irishcar.com

14 May 2002: The all-new Saab 9-3 Sport Saloon, which will come to Ireland in October, is the first step in the biggest product development programme in Saab’s automotive history. It spearheads the arrival of an entirely new family of cars, each focused on meeting the particular requirements of a different niche in the market.

The car features a coupé-like silhouette, with steeply raked front and rear screens and short front and rear overhangs. It has a highly competitive 0.28 drag coefficient, resulting in low lift forces at the rear axle, improving high speed stability and braking.

The new model comes with a choice of three new, 2-litre, all-aluminium turbocharged engines, ranging in power from 150bhp to 210bhp, plus a 125bhp 2.2-litre Turbo Diesel. The front-wheel-drive transmissions include 5- and 6-speed manual gearboxes, and a 5-speed automatic with Saab Sentronic manual selection and the option of steering wheel paddle shift controls. There are three specification level ‘Forms’; Linear, Arc and Vector, plus an Aero high performance variant.

Compared to its predecessor, the new Saab 9-3 offers more spacious accommodation, particularly for rear passengers, within the same overall length. Front and rear width is increased by 55 mm and the wheelbase is 71 mm longer.

The new 9-3 is the product of the most exhaustive development programme in chassis dynamics undertaken by Saab. The main highlights include:v ‘ReAxs’ passive rear wheel steer characteristic where the kinematics of the rear suspension are tuned for a unique rear wheel response; four-link independent rear suspension with a high lateral stiffness and longitudinal compliance for ride comfort; and advanced chassis electronic systems including a Saab-tuned ‘user friendly’ ESP (Electronic Stability Programme).

A wide range of driver-preference functions can be pre-set, including: anti-theft alarm settings, parking assistance, rain sensitive wipers and the ACC (Automatic Climate Control).

A standard 60/40 split fold rear seat with ski hatch allows additional luggage to be carried.