TurboX Preview

This post is long overdue, but then again, so is the TurboX. We've been hearing about this car for some time. For the uniniated, this iteration of the 9-3 features our first Swedish built AWD (dubbed XWD--Cross Wheel Drive) system, an increase in engine power, and is a limited edition vehicle designed to pay homage to the Black Turbos of the 1980's.

I did get a bit of an insiders peek at the car before it was released, and had a chance to put the TurboX through its paces prior to its introduction. An aquaintance in GM marketing called me earlier this spring to inquire about a venue to run a ride/drive presentation for New England media, and knowing my involvement with Skid School thought I might be able to help. In fact, Skid School leased their site in North Andover to GM for that purpose, and I was an invited guest.

The site was festooned with Saab tents, a small collection of GM Heritage Collection Saabs, and a technical presentation tent. After an introduction to the car by US and Swedish Saab officials, the journalists were given the opportunity to drive the heritage cars on a small closed course, and flog the TurboX on an autocross, complete with a hairpin turn doused with sand. Being just a guest, mostly I observed. My first thoughts in watching the journalists at the wheel was that I hoped that their writing was better than their driving. Recently retired Royal Ford was in attendance, and to his credit he can drive, though he did punch a cone (which is OK--if you don't tip a cone, you're not finding the edge, and you're just not trying hard enough).

Finally it was my turn. I saddled up with fellow Skid School instructor Sean along for the ride. We were in a Combi TurboX 6-speed. The course started with a full throttle 3 cone slalom, followed by hard throttle sweeping left hand turn, down a straight, hard on the brakes, into at 135 degree left (covered with sand), quick jog to the right, full throttle straight, hard brake into the final left turn and then into the "pit". My consternation came in two places. First, in the sandy turn I wanted to induce some oversteer with the throttle, but could not. TurboX understeered severely, as though it were a front driver. Then in the straights, it did leave me slightly wanting for more torque. I otherwise thoroughly enjoyed the car. Any Saab driver will be right at home and will be able to drive this car very hard with little surprise; that is, unless, like me, they expected a significantly different attitude than that of front drive Saabs. My comrade also shared the observation of the understeer in the sand, and he also felt the car could have been sprung a bit firmer. I'd agree. TurboX is not for everyone, and it ought to be very edgy, including a really stiff suspension, like the early 9000 Aero. We did manage a ride with a Swedish engineer at the helm, wanting to see if he drove any differently with any better result in the sandy corner. He, in fact, could induce some really nice oversteer which was perfect in that corner, but he did it with trail braking (in other words, keep driving this car just like a front wheel drive car), not just a poke of the throttle. Note to self.The best part of TurboX that day? The sound! This is the best sounding Saab at full throttle, period. The idle isn't as sexy as the Classic 900, but this isn't a car you idle.

I was happy to also help out the crew with the Heritage cars. First, I was offered a chance to drive several to fill them with gas. I was fortunate to be there, since upon arrival two of the cars couldn't release their gas fill doors, and I was able to put my experience to work. Later in the day, the 1978 99 turbo failed to start, and I was summonsed and located a corroded terminal on the ignition lock relay and all was well again. The most entertaining part of the Heritage car fun was driving the 1997 Pike's Peak racer (roll cage, racing seat, fire extinguisher system, and lots of power) on the road. In every gear, without even trying, I induced wheel spin and gobs of torque steer. Love it!

This week, I had a chance to attend the ride and drive presentation for dealer personnel. After the technical presentation, we were afforded the chance to drive the TurboX and Aero XWD (only significant differences are the electronic limited slip differential and larger wheels/tires in the TurboX) on two closed courses against some competition: the FWD 9-3 Aero, the BMW 335xi and the Audi A4 3.2 Quattro. One course was set up with rubber mats covered in soapy water to demonstrate the differences in the AWD systems. I was impressed at how different each car felt. The XWD performance was substantially better with almost no wheel slip at all. The Audi was good, the BMW rather lacking with lots of wheel spin, clutching and grabbing, and the FWD Aero put its ESC to good use and was surprisingly easy to maneuver despite its handicap. On the dry course (this was very tight and small, not wide open like the North Andover experience), the tight suspension and heavy steering of the BMW felt great, the Audi felt vague and uninspired, the TurboX and Aero XWD were sure-footed though heavy feeling, and the FWD Aero felt easiest of all the cars to push hard. This is undoubtedly because of all my years driving FWD cars, and though riddled with some torque steer and understeer, this is the car I had the most fun with and dollar for dollar was the winner in my book.

For an entertaining - and certainly opinionated! - look at the year 2007 in the Automotive world, click over to the AutoExtremist's blog:

http://www.autoextremist.com/index.shtml

Just when you think you've seen it all in a Saab....
Boating came late in life for me. My wife grew up boating, and my kids all learned to sail at an early age, and living in Ipswich, boating was an inevitability. We very quickly went from having no boats to having five, of all manner of size and propulsion. Fortunately, my son Pascal, spends his summers and weekends working at Ipswich Outboards, so the boats are all tended to expertly. When his Whaler needed some preseason repair, he volunteered to get my wife's boat, a 17' skiff in the water and to install its mooring.
On the day that Pascal and his friends were launching the boat, I received a message that there had been a bit of a problem with the boat half-way between home and the boat launch ramp in the Ipswich River. When I arrived at the scene and made my way through the crowd of friends, supporters and gawkers, the problem was obvious: the axle had broken and the right wheel had fallen off the trailer. Unlike a broken down car, or even a stranded boat, there is no one to help on a Sunday afternoon with a problem like this. Realizing this, Pascal had gone home and devised a mechanism to continue the trip--about 1/2 mile--to the ramp. In place of the missing wheel, he had installed a section of 8x8, in which he had drilled holes and lashed rope to affix it to the axle and trailer chassis.
I offered to drive since no one knew how this would work. Indeed, his 1992 900 was not happy trying to launch the 2000 lb boat on one wheel and one chunk of pine. I had to burn the clutch a fair amount before I had enough momentum to release the clutch fully, and then hoped I could make it to the ramp without stopping. We almost made it. In fact, we only stopped because a boat at the ramp was having trouble and we had to wait while it was coaxed out of the water. While waiting, we inspected the skid. The roping had held perfectly. The only problem was that the 8X8 had been worn down to an 8X4, and the ropes were now almost exposed on the bottom side. When the boat traffic cleared, I suggested that to alleviate some of the friction on the skid, that some of the assembled stand on on the left side of the trailer, grab the gunnel, and "hike out" to leverage some weight to the left wheel. It worked well, so well that all that weight broke the axle on the other side, and we now had a trailer with no wheels.
Look, in a world where boats are hauled by SUVs and burly pickup trucks, it always looks strange to see a little Saab 900 pulling a boat trailer. Seeing that Saab pulling a boat trailer with no wheels, no that's something you don't see every day. So, we fashioned another skid from timber, this time held in place with Thule nylon straps attached with nails, and with 8 young men pushing, and the might 900 pulling we got the boat to the water. Being fearful of trying to back the trailer, we took the car to the bottom of the ramp nose first, disconnected the trailer and then pushed the boat and trailer into the river until the boat floated off. This was no mean feat, and only my the willingness of my son, Andre, to go neck deep in the cold river allowed us to get the trailer back.
A new axle and leaf springs have been installed by Pascal, and when we haul the boat out in the fall, with our Saab 900, we are surely hoping for a less eventful one mile journey.

SaabUSA confirms an AWD option for the 'new' 9-3.

September will bring about a host of changes for the 9-3, including the long-needed AWD option. You'll also see some new design tweaks on the exterior, borrowing from the acclaimed Aero X concept car. Click over to Left Lane News for more info and some pix...

A Day (or two) at the Track with My Saab

Being the Service Manager at Charles river Saab, cello teacher at the Ipswich Public Schools, an instructor for Stevens Advanced Driver Training on weekends, a husband and father of three sons, you would be correct to assume that I don’t have much time for recreation. Nevertheless, I recently carved out some time to participate in “motorsport” endeavors, and I just returned from my first two forays.
Last year, my son Pascal participated in the Swedish Car Day Rally and had the distinction of finishing dead last. But from that experience, he got interested in trying off road rallies. When I asked friends who race with SCCA (Sport Car Club of America—New England Region, www.ner.org ) they suggested Rally Cross (or RallyX); think of auto-cross, only in the dirt. So I got Pascal an SCCA junior membership for Christmas, signed a parental waiver, and he signed himself up for his first event in March. When he came home after his first day of racing, he was wide eyed with glee and had a camera full of great pictures and movies of him blasting through dirt and mud as he powered his 1991 900S to second place in the stock front wheel drive category! It looked so fun, I thought I had to try.
So last Saturday, Pascal, his older brother André and I piled into the 900S and headed to the Rochester (NH) Fairgrounds, site of the most recent SCCA RallyX. We ran in the FWD stock division. The only modifications to this old car (with 175,000 miles) were the installation of Gislaved snow tires, and a single-muffler exhaust from a 900T. We had a great time. Of course the boys had more fun because they finished ahead of and earned bragging rights. The car did very well, and the only casualty was a cracked exhaust pipe. This is racing on the cheap ($55 entry), and it is great fun. I would recommend it to anyone. You need only have a car that is sound and a helmet (and they’ll lend you a helmet if you don’t have one), and snow tires or rally tires are suggested. I must confess that not only did my sons beat me, but I came in last place in our division! Alas, I was not the slowest car of the day, and did beat out some of the modified and all-wheel drive entries, though not many. I will try this again and hope for better results!
On Monday, I tried a much different venture. I am a rare bird in the advanced driver training world—I have no racing experience. I do, though, have a very good pedagogic sense and the ability to communicate with students, mostly honed from my years of cello teaching. Still, I thought enhancing my own driving skills was an important self-improvement I should undertake. Charles River Saab assisted me in this endeavor and sponsored my participation in SCDA (Sport Car Driving Association, www.scda1.com ) at New Hampshire International Speedway, host to, among other events, NASCAR racing.
I am no racer, and am completely ignorant of all motor sports. But I do know cars and understand car control. I am not competitive by nature, but enjoy testing and pushing myself. This seemed like the perfect sort of event. I would get to drive my own car (OK, my wife’s) on a real race track with an instructor to show me how to best handle myself, my car and the track. I was not racing against anyone, or even a clock. I must say that SCDA puts on a wonderful event. It was well organized, and when we weren’t on the track, we were in the classroom, and otherwise barely had time to grab a bottle of water or make it to the lavatory.
I was in the Novice class, with about ten others. I realized what a serious affair this was when I first got to NHIS and saw all the spectacular cars there: Porsches, BMWs, a Ferrari, Corvettes, Lotuses and so on. I wasn’t expecting that so many fine cars would be driven by the Novice students. As I recall, the other students drove a Honda S2000, BMW M3, BMW M5 (old), Mini Cooper S, Porsche 911 (three of them), a Noble, a race SPEC Miata and a Lotus Elise. Yikes. I was in my wife’s thoroughly stock and original 1993 9000 Aero 5-speed on Pirelli Sport Veloce touring tires and 167,000 miles. After a terrific classroom session to get the lay of the land and an explanation of the ground-rules by instructor Luka Sedrar of the BMW Car Club of America, we took our cars to the track to meet our instructors.
My instructor for the day was Larry Barbieri, an instructor for the BMW CCA, and he drives a BMW M3. I wondered if instructors would see my car and run away, hoping to get into one of the more swish cars. But Larry was completely cordial and didn’t roll his eyes at the front-drive Saab. I was relieved! He started off by offering to drive the Saab a couple of laps while I observed from the passenger seat, no doubt to gauge its response on the course and to allow me to see the line he would try to teach me. We put on our helmets (thank you Toby Teller for donating your helmet to me) and communication devices and were on our way.
It took me about three seconds to realize that a). Larry was an excellent driver b). I was going to have a lot of fun that day. After those laps, I had a pretty good mental image of the track and where I wanted to be in each corner, where I wanted to brake and how much, and where to accelerate. At least I thought so until we switched places and I had to drive. It is tough work to drive hard and accurately. Timing is critical, as is planning and anticipation. It is as mentally stressful as it is physically demanding. Larry did a great job in “narrating” my laps around the track. He would position me, advise on when to brake, shift, accelerate, roll out the steering, where to apex on a turn and so on. And just like that, our first twenty minutes was up. I was reassured by that time that not only was Larry a good driver, he was also a very good instructor.
During the next session, I became aware of the cars that needed to overtake me (and there is a system of etiquette to allow safe passing by invitation of the leading car), but also found that my old Saab could run around the track with some of these cars, and even pass them. OK, I know this isn’t racing, and that not everyone was necessarily going as hard as they could. But even Mr. Non-Competitive Me got a little thrill the first time I exited the chicane on the heels of the M3 and got the signal to overtake, thus opening the throttle and pouring on all 258 lb/ft of torque to achieve the pass before the braking for the next turn. There was one turn, Turn 3 to Turn 4, which is very sharp and executed in second gear and immediately ascends a steep grade. I thought all that torque would rocket me up that hill. It might have, but the dreaded Traction Control rained on my parade. As I would try to accelerate up the hill while unwinding the steering, the inside front tire would lose grip, the TCS would engage, and all my lovely turbo boost and power would evaporate—boost is just so ephemeral—leaving me in the middle of the hill with no power. Ugh!
Late in the day, Larry gave me a ride in his BMW. As good as he was in my car, he was so smooth and fast in his car. I don’t know what modifications the BMW had, but it did have purposeful tires, massive looking brakes and 5-point harnesses. The suspension looked a bit lowered, and I wondered what engine modifications it may have been running. I admired the surefootedness of the car, and at no time did it ever feel as though it misbehaved. The expert interface of man/woman and machine, be it an automobile or a pipe-organ or a bicycle, is a sublime and wondrous thing to observe. In this case, it was also exhilarating to the point of exhausting. I couldn’t believe how tired I got just being Larry’s passenger!
At the end of the day, the old Saab did start to overheat a bit, for reasons I do not yet know, though she is running perfectly now. She averaged almost 11 mpg during the track sessions, and I did almost run out of gas even though I started the day there with 13 gallons in the tank. The tires were not nearly up to the task, having had the outer edge of the front tires torn off and will have to be upgraded before I do this again. Other than the tires, the car performed as well as I had hoped, and perhaps even better in some respects. Even the brakes, which seem rather smallish by today’s standards, worked well and never faded, though they turned a really neat shade of blue! Beyond the tires and the need for a TCS-off switch, how could I have asked for more from that car? She got me there and back. She was not pampered by being trailered to the track. I did no preparation other than changing filters, fluids and plugs and setting the tire pressures and lug torque. So the trusty 9000 Aero, capable of lugging massive purchases from IKEA and 17 foot Christmas trees (see stories below) shows us that she has so many capabilities. I wonder, though, how I would fare in, say, a 9-3 Aero…..I think Larry was right: the needle is now in my arm!

Le Roi est Mort, Vie le Roi!
Yesterday, GM announced that Jay Spenchian, Saab North America General Manager, had been replaced by Steve Shannon, a career exec at GM who has experience in GM Europe, and most recently was the General Manager at Buick. I must say that I will miss Jay. He was the most accessible Saab chief in a long, long time, and one of the very few who sincerely understood the brand. Before Jay worked at Saab, and when he first joined GM, he requested a Saab 9-5 as his company car, to the astonishment of his co-workers. His reason? It was the best car in the GM portfolio. Jay's affinity for the Saab and his understanding of its history and clients was a welcome relief from the idiocy that emanated from the office of the last chief executive, Debra Kelly Ennis.
We don't know much about Steve Shannon, but we certainly hope for the best from him, and I would like to wish him the best. Steve did his undergrad work at Harvard (MBA from Columbia) so perhaps we can lure him to his old stomping grounds for a visit to Charles River Saab!

Sad Ending for a Saab. Happy Ending for Me.
January 2 I was on my way to work. My family had left in the wee hours for Maryland, and of course I was worrying about their travels. Little did I know that I was the one in motoring peril, not them. At 6:10am, as I rounded a bend on a two-lane road, I was greeted by a pair of headlights--on my side of the road. My next recollection was wonder what the big gray thing was sitting in my lap, and the realization that it was my airbag! I blacked out again, and next I knew I was standing outside my car, speaking to an EMT who wondered how I had gotten out of my car. I still can't say, given that my door wouldn't open. I finally regained a clear head as I was being neck-braced and body boarded in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. I spent the morning there as the fine folks picked all the glass out of my face and eye. I was left with a scratched cornea, a left cheek that looked like hamburger, and a bruised bicep. I was also left with a ruined car.
The great news is that I am OK. The eye healed in three days. Glass came out of my face for a while but that seems done, and I should have only a few small scars. When looking at the crash, it could have been much worse. Much worse. When released from the hospital, my desire to understand the accident overcame my good sense and I spent the day doing detective work. My father-in-law drove me around as we inspected the crash scene, my car and the offending car. What I deduced from the physical evidence, is that the other vehicle, a Toyota SUV, crossed into my path probably as a result of hitting black ice. My Stevens Advanced Driver Training instruction influenced my actions: I had braked and turned right, JUST avoiding a head-on crash and taking the blow down the entire side of the car. Because I was braking, after the impact turned me to the left, I stopped just off the pavement. The Toyota suffered some damage from hitting me, but was destroyed as it careened off of the Saab and then drove into and onto a stone wall. From the police report I later learned that he was speeding, probably in excess of 55 mph. That, coupled with my 45 mph, means there was a lot of kinetic energy happening, and to have walked away with a foggy memory and a few scars--I am lucky!!!
As it was meant to do, the Saab--a 1993 900T--was forgiving where needed, and strong where it had to be. It also responded with quick reflexes--active safety--to ameliorate the crash impact. I owned this car for only a year and a half, but was very fond of it. I may never own another Classic 900T, but I will never forget this one and the way it saved my life.

You Do That in a Saab?
Just as all automobiles are vastly better than they once were, most automobiles are far more versatile than they once were. Folding seats, integrated roof racks and the like are now common. Saabs, though, have been versatile forever! Who needs a pickup truck or a Jeep when you have a Saab, right? OK, so you can't plow snow with a Saab, but there really isn't anything else that's stumped me in all my years of Saab ownership. Appliances and furniture--load 'em up in a Saab hatchback. Time to tow the boat? Throw the tow-ball on the Saab. This weekend, my wife, my sons and I visited the Heliotrope tree farm and cut down two trees--15 and 17 fee tall. Two trees, two Saabs, Thule roof racks and a total of 5 Thule straps, and these beauties were homeward bound. Sure, you could do that with a pickup truck, but you sure wouldn't get the stares we enjoyed!

A Swedish Car Day to Remember
I did not create Swedish Car Day, but I have organized and run all seven, so I feel a bit possessive of the event, and am very proud of its iteration in 2006. This show did not quite match the attendance we had in 2002, but it was close, and it offered such a nice balance. The weather was great (the lawn, though, was pretty cold and dark at 6am), we had a good showing by the Volvo owners, there were some interesting vendors, lots of terrific private cars, a nice little display from VNA, and of course, the spectacular showing from GM Heritage. I even got Royal Ford of the Boston Globe to make an appearance to write a story (I won't say how) in which he deftly left out the sponsorship of Boston Volvo and Charles River Saab; maybe we don't advertise enough in his paper? There was also a festiveness in the air, and the attendees seemed to be having a really good time.
The highlight of my day came when the lawn was reduced to my 900T and Peter Maitland's Sonett II. We headed up the hill and asked Dick Balsey of GM Heritage if help was needed to get the 15 wonderfully restored Saabs in his care to the three car carriers. He was delighted to have us help, and I couldn't believe it when he told us to fetch certain keys....start the cars....drive them to the car carriers...and then....Well, then I thought our job would be done and we'd turn the cars over to the haulers. At least, I thought so until I felt the elevated platform start to rise and...well, the picture tells the rest of the story. Funny how ten feet off the ground, you start to question things like, "First gear is over and down in a 3-speed...I hope."

In Praise of "Swedishness"
The most ridiculous chief executive ever to preside over Saab in the US was Debra Kelly-Ennis. She did, at some point, make a speach where asserted that she was going to see to it that Saab retained its Swedishness. Boy, did we have fun with that remark.

In any event, the term came to mind as I was having an experience that was just ripe with Swedishness this past weekend. With my oldest son off to college, there was a bedroom shift and my 10 year old wanted to redecorate his room to his liking and remove much of his oldest brother's grungy style. With that, we piled into the Saab 9000 and headed off to IKEA.
At the end of our shopping day, we were replete with bedding, a mattress, pillows, lamps, a chair, Swedish cookies, and loads of all that neat IKEA miscellaneous stuff you just can't find elsewhere--in all we had two shopping carts and one flat cart loaded. To the unititiated, it would have seemed impossible to get all this home. But there in the Swedish IKEA parking garage, standing in my Swedish clogs before my Swedish Aero and its huge trunk, plus a Swedish Thule roof carrier, the goods were all swallowed with room to spare and the four of us rode home in Swedish comfort.

I am always so impressed that a country of less than nine million inhabitants (about the same as North Carolina) can give us so much neat stuff. Not just Saab, Thule and IKEA. But also Volvo, Scania, Ericsson, Electrolux, Hasselblad, Husquavarna, Sandvik and many more. They don't just produce stuff--they produce the stuff you want because it's infused with that je ne sais quoi. Must be that....Swedishness.

Insider's view of the 9-7x
Charles River Saab was in need of replacing its venerable 2001 9-5 Aero Wagon customer shuttle. In looking at the incentives offered from GM, there was no question but to go with the 9-7x. The deal was amazing, it made a nice vehicle to ferry customers, and will give us the opportunity to showcase the vehicle. I just came back from a drive in our new shuttle. I also took a college visit trip to Philadelphia earlier this summer in a 9-7x, so now that I have logged some serious miles on the 9-7x, I can present my view.
Disclaimer--I generally abhor the notion of an SUV or SAV (sorry, my Bavarian friends--they are all SUVs to me). Whether Porsche Cayenne or Ford Explorer, I never understood the point. Most have less room inside than a good sized wagon or van (vans I understand), most have serious safety issues which have started to be mitigated with better mechanical and electronic stability systems, all are inefficient with respect to consumption vs. interior space, and most really can't be taken off-road (except of course Land Rovers). The only SUV I ever fancied was the MB G-Wagen in its early iteration--diesel engine, manual transmission, no carpeting. I also understand Jeeps. There is one in my driveway that plows the drive (can't do that with my Saabs) and tows my in-laws boat. I tow my boats with my 900, thank you. The all-wheel drive argument for SUVs never washed with me; when there is a blizzard and I have to get from Ipswich to Watertown to plow the lot in the wee hours, I never take the Jeep. My snow-tire clad Saab never fails to get me through.
So here I am reviewing the 9-7x, which is part of a genre I have little use for. Add to that its somewhat dubious DNA as a Saab, and you're likely to think that a Saab nut like me will hate this thing, right? Wrong! I really do like this truck. I will never ever own one. But I like it. Much of the motoring press has, too. So here are the particulars.
What Pierre Likes:
I like, no, I love the suspension set-up. The balance between firmness and comfort is perfect. In fact, it is batter balanced in that regard than any Saab, ever. It reminds me very much of the ride quality and quiet of a Mercedes, which is not a bad thing.
I like the handling, but not completely. In most situations, the handling and steering seem terrific. In my long journey, though, I discovered, as I am sure Saab's engineers realized, that in some handling situations the suspension, no matter how well tuned and modified, can't cope. this is very uncharacteristic of a Saab. Every other Saab I have driven is very predictable no matter the road surface. The 9-7x can go from feeling brilliant to having moments where it handles like, well, a truck. This, to me, is the problem with a derivative design. If there are limits in the fundamental design, you are stuck with those limits.
I like the look of the 9-7x from the front view.
I like the equipment--the gadgets. This car is so well equipped, and the radio/XM is terrific in sound and ease of use.
I love the quiet of this vehicle. It motors with aplomb, without the roar and bang I am used to from other Saabs.
I like the front seats. Not quite as good as real Saab seats, but still good.
Brakes seem fine, and appropriately brawny for the weight of the vehicle.
I like the I6 engine. It doesn't belong in any Saab, but it is a terrific modern engine.
The air compressor in the trunk to inflate tires, balls etc...Cool!

Here's What Pierre Dislikes about the 9-7x:
Side and rear exterior styling, or lack thereof. You can't peel off some mouldings, add some others and fool people. From 3 of 4 angles this looks like an Envoy/Trailblazer. Not acceptable. Booooooo.
Side directional indicators are in the mirrors, not the fenders. While not uniquely Saab, this would add a good euro-detail to the too-American flanks.
The V8 engine. I don't care if it's made of aluminum and has displacement on demand. It doesn't belong anywhere near a Saab. Why couldn't GM have taken, say, the 5-cylinder engine from the H3 Hummer (based on the 6 cylinder engine in the 9-7x linear) and turbo-charged it. The consumption improvement, turbocharger and uniqueness of that arrangement would be much more "Saab."
The transmission. It sucks.
The dashboard. Most of the interior is OK, and some high quality materials were used in the dash, but everywhere you look you see Trailblazer stuff and it looks like junk: cheap plastic, cheap (if complete) gauges, probably look extra bad next to the Saab bits and swathes of better materials. The interior should have been built from scratch, not modified.
The steering wheel is awful. You can't take a cheap steering wheel and glue a Saab badge on it and think it's ok. It's not. It is the one part of a vehicle we touch most. The 9-7x deserves a proper steering wheel.
THERE WERE NO SAFETY UPGRADES MADE when this truck was derived. If it's not extra safe, it's not a Saab. It doesn't even have active head restraint! Not forgivable! Boooooooo.
Rear seat is very uncomfortable and not adjustable.
Stops for the rear hatch encroach on hatch opening and are at least inconvenient, if not dangerous. This seems like a patch for some sloppy initial engineering.
Cheesy Chevrolet styled Munroney sticker. Why?
Fuel mileage. I got 18.5 on my 800 mile trip. Maybe that's ok next to other SUVs, but it doesn't do much for me.
My overall impression is positive. If someone liked driving an SUV or had something over 2000 pounds to tow, I'd highly recommend the vehicle. It is handsome, agile, strong and exceedingly comfortable. Could it have been better--yes, much better. Still, I give it thumbs-up.

DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME!

Or on 128. This is a lot of fun - check out this video of the Saab Perfomance Team.

A Tale of Four Aeros
There are those moments of inadvertent genius in one's life. Such was the case at our most recent day of Skid School at Stevens Advanced Driver Training. When selecting cars to use at the event, I try to arrange a good assortment of cars that would represent the vehicles driven by the cohort attending the class, as well as picking Saabs that are most likely to be entertaining. When the fleet was finalized, a couple of days before the school, I realized that I had three versions of Aero going--a 2006 9-3 V6 Aero, 2002 9-5 Aero and a 2005 92x Aero. Hmmm.....
On the day of the event, I had my sons (who were attending the school) drive up in my wife's 1993 9000 Aero. So there we were at Concord NH Municipal Airport with the newest version of Aero, the original (at least in the US) Aero, and Aero versions of the 9-5 and 92x--we had the Aero heritage fleshed out nicely. As the day moved along, I asked Sandy Stevens if his drivers might be interested, when the class was done, to do some drag racing in the Aero's. He chuckled--since all his instructors race cars, they don't need to be asked twice to go out and drive hard and fast and compete with one another. So, when the day of Skid School was done, the cones were cleared from the runway, and it was time for the Aero Challenge.
I'd put the length of the runway at about a quarter mile, so the race would be just short of that (allowing enough time to stop so as not to traverse an active runway!). All the cars were automatic (6-speed for the 9-3, 5-speed for the 9-5 and 4-speed for the 92x), except the 9000 Aero, which was fair since the other cars all had more horsepower (250 for the 9-5 and 9-3, 227 for the 92x and 225 for the 9000), and the 9000 was hampered by Traction Control which is not switchable, and makes launching somewhat tricky. They raced four times. The winner every time was the 9-3. Second was always the 9-5. It was always very close. The lesser weight and extra gear ratio probably made the difference for the 9-3. Third and fourth was a duel between the 92x and 9000. They traded places at every race. Clearly, the driver had a lot to do with the outcome in the 9000; to shift at right time and to push the car hard but without inducing wheel spin and engaging the traction control was a challenge. But even between first and fourth, there was not much difference, maybe a couple of car lengths. In the end, all of the cars acquitted themselves nicely. Just makes you wonder, though....if we had a 1994 Aero without Traction control, and manual transmission versions of the other cars....
Not only did the 9-3 Aero win in the drag race, but I think it won everyone's heart during the Skid School. Not only is the engine a gem, but the tuning of the rest of the car, including a switch in tire brand and size for 2006, make this a really easy car to drive very hard and fast. I was concerned about the extra weight of the V6, but the handling remains precise, the passive rear steering works brilliantly, and the feedback through the steering seems slightly better. Overall, it is a very impressive performer!

First, it was front-wheel drive Volvos....
Now BMW, in an article in Automotive News, is reporting that it is leaving the dark side of engine performance:
"The German maker of high-performance vehicles will stop making engines bigger to boost performance. Instead, BMW will use turbochargers, more efficient valvetrains and advanced electronics to boost performance while increasing fuel economy.
'The time to increase horsepower by increasing displacement is over,' said Klaus Borgmann, senior vice-president of powertrain development for BMW...."
What's next, a Mercedes with the ignition switch on the console?
I hope Saab is paying attention, though. Just because you're right all along about things, doesn't mean you can rest on your laurels!

Recent Automotive/Saab News on the Future Fuels debate:

Some articles on where Saab is moving on this issue:
The 9-3 Hybrid Concept.
The 9-5 BioPower Concept.

E85 Editorial
I Can't Drive E85.

Hybrid Energy Study
Let the debate begin!

Future Fuels
In the wake of Katrina we experienced some over $3 per gallon gasoline and boy did that jolt revive the energy debate. Seems we can't convince ourselves of the necessity of reducing our oil consumption and stemming the creation of CO2 to diminish the advance of global warming. I hear customers cry for more hybrid cars. Frankly, I am not convinced that this is a long term solution but it certainly has some merits and these cars are a good proving ground for future solutions. Saab and GM have a great next-generation hybrid, which will, I understand, use a methanol engine or E85 engine in conjunction with electric motors and regenerative technology. However, none of this will have enough impact until people turn their backs on every aspect of our inefficient and wasteful lifestyles.
Surprisingly little is known in the States about French culture outside of its food and politics. One overlooked aspect of the French is that they are about the stingiest people on the planet. They even have a TV series (Gaspillage!) about waste that is uncovered in everyday life. So, take a Frenchman and dress him as a Yankee and what do you get? Me, the stingiest, most frugal guy there is. When it comes to energy, all my environmental friends would be impressed (if I had any friends) by the way I conserve energy. I drive cars with small, efficient engines--because I hate paying for gasoline. I live in a modest sized dwelling, which is heavily insulated, and every window has an insulated shade, covering an extra layer of plastic that I put on my windows every year. Why? I hate paying for heating oil at any price. I purchased fancy appliances (German and American) for their reduced water consumption and electrical efficiency, and all the bulbs in my house are compact fluorescent. Why, because I think of the hole in the ozone? No, it's because I hate sending money to the utilities.
The point is, I will conserve because it is in my nature to be cheap, not because I am morally motivated. Want to see a push towards energy revolution and a reduction in greenhouse gases? Then make it so financially unpalatable to continue the status quo that normal people (people not as cheap as me) will chose efficiency. This can only be accomplished by a heavy tax on all fossil fuels. I think we'd be amazed at the results. We would reinvent our infrastructure based on demand and the market would respond. We could tell OPEC where to stuff their useless crude. We could do our part as the primary energy consumers of the planet to curtail the emission of greenhouse gases.
For the sake of our children, I hope that we soon see leaders in Washington with the testicular fortitude (no matter their gender) to provide acute energy vision and leadership. When a libertarian miser like me starts calling for new taxes, you know the situation must be dire!

Saab Press Clippings
Just a few recent articles on our beloved brand. With all the negativity surrounding GM these days, it is nice to see some quality articles trumpeting the positives at Saab.

Recent Boston Globe article on the 9-7X.

Recent Boston Globe article on the 9-3 Sport Sedan.
Hint: after you read this, then read Pierre's posting (see below) on his review of the Review.

Great images of the new Saab Aero X Concept Car.

Review of the 9-7X versus the Volvo XC90.

Royal Ford: Give Credit, and Blame where it is due
In his review, "So close to being a fine car" By Royal Ford on February 11, 2006 in the Boston Globe, Ford gives a fairly reasoned appraisal of the 9-3 Sport Sedan. I like this car a lot, but have gripes about it, too, as did Mr. Ford. Mr. Ford stated: "But GM, you need to go the next step. Build this car with the interior quality of, say, a Volvo (or Kia or Hyundai) -- the entire interior. If you don't want to do that, then let somebody else buy Saab so it can be returned to the cutting edge." Thus he insinuates that some of the crummy interior materials are there because of GM. Is it his contention that nobody in Trollhattan had anything to do with interior? That interior was designed by Michael Mauer's team, not some good ol' boys from Detroit. The interior is sub-par for the car, but that is not a GM problem. How about the Saabs of old and their interiors? Mr. Ford views Saab's past through rose colored glasses. The interior of a classic 900 is filled with bits and pieces that looked like they were spec'd from an army surplus manual. There is nothing cohesive about the mix of parts and materials in those old cars. It is pure funk.

Mr. Ford also failed to point out the really good stuff GM has given Saab as exemplified in the 9-3. How about the terrific engines? Both are heavily modified for Saab use but are derived from GM global products. So is the fine chassis. We also can't forget gadgets. Saabs have always had them, and boy were they a pain! Cruise control, climate control, security systems and more are so much more reliable now than in the good old days. Is there a Classic 900 that didn't have a failed heater valve, broken cruise control (perpetually), window switches that failed, ignition switches that bound or froze, and ball joints that didn't disintegrate in 30,000 miles? Still, we loved those cars. And despite its foibles, we can love the Sport Sedan, albeit for different reasons.

Basta Mr. Ford! The past wasn't so perfect. The present isn't far from it.

SAAB's Future
Just got back from an industry convention - NADA, or the National Automobile Dealers Association - and I wanted to pass along some news on Saab and its future. You all have probably heard the rumblings about GM's commitment to Saab - especially new Board of Directors' member Jerry York's opinion that GM should get rid of the Saab brand - and whether Saab will be jettisoned or closed down. Well I am glad to report that Saab and GM management confronted this issue head-on this past weekend.
Jay Spenchian - Saab's General Manager - as well as the CEO, Director of Sales and Director of Marketing of GM, all made firm and unequivocal statements that Saab is an important part of GM and its future. But beyond the words, if you sat in at the official Saab Franchise Meeting, there was an energy and a positive vibe that was quite encouraging.
With new models like the 9-3 SportCombi, the 9-7X SUV and the redesigned 9-5, some great concepts in the works, a successful new ad campaign and message, and increasing support from GM, the message was upbeat. We also were happy to see and hear from Bob Sinclair - the legendary former president of Saab - who had some kind words to say about Jay and the future promise of Saab. In total, it was great to see the energy and commitment behind the Saab brand.

Amen to that Pierre! While my ride was not nearly as hellacious as Pierre's last Friday, it did take me close to two hours to commute home on a ride that never takes more than 25 minutes. As I sat steaming in traffic in Belmont, I finally decided to take the chance that my 9-5 could get through the 8 inches of slush and snow that were all over the roads up Belmont Hill. I really had no right getting up that hill, but to my utter amazement the snow tires and the Saab technology not only got me up and over the Hill, but that Ford Expedition in front of me was getting in my way! Truly amazing. I had Route 2 all to myself since everyone else was stuck on Route 60.
GET SNOW TIRES! They get you through the snow, save your expensive wheels and rims from potholes and winter crud (and give you a few extra years on your 3-season tires since the miles won't pile up as fast), and heck we even install them free during Novembers for you!
And yes, we live in New England. It snows. Embrace it.

Mostly I Love Winter, Except for....
Unlike a lot of New Englanders, I love winter. Really love it. OK, I hate the short days....but otherwise I love the cold, and it can never snow too much. As it was when I was a kid, I'm even disappointed when I see a snow storm coming to an end. I don't understand others around here who whine about winter.... "It's too cold!"...... "I hate snow!" SHUT UP AND MOVE.
In the past two weeks, we have had a bit of snow. Now I'll get into what irks me this time of year. First, on the eve of the first snowfall, we are inundated by people who want their snow tires installed. Not being magicians, we can't accommodate everyone all at once. What is the matter with these people? When November was finished on their calendars, did they think they were going to flip the page and find July? So they wait, have an epiphany watching the Weather Channel, and are outraged when we won't drop everything to get their bloody snow tires done right away. BASTA! Here's a hint to those I have described above: if you make it to Thanksgiving with no snow, consider yourself lucky and pick up the phone the next day and make an appointment to get your snow tires installed.
Next irksome thing about winter? People driving their cars around with bald summer tires. First, if these happen to be Saabs we have to endure inane complaints about how their cars stink in the snow, how their warning lights are all on, blah blah blah. These same people are outraged that they should deign use snow tires. Next time, they say, they'll buy an AWD this or that....And when they do, if they drive around with bald tires, perhaps they'll realize that no matter what technology you have, you can't undo physics. Slippery roads are slippery roads. Put slippery tires on slippery roads....I don't care if you have 20 wheel drive, you still can't steer or stop so going is not of much use.
The drivers, in Saabs or otherwise, who drive on baloney skin tires in winter should be drawn and quartered, or at least spanked, for endangering the rest of us and causing catastrophic chaos on the roads. During the December 9 storm, I left as I am scheduled to at 2pm in the hopes of arriving in Ipswich by 4:30 to start my teaching. As I proceeded in white out conditions at a slow pace, I heard the traffic reports. My normal route, Route 1, was impassable--meaning that some blokes with baloney skin tires were stuck part way up the hill. I took the Mass Pike to the Ted Williams Tunnel and planned a route taking me via Route 1A and 107, and then making my way to Route 1 at Walnut Street in Saugus. Great plan! I proceeded fine, albeit slowly, until I arrived at the end of the tunnel at Logan. The traffic stopped. And there I sat. And sat. And sat. At long last traffic started to move, and we never knew why. My guess? The ramp from the tunnel to 1A has an incline--mix that with fierce snow and baloney skin tires, and we all end up sitting. I was in the mouth of the tunnel for an hour and a half, and proceeded slowly thereafter. Later in my journey, as I descended Walnut Street to 1, I learned the true evil of baloney skin shod cars. A car attempting to ascend the hill was stuck, spinning its bald tires in futility. Not only did the traffic behind that car back up out of sight, but this froze the movement on the exit ramps from Route 1 in both directions. So one idiot, who probably complains that she hates winter and that her car is no good in the snow, ties up a significant roadway, plus another roadway in both directions. See? You just need one dolt at each interchange, and the entire vehicular world comes to an amazing halt.
My 40 mile ride took me 5 hours (less the 30 minute break I took). I missed out on my students that day. Why? Baloney skins....

Saab Scores Big with Active Head Restraints

Saab has a great reputation for safety, but it often gets overlooked due to the fact that Volvo has quite masterfully positioned themselves as the 'owner' of the safety message. But if you know and understand Saabs, you feel quite comfortable as you experience New England roads and New England drivers.

So it was great to see the news that Saab scored top marks in a test of car seats by Thatcham, a research group of British Insurers. In the tests, Thatcham measured car seats and looked at the position of the head restraints compared to the head of the dummy; in a dynamic test the seat with the dummy was mounted on a sled, which was accelerated in 0.1 seconds to 10 mph to study the effects of a rear-end collision.

Seats with the Saab Active Head Restraints (SAHR) fared better than all others in the tests. Statistics of the insurance claims show that there were 42% fewer complaints of whiplash after collisions with the Saab 9-3 with SAHR, compared to its predecessor without this system.

The survey also showed that only 16% of the cars scored "good" and 36% scored "poor" when it comes to head and neck restraints and protection.

Swedish Car Day
This year's sixth running of Swedish Car Day was a smashing success. Coming on the heels of ten straight days of heavy rain, we actually had some blue sky and reasonable temperatures. Unfortunately, the windspeed about matched the temperature, and having any event in heavy wind is not ideal. I did point out to the fellow from the Larz Anderson Auto Museum that the registration tent was not really needed, given that the rains had stopped. But he was hell-bent on us having a tent. And a grand tent it was--heavy gauge steel tubular frame, and about 10' x 20'. About 30 minutes before the event started, a huge gust lifted that tent (with a dozen of us working under it!) straight up, and then sent it hurtling into a parked truck, which inflicted a huge dent on its roof and shattered a side window. No one was hurt. The truck belonged to the museum. Whew!
While not the best attended SCD, it was one of the best. Every year I have gone to Saab looking for them to contribute display cars. Some years they sent a car or two from their training center in Connecticut, and usually we had to provide the transportation for those cars. Some might remember the "push-me-pull-you" 900, two 900 front halves spliced together, or the Skip Barber 1980's race car. But they never sent the really cool stuff, because it was holed up in Georgia, and we had to be embarrassed every year by Volvo North America, for they would bring grand collections of antique Volvo's to display. This year, the tables turned.
At the Saab Owners Convention, I lobbied every Saab Cars employee I knew, and some I didn't, to press the case for having Saab's collection sent to SCD for the first time. Chip Wilkerson from Saab was designated by his comrades as my point man. When I returned from the convention I started sending him information and pictures and pleaded for help. One week before the event I still had no confirmation that anything was coming. Finally, the Wednesday before I was given an assurance that "some cars" from the collection would make it to Brookline on Sunday. On Saturday morning, I got a message that a tractor trailer of cars had left Michigan (the Saab collection is now a part of the GM Heritage Collection--which is a very good thing). One trailer fits about 5 cars, so I was really happy.
When I arrived at the museum at dawn on Sunday morning, I was shocked and thrilled to see not one but TWO trailers being off loaded. The collection was amazing: 5 two-stroke cars including the ultra-rare Sonett 1 (one of six built, one of five remaining), two Talladega speed/distance record cars, an original 900 Convertible, a Pike's Peak racer and Monte Carlo racer that Erik Carlsson raced to victory at the RAC rally in Britain. The GM Heritage team has restored these vehicles beautifully, and has done ultra due diligence in learning about the cars. They run them, pamper them, and love to show them off. Our good fortune was to have former Saab technical guru John Moss (a perennial participant at SCD) who intimately knows every car in the collection give a walking tour and technical description of each car. What a delight that was.
Otherwise it was a grand time with old friends and new acquaintances. There seemed to be an extra air of excitement this year, and I got a rousing ovation when I suggested a competitive rally next year between Volvo and Saab owners. Have to start dreaming up that one soon!

The 'new' 9-5 unvelied.

For 2006, the 9-5 is getting an exterior facelift and some interior tweaks. To see the latest pictures, click over to:

http://www.trollhattansaab.net/archives/2005/08/new_9-5_officia.html

or

http://www.autorevue.cz/Automobilka/AR.asp?ARI=6251

Never Say Never....
As my venerable 1988 9000T was amassing needed repairs that I could not justify in terms of their expense, I started looking for a replacement. Indeed, I thought the replacement was already in my driveway. My wife has for years adored her 1993 9000 Aero and would not let me have it no matter what I proposed as a replacement. That all changed when her car was in for repair and she had a chance to drive a 9-5 Wagon for several days. It was even an automatic, something she has never really driven, even growing up. In fact, her parents have three cars, and two of them have a third pedal. But she grew fond of the shiftless experience, found that while not as fast or sexy or edgy as her Aero, that the 9-5 was vastly more comfortable and pleasurable to drive. So I set about finding her an appropriate car, with visions of the Aero finally becoming my ride. And then.....
A lovely 1993 900T was traded in. I had never considered that I might own one of these again. The newest ones are 12 years old, most need a lot of work to make them road-worthy, and did I really want to own one of these again. With their leaking heater valves, clutch pedal linkages that wear out, balky shifters, steering column joints that seize, rattles and squeaks galore....who needs all that? Right? But then I drove it. I listened to it (no car comes close to the lovely baritone gurgle that the Classic 900T emits from its tailpipe). I savored the upright driving position, the shifter that grazes your right thigh, the mechanical feel and sound throughout the car that makes it seem oh-so 20th century, and I was hooked.
We did a little fixing up, got the turbo boosting properly, fixed the steering and got a cover for the cracking dash top. Added some side outlet vent covers (the last ones Saab had!), wheels from a 1995 Super CS, replaced some badges and gave the car a proper detailing. Voila! I am now the proud owner of a truly fine old Saab. It's not as fast or comfortable as my 9000, but it is a hoot to drive, in a funky-Saab sort of way.
So for the moment my wife keeps her Aero. I have to wait to get my hands on that car. Already, though, my older sons (who share a 91 900S) have started to lobby. "...and if you get mom the 9-5 and you drive the Aero and then we can have the 900T. Right Dad?" I don't think so. But, never say never.....

SportCombi News from Saab Owners Convention 2005
Last week a contingent from the Charles River Saab and Saab City family went to Stratton, Vermont to attend the 2005 Saab Owners Convention. With the density of Saabs in the Northeast, this was one of the best attended conventions, at somewhere around 550 particpants. While I saw many familiar faces and cars, mostly from Swedish Car Day, there was much for me to see that I had never seen before. I had my first experience seeing a 1956 Sonett 1, one of only six in the world, and the only one in private hands in the US. By the way, there is one available in Germany, for a mere $210,000. I also had a chance to see, hear and smell a 1950 Saab 92. This is a two-cylinder, two-stroke, suicide-doored car, and the one at the convention is the oldest registered Saab in the US. There were other fascinating cars, some heavily modified beauties and beasts, and a portable dynomometer was kept busy looking for the torque and horsepower kings of the event. Both turned out to be 9000's, one producing 388 lb/ft of torque, and another 335 hp.
Saab Cars USA was very active in this event. Much of the top brass attended, including new top-dog Jay Spenchian. They brought with them the collection of antique Saabs, along with a fleet of 9-7x and 9-3 SportCombi for test drives. My turn came in a beautiful blue SportCombi Aero with the new 2.8 V6 turbo and 6-speed automatic transmission. Oh, what a nice car. And when you want it, what a nasty beast. I was very happy to find that this car has a terrific baritone exhaust roar when under load. Plus, this car is even better looking in person than in print, especially without the roof rails. Inside scoop--the clear taillamps that have been deleted for US consumption are illegal only in California, so Saab will offer them as an accessory everywhere else! If you'd like to see this car ahead of its launch, we are expecting to have them at Swedish Car Day on October 16!

9-7X Through the eyes of a Saab Junkie
Dealers have been screaming for Saab to get into the SUV game for years. Saab loyalists have decried the notion of a Saab SUV. Having an interest in both sides of this dichotomy, I chose to forgo judgment until I could see and drive the 9-7X. It is true, I do not like the notion of an SUV, especially one based on a truck platform. They are, by nature, too inefficient and unsafe to justify their enormous popularity. That they sell well does not give them a raison-d'etre. Lots of people buy cigarettes and eat at McDonald's.......
But if the world is to have truck-based SUVs, let's say, for towing a camper or large boat, this is certainly a reasonable alternative in its milieu. While there is still too much GM360 in its styling, the overall effect of the 9-7X is pleasing. It is handsome, inside and out, and while I could do with fewer varieties of plastics inside, most of the pieces seem of good quality. The driving experience is good. Handling is sure, steering is precise, brakes are strong. But I have some beefs....
Foremost, there are no Saab specific safety features in this truck. That the 9-7X was introduced without ESC is shameful (but it becomes standard in 2006). Where are the active headrests? Where are the pendulum B-pillars and triple-load-path crumple zones?
Then there is the power train. The 4.2l six is a nice, modern engine, if not especially Saab. But a 5.3l pushrod V8? Doesn't belong in a Saab. GM has a nifty 5 cylinder turbo truck engine--that would have made sense. How about a turbo diesel variant? That would be different!
Then there is the styling. Handsome, OK. Much too GM360 from the side and rear, though. Why not have modeled the 9-7X after a Scania truck, giving it a neo-industrial rugged look, then add the turbo-diesel engine, some safety features....
When I think of other truck based premium SUVs, I think of the Lexus GX470, Range Rovers, and some pricier domestics. In that context, I think the 9-7X is an outstanding value. Otherwise, I suppose it falls into the category of necessary evil.
Now the SportCombi.....

I second Phil's observations!
You see? All we need to do is get people around Saabs and behind the wheel a few times, and they're hooked--even if they've been driving Volvos for years. And when Phil came over from the dark-side, he took no prisoners. He didn't mess around with a 9-3 this or Linear that. Nooooo. He went right for the ne plus ultra--9-5/Aero/navigation/every package. Good for Phil!
We do hear a fair amount of moaning that the 9-5 is a tired design. But this is our history! The Classic 900: 15 years. The 9000: 13 years. And people are kvetching about a 6 year old car being stale? Clearly, the problem is that people don't own cars the way they once did. In those old times, you bought a Saab, kept it to the point when most people would trade it in, maybe 4 years or so, and realize: "Why should I trade this car in? It's paid for, runs great, looks timeless, still drives wonderfully.... and it's paid for!" And this would go on for years and years, and perhaps after 8-10 years when they wanted a new car, there was something really new to look at. Not these days. Leases. Two-three years and your out. So you leased a 1999 9-5, another in 2002, and now you come into the showroom and find a car that has some refinements and content you didn't have before, but it looks and feels identical. That's the conundrum. Here's mine. If I were king of the world, or of Saab, anyway, and I could chose what to do with the car, what would I change? Hmmm.....Engine? Nope. Transmissions? Nope. Chassis? Well, maybe add some spring stiffness. Brakes? Nope. Interior? Nope. Anything missing? Not for me, but there are those who gullible souls who insist on AWD, but since I'm king and contrarian, no the car does not get AWD. The point is, on a car that works so well--not just each system, but holistically, what would we change? True, the exterior styling looks a little dated now and that change is coming in the fall, and some of the 9-5 wheels look dopey. But that's it. I love the 9-5. I wish it were slightly larger in the rear seat ala the 9000, but other than that, there is no Saab and very few other cars of any marque that matches it for tactile ambient quality.

My New Saab
I must admit it - until 6 weeks ago I was not driving a Saab. Yes, I was driving another Swedish brand when I started working here, and the lease didn't run out until this Spring. But with that confession out of the way, I have to run on for a bit about the Saab 9-5 Aero and what a great car it is.

One of the unfortunate tendencies of American culture these days is our obsession with all things 'new'. You see it in the car business all the time - if a car design is more than a year or two old, then the vehicle is viewed as an also-ran. Saab markets these 9-5's that are 6 years into their perceived life cycle, so of course they aren't heading up any best selling lists. But I think if consumers got past their fixation with 'new', there would be a lot more 9-5's on the road.

The 9-5 is truly a great automobile. I knew I was driving something special the first hard corner I dove the car into. And the car can move; a great local test is to head up the Route 2 hill in Arlington and see how quickly you can accelerate up the incline. Trust me, this car passed the test. Boy, does it pass the test! The car is as solid as can be, and when I feel as comfortable buckling my kids in the back seat as I did in my old Volvo, then you have something of merit.

And what about this design is 'old' anyhow?! Great profile on the outside, big alloy wheels, Xenons, great radio and navigation system, fantastic Swedish seats, an automatic transmission with manual option, dripping with horsepower and torque, great mileage for its size, trip computer, night panel option, huge trunk, functional design, etc... Throw in the fact that the car actually looks unique - unlike pretty much every other luxury sedan in the marketplace - and it doesn't seem very 'old' to me.

If you are in the market for a sedan that moves, handles quite well, and is functional, comfortable, solid and quite safe, then you're not going to do much better for your dollars than a 9-5.

Off the soapbox now...

La Reine est Morte...Vive le Roi!
Ding dong the witch is dead...I won't contain my glee. During her tenure as the COO of Saab Cars USA, I never publicly criticized Debra Kelly-Ennis. As of her departure on April 1, 2005, she is fair game. Perhaps it is unfair to criticize her as much as it is those who installed her as the US leader of Saab. Her automotive CV was dubious to begin with. She came to Saab from Oldsmobile, which she was entrusted to close down. Is it any wonder the Saab world greeted her like the Grim Reaper? Then she had the audacity (I'll give her that) to try to communicate with the Saab faithful, which only created more resentment toward the current direction of the brand. I haven't come across too many fans of hers, including those who worked for her.
To the Saab enthusiast, any Saab president (or COO, CEO GM or whatever the nom du jour is)has large and legendary shoes to fill. Saab's first president was Ralph Millet, the Hingham resident who first brought Saab to these shores. The most notable president, and perhaps the most successful was Bob Sinclair during the Orange, Connecticut years. Bob had enormous charisma, loved cars, loved Saab and had to testicular fortitude to make bold decisions. When Sweden sent him a 900 2 door coupe in the early 1980s and asked him for suggestions on improvements, he attacked it with a saw, cutting off the roof and creating the 900 convertible. He was respected, maybe even revered, by the Saab enthusiasts, employees and dealers alike. My favorite Bob Sinclair quote: "We're not in the automobile business. We're in the expensive toy business." While modern business suits would scoff at that attitude, it might be pointed out that this quote was made at the absolute height of Saab popularity.
Saab has had a revolving door on its front office since Sinclair's retirement. We were fond of Dan Chasins because he was the last Saab Cars insider to reach the top. Joel Manby was a hit because he had great charm and poise, was a car guy and damn, he was a good looking guy. Many others were forgettable, as I have forgotten them.
So, the new GM at Saab is Jay Spenchian. His recent experience is with Cadillac, and that division surely has done well with its product as of late. I welcome Mr. Spenchian with open arms, I wish him all the best, and truly hope that he is the answer.

9-7x
At a Northeast Region Aftersales conference last week at Foxwoods we were treated to an introduction to the 9-7x. I am no fan of any vehicle in this segment (except maybe the MB G-Wagon in its early iteration with a diesel engine, rubber floor mat and manual everything--this truck was never imported), but even I had to admit that the 9-7x is handsome. Fortunately, the styling works. Where the 9-2x looks like a Saab only from the front, and a Subaru from every other angle, the 9-7x does not look like its sibling GM360 stable mates at all. The complete absence of moulding and cladding from its flanks contributes to this, making the profile, while not especially Saab, more importantly, not especially Envoy/Trailblazer.
The interior is a different matter. Overall, it's well done. I appreciate, that as opposed to the 9-2x that has no Saab DNA in its interior, that the 9-7x interior designers made an effort here, with mixed results. The ignition in the console, the 9-5 cupholder in the dash, the color of the wood, the design of the dash vents, and even the printing on the dash switches all look very Saab. However, you can't just pull an instrument pod, no matter how good and how complete, out of the parts bin and fool people. This is my biggest complaint in a 9-2x as well. Speedometer in the center, tachometer to the left, other gauges to the right.....in one oval pod. Same goes for the shifter and steering wheel. They're OK, but I've seen them before, and where the driver will have such intimate contact with them, they should have been more Saab as well.
I did not get a chance to drive the 9-7x. I really want to. I want to like this truck. Of all the trucks in its segment (full frame SUV with solid rear axle), it is clearly the best looking and perhaps is the best driving.

Le Roi est mort!
On the heels of the announced failure of Saab's Trollhattan plant to garner future production of mid-size Saab-Opel-Vauxhaul automobiles (which came just after the good news that Trollhattan had been chosen to produce the Cadillac BLS) which means that production at that plant may cease after 2010, Peter Augustsson, President of Saab Cars, has resigned. The reason cited in the Financial Times was his desire to embark on a project to start his own business development company. Sounds suspicious to me. He has been replaced by Carl-Peter Forster (President of GM Europe) as Chairman of the Board.

Russelsheim Defeats Trollhattan
Sounds like a sports headline, no? Unfortunately, the stakes were a bit higher. Saab's factory in Trollhattan was competing with the Opel factory in Russelsheim, Germany for the "contract" to build future mid-size GM Europe products (Saab, Opel and Vauxhaul). Word came last Friday that Russelsheim was the winner. This is not totally unexpected, given that this is GM's largest European plant, in the country with the largest population, and Germany is on the euro and Sweden is not. What does this mean? As forecast now, presumably, Trollhattan will continue its current production, plus add the newly released Europe-only Cadillac BLS--which based on a 9-3 platform--until 2010, and then production would be consolidated at Russelsheim. Is Trollhattan doomed? Maybe, but maybe not. While the next 9-3, and maybe 9-5 might be built in Germany, there may be other products on the horizon that might make use of the Trollhattan facility. So many things can change, though, that everything prognosticated here, in the press and even people at GM, is entirely subject to change. What fun!

Saab Rumor Mill is Turbocharged
2005 has seen the Saab brand in the news with great frequency. Not, unfortunately, because of any ground breaking technology or sales records. Rather, the fate of our beloved Saab seems rather uncertain.
The startling news that GM was considering closing Saab started the fever pitched rumors. That rumor was explained away as a mixup and that GM was only considering the shuttering of Trollhattan. Now, in a much more plausible scenario, the latest rumors out of Europe are that GM is secretly negotiating for the sale of Saab. Of course they deny this. Question is, what are secretly trying to sell? The Trollhattan factory? Or the Saab brand itself?
If Trollhattan is indeed to close and the brand stays within the GM portfolio, as GM's only global premium car division, look for many diverse GM products to wear the Saab moniker. Besides Saabarus and Saablazers, maybe we'll have a Saab/Cadillac, called the 9CTS5, or a version of the Opel Kappa, we could call it the 9K, and maybe a Saab/Hummer.....OK, I'll stop.
The current rumor purports that GM is in negotiation with a Chinese buyer and with Renault. Renault was in the hunt for Saab many years ago, and at the time, I was not enthused about that possible marriage. Both companies seemed in disarray. But now, with Carlos Ghosen at the helm and Nissan in the Renault family, that company is producing a large array of dynamic and exciting vehicles, and their perfomance in the marketplace has been impressive. Imagine then if Saab had access to, lets say, a full complement of Nissan/Renault chassis to work upon, including light trucks, SUVs, AWD platforms, vans, sports cars and sedans. Imagine if Saab had access to some of the best new diesel technology. I like the possibilities! The Chinese bid? I'm not so sure.
In any event, stay tuned and let's see what the future brings for Saab!

Cool Stuff Coming
If you don't have your ear to the rail, I just wanted to mention some fun stuff coming out of the Saab pipeline. 2005 is going to be a pretty good year for Saab if everything promised gets delivered.
Most everyone knows the 9-7X is coming in April. I won't be too excited by it, but that is a matter of preference. I just don't like trucks posing as passenger cars. They do fill a need, though, and even in the era of $2/gallon gasoline, they are still desirable. The 9-7X will certainly be one of the nicest truck-based SUVs, and if one has a large boat or camper to pull, this will be a swell way to do it.
Real news--the 9-3 Sport Hatch, or Sport Combi (hearkening back to the 99 hatchback in the 1970s) bows this year. The pictures are gorgeous, very sexy. Plus, the Aero version gets a 2.8 litre V6 turbo producing 280 hp. It will probably torque steer like crazy, and damn the auto-writers, torque steer means your having fun! Bring it on!
The 9-5 is going to have a revision in 2005. There hasn't been anything leaked about this, so I don't know what to expect. Would Saab leave its flagship with less power than the new 9-3 Sport Hatch? Maybe this will force them to ratchet up the power there. Navigation is already available in 2005 (it is pricey but works very nicely).
The 9-6X (a joint venture with Fuji, aka the Saabaru II) is still some time away but pictures have started to surface. I doubt the authenticity of any of them in this age of Photoshop, but this car-based SUV does look interesting to me.

Adjo Saab?
Unless you read the British publication Financial Times, you likely missed the story that had everyone in the Saab sphere reeling a few weeks ago. It was reported in that respected periodical that GM was doing a study on the viability of Saab, which would be completed by March, whose conclusion might be that GM would close Saab down. Needless to say, those of us who have hitched our professional wagons to Saab were mortified.
The recanting has been fierce, and the revised story, which is not news, is that GM has overcapacity in both Trollhattan in the Saab plant and in Russellsheim, Germany, where Opels built on the same platforms are produced. One of these factories will likely close. The Saab plant is newer and enjoys excellent efficiency. However, the Swedes are not on the Euro and as strong as it is, the krona is stronger, which contributes to high cost of production.
If GM is to be believed at this point, it is the Saab plant in Sweden, not the brand, that is danger of closing.
This would seem to make sense, given that we have two new products being released this year--hardly what you'd do if you were about to hang a going-out-of-business sign on the brand. There is also another joint venture with Fuji on a brand new product (for Saab and Subaru), and talk again of a more European 92X. We shall see....

WHEN THE SNOW FLIES...
Can anyone clean the snow off their cars these days? Every time that it snows I am stunned by the number of people who drive around with their vehicle ensconced in snow and ice. Isn't it hard to drive when you can't see out the windows? Don't you realize how inherently dangerous it is to other drivers when the snow eventually dislodges as you drive (and it does, since I can personally attest to how scary and infuriating it is when a 4-foot block of ice comes smashing down on your car's roof on Route 2)? Isn't it a bad thing when you stop short and the snow on your roof slides down over your windshield? Am I missing something here?!
And what really irks me is the number of truck and SUV and minivan drivers who can't get a snowbrush out. Come on - if you want to drive something tall, the rules about being conscientious to other drivers don't go away because it is harder to get up to the roof to clean off the snow!
We are all too busy, it is nasty out, but take a few minutes and clean your car off!

Observations of a Neophyte Car Salesman
I started in the automobile business selling Saabs (and Chevrolets) in 1984. Selling cars lost its charm, I tried service, and have stayed in the Saab service business for almost 20 years.
As a result of some convoluted circumstances, I am now selling Saabs again, as an exercise in moonlighting and to broaden my skills. I chuckled recently when I saw that car salesmen were tops on a survey of least trusted people. First off, I'm impressed that elected officials, Enron executives or evening news anchors didn't win. Truth to tell, I really think the entire human race has a veracity problem. Think car sales people are lying scumbags? Try buying a violin. I've known of more instrument dealers to run afoul of the law than car dealers!
But what really makes me laugh--assuming as I do that there are a lot of lying, thieving car salesmen in this world (and none of them work with me) --is that this is what the consumer wants. The reason I left sales in the first place was that I refused to lie, and it cost me business. Yet I would see bold-faced liars making promises and statements that were 100% bull....and these guys sold cars. Lots of them. People would rather hear a lie that makes them feel better than the truth that disappoints them.....but then they want to complain because they've been lied to! This explains the phenomenon of politicians, tel-evangelists, corporate CEOs, media and entertainment figures who get caught in their lies, and it costs them nothing! Nothing! And this is the populace that wants to cast aspersions at some lowly salespeople. That's just too funny.

Time to Recant
In a previous posting I ranted about cell phones, or should I say, cell phone users and abusers. In the past two months, I have had to work in both Charles River Saab and Saab of Framingham, and reluctantly, I saw the need for my customers and employees to have a means to reach me. I gave in, and got.....a cell phone. Much to the delight of my fellow employees, I have not only procured a phone....I have also embraced it and would not want to be without it. That said, I will point out that I do not make calls from my car, and will only answer the phone and speak with while wearing a headset so that I can keep both hands on the steering wheel. As much as some might delight in my saying so.....I was wrong about cell phones.

2000,000 Miles and Counting
Last month, my fine 1988 Saab 9000T hit the 200,000 mile mark. I must admit that I missed the event. I knew it was coming, but was paying more attention, I guess, to driving than the odometer and when I checked it after taking exit 50 off of I95, the odometer read 200,001 miles. This is the third Saab that I have shephearded past the 200K threshold. Porsche, I think, used to have a mantra of "It's not how fast you go, it's how you go fast." Likewise with this car. Many cars can be driven to this mileage. How many, I wonder, do it as gracefully as this car? Even at its current age and mileage, it is a wonderfully safe, comfortable, economical and fun car to drive. It carries me 100 miles a day to Charles River Saab, tows my boat, once lugged 1000 lbs of IKEA cabinets from New Jersey, gets sandy and wet at Crane Beach all summer long, has navigated every blizzard in recent memory (someone has to get here to plow the lot!), and done it with aplomb. The leather and the paint even look great. Sure, in time some rust on the body will become visible (but there is still none on the undercarriage!)  but otherwise the old boy is still handsome, in that quirky Saab way. Never an engine or transmission problem. The steering rack, struts and shocks are all original. The clutch made it to 197,000 miles--and for the record, it broke (a finger on the pressure plate) and was not worn out.
YS3CT55....J1014892 I salute you! How long will its tenure last? I can't say, but I never have taken a car to 300,000. Maybe this time.....

The New 9-2X has arrived!
Whether you love or hate the idea of the 9-2X, everyone should take a good look at this car and that includes taking it for a ride. The bottom line is that it is a fine car. The size and character of this car are perfect for filling a void in the Saab line-up. All-wheel drive is a nice feature to have, and otherwise the cars are nicely equipped, especially in having a "5th" door. Some elements of the car, especially to those most intimate with the current generation of Saab products, will seem crude (in subtle ways). But the fun factor is certainly there, and the quirk factor, which has quietly disappeared to a degree from our cars, is present. I think everyone needs to give this car a legitimate look before decrying it as an unworthy bearer of a Saab emblem. Those still skeptical might least look at the 9-2X as the progenitor to some really interesting smaller Saab product yet to come. Until then, let's shelve the debate, buckle up, and have some fun!

What Makes the 9-2X Different from its WRX Cousin?

Last night I watched the Saab sales training walk around video on the 9-2X and a couple of things jumped out at me:

1. Suspension Changes: Saab claims stiffer bushings in the front control arms, different shock damping and a couple of other changes to improve the ride and handling. Not sure if the Scooby has the lighterweight aluminum suspension bits that they were talking about. Once the 9-2X is out, I'll want to drive a WRX to see how differently it handles. The Saab will probably be a bit heavier, due to additional sound insulation and equipment.

2. Wow, the Saab really is so much better looking than the Scooby! The "Saaby" nose is so much cleaner than the WRX, without the permanent roof load bars, it looks sleeker overall. And the interior is worlds better. I'm not sure I love the two-tone interior treatment, but it does fit the car's character.

3. Standard Saab 4 year, or 50,000 mile warranty, though no charge scheduled maintainence is only 24/24 vs 36/36 on the 9-3 and 9-5.

I'm a long time automobile and Saab enthusiast (8 Saabs in 20 years) and I'm excited about the 9-2X. I've been to the Charles River sponsored Steven's Advanced Driver Training as well as Skip Barber driver training. I love to drive, and I'm really looking forward to spending a day in early July at the Saab 9-2X "Ride & Drive" training!

Hang Up and Drive!
I have an admitted loathing of cell phones. I do not carry one. I have had one handed to me, and I gave it back. There have been a very few instances when I had wished that I had one. But I have always managed to do without, and figure that if the rest of the planet wants to be connected 24/7, fine, but I enjoy the peace of occasionally being incommunicado.
Being a tolerant person, I don't care that everyone else seems to be talking all the time. I do care, however, when that talking interferes with my pursuit of happiness. Some times the use is merely rude and annoying: on the treadmill at the gym, in a restaurant at the table next to me, in line at the grocery store at 110 decibels. Perhaps cell phone use should be regulated like smoking. What I really can't tolerate, though, is drivers who not only speak on their phones, but are doing so without a hands-free kit. Somehow the combination of both the conversational distraction and the physical distraction of talking on a cell phone transforms drivers into hideously dangerous menaces on our roads. I was on Route 2 recently heading west just past Belmont hill. A Saab 9-5 suddenly veered from a left lane to cut across two lanes of traffic to make an exit he almost missed. No look. No turnsignal--not surprising since his cell phone was in his left hand. In the process of making this maneuver, this Saab driver almost collided with me. I had to bury the brakes to keep from getting hit. I could not swerve because of traffic in adjacent lanes. This unsafe driver never knew of the accident he nearly created. His gaze was dead ahead, and his mouth was going a mile a minute. I am sad to report that this dope is a customer at Charles River Saab (based on the emblem on the back of his car).
There is nothing inherently dangerous about a cell phone. It's only dangerous in the hands of someone using it inappropriately. Hang up and drive, or pull over and talk. Or get a hands-free kit!

Yankee Superiority (not the baseball kind)
In my last posting I went on and on about safety. After writing that diatribe, I went looking for some facts about highway fatalities. I went to the NHTSA website and found a study of highway fatalities, by state that covered 1975 to 2002. For the country as a whole, fatalities fell from 44,000 to 42,000, a 4% decline. But the drop in fatalities per 100 million miles traveled dropped a whopping 55%. Chalk that up to much better cars, and some acknowledgement of the horrors of drinking and driving.

As I looked at the state-by-state specifications, I was really shocked. The overall best results were turned in by Vermont. They experienced a 45% reduction in deaths, and an 81% reduction in deaths per 100 million miles, leaving them with .81 deaths per 100 million miles. Here’s the real shocker. Massachusetts. We were number two, and just barely. Massachusetts saw a 47% reduction in total deaths, a 69% reduction in deaths per 100 million miles, and .86 deaths per 100 million miles. That’s almost half the national average of 1.5 per 100 million. And for the record, New Hampshire was third, Connecticut and Rhode Island were tied for fourth. Maine, for some reason, was way off the mark, though slightly better than the national average.

How can this be? Aren’t we the most vicious, arrogant, obnoxious meat-headed drivers anywhere? Aren’t our roads the most miserable? And the weather alone should be responsible for plenty of traffic fatalities. How can this entire region, and Massachusetts in particular, be so far ahead of the rest of the country? Is it all the Saabs and Volvos we drive? Better enforcement of traffic laws? More stringent safety inspections? Better hospitals to save the near-dead? Fewer pickup trucks? In the absence of a better explanation, I suppose my parochial Yankee arrogance dictates that we’re just better than everyone else. Of course! To see the statistics, go to http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pdf/nrd-30/NCSA/TSFAnn/TSF2002Final.pdf .