Saab's new-look 9-3 gains all-paw variants

It's mid-life makeover time for Saab's 9-3 (more here) and these are the first official images of the updated line-up, which launches internationally in September.

Immediately obvious is that the MY08 model has gained a handful of styling cues from last year's futuristic Aero X concept -- and some of these have also since featured on the facelifted 9-5 range.

However, what's not visible to the naked eye is that the vehicle gains an all-new state-of-the-art all-wheel-drive system dubbed Saab XWD, which stands for 'cross wheel drive'.

This system will be offered exclusively in the 9-3 Aero Sport Saloon and SportWagon models. It's a potentially significant development as the more potent Saab models have in the past been hampered by torque-steer -- a condition whereby the torque of powerful turbo engines overcomes the traction offered by the front wheels.

As is the case with many contemporary AWD set-ups, Saab's XWD is a fully automatic, 'on-demand' system capable of sending up to 100 per cent of engine torque to the front or rear wheels whenever necessary.

Saab claims its developments in wheel slip management and the use of an electronically-controlled rear limited-slip differential are "designed to optimise handling and stability in all driving conditions".

The ultimate 'icing on the cake', boasts Saab, is the eLSD option, which is billed as the first application of an electronically-controlled, rear limited slip differential in the 9-3's market segment.

Explaining how eLSD works, Saab says: "In icy or wet split-friction conditions, for example, it uses inputs from the rear wheel speed sensors and can transfer up to 40 per cent of torque between the drive shafts, to whichever wheel has more grip."

The 9-3's engine line-up will include a 132kW/400Nm twin-turbo 1.9 diesel, an uprated 206kW 2.8-litre V6 turbo petrol engine (sourced from Holden's Port Melbourne engine plant) and a 125kW 2.0-litre Saab BioPower unit that delivers 147 kW when running on bioethanol E85 fuel.

The MY08 Saab 9-3 range will be offered (at least in Europe) with a simplified but comprehensive set of trim levels, comprising Airflow, Linear SE, Vector Sport and Aero variants.

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