Saab day

2009 Saab 9-5 Griffin Edition

Okay Saab, we get it: You’re proud of your aircraft heritage. Now its time to make cars you can be proud of, not just cars celebrating airplanes. Until then, Saab’s big unveil for the Detroit Auto Show will be the 9-5 Griffin Edition, named after Saab’s new Gripen fighter aircraft.

So if it was built to celebrate a fast and maneuverable aircraft, then the car must have engine and suspension upgrades, right? WRONG. The 9-5 Griffen comes with the standard 260 hp 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine from the regular car. It’s a fine engine, but its no jet fighter.

Instead the 9-5 Griffen goes for luxury add-ons such as a matte chrome for the front grille, unique 17-inch alloy wheels, and rear spoilers for the sedan and wagon. The interior gets high-gloss interior trim (isn’t that something GM has been trying to stop doing?) as well as some special stitching.

If this gets you excited, then grab $42,775 for the sedan ($44,045 for the wagon), and head on down to your Saab dealer this January. The line forms wherever you’re standing.

2010 Saab 9-3X

Saab revealed today first details on the 2010 9-3X. World debut will be made in March at the Geneva Auto Show, while the American debut will be made at the New York auto show in April. The 9-3X is expected to arrive in Saab showrooms throughout the United States this fall.

The 9-3X will come to the U.S. with Saab’s hallmark 2.0-liter gasoline turbocharged four-cylinder powertrain, offering 210 hp. The engine is mated with a six-speed manual or automatic transmission.

The model comes with new front and rear bumpers, grained finish that is also applied to the side sills and the edges of the wheel arches as a protective covering when the terrain becomes loose or muddy. This treatment is complemented by skid panels with a matt aluminum finish, curving up towards the door opening at the rear and adopting a wing form in the lip of the lower front bumper.

With the addition of newly designed, multi-spoke 17-inch alloy wheels, the 9-3X’s exterior character reflects its ability to handle mixed road conditions, whether rough or smooth, loose or paved. Inside, the 9-3X interior is based on top-of-the-line specification, adding a dark metallic finish to the door trims, glove box and gearshift surround.

2009 Saab 9-3 Turbo Edition

Just the sort of thing we like to see here at Top Speed. A turbocharged engine, packaged with a host of sports inspired features and creature comforts at a price that won’t break the bank; and if it pollutes a little less, even better.

That is exactly the case with Saab’s new 9-3 Turbo Edition. Priced starting at under £20,000 the special edition features 17-inch alloy wheels, leather interior, heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, 9-speaker 150w audio system with MP3 compatibility and cruise control all standard. With power coming from either a 1.9 TiD making 150 HP or the higher performing 1.9 TTiD turbo diesel powerplant producing 180 HP and loads more torque.

Unfortunately the car is destined for the U.K. and probably won’t be making it the U.S. anytime soon.

2010 Saab 9-5

The new Saab 9-5 Sedan marks an all-new era for Saab. It is not only the first model revealed after the Swedish brand went under Koenigsegg’s ownership, but it also comes with a new design, inspired by both Aero X and Saab heritage. The all-new Saab 9-5 Sedan will make its world debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show with sales to start later in model year 2010.

For the new 9-5 sedan, the front is inspired by the Aero-X Concept of a deep grille flanked with curving, ice-block headlamp units. The entire glasshouse is presented as a ‘wraparound’ mono graphic, the disguised windshield and side pillars giving the cabin Saab’s signature cockpit look. Squint slightly and the proportions of the windshield and roof become reminiscent of the classic 900 model.

The car comes with a variety of engine options with the base model having a 1.6-lite engine that can produce up to 180 hp. On the other end of the spectrum, is a 9-5 that comes with a 2.8-liter turbo V6 engine that puts out approximately 300 hp. While engines may differ depending on which version of the car you get, all 9-5 sedans do come with the same six-speed tranny in either stick-shift or semi-automatic.

The interior comes with all the neat trinkets – including a Harman Kardon surround sound audio system that can be configured and controlled through the touch screen display - that befit a car of this stature.

Updated 04/21/2010: Saab today announced the US prices for the new 9-5 sedan set to arrive in U.S. dealer showrooms in July. The 2.8-liter V6 turbo version is priced at $49,990, while for the 2.0-liter turbo variant customers will have to pay less than $40,000 (this version will be added at a later date). The new 9-5 will be offered with: leather-appointed seats and steering wheel, power front seats with memory settings for the driver’s seat and mirrors, automatic dual-zone air conditioning, a cooled glove box, front and rear interior reading lamps, and 12V outlets in the front console and trunk.

2010 Saab 9-5 with 335 HP by Hirsch

Hirsch Performance is well known in the automotive industry for their tuning packages for Saab models. And since Saab already has a new model that was just launched - the new 9-5 sedan - Hirsch has already started to work on improving it.

The tuner only revealed details on how the engine’s performances improved, but we expect to see the usual exterior package: carbon fiber aerodynamic components, a bootlid/roof spoiler, honeycomb grill, stainless steel dual exhaust system, and 19" wheels. For the interior the tuner will add new high quality leather and a few sports accessories.

As for the engine, Hirsch is offering an update package for all three engines. The 4-cylinder gasoline has been increased from 220 HP to a total of 260 HP, the 2.0 TiD engine moves from 160hp to 190hp, and the 2.8T V6 moves up from 300hp to 335hp.

2011 Saab 9-3 Preview

With all of the commotion surrounding the Saab 9-5, it’s no wonder that people have left the 9-3 to sit out in the dust, but new details have surfaced about Saab’s entry-level model. Apparently, a very credible source, who has seen the sedan in the past six weeks, can attest to several changes that are taking place with the 2011 (and not 2012 as originally projected) 9-3. The 9-3 is scheduled to make its appearance at the end of August with sales beginning sometime in October.

The new generation 9-3 will use the same techniques as the new 9-5 and the design will be inspired by the Saab Aero-X concept which is a pretty interesting and innovative concept in its own regard. The exterior of the 2011 Saab 9-3 will see the most changes during this minor refresh. The sedan will get a new front fascia with customers being able to choose from “Vector Griffin” and “Griffin Aero”. The bumpers will also be slightly different than the current line and a hockeystick chromestripe will appear around the windows. The headlamps will get the same design as in the 9-5 and the 19” turbine wheels will also be borrowed from the 9-5. The final change will come in the exterior paint finishes. Snow Silver will have to see the door as Javabrown and Diamond Silver get added to the lineup.

In terms of engines, Saab will be adding the Turbo4 and TID4 to the current lineup. There will also be a 2.0 DI engine producing either 163 or 220hp and three diesel variants ranging from 130, 160, and 180hp.

Competition for the 9-3 is said to be the Mercedes SLK, the Audi A3 Cabrio, the BMW 5 series Gran Turismo, the Subaru Impreza WRX, and the Cadillac CTS Sportwagon.

That’s all for today, folks, but we’ll get back with more details as soon as we get them.

2011 Saab 9-3

After a credible source gave us some specific details on the Saab 9-3 about a week ago, Saab has joined the party by officially releasing all of the details on the sedan. The main change for the 9-3 will be more advanced twin turbocharged engines.

All diesel engines will offer a CO2 emissions of just 119 g/km and an exceptionally low combined cycle fuel consumption of 62.8 mpg. The 1.9-liter diesel line-up includes a 130 hp TTiD unit (replacing the previous 120 hp TiD engine), a 160 hp version (replacing the 150 hp TiD engine) and a range-topping 180 hp/400 Nm variant. The SportWagon offers an impressive 61.4 mpg and low CO2 emissions of 122g/km and for the Convertible, the respective figures are 54.3 mpg and 137g/km.

The list of equipments will include: Bluetooth phone integration and heated front seats as standard, a ‘change-up’ indicator in the instrument cluster, a clutch interlock system on manual transmissions; child seat top tether anchorage points and a perforated leather sport steering wheel on Aero models .

2011 Saab 9-3 ePower

Saab will be bringing its first ever all-electric model to the Paris Auto Show in less than two weeks time. It is called the Saab 9-3 ePower and it will continue its development next year as Saab intends to send out a fleet of about 70 vehicles in Sweden. This testing will take place in order to evaluate the ePower in real-world driving conditions and create a purpose-built, electric Saab vehicle.

The 9-3 ePower features a 184 hp electric motor driving the front wheels through a single-speed transmission. The sprint from 0 to 62 mph is made in just 8.5 seconds, while top speed is limited to 93 mph.

The electric engine is powered by a 35.5 kWh lithium-ion battery pack accommodated in a modified floor-pan, in a space occupied by the exhaust system and fuel tank on the standard 9-3 SportWagon. This allows for optimum weight distribution and excellent driving dynamics similar to those of a standard SportWagon.

"The 9-3 ePower programme is our first step towards developing a potential production vehicle that will deliver the sort of advanced performance our customers expect. We now look forward to working with our technical partners in developing such a product."

2012 Saab 9-4X

After being previewed by the Saab 9-4X BioPower, the third model in Saab’s line-up will make its world debut at the LA Auto Show. The new 9-4X will be placed in looks and size between the 9-3X all-rounder and new 9-5 sedan and will go on sale in May 2011.

The new 9-4X will be offered with a choice of V6 engines, naturally-aspirated or turbocharged. The entry level gets a 3,0 liter version with 265 HP, while the Aero version will be powered by a 300 HP 2.8-liter version with direct injection for twin-scroll turbocharging. Both engines are mated to six-speed automatic transmissions under adaptive, electronic control. The new 9-4X will be offered with Saab’s advanced all-wheel-drive system, Saab XWD, and DriveSense adaptive chassis control.

"The 9-4X significantly broadens the appeal of the Saab brand,” says Saab Automobile CEO Jan Ake Jonsson. "It gives us entry to the fast-growing crossover segment with a vehicle that reflects our brand values in key areas, such as progressive Scandinavian design and sporty, responsible driving performance. The 9-4X is an exciting package and we’re confident it will appeal to many existing Saab owners, as well as win new customers for the brand."