Saab 9-3 Aero V6 Turbo: First Look

Motoring Channel Staff - 6/12/2005

The news is in - you can now order a new Saab 9-3 Aero sedan or convertible with a 6-cylinder turbo powerplant, and one with an Australian connection.

As Feann Torr attested to in his review of the 9-3 convertible, the base level 2.0-litre turbo engine "delivers 110kW of power in a very relaxed fashion. I suppose that's a syrupy way of saying it lacks power..."

Dilemma over: Saab has just introduced the 184kW 2.8-litre turbocharged V6 petrol engine into the Aero range of 9-3 Saabs, which will be available at dealerships by the time you read this, and can be purchased with either a 6-speed auto or a 6-speed manual transmission.

As Saab explains, the new 2.8-litre turbocharged V6 - based on the same global V6 architecture as the Holden Alloytec V6, both of which are built at GM Holden's Engine Operations in Port Melbourne - is set to attract new performance-oriented customers to the brand.

The V6 Turbo will drive all Aero models in the 9-3 range, including Sport Sedan, Convertible and the all new SportCombi (wagon) which arrives in Australia in early 2006.

Generating 184kW (250hp), the 9-3 Aero Sport Sedan records a zero to 100km/h acceleration time of 6.7 seconds, which Saab assures us makes it the fastest accelerating vehicle ever produced by Saab.

Saab Australia and New Zealand director, Ralph Stevenson, said the V6 Turbo would significantly enhance the sporty, fun-to-drive aspect of the Saab brand: "The Saab brand strength can’t be underestimated. Our customers are universally progressive, understated and appreciate the sporty, fun-to-drive nature of Saab vehicles," Mr Stevenson said.

"Now the V6 Turbo takes Saab performance to the next level and ensures Aero delivers the most intense Saab driving experience yet."

Aero sales (9-3 and 9-5 models) currently represent 14 per cent of total Saab vehicle sales in Australia and Saab expects to increase this share with the addition of the V6 Turbo.

"With a taste for more powerful and larger capacity engines in the Australian market, the V6 Turbo Aero has the potential to attract new customers and increase the existing perception of Saab as a performance brand," Mr Stevenson commented.

The new 9-3 Aero, which kicks off pricing at under $70,000 for the sedan, also benefits from a more dynamic driving experience thanks with retuned suspension to complement the V6 engine.

Other features new to the 6-cylinder 9-3 Aero include an upgraded, new generation Electronic Stability Programme package, nicknamed ESP Plus, which Saab says has been adapted for more active driving, plus new-look 17-inch five-spoke alloy wheels are fitted to the Aero model (optional 18-inch alloys cost a bit more).

Saab says an deeper engine note that can be heard inside and outside the car thanks to the new the twin sport exhaust system, which gives the new Saab 9-3 Aero a distinctive aural character.

With nearly 30 years of experience in turbocharging passenger cars, Saab has become an acknowledged leader in the art of turbocharging.

The expertise and experience of Saab Automobile Powertrain is recognised by its role as a centre of expertise within General Motors for the development of turbocharged petrol engines.

Swedish engineers were closely involved during the conceptual design and development of GM's new global V6 engine architecture, ensuring a turbocharged application could be part of the new V6 family.

Saab says that customers can now enjoy the combined benefits of turbocharged power and 6-cylinder refinement in a purpose-built package. With the 184kW V6 Turbo, Aero delivers impressive pulling power; peak torque of 350Nm is available between 2000 and 4500rpm and 90 per cent available @ 1500rpm.

This compares well with the outgoing 9-3 Aero's output of 154kW and 300Nm. As a further incentive, Saab has now dropped the old 154kW Aero engine into the mid-range Vector model, which receives an upgrade from 129 to 154kW and 265 to 300Nm.

Saab's new force-fed V6 engine has a 60 degree vee-angle between its cylinder banks for optimum balance and features an all-aluminium construction and a compression ratio of 9.5:1.

The twin-scroll, water-cooled Mitsubishi TDO4-15TK turbocharger, operates at 8.7psi (0.6 bar) maximum boost with intercooling and an integral by-pass valve. It is mounted centrally above the transmission and fed by both banks of cylinders.

The use of two separate inlet tracts, one for each cylinder bank, separates the exhaust gas pulses, improving gas flow, reducing energy losses and raising turbocharger efficiency. The turbine wheel is made from a special high-grade steel alloy, commonly used in the turbocharged engines of world championship rally cars, which is resistant to erosion, cracking and creeping under high temperatures and centrifugal forces.

The cylinder heads, each with double chain-driven overhead camshafts (operating 4-valves per cylinder), are of high specification aluminium and unique to this turbocharged variant. The design ensures enhanced heat resistance as well as minimum maintenance costs.

Also unique are pistons with hard anodised ring grooves for durability and underskirt oil jet cooling, together with steel conrods that are strengthened by sinterforging, a process that involves moulding metal in a powered form. Like many high performance engines, the exhaust valves are filled with sodium to further enhance cooling.

For improved engine breathing, variable cam phasing on the inlet side is electronically controlled and hydraulically actuated, allowing continuously variable adjustment through 50 degrees of crankshaft rotation. On the road, this translates to a more flexible power delivery and better fuel economy under different engine loads.

A die-cast aluminium oil sump is designed to increase structural stiffness and the strong, four-bearing crankshaft is made from micro-alloy forged steel, a specification more commonly seen in competition performance or diesel engines.

On the road the new 9-3 Aero V6 Turbo packs a formidable punch and the driver will immediately appreciate the smooth power delivery. Apart from the boost gauge in the dashboard, the only clue to the presence of a turbocharger is an effortless rate of acceleration.

Saab says that pick-up from idle @ just 720rpm is instant, due to the engine's relatively large multi-cylinder capacity. Around 1000rpm, the turbo begins to build an impressive wall of torque that is already in place by the time the tachometer swings through 2000rpm.

Maximum torque is generated all the way from 2000rpm to 4500rpm, with 90 per cent of this value available at an exceptionally low 1500rpm. Careful programming of the engine management software means that under a full throttle load, from take-off or low engine speeds, 90 per cent of maximum acceleration is delivered within one second.

The zero to 100km/h dash is accomplished in just 6.7 seconds, but in-gear acceleration provides even more impressive evidence of this engine's elasticity. In fourth gear, the transition from 60 to 100km/h can be reached in 6.2 seconds and in fifth from 80 to 120km/h in just 7.9 seconds, which places the 9-3 Aero among the best in its class.

The engine is offered with a choice of 6-speed manual or a new 6-speed automatic transmission. The close-ratio manual gearbox includes dual output shafts to reduce transmission vibration, which together with a dual mass flywheel ensures smooth and refined performance.

The 'smart' Aisin AW automatic transmission adapts to driver usage patterns and prevailing road conditions. It can sense changes in engine performance, engine load, road gradient and altitude, quickly finding the right gear without 'hunting'.

For closer driver involvement, Saab Sentronic, a sequential manual gearshift, is also included. When the shift lever is moved across the gate to ‘manual’ Sentronic mode, ‘up’ and ‘down’ changes can be made with full lock-up in third, fourth, fifth or sixth gear. In the Saab you get the best of both worlds – you can manually select gears either by the gear lever itself or using the steering wheel controls that are standard with the automatic transmission.

Overall, the V6 Turbo generates class-leading levels of torque with a seamless, turbine-like power delivery. It combines the inherent advantages of a six-cylinder engine - refinement and a rapid throttle response - with the effortless, torque-boosting properties of turbocharging.

Pricing:

9-3 Aero Sport Sedan $69,900 (manual)
9-3 Aero Sport Sedan $72,400 (automatic)

9-3 Aero Convertible $89,900 (manual)
9-3 Aero Convertible $92,400 (automatic)