Saab test drive 9-5 2001-2005 sedan

Saab riddles

How 9-5 Aero turned from a Swedish car into an American
 
For three days I tried to comprehend the essence of the updated Saab 9-5 Aero, and all three days I did not cease to be surprised - how much restyling is able to change the character of the model. No, the appearance is more and more in order: the most powerful nine to five began to look even brighter, more sporty, adopting some successful designer strokes from the 9-3 SportSEDAN model (new lighting equipment, radiator and bumper grille). But why did you need to change the chassis settings? And turn the attack aircraft that can give pleasure to the true connoisseur of the brand, into a sort of high -speed, but impressive carriage? Although, to taste and color
 
Night flight
 
The night in winter Moscow comes during the day. At about half past four in the afternoon, if cloudy. And for me, there is nothing better than managing the Saab at night - I invariably recall one of the most striking children's impressions when I first got into the cockpit of the aircraft pilots. A central console, slightly deployed to the driver, with many buttons that glow pleasant green, the non -linear speedometer scale is every detail and all of them together create a special mood. Cozy and confidence, I would say. Praise to designers, they do not change the aviation style of the interior for many years. In addition, all controls are located quite logically, it’s easier to deal with the buttons.
 
There are cold and dirt outside the windows, and in the cabin - like a separate island, the desired temperature at which the effective installation of climate control maintains, and with the outside world you can communicate through an on -board computer with a small display, which, for example, will definitely indicate when it is necessary drive up to the gas station. The seat is so soft that it is easy to doze off in the next traffic, so I add the volume of the audio system. On the other hand, lateral support is perfectly felt, which once again indicates that the Aero inscription on thresholds and chrome in the decoration is present for a reason. In general, you just have to climb into the salon, as you feel more care for the driver. The seat is equipped with a mass of servo drives, and the steering column, although it is regulated mechanically, but in such ranges that it is not difficult to choose the right position. For my taste, the steering wheel is a little big, which is easy to get used to. In addition, now not only the audio control buttons are carried out on the steering wheel, but also the buttons for manual control of the automatic gearbox Sentronic. True, this is the only way to manually move from one stage to another, since the automatic transmission itself is only set to the M - Manual position. Usually, in similar systems, you can move from native transmission to another by moving the lever of the box up and down, or right and right. Well, oh well, and the buttons are perhaps enough.
 
Hello America!
 
The first acceleration even on slippery coating was convinced of the enviable potential of the 9-5 Aero motor. The low -pressure turbine turns on almost immediately, without hesitation, and provides not that picking up, but monstrous acceleration in the entire speed range - you just need to press the accelerator pedal more. But why is this yellow light bulb on the instrument panel that signals the operation of the ESP stabilization system, not what flashes, and not go out? It is probably that it is fighting with the very 250 forces and 350 nm of torque, which simply cannot be realized on slippery asphalt. But as soon as the dry canvas fell under the front drive wheels, the head instantly pressed against the surprisingly comfortable headrest, and this continued until I dropped the gas. By the way, the slowdown in Aero is beyond praise. Dose the force on the pedal of the brake of labor is not, and ABS is always ready for battle.
 
I must note that the machine is generally good - the transition from one step to another occurs quickly and clearly. True, it is worth dropping the gas, as the automatic transmission will cross a step higher and the acceleration will weaken. But in relation to this car, this is rather not a minus, but a plus. In addition, you can always click on the SPORT button located on the top of the automatic transmission lever, and then the electronics will honestly twist the engine to the limit revolutions. The mode of mechanical gear shift with the help of those same buttons on the sportshole, perhaps, does not add - the time between clicking on the corresponding button and the moment when the electronics will react large enough. By the way, the right button increases the step, and the left - reduces. To use them in a dense city stream, with frequent maneuvering, is not a grateful thing, the buttons themselves are not enough. But on a straight line, when there is enough steering wheel to perform a maneuver, you can experiment, if you really want to. Personally, this did not give me much pleasure.
 
However, if the Aero motor causes extremely positive emotions, then other settings were not pleased. Take the steering - the steering wheel is empty, like a glass of Irish. What kind of corner is turned to at this particular moment of the wheel - it is not easy to understand, especially at low speed. With acceleration, the steering wheel is heavy, but there is still no clear feedback.
 
And the pendants? Not only are you sitting in a soft chair, like on a feather bed, but springs with shock absorbers are in no way can convey the sensations of what exactly happens under the wheels. The cranes of the body in the turns of steel (compared to the previous version) are simply huge. At the same time, surprisingly, even small potholes in the asphalt with enviable stubbornness are annoyed by passengers. Now let's move on to specific situations.
 
Council on the Moscow Ring Road from one of the highways. Quite cool, almost 90 degrees, turn, under the wheels - ice with snow. As usual - turning the steering wheel and gas. The demolition of the front wheels began, but the electronics instantly joined the work. To begin with, ESP dropped the gas, which turned out to be clearly not enough. And then something strange happened: the stabilization system, realizing that the car was still slipping, sharply slowed down, according to my sensations - the rear wheels. As a result, instead of demolition, a drift came out, and, I did not turn the steering wheel, smoothly playing an accelerator - a collision with an iron chipper would be inevitable. Unbelievable, but it is a fact! Moreover, it was incomprehensible, since the ESP system itself was unlikely to reprogram, and before, on the prerestyling version, it behaved quite adequately. I can’t find another explanation, except that ESP has not yet been fully tied to new chassis settings. Be that as it may, after this incident I turned off the stabilization system, deciding to rely only on my own skills.
 
Another example. An insidious arrival on a large stone bridge from the wolf's side is a fairly steep turn with a rise and a small bias. I don’t really ceremony - automatic transmission in sport mode, speed before turning about 40, maybe 50 km/h. The steering wheel to the right and gas. The nose dashingly dawns in the arc, but for no reason, he begins to overtake the front wheels. Let me, but this is not a rear -wheel drive, but the front!? Then why, with the correct passage of a turn with pressing the gas pedal and slightly slipping the front wheels, the car brings the car, and not weakly? Of course, without dropping the gas, the steering wheel is towards the skid, and the trajectory leveled off. The question is different - can such a powerful car, with obvious sports ambitions, afford such unpredictable behavior? Caused by the same suspension settings?
 
Thinking about this, I asked myself: under what conditions and who can just such a car arrange? The answer came by its own - the restyled 9-5 Aero conditions are ideal for the conditions of the middle and southern states. Where there is practically no winter, under the wheels almost always dry, and most roads are straight and leaving for the horizon. It is there, behind the ocean, that you can fully (if you do not beware of the police and rangers) to realize the full potential of the SAAB, and only there they can appreciate the softness of the suspensions (used to). Some respected university professor may well opt for this model from Sweden so as not to give in and stand out against the background of local students who are able to travel to Mustang, Camaro or Civic. It’s not without reason that the main Saab market is just the United States.
 
The price of an American dream
 
Not to say that in Russia, unlike America, Swedish cars were in sustainable demand. Although it should be paid to their very competitive price: the Saab 9-5 Aero will cost the owner about 46,200 dollars. The main rivals - Audi A6, BMW of the 5th series and Mercedes E -class - with engines of about the same power, perhaps a little more. It remains to add that the warranty is two years without limiting a run.
 
Brief technical characteristics Saab 9-5 Aero
Engine volume, cubic meter. See: 2290
The number of valves for the cylinder: 4
Power, l. With. at about./min.: 250/5300
Max. Torque, Nm/at about. min.: 350/1900-4000
Acceleration to 100 km/h, s: 6.9 (8.2)
Maximum speed, km/h: 250
Average fuel consumption l./100 km.: 8.8 (9.8)
Fuel tank volume, l.: 75
Dimensions, mm.: 4827x1792x1475
 
The brackets are given data for the version with the Sentronic automatic transmission
 
Andrey Osipov
 
 

Source: Newspaper "Automobile Izvestia" [No. 1-2 (48), 2004]