11.3.2003
GME at Geneva: Saab 9-3 Aero Sport Sedan

For people passionate about driving - the new Saab 9-3 Aero Sport Sedan is a stylish car built for performance.

The Aero is the icon for the 9-3 range, and as such its exterior and interior design have been refined to give the car a certain aura - a sense that at the heart of the 9-3 Aero is something more intense than precision engineering alone.

A key element is the car's sports chassis. Lower than on other cars in the 9-3 range, the Aero has an aggressive, close-to-the-road stance that gives an immediate sporty profile and a powerful sense of purpose.

Scandinavian color
All interior color and trim has been selected to convey a Scandinavian feel. The slate gray and parchment used in the Aero seats, for example, are clear and crisp.

The Scandinavian characteristics of the 9-3 Aero extend far beyond its interior colors. Saab design draws a great deal on the natural world, the Aero in particular is more inspired by architecture and technology than other cars in the range and has more metal and more black.

Saab power
The 9-3 Aero's new, aluminum 2.0T engine generates a muscular 210bhp and torque of 300Nm at 2,500rpm. Saab's unique Trionic 8 engine management system combines with this gutsy engine to produce unbeatable driveability.

To deliver smoother turbo input, for instance, Trionic 8 brings the turbo in slightly earlier, and electronic 'sleight of hand' at low revs briefly opens the throttle slightly more than requested in order to spool up the turbo more quickly.

Completing the major powertrain innovations is a new six-speed manual gearbox, which features improved syncromesh for smoother, more positive gear changing and double output shafts to make the box lighter and more compact.

The new Saab 9-3 Aero Sport Sedan takes the long and proud Saab Aero tradition to a new level.