It's amazing how a near-death experience can focus the mind, huh?
Saab are, according to many sources, near death right now and it's right now that they seem to be embarking on a marketing and model offensive the likes of which we wish they'd done for the last few years.
Firstly, there's a new microsite for the Saab 9-3x featuring some cool tours and facts about the car. There's a chance to sign up to get more news as it comes in, as well.
Saab microsites typically contain some video, but they've left the video off the microsite in this instance, opting to use it on their new Saab Widget.
You'll need Adobe Air installed on your computer in order to run the widget. Once you have it and the Widget installed, you'll be connected to all the latest news, etc, about Saab. They say you'll get all the news first, but you know better than that ;-)
The initial menu of items includes four Saab 9-3x short videos. The car really does look quite stunning on these. Better than I'd dared imagine, actually.
You also get some links to cool websites :-) and some articles that you can read inside the widget. It's a cool application and I'm looking forward to seeing it develop further.
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The microste also features some images of the Saab 9-3x that weren't released with the initial press release.
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This really is one cool vehicle. A great addition to the Saab range. And personally, I think the decision to restrict it to the 2.0T engine (with BioPower option) was absolutely perfect. It's what Saab's about.
I think the decision to limit the distribution of these videos is a bad one. Make the .avi, .mpeg, or whatever, available. Let the world see these clips without downloading some strange gadget.
I wish Saab would put together a web site one of these days. Flash does not count as 'web'. Flash can be a nice supplement, but it should not provide the main content.
However, I gave in and installed Adobe Air, but I spent most of an hour figuring out how on an Ubuntu Linux system. If it weren't for the great goddess Google, and others who share their knowledge, it wouldn't have happened. I'm much too old for this. Just give me the avi, mpeg, whatever. I don't need the flash.
Got to say though, the "Introducing the 9-3X" video was worth watching, but why so small?
QUESTION: I've been reading a lot of trash talk (you know Autoblog, etc.) saying that the Haldex AWD is not a torque-vectoring system, that it can only react to slippage. The Haldex hype aside, when I look at the details that I can find on the eLSD and LSC, I think they may be correct. And the Haldex web site says they are just now working on torque vectoring systems. They even say the XWD capability exists in their older systems, it's just the pumps and response times that have changed. Does anyone know conclusively, or can someone point me to a more in-depth look at the eLSD and LSC?
The only thing is that ask me to download the last version of the Adober Air, 1.5........and I say no. xD
regards
Funny you say that, because it seems to me too in the past 3 months the flurry of Saab activity (spy pics, new website/look, etc) coincided with its shaky destiny and uncertain future. It's as if the big "GM lid" has been pried off the Saab box and all this pent up Saab activity just comes flooding out. Keep it up, Saab, and your chances of survival may just be improved a bit more (esp. in the minds of the Swedish gov't)
Spot on Swade. We´re talking about the most Saab Saab in a long time. 4WD system installed to a car where it shouldn´t be possible to fit, it looks Saab in every way, has one the most satisfying 2 liter turbo engine, is versatile, and comfort second to none. A true winter car of the decade.
XWD is NOT a torque vectoring system. But when you react to wheel slip with the eLSD you will transfer torque to the non-slippig wheel and create a torque transfer. The difference compared to torque vectoring is that you can't control the direction of the torque transfer, it is depending on the surface etc.. But with that said you can obtain torque vectoring advantages with an eLSD as long as you have your stuff togheter and monitors the driving situation correctly.
I think part of the negative comments we are hearing are due to the fact that it follows the Sportcombi, which in my mind is the most beautiful Saab ever built :) It is hard to follow an act like that.
But, what the doctor ordered in 2009 was an XC60 and XC70 killer, which is what this is.
(tho the site doesn't work so well on firefox on my machine--does look good on IE.)
Chris
they both look so very Swedish !
If the new convertible is in fact produced, we will certainly buy it. We would like to have a diesel engine but both our 9-5 aero wagons get 30+ mpg and have had NO problems at all. These are real cars!
Saab must go forward.
A4 allroad Avant.
regards
Maud Olofsson, Minister for Enterprise and Energy, Deputy Prime Minister:
http://www.sweden.gov.se/sb/d/7534
With link to an email form.
The widget may need Adobe Air, but at least the Air runtime exists for the 3 Major OS's. When I first heard about the widget I thought It would be a Vista only Widget. So it is not Vista only it is not OS X only, and this is good, ok I can't install the widget on my Linux by now, but I'm working on it.
Well I haven't seen the Videos by now (see above) but I would have been better to be able to download the videos in HD-quality.
Can anybody tell the responsibles of Marketing at SAAB that most of the Monitors nowadays aren't 4:3 anymore.
@Eagle63: Me too !! :)
@Edusaab:
The more I see the Audi A4 Allroad the more I like the 9-3x.