functionality wins out over design flair in this instance. Elsewhere there are some more fundamental changes. Saab’s persistence with a front-wheel drive layout for an increasingly powerful line of executive cars limits the 9-5s ultimate power delivery and also has a mildly corrupting influence on steering feel. The latest car sets out to improve ride quality and agility, although the 9-5 still isn’t a car that you’d fling down a back lane just for the fun of it. Where it has improved significantly is in terms of high speed ride and refinement with many suspension components being subtly finessed to offer the sort of silky ride comfort that some manufacturers seem to view as a throwback but which is hugely relevant for most buyers. The 9-5’s chassis is based on the GM Epsilon platform, as used by the likes of the Vauxhall Signum and Vectra Estates. Over the years, Saab have fettled this pig’s ear into something that may not feel like a silk purse but comes laudably close. Whereas the original 9-5 model felt quite skittery when you applied the power to the front wheels mid-corner, the current generation car deploys its power a little more cleanly, although the 256bhp generated by the 2.3T aero model can still have the steering wheel tugging and the traction control working overtime. Corner it hard and Saab’s reputation for safety intervenes with the improved ABS and ESP skid control combining to quickly put a lid on any slip sliding away. Many would argue that it cuts in somewhat prematurely and they’d have a fair point, although the more lenient system employed by BMW highlights the difference in driver appeal between the two marques. With weight taken out of the subframe and more rigidity built in, the Saab feels lighter on its feet than of old, and the chassis engineers have also had a fiddle with the damper, springs and roll bar settings, leaving only a few bushes unchanged. The 150bhp 2.0-litre turbo petrol unit kicks the range off, whilst the 185bhp 2.3-litre is a familiar favourite and both of these engines are available in Biopower form capable of running on a mix of unleaded and E85 bioethanol. The 2.3 makes sixty from rest in just 7.9s and now manages an average of 31.7mpg. The manic 256bhp Aero model translates into an overtaking weapon with few equals and represents keen value too. A 150bhp 1.9-litre TiD unit is now the only offering for diesel customers. Developed in conjunction with Fiat and produced at the FMA plant in Italy, Saab have a quality powerplant. With development budgets being what they are, if Saab were still an independent company they would never have been able to afford the design, testing and construction of such a sophisticated powerplant. This 1.9-litre unit replaces both the 2.2 and 3.0-litre TiD engines previously used in this line-up. Mated to a six-speed manual gearbox as standard with the option of a six-speed auto, there’s plenty of scope for plugging the car straight into the meat of the torque curve. With at least 90% of peak torque available in a broad load running from 1,750 to 3,250rpm, you’ll be guaranteed respectable progress. After all, peak torque for the 16v engine is 315Nm so you’ll not be lacking overtaking response. Saab know that the 9-5 isn’t going to be a huge seller, but this model will nevertheless turn over respectable numbers for the Swedes. It’s good looking, quietly well engineered but above all an honest car. Private buyers looking for speed, safety and serenity would do well to check out the 9-5 before buying something tardier and Teutonic.

FACTS AT A GLANCE CAR: Saab 9-5 range PRICES: £21,545-£30,885 – on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 14-18 CO2 EMISSIONS: 191-212g/km PERFORMANCE: [2.3t 4dr] 0-60mph 7.9s / Max Speed 140mph FUEL CONSUMPTION: [2.3t 4dr] (urban) 22.1mpg / (extra urban) 42.8mpg / (combined) 31.7mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin airbags, front side airbags, ABS WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height 4810/2040/1450mm

X MARKS THE SPOT
Saab are celebrating the launch of the XWD all-wheel drive system in the 9-3 with this limited edition Turbo X model. Jonathan Crouch checks it out

It’s rather curious that it’s taken Saab so long to get round to producing an all-wheel drive car but such is the case. Still, you can now talk to your dealer about specifying XWD, the company’s innovative new all-wheel drive system, on your 9-3 saloon or estate and to celebrate its availability, the Swedes are bringing us a limited edition model, the Turbo X, showcasing the new technology in a package intended to evoke memories of the old black 900 Turbo models of the Seventies and Eighties. Buyers of this car get the 9-3’s fastest engine – a 280bhp V6 Turbo – allied to a sport-tuned chassis with unique suspension, brakes and wheels.

So what is XWD? Well, it’s an ‘active’ 4WD system that not only splits torque delivery between both axles, but also between the rear wheels. In effect, this stretches the performance envelope of the chassis, for example, raising the threshold at which ESP throttle and braking interventions are triggered. In other words, though Saab might be late to the all-wheel drive party, they have at least come well dressed for the part, offering a level of driver involvement and dynamic chassis control never seen before from a car bearing the Griffin badge. The really clever part of this whole process is the way that torque is split between the rear wheels, depending on which has more grip. It’s all down to what Saab call eLSD, the first application of an electronically-controlled, rear limited slip differential in this segment of the market. It uses inputs from the rear wheel speed sensors and can transfer up to 40 per cent of torque between the drive shafts, to whichever wheel has more traction. When cornering hard, this yaw damping effect helps the rear of the car more closely follow the direction of the front wheels. The driving benefits of the XWD system are best appreciated out on the open road. Data from the ABS/ESP sensors – measuring wheel speed, yaw rate and steering angle – is utilised by the Saab XWD control module. Rear drive is instantly applied to balance oversteer and understeer characteristics, improving stability and roadholding.

"Saabs used to be individual cars This one is again…"

In an effort to exploit the full benefits of XWD, the chassis of the Turbo X version we’re looking at here has been lowered by 10mm and the springs and dampers stiffened to minimise body movement. To maintain a constant ride height irrespective of load, self-levelling dampers are fitted at the rear. Stopping power is also increased with larger brake discs fitted: internally ventilated (345 mm diameter x 30 mm) at the front and externally ventilated (292 mm diameter x 20 mm) at the rear. Standard 235/45 R-18 tyres ensure strong mechanical grip for the 18-inch alloy wheels. The powerhouse at the heart of the Turbo X is a 24-valve, 2.8-litre V6 turbo engine generating 400Nm of torque between 2,150 and 4,500 rpm and maximum power of 280bhp. The engine specification includes a lightweight, all-aluminum construction with a 60-degree angle between the cylinder banks for perfect balance, variable inlet valve timing and twin-scroll turbocharging. It is offered with a choice of six-speed manual or automatic transmission. If you want a Turbo X, then you’re going to have to like black, since that’s the only colour on offer – a homage, Saab say, to its illustrious black 900 Turbo forebear. To be fair, the metallic finish does look very smart, with the front grille and all exterior detailing accented in a matte grey titanium-like finish. At the front, a deeper lip spoiler and integrated air intake contribute to reduced drag while also increasing air flow to the engine and intercooler. At the rear, the re-profiled bumper and insert panel lower the point of air flow separation, further reducing drag and assisting high speed stability. The Saloon features a rear spoiler that extends the line of the boot deck, reducing high speed lift forces at the rear axle. The standard SportWagon estate already has a similar spoiler that extends the rear roof line. The Turbo X is further distinguished by unique, 18-inch alloy wheels (though you can have 19-inch if you really want to bring the bling) with a grey titanium-like finish that is supposed to evoke the look of Saab’s classic three-spoke design. Twin, rhomboid-shaped tailpipes complete the exterior additions. Inside, it’s again black, black and more black. The sports seating, with additional bolstering, is upholstered entirely in black leather. The sporty ambience is further emphasised by a unique carbon-fibre finish to the main fascia, door inserts, glove box and gear shift console. The driver gets a thick-rimmed, soft grip leather steering wheel. It’s finished in…. yes, you’ve guessed it, as is the optional full leather interior package. In recognition of Saab’s turbo heritage, the Turbo X boost gauge is a replica of the original 900 Turbo display. One touch we particularly liked was the personalised greeting that appears when you get behind the wheel and switch on the ignition. A rather cheesy ‘Ready For Take-off’ message flashes in the main instrument display, then your name and the edition number of the car pops up on the display, assuming your supplying dealer has been kind enough to programme it in. Saabs used to be individual cars, a trait sadly rather lost in the GM-controlled era. At least the Turbo X makes some attempt at returning buyers to this feeling of specialty, something that used to be the Swedish brand’s trademark. For that, it’s a welcome addition to the range.

FACTS AT A GLANCE CAR: Saab Turbo X PRICES: £32,495-£33,495 - on the road INSURANCE GROUP: 17 CO2 EMISSIONS: 239g/km PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 6.7s / Max Speed 155mph FUEL CONSUMPTION: (combined) 28.2mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front & side airbags, ABS with EBD, Brake Assist, Traction Control, Stability Control, Cornering Braking Control, Saab Active Head Restraints WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: [4dr] Length/Width/Height 4635/2038/1466mm