Saab Turbo X dressed to thrill
By Jim Robinson, Metroland Media Group Black Beauty!
Long before being acquired by General Motors, Saab was a very individualistic and idiosyncratic maker of cars and huge trucks.
All Saabs, since the first teardrop-shaped 92, have used the number “9” to designate its models, a carry-on from World War Two when Saab made only airplanes.
And pre-GM, one of the very few Saabs to have a name as well as a 9-number was the 900 Turbo.
In either a pearly white or jet black, the Turbo was a three-door hatchback with just about the biggest turbo Saab could bolt in. At that time, Saab and Porsche were the leaders in turbocharging such as the state-of-the-art was in those days.
Hit the gas and yester-turbos could take up to two or three seconds for the turbine to spool up and provide power.
Count one, two, and then bang as the boost came on. You had to anticipate this rush because there was a phenomenon called torque steer. It occurred when the wheel with the shortest half shaft got most of the torque and you found yourself darting to the left or right especially at launch. On wet or sleet-slick concrete you could find yourself in the next lane if you weren’t on top of things.
The Saab Turbo, because of the power it could generate, was one of the worst in this regard. And as I remember, it also had a nasty habit of popping out of second gear when you lifted sharply off the gas. Because most of the weight was at the front, you had to watch, under heavy cornering, that the rear didn’t try to swap ends on you.
But for all that, the Turbo looked smugly sinister and thus a whole lot different from anything else on the road. And once you got it up to boost and learned how to hold it there, you could keep up to anything on the road.
I remember I came very, very close to buying one of the last variants, a 1993 Turbo SPC, as the General’s people moved in and they didn’t want anything to do with the old regime left hanging around and that included the cars. But with two youngsters and a mortgage……
And to this day, there are many who did buy the Turbo who still smile broadly when they talk about them.
With hardly any fanfare, Saab has announced a limited production 9-3 called the 2008 Turbo X, in black only, that draws from the original model in more than just the paint job.
The engine is the turbocharged V6 found in the Aero, but bumped up to 280 hp and 295 lb/ft of torque (a 15 per cent increase).
A nice, retro touch is the white-yellow-red boost gauge on the instrument panel just like the one in the original Turbo.
Hardly a retro touch as it is a signature feature of all Saabs; you’ll find the ignition switch on the floor between the two front seats.
When it comes to stopping, the Turbo X has internally ventilated, 345 mm-diameter (13.6-inch) discs at the front and externally ventilated, 292 mm (11.5-inch) discs at the rear. Standard 235/45 R18 performance tires are fitted to 18-inch alloy wheels. The wheels, by the way, have a three-spoke design, as did the original car.
Those expecting the bad old days of torque steer and on-off acceleration will be glad to know that the engine benefits from the latest in turbo technology and the Turbo X features a next generation form of all-wheel-drive (AWD) called Saab XWD.
Saab XWD (for cross wheel drive) is standard on the Turbo X and also available on the 9-3 Sport Sedan and SportCombi Aero models for $2,340. All three offer a choice of a six-speed manual or automatic transmission.
Saab's XWD is a fully automatic, on-demand all-wheel-drive system that can route up to 100 per cent of engine torque to the front or rear wheels. It also allows for variable torque transfer between the rear wheels while featuring innovative developments in wheel slip management and, as an option, the use of an electronically controlled rear limited-slip differential. 
Unlike most “slip and grip” AWD systems, XWD system provides maximum traction immediately at take-off resulting in a smooth, strong acceleration while eliminating the initial hesitation experienced in typical AWD systems.
In a straight line, torque shifts seamlessly between the axles. In a corner, the system is capable of applying rear drive, as needed, to balance oversteer and understeer characteristics, improving stability and road holding. 
At highway cruising speeds, only five to 10 per cent of engine torque is typically transmitted to the rear wheels. This helps provide greater stability and fuel efficiency.
Saab XWD also features a segment-first application of an electronically controlled, rear limited slip differential (eLSD).  In icy or wet split-friction conditions it can transfer up to 40 per cent of torque between the drive shafts, to whichever wheel has more grip. 
The eLSD also gives the driver enhanced control in cornering or lane change maneuvers by momentarily applying more or less torque to either of the rear wheels to help the rear of the car more closely follow the direction of the front wheels. This yaw damping effect keeps the car better balanced and more tightly controlled.
The engine also benefits from two decades of techno advances to the point that turbo lag is almost non-existent. You can mash the gas pedal and find yourself tracking straight and true assisted by standard traction control and stability control.
My exposure to the 2008 Saab Turbo X was during a brief press event on a runway at Niagara International Airport through a slalom course. I’m not a track guy as many know, but as there was no usual driving portion, it was time to take my seat and roar through the cones.
The object was to demonstrate how the XWD and turbo combine for acceleration and handling that meets or exceeds many of its direct competitors.
In that, the Turbo X does the job well. Approaching a 90-degree turn at full bore in second gear, yanking the wheel to the left while standing on the brakes would have sent the old Turbo spinning into the weeds. But with tires loudly protesting, the switchback was done rather easily.
The next sweeping corner had been wetted down. Going through it with grip falling away, you would normally have to lift. In the Turbo X, I could hold my speed and steer at the same time as the bend tightened up at the final apex before the exit.
At no time could I feel the torque moving back and forth or side to side although I knew it was happening by the level of grip I could maintain.
Like I said, I’m not a track guy, but this was a lot of fun and it certainly proved the point Saab wanted to make about XWD.
There was a touch of turbo lag off the line, but as an experienced hand from the bad-old-turbo-days, it was nothing. I found during heavy braking and getting back on the gas, the boost was right where I had left it. That was definitely not the case for first generation turbos. Back than you had to brake with your left foot and keep the gas pedal down with your right to maintain boost and, if you finessed it right, shift without the clutch.
Potent and sexy, the only real problem with the Turbo X is that only 100 are allotted to Canada and most are already spoken for.
However, at $54,995 for the Sport Sedan and $56,305 for the SportCombi (station wagon), it might be well worth trying to seek one out.
Like the Turbo SPC I should have brought in 1993, don’t let this one get away.

SAAB TURBO X 2008
AT A GLANCE
BODY STYLE: Premium sports sedan or wagon.
DRIVE METHOD: front-engine, all-wheel-drive
ENGINE: 2.8-litre, turbocharged V6 (280 hp, 295 lb/ft.)
FUEL ECONOMY: Six-speed manual sedan as tested, 13.5L/100 km city, 8.1L/100 km highway
PRICE: Sport Sedan, $54,995; SportCombi (wagon) $56,305
WEB SITE: saabcanada.com