02 Jun 04
The engine needs to be worked to get the best out of it because early shifts drop the revs out of the peak power band, with maximum delivered at 6000rpm. The brakes, meanwhile, are short of a little feel but stand up well to a rigorous work out and the ABS waits as long as possible before cutting in. The five-speed manual gearbox offers a sweet, if slightly notchy shift.
At motorway speed, there's still more road roar than your average Saab buyer would be comfortable with, but modifications such as shortening the bump-stops by 10mm to increase wheel travel means the balance between good handling and mile-munching ability is well struck.
Although the purists will undoubtedly gripe, this is the future for Saab, like it or not. The company can no longer stand alone with its previous values, because they simply didn't attract enough buyers. The current car's 20:80 Saab to Subaru mix leaves it a little estranged from the more thoroughbred Saabs. The company claims the next-generation 9-2X will be a far better blend. But for now, this is what Saab must work with, and bosses admit a target of 8000 sales this year is conservative. The purpose of the 9-2X is to attract a new, younger generation of buyers to Saab. The lower entry point, combined with the Impreza's street cred, could prove to be an enticing combination for trendy young Americans.
We won't be getting the 9-2X in the UK, mainly because it would have to be priced too high to sit comfortably under Saab's 9-3 saloon. That's a shame, because here is a car that gives you most of the exhilartion of Subaru's Impreza Turbo, but with the rougher edges smoothed out.
