Saab, originally a Swedish aircraft company, borrows aircraft design elements for its cars, right down to the twin-engine plane logo, and now calls its top models Aero to complete the connection. Past examples of aero design include the wraparound, near-vertical windshields and aircraft-style dashboards with instrument lighting that can be switched off at night. Small map lights looked like they came from a cockpit. Outside mirrors were bent at the edges to reduce blind spots. More aero touches abound on the 2006 models, which now come standard with body-color trim and body-color tonneau covers for the convertible top. Saab is promoting its airplane heritage in its 2006 advertising campaign.
The 2006 9-3 looks like a Saab and manages to remain a Saab, yet it's a thoroughly modern car with few of the quirks or foibles historically associated with the brand. The 9-3 was completely redesigned for the 2003 model year, the convertible followed for 2004, and for 2006, the lineup includes the new 9-3 SportCombi, a sport wagon. With this new choice of body styles, powertrains and equipment, this is the most versatile family of 9-3s Saab has ever produced, with 18 models in all. Next Page