Autoblog

click above image to view more high-res shots of the 2008 Saab 9-3

The 9-3 received a mid-cycle enhancement for 2008 that's comprised mostly of tweaks to its exterior styling. The front end now wears a grille inspired by the Aero X concept that debuted at the Geneva Motor Show in 2006. It's a handsome face for Saab, which in deference to tradition must always incorporate a three-part grille evoking the brand's heritage in aviation.

Read on as we report on our brief time spent behind the wheel of the new 9-3 at GM's Milford Proving Grounds last week.


All photos ©2007 John Neff / Weblogs, Inc.

click above image for many more high-res pics of the 2008 Saab 9-3

The new Saab 9-3 in all of its various forms (Sedan, SportCombi and Convertible) has been the worst kept car secret of 2007. For weeks engineers and more recently executives have been driving the new 9-3 around Trollhattan, Sweden for all to see. The day has finally come, however, for the actual unveiling of the new 9-3, and it's accompanied with more high-res pics than you can wave a white flag at.

The big news, of course, is the Aero X-inspired front end design. No, not everyone will like it, especially considering the current model's design was considered a sharp execution of Saab's traditional styling elements. Nevertheless, the look has grown on us considerably since we first saw spy photos, and the new clip up front is considerably bolder and more aggressive than the current model's. The clamshell hood adds a nice crease to the car's otherwise soft lines, and the trapezoidal lower air intake flanked by a pair of recessed fog lights really fills out the car's chin nicely.

More info as well as press releases for all three models can be found after the jump. All of the high-res pics released by Saab today can be found in the two galleries below.

[Source: Saab]

Click for high-res gallery

Leaked photos had been dripping out onto the web all last week, and today, Saab officially released the first photos of the facelifted 2008 Saab 9-3. In addition to the wagon that we've all already seen, we now get our first look at the sedan. The release after the jump (which comes via the automaker's Australian division) is very, very lean on details -- this is basically a teaser ahead of the full release that's coming next month, when we can expect to see the convertible and the rear ends of the sedan and wagon.

Obviously, the Aero-X-inspired styling is in play, with the cars getting new front ends, a clamshell hood, and new lighting. As for the other changes, the release plays coy, saying that "significant developments" in design, performance, and handling are being introduced with the car. In Australia, it'll bow with gasoline, diesel, and BioPower engines. We'll probably hear more from the US side later this morning, and will update this post accordingly. We wouldn't be surprised to hear that we'll get the BioPower E85 engine, but not any diesels.

The Australian press release is pasted after the jump.

UPDATE: When the car arrives in the US, it will be available in two trim levels: 2.0T and 2.8 V6 Aero. Sounds like the BioPower's not in the cards for this market (at least not at launch). The US press release has also been added after the jump.

[Source: Saab]

Click image for gallery including one additional angle

It's starting to look like GM's going to have a hard time keeping a lid on all the new Saab stuff. Late last night, Trollhattan Saab posted what appear to be official renderings. The Internet game of one-upmanship is now afoot, with Saab Scene posting what are purportedly the first official photos of the 9-3 SportCombi. Looks good. With the Saab AWD system, which they're apparently going to call XWD, it should look even better to the folks who live in areas where the climate gets sloppy come winter months. We'll bring you more leaked information news as it comes out.

[Source: Saab Scene]

Our man Swade at Trollhattan Saab dropped us a line with the CG renderings you see here, which he strongly believes are about as close as you can get to seeing the soon-to-be-unveiled 2008 Saab 9-3 sedan without getting a walkaround of a prototype. The inside source who sent these in to Trollhattan Saab is familiar to Swade, who has dubbed him "Djup Strupe" (Deep Throat" in Swedish) based on the accuracy of information he has provided in the past.

The car will be formally unveiled June 10th in Sweden -- the 60th anniversary of the unveiling of the first Saab, and between this and what we've seen in the excellent spy photos circulating the last few weeks we have high hopes for the new 9-3. And those are just cosmetic changes. Throw in the new all-wheel-drive system and you have a vehicle that's going to be of significant interest compared to its predecessor. Follow the jump for a rear view, and head over to Trollhattan Saab for enlarged versions of both renderings, plus some additional commentary.

[Source: Trollhattan Saab]