What is missing?It is tough out there. You have car manufacturers busting themselves up to get your attention by just about any means possible. I was in Dallas not so long ago and I saw the largest mural I have ever seen: It was an ad for the new 2007 Nissan Versa and it literally took up the entire side of
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| (Photo: Philippe Champoux) |
a 20-storey building. If the mural did not measure 200 feet square, it was the size of a dime. This is a perfect example of what I am trying to say. Here was a larger-than-life ad for a sub-compact in larger-than-life downtown Texas.
These marketing efforts apply in every segment for all manufacturers. One of the toughest categories to make a mark is with luxury cars. Deluxe car buyers can afford the luxury (pun intended) to get basically anything that they want. I used to be that pedigree and history were enough to convince people to buy a BMW or a Mercedes-Benz. That changed right around 1990 with the arrival of the Lexus and Infiniti brands. They proved that premium vehicles need not come from Deutschland. In all of this, the SAAB make can line up with the Germans for a storied past and they are from further north.
If it takes styling, well she's got the lookA car must be desirable; purchasing a new automobile involves as much emotion as it dies logic, maybe more. To catch the eye of a potential
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| (Photo: Philippe Champoux) |
customer, the manufacturer has to supply the candy. Case in point, the 9-5 is gorgeous, especially in SportCombi form. For 2006, the 9-5 has been thoroughly revised and the most obvious part of the makeover is the revised front end. I applaud SAAB for doing something original; I love the chrome-rimmed headlights. They beautifully match the grille and somehow create a striking contrast with the chrome-less remainder of the car. The lines flow "à la SAAB" from the familiar hood through the side creases, door handles and on to the hatch. The wheels, the windscreen, it all comes together in a very handsome package.
On the inside, the recognizable SAAB theme continues. The dashboard is shape much like the previous SAAB command centers with the middle
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| (Photo: Philippe Champoux) |
portion slightly curved towards the driver. What has changed are the controls themselves. I recall the many buttons that used o make up the dash of these cars, much like those found in the 9-3. The complete set of gauges is particularly nice. Unfortunately for SAAB enthusiasts, although the functionality is not affected, the radio and HVAC have been replaced with typical GM components. The seats are comfortable and supportive. What pleased me is the interior fit and finish of the materials. Event though my tester was a pre-production car, all of the plastics came together quite well and I found next to no rattles onboard.
The better of the SAABs on the road |
| (Photo: Philippe Champoux) |
The 9-5's suspension is a nice compromise between an agreeable level of comfort mixed with good grip. There is sufficient wheel travel to soak up our road irregularities all the while keep the car very stable t highway speeds. Unlike the 9-3 SportCombi, the 9-5 is much civilised. Steering is light yet precise and touchy-feely enough to properly communicate the road. The high-output turbocharged 2.3L 4-cylinder is a bomb; it explodes into boost and pulls hard almost up to the redline.
