Yesterday thanks to colleagues and friends from Novi Sad MVM Motors ( Opel / Chevrolet dealer), I had a unique opportunity and a great pleasure to get to know and test it in real driving conditions, one of the most beautiful cars of today – the Saab 9-3 Aero 1.9 TTiD .
MVM Motors , to the satisfaction of fans and owners of Saab vehicles at the end of the month becomes the second official Saab’s representative in Serbia , thus this famous and renowned auto brand to gain a much better position in the local available nowdays . Deliberately emphasize pozicijju , not in terms of mass popularity , because Saab brand and not intended masses , but selected connoisseurs and dedicated motorists who learned to appreciate its outstanding performance and constant technological innovation .
Table of Contents
About Saab
Behind today’s Saab is more than 60 years of development and activity in the field of motorsports , all based on the tradition of engineering development aircraft . It all started back in 1937. Years when called ” Svenska Aeroplan Aktieboalget ” ( Sweden aircraft factory ) in Trollhattan near Gothenburg founded the company on whose original foundation and still produce Saab vehicles .
In fact, the roots reaching back to a little earlier , since 1930. Years when when it Linkepingu as a separate production group founded aeronautical department , ” the Swedish Railways ” intended for the manufacture of airplanes .
The main product of the early 40 -ies were warplanes and by Sven unique concept and design solutions . The first in the series was a hunter SAAB 21 then single double hull and engine and drive propeller behind the pilot. After World War II the same concept napopunjen mlazinim the engine , resulting in a production Saab multirole fighter-bombers , which belong to the very top .
Car production ranges 1949th mentioned in Trollhattan when he designed the SAAB 92 , again design and conceptually completely revolutionary vehicle that its aerodynamics ( aerodynamics then the car world still in the pioneering level ) droplet concept inherited from aeronautical tradition . Its air resistance coefficient was 0.31 which is still at the top of the car industry .
SAAB 92 in all it was ahead of its time, the design and the solutions applied to dual-cylinder two-stroke engine that is freed 25HP . It was the first car designed in a wind tunnel because his principles guided the development of aero- modeling . Model 93 , a distant ancestor of today’s models appeared on the roads 1955 and is responsible for its design is none other than Sixten Sason – famous Swedish designer , wearer of the famous Scandinavian industrial design based on practicality .
new Technology
Saab is in many ways unique , but it is certainly known for its technological breakthroughs that are then followed by other manufacturers . Saab pioneered the drive to the front wheels , aerodynamic modeling , aviation curved windscreen made , headlamp cleaner , belts for binding to two points , lateral reinforcement in the doors , and much more. Innovation is really a lot , but here I will mention only the most famous ones , such as seat heater , hatchback concept with expanding cargo space reclining rear seats , air conditioning CFC-free , then the ventilation system of seats , and of course TURBO .
TURBO concept is an original idea for the first time performed in the Saab 99 that the principle of ” less is more ” with the same displacement engine extracts more power and overall efficiency . Thanks to this , with a slightly modified model 9-3 Viggen who had the power of incredible 780KS , famous relist Per Eklund won the race Pikes Peak hill at 12 miles with 156 curves and a height difference of up to 4,300 meters . This ” rocket ” of vehicles years reached 100 km/h in just 2.3 seconds !
Saab 9-3 Aero 1.9 TTiD
About Saab has more to say , but you should find plenty of space for such a material icon wink Test Saab 9 3 1.9 TTiD therefore , to come back to the present model we tested . Until sometime in 2000 , virtually until the moment when it was acquired by GM , Saab vozial followed the story that are extremely performance and are safe , but they are not much appealing to the eye. The first decade of 21st century, everything has changed , and 9-3 is the last offspring of design changes , and in my opinion is one of the most beautiful cars in a salon class ( if not the most beautiful ) .
Saab 9 3 1.9 TTiD9 – 3 Sport Sedan comes in three varieties of equipment : Linear , Vector and as the highest – Aero . Aero equipment in addition to all of the component is the two lower package includes self-ventilated AERO sports seats with the possibility of memorizing driving position , sporty chassis and a sports suspension ( lower , but not hard and uncomfortable ) , characteristic double exhaust pipe , xenon headlights and 17 ” alloy wheels .
Exterior is more than attractive concept The wedge , sharp but not preoštrih dynamic lines with distinctive sporty emphasis . Aero equipment includes special frontal spoiler that resembles the editorials of air jets , and to this solution distinctively apart from any other vehicle on the road . The front headlights are enriched by light LED horizontal line that makes the car seem wider , much more aggressive and distinctive so that other participants in traffic when they look in the mirror , no matter whether it is day or night , to know that a Saab behind them .
Progressive exterior no superfluous details , was acquitted of all the unnecessary ” extras ” . Sports and dynamic tail dominated last light signalization enriched anti- icing system so that you can always be sure that others see when you press the brake pedal .
The interior and usability
What is characteristic for all Saab models , created under the slogan “Born from Jets “, and for this to be ” built around the driver ” ( pilot ) , which means that the entire development process moves from the driver, and he had during the entire process always the center of attention . Because the cabin at all reminiscent of an airplane cockpit . Literally all command and control systems are focused on the driver , so that the very frontal console tilted towards him, and how much went away in a ” driver – centric” design is the fact that the automatic air conditioning system divides the space into two zones , one for the driver and the other for other travelers .
Cockpit is designed to fully close interaction between driver and car : Instruments and controls are grouped into logical groups , they usually use are on the point of a leather steering wheel .
A number of innovative solutions stand out ” Night Panel ” – function by pressing the button in night driving conditions turned off all the lights and indicators in the cockpit except speedometer that darkens giving the driver the ability to fully focus on the nighttime environment , and ComSense system designed to reduce harassment drivers programmed delay audio – visual warning .
Cmplete comfort systems such as Profiler , which provides full personalization settings vehicles with memorizing all the parameters , then the function of voice pieces to control the so-called . Infotainment systems and integration with mobile phone via Bluetooth , which is then also controlled by voice. Audio atmosphere is completed izvenredni Bose CD – MP3 players with 7 speakers .
Engine
Those who choose to Saab is available several gasoline and diesel engines, generators and biopower that combina bioethanol with other fuels or are fully enforced powered by bioethanol . Specifically in the model I drove a Saab 9-3 TTiD is built diesel that has 180 horsepower and an incredible 400Nm of torque available at any time that is invaluable importance when overtaking .
” TT ” in the label states that it is on the engine with twin turbocharger or turbo on the two-step system that ” stretches ” the elasticity of the engine and enhances agility .
In practice , this means constant acceleration , in all stages of transmission , from zero to maximum speed . Compared to the 40 competing vehicles in the same class , this engine with its 6.2 -second fastest accelerating from 80-120 km – h . The latest Audi A4 York; leaves for more than a second behind, and two-liter Mercedes diesels leaves even three seconds ” in the rearview mirror ,” while behind Saab ‘s new Lexus IS 220d .
Elsewhere , see the video :
Safety above all
Saab from its beginnings in the development led to the principle of ” no safety costs ,” which is consistently complied with 9-3 . The standard equipment of every Saab are 10 airbags , all driver assistance systems ( DSC , TCS , ESP ) , reinforced B pillars and doors , as well as stunning brakes .
So acceleration not make sense if a certain current would not be able to slow down and froze . And in this domain Saab has the best results in the world . Thanks to ABS system with EBD and an MBA from the system to intensify the force during emergency braking zaustavljanaj , Saab with a speed of 120 km / h to a stop should be only 50 meters . Competing for the same segment of the moment and up to 10 meters higher, in some cases much unforgivable .
Saab had not been what it is that with each new generation does not add any new protection system . In the new nine – threes it is SAHR ( Saab Active Head Restraint ) function , which is just a piece of interactive chain security system . SAHR system in the event of strikes another vehicle in the background , on the basis of the calculation of shifting weight of a person in the seat of automatically moves the headrest upward and simultaneously forward , ” grabbing ” in this way when the head passengers due to reaction forces moved in back . According to tests SAHR system reduces to 75% of neck injuries in case of attack background .
Conclusion
For whom is Saab 9-3 ? First of all, those who price and seek true sporting atmosphere , which užuvaju driving do not allow anyone to exchange the driving position. Saab 9-3 offers outstanding performance , great power and acceleration , and handling gives a whole new dimension .
The standard equipment of new Saab is a unique system that ReAxs cornering than the front wheels rotated and those on the rear axle , which reduces the turning radius and the right to ” cut ” the curve. With ReAxs system when you enter the curve do not have to deduct the gas , you can just feel the adrenaline rise due to lateral acceleration .
Price nine triplets ranges from 26,000 euros and for that price in Linerar package gets almost everything you need for a comfortable ride . The average expenditure within the moderate and ” cultivated ” so moving about 6.5 liters in combined mode driving . Compared to the competition , especially nemačkog origin , Saab may place guided by some lags in terms of equipment and interior luxury, but it is certainly mesh luxury and adventure them in performance and price .
Also, what we noticed during the test , the new Saab 9-3 Aero is a magnet for the eyes , even for drivers of premium brands ( BMW , Mercede Audi , Volvo … ) , and it is certain that you will be recognized, and the impression you ‘re dumping is just “wow ” Test Saab 9 3 1.9 TTiD
Info
More photos can be seen on Flickr.
