Test Drive Saab 9-3 1998 - 2002 Sedan

Athlete in a white tuxedo

This car is perfectly adapted for daily ride through the streets of megacities, but its true elements of the country track.

I go to the landing
The last hour of the speedometer arrow does not fall below 140 km / h. Only occasionally bouncing to the marks of 110120, while a truck or any passenger squabble, occupying the left row, will overtake the car completely swept on the right and the ravis will be removed from the narrow air corridor. Then again barely audible as a turbine, and my Saab with some kind of full impulvory and at the same time very quickly recruits cruising speed.
 
I really like it here. As in a good airbus of some Scandinavian airlines. I would not even be surprised if the passenger seats were now put forward color monitors: overboard minus 55, height is 11 km away, and 1400 km from Stockholm.
 
But a friend of the capital has already spurla in the lights. And the snow-white 93 in a few seconds will turn into a regular car, forced to dying in numerous Moscow traffic lights. How do you not want to part with this machine!
 
Smile from Mr Schwartz
The Chief Engineer of Saab's Chief Chassis Schwartz asked to formulate the main idea of \u200b\u200ba new car. In response, he painted the driver, enthusiastically controlled by the machine. Say, each design element of the new SAAB-9-3 is aimed at improving the relationship between the driver and the car. And this idea is expressed in the design of the chassis, engine, transmission, steering, ergonomics and even finishing. Completing the drawing, Eckehard drawn a smile on the face of a funny little man, converting reasonably, which is the most important pleasure from driving.
 
I do not draw a very good, but I reflected the basic idea, Eckehard added. I get the chassis get better.
 
 

Scientist small but pedant
In a rather dark garage in a series of closely parked cars, it was difficult to see the shape of the machine. Headlights were lit, the lighting in the cabin was turned on, and the click of the central castle of White Saab invited me inside.
 
 
 
After driving the key, you will block not only the lever of the PPC, but also the steering wheel

 
The active head restraints of the second generation are characterized by greater speed.
  
 
 

Take the door handle. It is clearly reliable, under natural grip, moderately tight spring inside. It happens by itself a feeling of a strong, having a handshake.
 
I plit on the light soft skin of the seat, try to insert the ignition key somewhere to the right of the steering column. And ... I do not find the usual larvae.
 
 
    
At the bottom of this remote, there is a button, lowering the right mirror so that the driver sees the dead zone at the rear wheel

 
The glove box can serve as a mini fridge
   

 

Of course, of course, I simply forgot that the company Saabovsky Castle is part-time a mechanical anti-theft device for the checkpoint and the steering wheel is also kept on the traditional place for this brand between the seats. It was wise to remember when it is not a key in hands, but a slightly indiscriminate pear-shaped thing with a hexagon on the end and buttons on a black case. She has inside not only the so-called electronic transponder, but also something else. It is necessary to pull the loop on the housing, and in the hand will be ... a metal key, in a more familiar understanding. Most likely to do this and do not have to do, but in case you ever sees the battery, you will not be left outside. Original and, in my opinion, very comfortable.
 
 
 
ESP button disables not only the system of dynamic stabilization, but also the anti-test system

 
The back of the rear armchair, or part of it, can be folded, pulling for a special handle in the trunk
   

 

That's just something could be done and easier. Why close the console so much buttons? Try the first time to figure out how to find the desired radio station if it is not programmed in advance. I could not. And the plants of the buttons with the pictograms of Info, Customize, Clear and others, see whether the Swedish know-how is a branded infotainment system. Here and receiving SMS messages, and processing traffic information, and communication functions with an MP3 player, a pocket computer. And even installation ... alarm clock! That's just it will not work with you to play with all this without being distracted by the road.
 
 
 
Inside the spare place there was a place for a jack, a baloon star, a pair of screwdrivers, a towing hook and several compartments for smallers

 
The box with an emergency triangle will never be on the trunk, thanks to the velcro on the case
   

 

Go. However, stop. Fastened? So, the passenger was undisciplined, which was discovered on the right smart electronics. And while it will not fade, annoying red pictograms on the dashboard and the central monitor will not disappear. And we will go a little faster pedestrian, the interior will be filled with no other facilities. Traditional Swedish pedantry in safety issues. Just a bit annoying, no?
 
 
 
Well, okay, in the end, let them not immediately, but you get used to the fact that the prudent Swede wants to be smarter than its owner. Understanding also contributes to almost perfect ergonomics.
 
 
Everything for comfort, a little sport
On the left on the dashboard tachometer, to the right pointers of temperature, fuel level, superimposed pressure. All with green, calm backlight. And in the middle of a huge speedometer, placed up to 260 km / h, with a large digitization up to 140. It is immediately clear that the car is designed for high speeds and long distances. The so-called night panel function works on this. Pressed a button, and only the largest of the scales will be highlighted. Moreover, it is possible to make that it is up to the same 140. exceeded this limit, and the entire speedometer will be lit again. Clever, unusually and very convenient.
 
 
The same atmosphere of care and comfort, which is surrounded by the driver, is felt literally in every detail. For example, the seat. Want to adjust the rustic side stop, and you can fall apart in the pose I sunbat. Handles? For any nice to take. Leather finish of doors and panels with neat inserts around the perimeter is nothing to complain. Luxury and functionality, soaked in the spirit of calm and serenity. And I must say full harmony with just as calm, but stylish appearance.
 
Smart form
And without screaming makeup, all sorts of linings, fantastic-avant-garde forms of the Swedes know how to make Saab unique. As soon as I got the opportunity to consider the car more closely, I, confess, loved. Well, who will turn the language to argue that it is just dictated by the requirements of inexorable technologists variation on the topic of Opel-Vectra? The lines remained classically verified, and the proportions are traditional. And nevertheless sport sedan, looks like a gentleman in a white tuxedo among the crowd, even a very elegant gentlemen. It became a sewn by 5.5 cm, he grew into a height of almost 4 cm, there were more grace in motion, and under expensive lenses as if sparkling light of enviable intelligence.
 
At the same time, here is the rarest symbiosis! In the figure of Shaved at first sight a trained athlete is guessed. Rapid upwards on the hood, wedge-shaped silhouette, steep slide glass, low relief thresholds Agree, and stylish, and pretty. And absolutely faithful was the assumption about intelligence. Behind all this, painstaking work is not only artists, but also engineers, such as aerodynamic specialists.
 
It would be wonderful to make a car for 30 cm already and two meters longer, I noticed the main engineer of Saab on the aerodynamics of Khakan Danielsson. But we developed a car, not a record shell.
 
As a result, 93 received a unique two-stage spoiler in front, optimizing air flow, even in wheeled arches, special streamlined mirrors and many other cunning stuff. And the coefficient of aerodynamic resistance is only 0.28. Why do you like these boring numbers? Yes, that's what. I happened to drive more than 300 km under the torrential rain. Spray from the oncoming, plume of dirt and water from trucks in the next row. What was my surprise when I found that the rear lights and side windows have retained almost crystal purity. Money on car wash is, of course, will not save, but the visibility will remain at the height, and you will be clearly seen from the back. What, you still think that this athlete in a white tuxedo is too annoying in your safety? Yes, you, my friend, committed, what little.
 
Surprisingly, but the english and smart Swedes managed to make even the engine.
  
Bars, liters, kilowatts
The turbine, which creates a pressure of 0.7 bar, allows you to remove the nonsense 175 liters with two liters. with. But I was pleased not so much power by myself, but the responsiveness of the engine. It is no secret that turbocharged and engines in general and Saabs in particular suffer from a common disease in dips during acceleration and subsequent sharp jerks. So reacts to the gas turbine pedal rotating by exhaust gases. What only tricks do not come up with the creators of motors! And Saab's experts are considered one of the most talented.
 
 
I remembered this, dropping the gas on the approach to a steep turn. Now the turbine turnover will fall, and I will not be able to purely ribbon to go out at the exit from turn. No one! Smooth, powerful, confident overclocking, no failures. Excellent thrust, light acceleration even at high speed, the ability to save fuel, not allowing the pressure index arrow of the pressurization to fly to the red zone all this was a calling card 93 and earlier. Now the only lack of its motor disappeared.
 
The culprit of such a pleasant change is a new electronic engine control system of trionics-8, which optimizes the operation of the motor. True, the Swedes did not specify what exactly they managed to defeat Turbobolese. We must think, a colleague from Opel helped, which in this case use a variable turbine geometry.
 
 
Expensive pleasure
 
While in Russia you can buy a new 9-3 only with a 175-strong engine in the ARC (Ark) and vector (vector)) for $ 32,400 and $ 32,700, respectively. In January-February, the basic line (linear), equipped with ABS, air conditioning, power windows and mirrors, six airbags, ESP, onboard control system, steel 15-inch wheels, tissue interior and audio system.
 
In the version of the arc of luxury, leather and wood, climate control, electric drive heated seats, boshenon headlights with washers, 16-inch discs made of light alloy are added. In the configuration, the vector disks per inch larger and other leather-tissue decoration in a sporty style with metallized inserts.
 
If, instead of a 5-speed gearbox, you will have a mile machine, for the stamp will have to pay $ 1550. ESP system ($ 500), a glass hatch in the roof ($ 1550), security alarm system ($ 450), parking sensors ($ 450), cruise control ($ 385) and a rain sensor ($ 130) take another three and a half thousand.
 
In February, 210-strong cars will appear in Moscow in Moscow, and a little later and SAAB-9-3 with a 150-strong engine.
 
Proper noise, Gomon Tribune
Not every day, but every hour I opened all new wonderful qualities in my Saab. It turned out, for example, 9-3 has the most sharp steering, which ever was installed on cars of this brand. So they say engineers from Trollhattan. Without times, after turning the turn on the violation of the speed out of the reach of many speeds, is ready to believe it. It's theoretically, everything is clear: the platform of the new Vectra (very, I remember, I liked it in the part of driver qualities), the steering wheel is slightly less than three revolutions from the stop, an independent suspension with a passive rear wheels system, a low steering rack and the correct, not interfering Rotate, nor in the high-speed rebuilding of the hydraulicel. And in practice, such a symbiosis is just great.
 
But it was not even desire to turn off the ESP and to let the car even occurred. Let the electronics work, the shocking wheels, limiting the fuel supply, protects against excessive acne. For some reason, he did not want to lose the name of this car, even despite the name of the Sport-sedan, lose face, fuss so infectious was calm and solidity, it was still emitted by Saab.
 
And yet is obliged to try. Almost 90-degree left, clean, correct early demolition at first front, then the rear axis. And you can perform this maneuver at very high speed. Then I try to force the feed to overtake your nose. In any. Only with the help of the handbrake it can still be achieved. And although safe insufficient turning is still remained, but now it seems, it felt in a much lesser extent.
 
Save from moose and truck
Swedish cars are safety. Over the past three, more than a dozen years, this statement has become almost an axiom. Of course, Saab's specialists paid the security of the new car close attention, testing 93 even on the frontal blow with a total speed of 120 km / h. The cars were confronted with the moose layout, beat in a truck, turned over. So now, according to the chief designer of Keri Anderssson, 93, it can boast the most durable body, which we have ever made. The shape and degree of filling airbags, the work of belts, head restraints, the rigidity of the focused bodies of the body was optimized so that people in the cabin are alive even in the most severe accident.

And now she surprised almost complete pecklessness. No, rather noise is still there, but not simple, but the one that, as Swedish engineers say, carries information.
 
Usually any noise is annoying, says Stefan Swedham, head of the center for the noise and vibrations of Saab. At the same time, the sound is estimated as something positive. So we tried to create in 93 the right sound, and not disorient the driver with an acoustic vacuum. Well done what you say here. Neither creak, nor the wind of the wind, when on the speedometer for 200. But when you expect, you hear the muffled rockness of the engine torque, click any of the switches. Even the work of the rotary relay and that acoustically optimized so as not to annoy.
 
Thirtless distances
Well, for me such a car is worth your money. He will deliver you to any weather and the time of year to deliver you to the right place. Know, no matter how long you have lost time in traffic jams, you probably do not get tired. But more pleasant to eat kilometers on it. For rest to the sea, on business in another city, anywhere.
 
If you believe the statistics, buyers 93 per year overcome about 27 thousand kilometers. And the Mercedes-Benz C-class adherents, the BMW 3rd series, Audi-A4 rolling less than 22 thousand per year. For four days of dating with Saab, I was convinced that this car is really best suited for long-distance travel. He needs a space to show what he is capable. As a real styer, even if the white tuxedo is entrusted to the elegant white.
 
Saab 9-3 Sport Sedan
Total information
 
Body (number of places / doors)
Sedan (5/4)
 
Curb weight, kg
1510.
 
Full weight, kg
1970.
 
Length x Width x Height, mm
4635x1762x1466.
 
Base, mm.
2675.
 
Pitch in front / rear, mm
1524/1506.
 
Road clearance, mm
130.
 
Maximum speed, km / h
215.
 
Acceleration time 0100 km / h, with
9.7
 
 
Middle fuel consumption, l / 100 km
9.4 (mixed cycle)
 
 
Fuel reserve
62 (AI-95)
 
 
Engine
 
Location
Front cross
 
Design
Gasoline, row, 4-cylinder with turbocharger Garrett-G20 and intercooler
 
Diam. cylinder / piston stroke, mm
86.0 / 86.0
 
Working volume, SMZ
1988.
 
Power, hp (kW) at rpm
175 (129) / 5500
 
Torque, kgcm (nm) at rpm
27 (265) / 2500
 
 
Chassis
 
Transmission
front-wheel drive
 
Transmission
automatic, 5-speed
 
Suspension: in front
 
independent, with transverse stability stabilizers, gas-filled shock absorbers, springs
 
in front
On the racks Mac Foodson
 
behind
4-lever
 
 
Steering
 
rack type
 
 
Torkemose
 
hydraulic, disk, with vacuum amplifier, front ventilated
 
 
Tires
 
215/55 R16
 
PER
Magnificent fitness for long-term movement at high speeds, elastic, tracked in the entire turn range Motor, excellent aerodynamics and acoustic comfort, excellent brakes, acute handling, very good, fairly spacious salon
AGAINST
High price in a rich configuration, high fuel consumption with frequent intensive accelerations, low ground clearance, lack of mesh and belts for mounting cargo in the trunk
 

We thank the Russian representative office of General Motors for the provided car
 
 
Alexey Sergeev, photo Maxim Goncharov
 
 

A source: Limousine magazine [12/02]