One
thing about Saab autos doesn't seems to change. There's
always the feeling of a cockpit-like flattened-front dash,
a signature of the Swedish auto maker's ties to its aerospace
background. Beyond that, Saabs have grown in luxury standing
and stature in an inevitable faceoff with other premium
competitors that has moved it from one-time hatchback-dominant
to a growing wanna-have for fussy upmarket American buyers.
For
2005, Saab completes the lineup of its premium, 9-3 compact
sedan line with an entry-priced lux convertible joining
five existing hardtops and softtops among a list of welcome
upgrades. It adds an optional DVD-based, in-dash nav system,
the kind that's become almost a right of passage for top-of-the-line
automobiles.
Built
from what Saab terms "the driver out," it sports
a sleek, wedgey profile, deeply sloped windshield and short
overhangs front and rear for an "in-motion" look
even when still. In actual motion, it rides on a wealth
of standard, high-tech stability and suspension controls
and is powered by two 2.0 liter, turbo-boosted inline fours
generating 175 and 210 hp depending on trim level. Eye-opening
"Chili Red" spikes a palate of three new exterior
colors for '05, joining more subtle Parchment Silver and
Smoke Beige.
Five-speed
stick shift is standard, while auto trans with Saab's Sentronic
manual function is an option. To keep hands steering during
manual mode driving, the sporty, top-line Aero model has
available steering wheel shift controls.
|