by Richard Yarrow

and  Paul A. Eisenstein

(2007-09-12)

Saab had gripping news forFrankfurt, where it officially revealed the latest spin-off of its newly-redesigned 9-3 line. The 9-3 Turbo X will be the first model to make use of the automaker's all-new, all-wheel-drive technology, or as Saab prefers to call it, Cross-Wheel-Drive.  (Saab will now take the development lead for all AWD technology used on GM's transverse engine vehicles worldwide.)

The intelligent system will also deliver a nice boost of power, the Turbo X pumping out 280 hp from its blown 2.8-liter engine, compared with just 255 hp for a standard 9-3 2.8T. That should yield 0-60 times in the range of 5.7 seconds, making the Turbo X among the fastest Saabs ever.

Saab insists the system is more than just a new name for old technology. By mating its version of all-wheel-drive to an electronic, limited-slip differential, the Turbo X and subsequent production models will be able to shift torque not only from front-to-back, but also between the rear wheels. It's not as sophisticated a system as Acura's Super Handling All-Wheel-Drive, Saab officials acknowledge, but it will also be markedly lighter and, they promise, less expensive.  (Look for an option price of around $2000 or less as it's integrated into the rest of the 9-3 lineup.)

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