Saab 9-3 for 2004

SAAB Aautomobile Australia has further improved its 9-3 Linear Sport Sedan for 2004 to attract more aspirants of European cars.

With leather trim now standard, turbocharged engine performance and a new $47,900 recommended retail price, the Saab 9-3 Linear Sport Sedan is now the clear leader for performance and value in the competitive premium European compact sedan segment.

The 9-3 also becomes the “mobile office” leader in the entry luxury class in 2004 with Saab’s fully-integrated GSM/GPRS telephone with Bluetooth connectivity now available on all 9-3 Sport Sedan and 9-3 Convertible models.

9-3 Linear Sport Sedan
An aggressive $47,900 RRP is designed to bring more "aspirers" of premium European compact sedans to Saab.

It also positions the turbocharged 9-3 Linear Sport Sedan as the best-value premium compact sedan in Australia against equivalent rivals from Audi, BMW, and Lexus.

The 2004 9-3 Linear Sport Sedan now boasts as standard: 110 kW/240 Nm turbocharged engine, leather trim, leather steering wheel, 15-inch alloy wheels, dual-zone automatic climate control (ACC), cruise control, CD stereo, heated seats, rain-sensing wipers, split/fold rear seat and Saab Information Display trip computer.

Active safety features are comprehensive, and include: anti-skid brakes (ABS), electronic brake-force distribution (EBD), mechanical brake assist (MBA), cornering brake control (CBC) and traction control system (TCS).

Passive safety features include: dual front airbags, dual side airbags, roof rail airbag running the length of the cabin and Saab’s acclaimed Active Head Restraints (SAHR) fitted to the front seats.

“Saab has widened the appeal of the 9-3 range in 2004 by positioning the Linear Sport Sedan well within the reach of aspirers of premium European compact sedans,” says Saab Automobile Australia Managing Director, Mr. Tony Jennett.

“Premium aspirers who thought they could only afford Japanese offerings can now consider something with cachet from Europe.”

Integrated GSM/GPSR telephone with Bluetooth connectivity
An integrated GSM / GPRS telephone with Bluetooth connectivity is now available as an option on 9-3 Sport Sedan and Convertible.

This option – referred to as TEL2 – includes in-dash telephone keypad, steering wheel controls, SMS and voice recognition for simple and safe in-car telephone communication. TEL2 also offers wireless connection to a Bluetooth headset via a 'push-to-talk' steering wheel button.

Saab owners will be able to perform many office functions in their car with the GPRS system providing data transmission capacity four times greater than GSM for swift, smooth WAP connection to the Internet via a Bluetooth enabled laptop or PDA.

TEL2 can be fitted as an option to Arc, Vector and Aero for $1,000 and to Linear for $1,500 (includes ES2 screen).

Additional improvements
Saab 9-3 Aero Sport Sedan customers opting for the six-speed close-ratio manual gearbox will enjoy more sprightly performance courtesy of new gear ratios. Compared to the previous standard six-speed unit, the more tightly spaced gears allow slightly quicker 0-100 km/h acceleration time of 7.9 secs, as well as faster in-gear responses.

Aero six-speed new gear ratios: 1st 3.77:1, 2nd 2.04:1, 3rd 1.37:1, 4th 1.05:1, 5th 0.85:1, 6th 0.71:1. Final drive 3.55:1

The 9-3 Vector Sport Sedan gains two important features in 2004: steering-wheel mounted Sentronic gear change buttons and sports leather front and rear seats in lieu of leather/woven textile.

Externally, three new metallic colours are added to the 9-3 Sport Sedan range: Espresso Black (coffee foam dark orange), Nocturne Blue (dark blue) and Glacier Blue (pale blue).

The recommended retail price of 9-3 Arc, Vector and Aero Sport Sedan rise by $1,000 on March 01 – the first price increase for the 9-3 Sport Sedan since the model’s introduction in 2002.

Saab 9-5 for 2004

THE SAAB 9-5 Sedan and SportEstate have undergone significant improvements for the 2004 model year.

Highlights include a new-look Aero performance flagship, new 162 kW turbocharged engine for the luxury Arc model, plus a new price-leader with the Linear Sedan now starting from $59,900.

A new seat-belt reminder system has also enabled the Saab 9-5 to receive a maximum 5-star EuroNCAP crash rating.

New-look Aero
The 184 kW 9-5 Aero Sedan and SportEstate now have more distinctive exterior and interior design to further enhance their character and strong performance.

Sharper styling for the front and rear bumpers, incorporating matt black grille insert, plus re-profiled sill extensions, give both the Aero Sedan and SportEstate a lower, more aggressive stance.

This is complemented by the addition of new, five-spoke, 17-inch alloy wheels – inspired by those first seen on the Saab 9X concept car – and smaller, “jewel effect” front fog lights.

Inside, the Aero sports leather upholstery is distinguished by Obsidian Black inserts for the seat squabs, backrests and door panels, contrasting nicely against the predominantly Granite Grey leather interior. The door handles are finished in matt chrome and a carbon-fibre dashboard now replaces the metallic finish dashboard standard with the previous model.

New 162 kW engine for Arc
The luxury Arc model is strengthened by the addition of a 162 kW/310 Nm 2.3-litre turbocharged engine, replacing the previous 136 kW unit which is now exclusive to Linear.

Saab 9-5 customers now have a simpler choice with three 9-5 models, each offering its own distinctive level of equipment and turbo performance:

• 2.3t low-pressure 136 kW/280 Nm for Linear
• 2.3T mid-pressure 162 kW/310 Nm for Arc
• 2.3HOT high-output turbo 184 kW/350 Nm for Aero

The new 162 kW engine is highly responsive, delivering strong torque at low engine speeds for safer overtaking and an ultra-smooth driving experience. Its peak torque of 310 Nm is available from 1,900 - 4,500 rpm.

The 16-valve engine features direct ignition, Saab Trionic 7 engine management and counter-rotating balancer shafts for exceptional refinement. The 162 kW of peak power is produced at 5,500 rpm.

Interior and exterior improvements
The 9-5's spacious cabin is given a fresher look with the introduction of a lighter grey leather upholstery, known as Granite Grey, which replaces the darker charcoal. Granite Grey is standard on Linear and Arc and features in two-tone contrast form with Obsidian Black on Aero.

The dashboard top and center console are now black. Dashboard finish is dark woodgrain for Linear and Arc and carbon-fibre for Aero.

The Saab Information Display (SID) is updated with greater capacity and graphics similar the 9-3 Sport Sedan. It also adopts the 9-3's seat-belt reminder function, which independently informs the driver and the front passenger of a non-belt usage, using tell-tales and warning sounds.

When it was first assessed under the EuroNCAP crash test programme, the Saab 9-5 achieved the highest score awarded at that time. Following the adoption of the new seat-belt reminder system, the Saab 9-5 has now been given a maximum 5-star EuroNCAP crash rating.

Externally, two new metallic colors are added to the 9-5 range: Espresso Black (coffee foam dark orange) and Nocturne Blue (dark blue).

2004 Pricing/Model line-up
The move into the 2004 model year has allowed Saab to re-assess the 9-5 Sedan and SportEstate line-ups and broaden customer appeal. Each 9-5 now has its own distinctive level of turbocharged engine performance with specification and pricing to suit.

This re-assessment results in recommended retail prices lowering by between $1,000 and $7,000 across the 9-5 Sedan and SportEstate range.

The streamlined 9-5 Sedan range now comprises Linear, Arc and Aero (Vector is deleted for MY04); while 9-5 SportEstate is available in Linear and Aero form.