Saab 9-3 Independence Edition Convertible - official pictures and data

It's official. Besides the 9-5 SportCombi (another first pictures are also here) and a new 9-3 Griffin Range SAAB introduced also the Saab 9-3 Independence Edition Convertible. Looks great !

First some data from the press release :

• just 366 examples will be produced
• it is based on Aero specification
• engines : 2.0 liter gasoline 220 hp,  1.9 liter turbodiesel 180 hp and a Biopower version for gasoline or E85
• six speed automatic or manual transmission
• five spoke, 18-inch alloy wheels with a satin chrome/black finish
• orange trimmed beige sports leather seats and glovebox
• carbon-fiber look leather finish for the instrument panel, handbrake, gearshift molding and door handles
• driver ‘welcome’ message in instrument display, unique turbo boost gauge
• orange stitched sports leather steering wheel and carpet mats with grey piping

This year also marks the 25th anniversary of the start of sales for the first Saab Convertible.

And the pictures : 

Looks very very nice, this will be a nice and rare piece. Yummy.

Sources : SAAB, SaabsUnited, Autoexpress

Happy Independence Day !

Dear all at Saab,

it is amazing to see what kind of task you are carrying on your shoulders and how brave you fight with it. Your work deserves a big respect.

The first year is behind you. It was definitely a hard year : competition, economical crisis, push on prices, technology development, customer expectations, internal things etc etc. But on the other hand, reading all the comments from fans around the Web, who can claim a more positive response, enthusiasm and loyalty from the drivers of a car brand than you ? In my country (Slovakia) Saab drivers are waving and smiling at each other when they meet each other on the road. Yes, our metal babies are something unique. Cars which we drive with passion and from which we dont like to step out from.

I'd like to wish you good luck, a lot of energy and results, which you need to survive. The battle is not over, but you have some very good cards in your hand and hopely some aces in the sleeve. Looking forward to them.

Happy 1st year of Independence !

Saab 9-3 Independence edition - first pictures in the public

There are still some days until the official announcement, but first (public ?) pictures appeared today in two sources.

Nice one ! Six weeks ago I speculated and photoshopped a bit about the colour and was not that far from the reality. If these are real pictures. Whatever, let's repeat, what will be the main design characteristics :


It will be based on Aero and will have 2.0T Biopower engine with 220 HP.

It will have a new color - Sunset Red and it looks like many parts of the car will be toned to this color. Including the new seats and turbo instrument needle. It will have 18" wheels, several Hirsch parts like the very cool leather instrument panel and probably other parts like interior and door trims. And a new steering wheel. 366 pieces limited edition.

What we do not see now is the dashboard and the roof. If the dashboard will be the cool leather dashboard from Hirsch, than I would assume some combination of black/orange and for Saab fans important question will be, if this edition will continue with the green dashboard night lights or - orange ? :) Regarding the roof, even if black soft-top would be great combination, since the previous anniversary edition roofs were not black, I believe this will be the same case. Some colour of the seats, similar to the sand colour, something like this. I am a bit dissapointed about the wheels, they are not very "saabish".

And yes, the colour is simillar to Spyker colours, no wonder, Saab is now owned by Spyker. That's OK.

A bit stronger engine would be nice :)

Sources :  Autoblog and SaabsUnited

Saab logo evolution

I've found a great graphics about the Saab logo evolution and couldn't resist to make a screenshot :

Source : Stunningmesh

A comprehensive information about the Saab logos, evolution and much more, can be found here.

Electric Saab Convertible ?

As the push for alternative fuels and propulsions continues, Saab is working together with a swedish company ElectroEngine on an electric propulsion, which will include convertibles as well. They will show a technology called ePower but on the same time working on another project called TrueElectric.

A test of a 9-3 convertible with TrueElectric appeared on the Net, from which these are the main points :

-  two large electric motors of more than 165 horsepower each

-  300km reach at one charge

-  2400Nm torque

- 15 km per hour charge with standard outlet, three-phase power outlet / 16 amps 100 km    per hour, 32 amp - 200km per hour

- 12 patent applications

The difference to other technologies is this : 

In a conventional electric car the battery maker have to work around 100 hours on matching cells with similar qualities. Think of it this way: the cells in a battery are individuals with different characteristics. In order to provide a battery pack that serves as a unit you have to find the batteries that match. If one or more cells in a conventional electric vehicle get damaged after a crash or an electrical fault, it is almost impossible to replace just a few battery cells. The entire package must be replaced. That’s expensive. 

The strongest cells send their energy to the weakest. The production of the batteries is faster and cheaper because you do not have to add the 100 hours in matching the cells. The fast charging phase becomes longer because the strong cells will send the current to the weaker cells. Problems with varying temperature are reduced significantly, meaning that the batteries could be spread out on different places in the car. And you can replace individual cells.

  

 No other characteristics were disclosed. The dynamics (0-100kmh) is unclear. And how the batteries really behave after a time or in different temperatures will be known first after some long tests. 

Cross-fingers Saab. It looks promising !

Source :  ElectroEngine

Saab four seasons convertible

Saab was pushing the four season capability of it's convertibles. Disregard, if it is a competitive differentiator or not, it is a full truth and fun.

I've found two great ads :

for the 900

and

for the 9-3 2nd generation

I was hit by this campaign and of course i've tried. Since that, now in winter I do it often - just pull the roof down and drive a bit. It's great feeling, with as well as without the wind deflector. Here's the proof :

Just watchout on the wet streets even if it's not snowing or raining.

... trip pics

A bit f-ed up but still somehow nice trip. Three of us waiting for the ferry. Saab 9-3 Aero Convertible, Volvo V40 T4 and Saab 9-3 First Gen. 605 horsepower alltogether :) (275+200+130).

On the ferry :

And all 605hp :

Saab introductions 2011

New stuff  ahead ! There will be several new Saabs shown at the International Motorshow in Geneva (3.-13. March 2011). One concept car, three new or facelifted cars + 9-4X, which is also quite new. According to the situation, when Saab is fighting in the independence status out of GM, this is a big thing. Prior to Geneva, we will see the new metal beauties.

This picture is a screenshot from this site.

The Saab Concept Car is a new thing for me. I assume a design and technology showcase (maybe a AeroX follow-up) which will than be used on the new 9-3 next year or so. 1st of March is the date of first look. The 9-5 Sport Combi pictures as well as some spy photos were already shown.  The 9-3 range will be most probably a facelift (a major one ?) + the 9-3 Cabriolet about which I speculated about here :

It will be based on Aero and will have 2.0T Biopower engine with 220 HP.

It will have a new color - Sunset Red and it looks like many parts of the car will be toned to this color. Including the new seats and turbo instrument needle. It will have 18" wheels, several Hirsch parts like the very cool leather instrument panel and probably other parts like interior and door trims. And a new steering wheel.

Both, the 9-3 and 9-3 cabrio will be shown at 23.2., at the 1. anniversay of Saab's Independence. The last, not shown in the picture is 9-4X. 

Go go Saab ! And congratulations to the 2010 European Excellence Awards in the Crisis Communications Category. Also you do a fantastic job on the Saab official facebook page.

Source : SaabsUnited

update : there are already invitations to the press conference on the 1.3. :

 

Saab 9-3 Aero Convertible

Just some pictures from a small trip. If there is time, good weather has to be used. Everything around the Danube river.

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Who are the Saab fans ?

I've found an article about a typical characteristics of a Saab fan and/or owner and tried to confront myself with that.

Saab People

Saab owners are great people. They're not dull either, the Boston Globe found that Saab drivers average the fastest speeds on Mass highways. Here are some interesting stats about other Saab drivers:

(Source- The Saab Network subscribers)

• Average income of Saab owners is over $100,000. no comment due to privacy
• 60% are between the ages of 25 and 44. yes
• 76% have degrees (24% advanced degrees). yes
• 87% are professionals or in technical roles. partially. i switched from tech to sales
• 52% are dual income households. yes
• 61% are married while 32% are single. no / no ... not single but not married
• 39% have children. not yet
• 60%+ have pets. yes

source : 9motors.com


Much more yes than no with me. What about you ?

Saab Performance Team

Three great Saab convertible shots from Saab Performance Drive in Moscow, September 2009. How many car were destroyed until the driver learned this ?

Source : Arshambo's photostream

Spring ?

Finally it is a bit warmer here. Is it spring already ? The meteorologists say unisono : "no". A bit warmer these days but than again a bit colder. And they add very correctly : "what do you want ? It is start of February, winter time".

So of course we were outside with the roof down. Yes, I have to wash my baby. But last days it was wet all the time, it had no sense to wash it, because in 5 minutes it would be dirty again.

Both pics are around the river Danube.The road goes through the river on one place. Free ferry. Nice places around and not too many cars. You can see the place on the map, we were going from SW to NE.


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Saab 900 Turbo Commemorative Edition

In 1993 and 1994 in U.S. and Canada, there was a limited edition Saab 900 Turbo Commemorative Edition produced. These cars were built for the memory of the classic 900 style. The 1993 was a coupe and the 1994 was a convertible and this is the reason, why it is on my Saab convertible blog.

Look at it. This is tin porn pure.

This is a screenshot from the original product sheet.

And these are some of the still driving owners and enthusiasts :

Technical data :

ENGINE:

Four cylinder; 2.0-liter engine. Breakerless electronic ignition system. Electronic fuel injection. Turbocharger with water-cooled bearing housings and integrated waste gate. Intercooler: SAAB APC system for continuous boost pressure control. Double overhead camshafts. Four valves per cylinder Power rating: 185 bhp at 5500 rpm. Peak torque: 201 ft. lb. at 2800 rpm.

TRANSMISSION:

Front wheel drive. Five-speed manual gearbox.

CHASSIS:

Front: Double wishbones, with pivot-mounted, progressive action coil springs and gas shock absorbers. Stabilizer bar Rear: Lightweight, beam-type rear axle with coil springs, gas shock absorbers, two leading and two trailing arms and a Panhard rod. Power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering.

BRAKES:

Disc brakes all around, ventilated in front. Asbestos-free pads. SAAB Anti-lock Braking System.

WHEELS:

Asymmetric wheels, grey with polished lip. 5.5j x 15" light alloy.

TIRES:

195/60 VR15 high-speed, low profile steel belted radials.

LUGGAGE COMPARTMENT:

EPA Luggage Capacity, 10.7 cu. ft.

STANDARD EQUIPMENT:

Electrically operated top. Air-conditioning. Electrically operated front seats. Electrically adjustable door mirrors. Electrically operated windows. Cruise control. Driver's side air bag. Leather upholstery with charcoal piping. Removable AM/FM stereo cassette and compact disc player/7-band graphic equalizer with CD changer controls. Walnut burl instrument panel.

COLORS:

(EXTERIOR/INTERIOR) Metallic Black/Tan

The resource of this edition and much much more is the Saab 900T Commemorative Edition website. Very very cool. I forgot to breeth for a while. Btw. this one is a little child. A GM'ish, but still...

One day I will get one.

Chocolate 9-3 convertible

Rare colour. It is good possible, that it isn't original colour. Nice. Btw. the wheels are BBS Crater, for ex. offered by Volvo as OEM (I had the same on V40). It is to expect, that the rest of this cabrio is not serial as well.

Source of the pictures

Saab Convertible – by the numbers

A nice text written for the 20th anniversary of the Saab Convertible in 2006. It's still somehow resonates today. 

Saab has applied more than 20 years’ experience in the design and engineering of the latest Saab 9-3 Convertible. Here we delve under its soft-top to reveal a few fast facts and fun figures about a car that sets the pace in the premium convertible segment.

0…… is the number of robots used in the General Assembly area at the Magna Steyr plant in Austria, where the 9-3 Convertible is built. The skilled, 750-strong workforce carry out their tasks entirely by hand. (as far as i know, the production is now in Trollhattan, not at Magna Steyr anymore)

3……..most popular colors are: Black, Steel Grey, Silver

6…….swiveling cross-braces are used to mount the soft-top, ensuring it is tightly stretched when in position with a minimum of sagging.

7…….hydraulic cylinders are used to execute 4 different movements in the operation of the soft-top.

11 …….manual heat settings replace the automatic climate control when the soft-top is down. When it is back up, the climate control function is automatically reinstated, complete with any previously saved settings.

20 seconds…… is the maximum time required to fully deploy the powered soft-top with the engine is running, making it among the fastest-acting in the premium convertible segment.

21 degrees…… is the ideal back-rest inclination for rear passenger comfort and this was a requirement for the 9-3 Convertible, despite the packaging constraints of soft-top stowage in the trunk.

26 meters…….is the total length of the hydraulic hoses used in the roof system

30 kph ……..is the maximum vehicle speed at which the soft-top can be raised. There’s no need to come to a stop to raise the roof if it starts to rain.

99.999% ………. is the astonishing degree of accuracy required in the operation of the soft-top. The front rail travels more than two meters from the trunk and must line up precisely with its two latching points on the windshield header rail.

140 bar …..is the hydraulic pressure required to operate the soft-top – 56 times greater than normal tire pressure.

181 …… is the number of moving parts in the soft-top, controlled by one 60kB micro-processor. The main structure, including front headrail, is made from magnesium to save weight.

1,500 liters…..of water is sprayed over the Convertible’s soft-top in a special chamber at the Magna Steyr production plant to check weatherproofing.

3,500 kilos …….. or more than twice the weight of the car, is the impressive load that the windshield header rail and its supporting A-pillars can support. Necessary strength for roll-over protection and good torsional rigidity.

Source : trollhattansaab.net.

Another very cool Saab : 9-3 Viggen Convertible

I just found a rare and very nice 9-3 Viggen Convertible. Looks really awesome, some pics.

The source, more pictures and specs are located here. The car is for sale (at least it was). One of the very nice cabriolets around.

If you are not familiar what is Viggen, some information source is here : Saab 9-3 Viggen history.

Osram car lamp web configurator

Osram, the light bulb and lamp producer has done a useful web utility. It lets you choose your car and shows you, which lamps fits where and what specs does it has. Of course it's a business driven utility and Osram wants you to buy their lamps. But they are offering a useful thing for it. For free of course. Nice stuff. Obvious and useful. A bit slow.