THE SAAB 9-3 AREO CONVERTIBLE UNDERWENT A COMPLETE MAKEOVER IN 2004 AND IT HAS BEEN AN UNQUALIFIED SUCCESS FOR SAAB. THE 9-3 MODEL DESIGNATION WAS BORN IN 1993, REPLACING THE 900 NOMENCLATURE, WHICH WAS ALSO THE YEAR GM BECAME SAAB'S CORPORATE PARENT. THE 2007 SAAB 9-3 AERO THAT WE GOT OUR HANDS ON WAS FURTHER PROOF THAT SAAB'S SOMEWHAT OFFBEAT IMAGE FROM YEARS PAST HASN'T BEEN COMPLETELY FACTORED OUT, WHILE GM'S INFLUENCE IN SAAB'S LOOK AND LAYOUT CAN'T HELP BUT BE NOTICED.
THE OH-7 SAAB 9-3 AERO CONVERTIBLE COMES STANDARD WITH A 2.8-LITER TURBOCHARGER V-6 THAT PUSHES 250 HORSEPOWER AND 258 FOOT-POUNDS OF TORQUE. THAT'S MORE THAN ENOUGH UNDER THE HOOD TO GIVE THE 9-3 AREO IMPRESSIVE ACCELERATION AND COMPETITIVE PERFORMANCE NUMBERS WITH A HOST OF OTHER LUXURY CONVERTIBLE OFFERINGS. THE SIX-SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ON THE CAR WE DROVE WAS EQUIPPED WITH STEERING-WHEEL MOUNTED PADDLE SHIFTERS, SO THE DRIVER CAN CHOOSE EITHER FULLY AUTOMATIC OR MANUALLY CHOSEN GEARS.
THE MILEAGE ESTIMATES FOR THE SAAB 9-3 EQUIPPED LIKE THE ONE WE TESTED ARE 17 MPG CITY AND 28 MPG HIGHWAY.
ALL 9-3'S COMING GENEROUSLY EQUIPPED WHILE THE AERO CONVERTIBLES INCLUDE AN EASY TO OPERATE FULLY AUTOMATIC POWER TOP WITH A HARD TONNEAU, 17-INCH ALLOY WHEELS, A ROLL-OVER PROTECTION SYSTEM, AND A ZOOTY EXTERIOR BODY-TRIM KIT. INSIDE, WE LIKED THE POWER SEATS WITH MEMORY SETTINGS, TILT-TELESCOPIC STEERING COLUMN, AND A BACK SEAT WITH SURPRISINGLY ADEQUATE ROOM FOR TWO PASSENGERS, SOMETHING NOT USUALLY FOUND IN THIS VEHICLE CLASS. EVEN THE TRUNK PROVIDES OVER 12 CUBIC FEET OF CARGO SPACE.
OPTIONS INCLUDE BI-HID HEADLIGHTS AND A DVD-BASED NAVIGATION SYSTEM. AS WITH ALL SAABS, SAFETY EQUIPMENT IS COMPREHENSIVE INCLUDING ACTIVE HEAD RESTRAINTS, FRONT AND SIDE AIRBAGS, REINFORCED A-PILLARS, AND FRONT SEATBELT PRE-TENSIONERS. THE IIHS AWARDED THE SAAB 9-3 A BEST PICK WINNER FOR FRONTAL OFFSET AND SIDE IMPACT CRASH PROTECTION. THERE ARE FOUR WHEEL ANTI-LOCK DISC BRAKES STANDARD ALONG WITH ELECTRONIC BRAKEFORE DISTRIBUTION, TRACTION AND STABILITY CONTROL.
THERE'S A LOT TO LIKE ABOUT HOW THE SAAB 9-3 AERO CONVERTIBLE HANDLES. IT MAY BE THE BEST HANDLING FRONT-WHEEL DRIVE AUTOMOBILE ON THE ROAD. THE CHASSIS STIFFNESS HAS A LOT TO DO WITH THAT NOTEWORTHY HANDLING ALONG WITH THE BALANCED WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION.
THE MSRP ACCORDING TO VEHIX.COM FOR THE 2007 SAAB 9-3 AERO CONVERTIBLE IS $42,100. FULLY OPTIONED, EXPECT THAT FIGURE TO REMAIN SOMEWHERE BELOW THE $50,000 RANGE.
THE SAAB 9-3 AERO CONVERTIBLE LOOKS GREAT, PERFORMS WITH APLOMB, AND IS STILL A CAR THAT RADIATES ITS THOROUGHLY UNIQUE PERSONALITY. IT'S HARD NOT TO LIKE A CONVERTIBLE THAT BRINGS THAT MUCH FUN TO THE TABLE.