One of the great frustrations (and ironies) about me running this website is that I’ve never bought a new Saab. I’ve never bought a new car of any make, actually. It’s not something that sits that well with me given that I’m a staunch supporter of the brand but my wife and I have financial plans that involve paying off our house as the #1 priority. I guess you could say I try to make up for the lack of buying by doing other things (e.g. you’re reading one of them right now).
The good news is that the end of our mortgage purgatory is now within sight. It’s still going to take a year or so, but we’re almost getting to the point where I can start looking around and thinking about the Saab I’d like to buy.
A small tangent…..
I must be getting old or something. Even just two years ago, I could spend hours on motoring classified websites, trawling through the various cheapies I’d like to buy. I’ve bought a few of them over the years, too. Older Saabs, Alfas and even a Mazda MX-5. I look at those sites now, though, and there’s very little (aside from unattainable Porsches) that holds any interest for me anymore.
Must be time to start thinking new. /tangent
Whilst I absolutely love the Saab 9-5, I have to concede that it would be too expensive for us given what I would expect the Aussie price to be. It’s also bigger than what I think my wife would be comfortable driving.
A Saab 9-3 is more our style and ever since I drove a Saab 9-3x for a week in Sweden last year, it’s been my absolute favourite model in the 9-3 range.
So….. perfect world scenario, here’s what I’d be getting (built on the Saab GB website)
That’s a Saab 9-3x in Laser Red, with the TTiD engine and FWD.
The interior is the more spartan textile/leather combination in black and grey. There’s something about it that suits the more utilitarian nature of the car for me.
Options would include the Prestige Pack, comprising electric memory seats and the BOSE upgraded audio and Bluetooth.
I don’t particularly need XWD where I live and I’d be very happy to get the combined frugality and performance of the 180hp and 400Nm TTiD engine.
Well, kind of…..
Given that this would be the first new car purchase (and assuming it’ll be available here in Australia) I’d try and make it a little special by going for the Hirsch software upgrade. This would lift the output to 200hp and 430Nm without any loss in economy or warranty coverage. The 0-100 sprint is only marginally faster, but the 80-120 push is significantly quicker (as it should be with Saabs).
Whilst burying my nose in the Hirsch order book, I’d also spring for the Carbon Leather dashboard to dress up the interior. Their sportier steering wheel might also come into calculations, depending on the budget.
So, all going well, this is the car I’d like to be telling you all about – finally – in around 12-18 months from now.
It’ll have been a long haul from being a newbie blogger with an old 99Turbo to this, but it’s a journey well worth taking.
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and once again, and epic job by Etienne from 
