Print

2008 9-3 Overview

If you would like to pre-order a new 2008 model, please contact April Hensley at (888) 424-7192 or by email at ahensley@cadillacofmemphis.com.  
Below are some articles from www.motortrend.com and www.saabusa.com. 

 
Saab claims to have made 2,157 changes to its 2008 line of 9-3 vehicles. While it's impossible to verify each one, the major improvements are easy to see.

For one thing, it looks better, having picked up styling cues from Saab's striking Aero X concept. From the A-pillar forward, the 9-3 sheetmetal is completely new and features aggressive aeronautically inspired grillework, headlights with perma-lit "eyebrows," and Saab's distinct clamshell hood. Five-spoke, 17-inch alloy wheels and unique bumpers with matte-finish foglamp surrounds make the Aero version particularly handsome.

The claimed five-horsepower increase is impossible to detect, but the 9-3 Aero's 2.8-liter twin-scroll turbocharged V-6 pulls smoothly, with little torque steer even during pedal-to-the-mat escapades. While the optional six-speed automatic will dutifully hold any gear at redline and shift reasonably quickly via steering-wheel-mounted thumb switches, the standard six-speed manual is the one to get for spirited driving.

Despite the marketing schtick, the 9-3 Aero is more biz-jet than fighter jet. No major changes to the suspension means that, around town, the ride is still on the soft side of sporty. At highway speeds, the 9-3 seems to lighten a bit; those demanding
autobahn elan might consider a German rival.

Scandinavian minimalism reigns throughout the interior. For 2008, industrial black replaces gray, with parchment the optional color. Aero models receive silver plastic trim instead of wood, which only increases the van der Rohe vibe (less is more). While the seats are comfortable and navigation capable, cabin textures and tolerances are merely acceptable, not class leading. Segment competitiveness dictates standard features like OnStar, XM Satellite Radio, low profile, rain-sensing wipers, and a tire-pressure-monitoring system, but clearly the most effort and expense in this facelift were given to improving the exterior.
The 2008 Saab 9-3 Sport Sedan and SportCombi (station wagon) go on sale in mid-September, followed by the 9-3 Convertible a month later. Sedans and wagons featuring Saab's latest generation Haldex XWD "cross-wheel drive system" will be available in late 2008.
2008 Saab 9-3 Aero Sport Sedan
Base Price $34,500 (est)
Vehicle Layout Front engine, FWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan
Engine 2.8l/255-hp/258-lb-ft turbointercooled DOHC 2-valve V-6
Transmission 6-speed manual; 6-speed auto
Curb Weight 3200-3300 lb
Wheelbase 105.3 in
Length x Width x Height 182.5 x 69.0 x 56.4 in
0-60 MPH 6.7 sec (mfr est)
EPA City/HWY Econ N/A



2008 Saab 9-3 Sport Sedan, SportCombi and Convertible / Drive Away with 2008 IIHS Top Honors

  • DETROIT -
    The Saab 9-3 Sport Sedan, SportCombi and Convertible have earned the 2008 Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's Top Safety Pick Award in the midsize category.
  • This is the fourth consecutive year that the 9-3 Sport Sedan has brought home IIHS top honors, an unique achievement in the luxury segment. For 2007 the 9-3 earned the Top Safety Pick Award, in 2006 the 9-3 earned the Top Safety Pick - Gold Award and received a Double Best Pick crash-test rating for 2005.  
  • The institute began testing convertibles in 2007. In the inaugural year, the 9-3 Convertible earned a top spot. This is the second year running that the Saab 9-3 Convertible earns the Top Safety Pick Award - one of two convertibles and the only soft-top convertible to earn a top spot.
The Institute rates vehicles good, acceptable, marginal, or poor based on performance in high-speed front and side-impact crash tests plus evaluations of seat/head restraints for protection against neck injuries. Winning vehicles must earn good ratings in all three tests and offer electronic stability control.

  • "The Saab 9-3 performed well in front and side crash tests and the Saab Active Head Restraints provide state-of-the-art protection against neck injuries," said IIHS President Adrian Lund. "The addition of electronic stability control as standard equipment confirms Saab's commitment to vehicle safety."
  • IIHS is a nonprofit research and communications organization funded by auto insurers. The Institute's research focuses on countermeasures aimed at all three factors in motor vehicle crashes (human, vehicular, and environmental) and on interventions that can occur before, during, and after crashes to reduce losses.
Saab is a division of General Motors Corp. Saab Automobile USA is the importer and/or distributor of Saab 9-3, 9-5 and 9-7X automobiles for Saab Automobile AB, Sweden. For the 2008 model year, Saab makes XM Satellite Radio and OnStar standard on its entire line-up. Additionally, all new Saabs have no-charge scheduled maintenance, and the Saab 100,000-mile Powertrain Limited Warranty. Contact our SAAB sales department for more information at (888) 424-7192