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Saab is a small Swedish car company with a long history in rallying on the one hand and safety research on the other, with a small but loyal following around the world. It has been effectively turned into the American marketing arm of Germany's Opel by its owner, General Motors, using many parts, systems and chassis also used by GM's German brand. For 2008, Saab 9-3 benefits from more powerful engines and a radical new front and rear-end redesign. The cabin is largely unchanged. On freeways, we found the 9-3 rides quietly and lets you listen to the music. The front-wheel-drive Saab 9-3 Aero V6 we drove was smooth and quick. On back roads, the handling was responsive; it handled bumps well, in corners and over rises. The seats are comfortable. All-wheel drive will be available on late-2008 Saab 9-3 models. The XWD all-wheel-drive system is made by the Swedish company Haldex, which also supplies systems to Volvo, Ford, Jaguar, Volkswagen, and Audi. 4 percent of the supplied torque between the left and right tire as necessary. 150,000 Porsche 911 Turbo through a slalom with this system. 28,385) packing the turbo four-cylinder engine. The 2.0T is available with a choice of six-speed manual, five-speed automatic or six-speed automatic. 29,630) are similarly equipped. All models will come with black, not gray, instrument panels, and have OnStar, XM Satellite Radio, rain-sensing windshield wipers, and a built-in tire-pressure monitoring system as standard equipment. A hot Bose 11-speaker sound system will be optional on late-2008 models.
Shifts are noticeably quicker and more aggressive, with wide-open-throttle upshifts coming with a suitably sharp jolt. On downshifts, meanwhile, the trans will easily dispatch two or even three gears at once following the requisite number of tugs on the left paddle. Those paddles themselves look great thanks to their almost anodized appearance, although they could feel slightly more premium and come with a crisper, more dramatic action. Despite sporting such an eager powertrain and suffering from an extremely excitable right foot, I found the Jag to be a surprisingly efficient companion. Over the course of roughly 300 miles of mixed but fast driving, the Jag's trip computer showed that I was averaging about 19 miles per gallon, matching the F-Type's city economy rating. Considering the way I was pushing the supercharged V6 at every opportunity, I have no problem believing that less exuberant driving will yield the 22-mpg average rating and even approach the 27-mpg highway number. Opt for the mid-range F-Type V6 S Coupe, and you'll score a standard sport-tuned, all-aluminum, double-wishbone adaptive suspension.
Said suspension can be set in one of two modes 颅- Normal or Dynamic. Regardless of which mode you select, I must say that the F-Type's ride, even on my tester's 19-inch wheels, is on the choppy side. It's not, however, unbearable. Set the suspension to normal and take to the highway, and the F-Type becomes a rather docile GT car. You'll feel the road, and you'll be abundantly aware of what's going on and just how big imperfections are, but it's not a disruptive, abusive experience. Jag could have gone a bit softer in the standard mode, but the ride firmness here is far from a deal breaker. The 3,514-pound F-Type is a great dancer, with hardly any body roll, squat or dive. Setting the suspension to Dynamic, meanwhile, isn't really recommended if you're just planning on cruising. Bumps and imperfections are decidedly more noticeable and transmit even more clearly through those sport seats. What's remarkable about either suspension mode, though, is how stable the ride is. This is an excellently damped vehicle. There's just enough vertical motion to cushion impacts without leaving the car feeling floaty, as one might experience in the F-Type's older brother, the XK.
It gets even better, though, when pushed hard. The 3,514-pound F-Type is a great dancer, with hardly any body roll, squat or dive. You can pitch it hard into corners and it will respond well, digging in and getting around. It feels flat, planted and mostly neutral, although it's very easy to get this car to misbehave by steering with the throttle, should the mood strike. It is not, however, a terribly talkative kitty. I found feedback through the chassis to be a bit on the limited side for a sports car, as it can be difficult to interpret grip levels or balance through the chassis. The Jag's steering is arguably worse than the suspension in terms of feedback, which I found rather limited despite the rack's sharp, quick nature. This is a vehicle that's very well setup for rapid directional changes, but it could be better when it comes to letting the driver know what the front tires are doing.
With such a potent powertrain, it's reassuring to know that Jaguar has really paid attention to the F-Type's brakes. 13.9-inch rotors are standard at all four corners, but my tester boasted larger, 15-inch front pans and red-painted calipers, as part of the optional Performance Pack. 13,450 carbon-ceramic brakes. Still, the mid-level rotors and pads provide ample stopping power, even from high speeds, while delivering the sort of steady, easy-to-modulate pedal feel expected of a true sports car. 65,000, although you'll only be getting the base 340-hp supercharged V6 variant at that price point. 77,000 V6 S, with its 380-hp, standard adaptive dynamics and standard active exhaust, among other goodies. 12K is a big jump, but it's absolutely worth it. Of course, no one wants a basic, unoptioned F-Type. Instead, you'll want to dig into the options catalog and snag some of the stuff found on this press car. 3,400 option that adds a configurable Dynamic mode, the upgraded brakes, a flat-bottomed steering wheel and the performance seats. 1,800 Vision Pack 2 adds a slew of safety features, including a rearview camera, blind-spot monitoring, cross-traffic alert, front and rear park-distance sensors and intelligent, adaptive headlights.