Short Take Road Test
This 9-3 Aero is a huge improvement over previous Saab ragtops in every way imaginable. Power from the turbocharged 2.8-liter Australian-sourced V-6 is smooth, sophisticated, and abundant, thrusting the 9-3 Aero to 60 mph in just 6.4 seconds, making it a bunch faster than the last Saab convertible we tested, back in December 1998. That car, with a turbo four-banger, needed 7.8 seconds to reach 60.
The torque steer and fairly vicious wheel fight that plagued older Aeros have been largely dispelled, replaced by a helm that is pleasingly devoid of driveline vibrations and course deviations at all but full throttle, when slight corrections are still necessary. But since the turbocharged V-6 engine is so flexible and responsive in use, excursions to the power peak are seldom likely to occur, and the steering is mostly calm and accurate.
With a body structure that is claimed to be three times stiffer than the 9-3's predecessor, improvements in perceived solidity are significant, with no discernible windshield or cowl shake and only the slightest steering-column quiver over bad surface breaks. Much of this is due to a supplementary reinforcement that links the front, rear, and side structures for better support and crash protection. Rear hoops pop up automatically in the event of a rollover accident.
The softtop is a one-touch, fully automatic mechanism that takes about 20 seconds to deploy, and it seems a thoroughly developed system in use. All in all, the 9-3 Aero strikes an intelligent balance between luxury and high performance.
