2008
SAAB NEW CAR MODEL GUIDE
 For
2008, Swedish automaker Saab — now
operating in the folds of General Motors
— offers two sizes of luxury and
performance cars, plus one bona fide sport
utility vehicle. The repeating lines are
the 9-5 series with a luxury sedan and
SportCombi wagon, and Saab's big, five-door
9-7x SUV. The 9-3 group of sports sedans,
premium convertibles and SportCombi wagons
show new exterior styling and powerful
turbo engines.
 9-5
Saab's luxurious flagship four-door sedans
and five-door SportCombi wagons tote a
2.3-liter, high-output turbo, four-cylinder
engine pumping 260 horsepower. The transmissions
available are a manual five-speed or Saab's
automatic Sentronic five-speed with steering
wheel shift controls. Saab's optional
Aero package applies a sport-tuned chassis,
sport seating and metallic cabin trim,
while a Visibility package brings xenon
headlamps and a rear parking assist (RPA)
system. More standard safety gear goes
into all 2008 models, including GM's OnStar
telecommunications equipment, a tire pressure
monitoring system (TPMS) and rain-sensing
windshield wipers. Additional appointments
include leather seat upholstery and a
leather-wrapped, sport steering wheel.
 9-3
Saab's mainline cars come as sports sedana,
drop-top convertibles and five-door SportCombi
touring wagons. The 2008 models show new
exterior styling and a forceful front
containing a larger grille, wrap-around
headlamps and V-shaped hood. Also new
this year for 9-3 Aero is a 2.8-liter
V6 with water-cooled turbo-charging to
achieve 255 horsepower. This plant ties
to a six-speed manual gearbox or six-speed
Sentronic automatic with steering wheel
tab controls. The 9-3 2.0T models pack
a 2.0-liter, four-in-line with turbo-charging
booster to 210 horsepower. The 9-3 SportCombi
has two rows of seats for up to five passengers,
plus a cargo bay and posh appointments.
 9-7x
Saab's mid-size 9-7x SUV offesr cushy,
leather-clad seating for five, two powertrain
choices and standard all-wheel-drive (AWD)
traction. A smooth aerodynamic package
highlights Saab's three-port grille up
front. The SUV's cabin contains bucket
seats, a bench for three and generous
cargo space. The standard powertrain is
a 4.2-liter, six-pack, which creatse 285
horsepower with a four-speed automatic
transmission. The 9-7x V8 brings a 5.3-liter
V8 primed to 300 horsepower. The V8 employs
GM's Active Fuel Management (AFM) technology,
helping it conserve fuel. New 20-inch
wheels are optional for all 2008 9-7x
models.
For
more information on Saab.
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