Swedish Delight
Though reliable, a Saab seldom — if ever — sparks heady daydreams of speeding down the highway, cranking out Steppenwolf’s “Born to be Wild.” To be sure, it’s hard to imagine any Swedish car inciting that kind of muscle car machismo. But if Saab has anything going for it, it’s the 9-3 series — and if anything sets these stalwart models apart from other luxury lines, it’s the fact they are all built in a funny little city called Trollhttan.
The first 9-3 rolled off the assembly line in high-rolling 1998. It was not particularly well-placed in terms of a viable market demographic. With the Gen X backlash against boomer aesthetics, the 9-3 failed to appeal. Nevertheless, Saab managed to hedge its bets and only produce 326,370 first-generation 9-3s. A serious miscalculation was avoided and the 9-3 lived to see future incarnations.
The retooling of the 9-3 was comlete by 2000, two year after its release. The new models were streamlined and packed it with a turbo-charged 2.0 liter straight 4 engine. In 2004, upper management requested the car be remodeled again. And so, it was and re-branded as the Saab Aero. Although it was still a front-wheel vehicle, it featured passive rear-wheel steering, improving its safety rating.
By 2005, Saab 9-3 Aeros were remodeled to feature sumptuous 16-inch wheels, new dashboards, and a new and improved climate control system. They were also fitted with OnStar navigational systems and brand-spanking-new satellite radios. The new power under the hood prompted an upgrade of the old shifter. So, the Saab 9-3 graduated from a five speed to a six speed.
The rare Turbo X sub-model was released in 2007. It met with rave reviews, playing on a stripped-down, Spartan package available only in black. It was the first production car equipped with an extra wide all-wheel drive system developed by Haldex Traction and it was capable of producing 280 horsepower — making it one of the most powerful luxury cars ever manufactured.
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