Hmmm...I suspect the 9-3ss boys will slam me for this but.... was at the dealer on Sat and took a good sniff around the ss. Must admit I wasn't that keen on the looks - to me the 9-3 has lost that air of individuality and looks more mainstream. Side on, in my opinion, it looked rather like a cross between a VW Passat and a Bora. The interior was A1 though...and I suppose it rides better too! Call me weird http://www.saabscene.com/forum/images/smilies/eek.gif but I like cars that look that little bit different.
Any thoughts on this?
Cheers
AL

i think the era of "quirky" saabs has now passed.

Agreed it looks a lot more than other exec cars out there, probably simply cos GM need saab to start making some $$$ and soon. Theyre trying to attract new buyers buy designing one that looks relatively mainstream.

saying that the front is still distinctly saab, and i still think it looks great.

Hi
Yes, that's exactly what I was thinking the reason was for it's mainstream looks.... but the front does still look mean.
I was kinda hoping no one would take offence regarding my post...and it looks like no-one has...phew! I actually posted it in the GM900/9-3 forum to see what non-owners of the SS thought but my post was moved here.....
Cheers
Al

Originally posted by AL900S:
*I actually posted it in the GM900/9-3 forum to see what non-owners of the SS thought but my post was moved here.....
[/b]Since it is a question about the 9-3SS it is right and proper that it goes in the 9-3SS forum. Many people look at most forums, regardless of what Saab they drive. The categorisation of the forums is by Saab model for the reason of making things easy to find: peoples opinions on the 9-3SS? In the 9-3SS forum

The vast majority of Saab owners on this board will politely make their case for or against yours - they are quite friendly, so don;t worry

The 9-3SS?

Drives great.


Looks sh1te .


My carefully considered opinion

New grill looks like Nissan Primera http://www.saabscene.com/forum/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif .
New 4rse looks like a Volvo saloon .
New interior looks too German http://www.saabscene.com/forum/images/smilies/eek.gif .

.....and, within an inch or two, it's the same size as a 9-5!!

Originally posted by sgould:
.....and, within an inch or two, *it's the same size as a 9-5!! [/b]really? http://www.saabscene.com/forum/images/smilies/eek.gif It felt smaller inside than a 9-5, or am I just eating too many pies? [it's a rhetorical question, guys http://www.saabscene.com/forum/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif ]

I went to check the figures on the Saab GB site and can't find them there

I looked up the 9-3ss length elsewhere and it says it's 4635mm against my 9-5 which is 4805mm long. So the 9-5 is just over 6.5 inches longer (I think the later 9-5 is an inch longer than mine).

I can't find a body width for the 9-3ss, but across the mirrors the two cars are virtually the same (9-5 is 4mm wider - 1/8th inch).

Maybe the 9-3ss is smaller inside because of newer crash regs making the bodywork thicker?

Maybe the new 9-5 will be a Maybach competitor http://www.saabscene.com/forum/images/smilies/eek.gif

Perhaps a V8 in the front and the back http://www.saabscene.com/forum/images/smilies/fawlty.gif

Looks like its left to me to take up the opposing side.

Love the new saab: Drives brilliant, I think its pleasent to the eye.

Although i agree with previous postings that if you start disecting the car you can see where bits and bobs have come from...but if you look close enough thats apparent in the majority of the cars on the road today.

:-)
http://www.saabscene.com/forum/images/smilies/fawlty.gif

My 1990 C900 Carlsson had a major component under the bonnet clearly marked FoMoCo in plane sight!!! As fitted by Saab.

Andrew

Originally posted by Scaero (ecopower stg0):
My 1990 C900 Carlsson had a major component under the bonnet clearly marked FoMoCo in plane sight!!! As fitted by Saab.[/b]So did the 96V4 http://www.saabscene.com/forum/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif

Well I like the new 9-3SS.. a few people at work have them now.. and in the right colour look the business.

The great thing about Saab is that the cars last so long.. you can buy the models you like the most.

So if you think the V4 was the last great Saab then fine.. or the 99T (which I think looks the dogs ******** ).. or the 9-3 coupe ?... or whatever..

Something there for everyone.. I fancy a 9-3SS in black perhaps a vector as the replacement for my current 9-3 maybe end of next year..

Originally posted by Scaero (ecopower stg0):
My 1990 C900 Carlsson had a major component under the bonnet clearly marked FoMoCo in plane sight!!! As fitted by Saab.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So did the 96V4 * *[/b]Mine wasn't the engine!!!

I also have to say i love the car and it is still a more individual alternative to the audi, vw offerings

I wouldn't have bought any of the old style saabs as to me they looked like old mans cars from the outside.. Just my opinion

I bought the 9-3 ss cos of its sporty and smooth lines and cos i hadn;t seen many on the road. also the ride quality and interior was far superior to anything in its class.

I had a merc, bora, audi and a bmw from work this year (went through the pool fleet) and so got a good test drive in each...

As soon as i saw the 9-3 ss i knew it was the car i wanted, then when i test drove it i was even more convinced...

End of the day if saab don't sell cars there won't be anymore saab and i think they have gone a little mainstream but kept the car individual and still saab like to satisfy existing and new markets...

Just my thoughts

Scott

i dont know, interior is still very saab-ish imo, i think the modern-retro mix is a nice touch, perhaps thats why it looks a tad german.

im still waiting for a "proper" aero version before i sign on the dotted line so to speak

hoping theyre still working on one that is http://www.saabscene.com/forum/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif

Satch...is the current aero not meaty enough for your needs...?

Oh come on... must hot hatches these days have the same or more power...... we need something with real power if it's gonna match up with the latest offerings from Merc, Audi and BMW.

The hot hatch market is quite tight its going to take some serious innovation to get in there.

The saab is a strong contendor in the 4-door market (not the fastest in my case having the 2.2TiD) but the torqey engines do provide stiff competition as i have found on the motorway with every bugger in a german car wanting to test your car out against theirs.

sadly not Swiss_TiD , , drove the new RS6(not that i have the money to buy one) the other day, goes like stink, but even a milk float corners better.

As far as value for money for a complete all rounder is concerned there probably is no better than the 9-3ss aero, but please, pretty please, give us some more ooomph.

I cant help but feel this is probably the best chassis saab have produced in a while, however they still infuriatingly insist on farting around the 200bhp level. Needless to say all the hype of an all singing dancing twin turbo V6 AWD Aero version prior to the 9-3ss launch, had got me all excited. Perhaps its still on the cards at any rate we probably wont see it till half way through the 9-3ss model cycle. At this rate, I fear it wont be long before i'll be eating the dust out of a vectra! (yes, even vauxhall are going bhp mad)

as I have the wimpy 1.8t I can confirm that it is underpowered however it is one of the fastest point to point cars I have ever driven (my other car is a tuned 9000 aero !)It corners at insane speeds and is very quiet and comfy at speed and it simply devours the miles
the brakes are great if a little overservoed
the outside a little bland eurobox but the performance makes up for it
however imho it does not have the quality of build that is evident up to the 9000...

I suppose your right. At the end of the day no car will stay at the top of the pack for long. But At the end of the day being fast in a straight line is brilliant if thats what your doing..? Like you said the mojority of the manufacturers that are concentrating on this are neglecting other elements like the ride handling you mentioned in the R6 (wouldn't mind a go myself though). At the end of the day the most people don't drive at 155mph so the inadequacies of the top speed are easily muffled. I have yet to try and get to 60 mph from standing still so much of the stats doesn't mean much. What i do know is if i'm on the motorway If i put my foot down i will overtake the car infront (90% of the time). I appreciate that it would make me much happier inside if it could woop the assas of all the boy racers out there but in the end even if it did i'm not vain enough to go out and prove it at the risk of my car or myself....(why did i mention my car first thats gotta be wrong..?)

http://www.saabscene.com/forum/images/smilies/fawlty.gif

Death to boy racers, if you want to kill the boy racers get an Audi A3 1.8Turbo and roll your car into a crowd of em

They deserve it http://www.saabscene.com/forum/images/smilies/fawlty.gif http://www.saabscene.com/forum/images/smilies/fawlty.gif


I think the current aero model holds its own with M3 M5's of this world, I too can't understand why Sabb haven't used the 4wd or V6 engine from a calibra although maybe less bhp means better economy lighter engine and inevetable better effiecienty through a lighter block.

The Calibra turbo 4WD was by far one of the fastest and best handling cars I have ever driven surely they could just steal this from GM and make it better....

Its also possible that the new 9-1 with the impreza engine is being designed to compete with the hot hatch market and for the speed junkies. However can't really see it being my cup of tea.

Although I agree with Scott (Vector TiD) mores a pity that there were no audi a3 drivers around when you rolled your last car :-)

http://www.saabscene.com/forum/images/smilies/fawlty.gif http://www.saabscene.com/forum/images/smilies/fawlty.gif http://www.saabscene.com/forum/images/smilies/fawlty.gif

i was actually aining for a Nova SR that nearly drove into the side of the overturned Audi.

Death to nova's and corsa's.

Paint can exhaust pipes and smooth bootlids should be banned

Can't understand the attraction of Novas and Corsas for today's youth/joyrider. I know they're cheap to maintain et al but not as much class as my two-tone, arch-scraping, automatic (!) Mark 2 Escort 1.6 Ghia that I cruised in when I was a lad. That was the biz! ...not!

I have to agree, bring back the RS 2000 Mexico Fishnet recaro's now they where the dogs..

Get a nice big pinto tuned and you had a rally car

Tune a nova or a saxo and you have a errr a nova and a saxo

Yeah they were class...along with BMW 2002tii, Dolomite Sprint, Lotus Cortina and remember the Granada 3.0 Ghia coupe (generally they were met bronze)? The Professionals had a lot to answer for too!
Man, I can't believe I've been driving for 17 years!
Cheers
Al

I whish somebody would pass these pearls of wisdom onto one of my neigbours kid who persists on driving his newly aquired fiat uno (i think its an uno most of the body has contorted due to sever rust damage) up and down the street at what he seems convinced is warp factor 4.

Unfortunatly last weekend he pushed it too far...loud band...black smoke...lots of screaming brough a wicked smile to my face poor soul has had to garage it. Bless...

lol @ the fiat uno story

Just thought id point out the RS6 was a one off, the previous incarnation of RS4 was pretty good, the latest models seem to have lost the plot though.

both the M3 and M5 are actually pretty good, despite their bulk.

Dont know how good mercs new E-55 AMG really is, hoping to take it for a spin one of these days.

its a shame really, i think a AWD Twin turbo V6 aero would really be the nuts, probably sell well too, would give saab a welcome "muscle car" cred boost. Something i think theyre deeply in need off.

why do the pimplies go for saxo's and corsa's
well..
buy a new saxo and they will insure it for you for two years !!
nova's and corsa's weigh next to nothing (as well as saxo's ) and so any tuning has huge benifits power to weight ratio wise
the 16 valve corsa engine is so strangled induction wise just changing the induction manifold you gain 40 hp !!!

well its different opinions for diffrernt people every one has there own taste but the saab is one sleek car if you ask me with a big bee up its ar*e fast faster and faster

Hi Dave
Thanks for resurrecting my post from 6 years ago :) Funny that..but I've now changed my opinion from my first post in this thread...I really like the SS now (unsure of reliability though)!

Haha I read all the posts and only realised when I got to AL900S' post that it was 6 yrs old ! So you were actually talking about the New Saab 93ss that I have and not the NEW NEW Saab 93ss ! Well for what it's worth.... Saabs for me have always been individual ...(read 'quirky')... It wasn't until I watched THIS (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UV6qpMBpd5A) commercial one evening back in 2003. I remember saying to my wife.... Now that I like ! ... and it's a Saab :eek:

It took me a while but eventually I bought one and I love it !