2000 Saab 9-5 Aero
Saab 9-5 Aero works like a wagon but acts like a turbo racer
Story by Bob Plunkett

ANGEL FIRE, N. M. -- Stretching almost two miles across a plateau ringed by peaks in the Sangre de Cristo Range of the Rocky Mountains, a paved airport landing strip at the Angel Fire ski resort in northern New Mexico serves as a high-altitude test track to measure the spirit of a performance engine that fires the new 9-5 Aero station wagon from Saab, Sweden's safety-conscious automaker noted for the aggressive turbo-charged kick extracted from relatively small but muscular and efficient powerplants.

     In timed trials devised by Saab pitting the Aero against rival European imports in the luxury wagon class, the Aero left its competitors wheezing in thin air, thanks to a large variable-boost turbo-charger on the 2.3-liter high-output in-line-four engine that maintains maximum power and torque through diverse driving conditions, including extreme altitude like on an airport runway pitched some 8,380 feet above sea level.

     The Aero engine produces up to 230 hp at 5500 rpm and 258 lb-ft of torque between 1900 and 3800 rpm with a manual transmission or 243 lb-ft skewed from 1900 to 4600 rpm with a four-speed automatic.

     Under optimum conditions, Saab's bullet car requires only 6.9 seconds to rip from zero to sixty miles an hour, and it's capable of attaining a top speed of 149 mph.

     Such fast performance figures are possible because of Saab's Trionic 7 engine management system that controls and monitors the engine's fuel injection, turbo boost pressure and throttle position. Through electronic control of the throttle, the device can overcome the inertia prevalent in big turbo boosters -- so-called turbo lag -- through manipulations of the throttle's position.

     In effect, the T7 controller opens the throttle even more than the driver requests, thus adding more torque, and this action creates an almost immediate surge of power.

     The engine's response is impressive on a drag strip, but even more so on a highway, as we discovered during a trek on New Mexican mountain roads winding through Taos to Santa Fe.

     When passing slower traffic, the Aero's engine kicks in immediately to blast around any impediment.

     The fact that the car also contains an extended roofline encasing the boxy back end of a station wagon and its form looks more like a carpooler's conveyance than a racy sports machine fosters an image that's actually incongruent with the performance stance of the Aero.

     Never mind: Saab's intriguing premise behind the Aero's development was to design a vehicle with the cargo capacity and practicality of a sport-utility wagon but equip it with the easy-to-maneuver handling traits of a sporty touring sedan and lace it with heady power.

     Initial 9-5 wagons emerged late in the 1999 model-year as a spin-off derived from the 9-5 flagship sedan with modifications for a wagon format through the roof extension and rear wrap of windows. These first issues contained all of the mechanical and safety attributes of the sedan as well as the same turbo-charged four-cylinder and V6 engines, plus some clever Saab innovations for safety and comfort.

     The wagon's rear bay, for instance, was structured strictly to transport cargo -- no third seat option was planned because Saab's designers determined that riding in the rear would not be safe. Instead, aircraft-quality aluminum load tracks were installed in the floor of the bay to latch tie-down hooks as anchors for straps that could hold cargo firmly in place and prevent a load from shifting when the vehicle moves around.

     Also, a folding seatback for the second-row bench was braced with sturdy latches designed to withstand the extreme force of cargo moving forward during a frontal crash, and an optional sliding floor that rolls 20 inches out the cargo door was developed for ease in loading heavy objects.

     Occupant safety was an overriding issue driving designs for 9-5 wagons because Swedes in general rank safety above all other automotive assets and Saab specifically has a long record of safety innovations. With front-wheel-drive format and active safety equipment like anti-lock brakes and traction control aboard, the wagon also contains a number of inventive new systems for passive safety.

     For one, the forward frame instead of deflecting forces from a frontal crash along a sole chassis path absorbs the disruptive energy along three separate channels. Five frontal deformation zones enable steel braces to crush progressively like cushions as the defused energy flows up and under and around the passenger compartment, where seatbelts, frontal air bags and safety seats protect riders.

            Other deformation areas appear in back and at sides of the wagon, with B-pillar braces rigged to swing inward from the bottom like pendulums to absorb side-impact energy and deflect it below the rider's seat.

            And Saab's front bucket seat forms a rigid and stable support for a side air bag, with anti-submarine ramps mounted under front edges of the cushion to prevent the occupant from slipping under a seatbelt during a crash.

            Even headrests take action:  If another vehicle should ram the Saab from the rear, front seat headrests quickly move forward and upward slightly to meet the passenger's neck and head moving backward. This movement of the headrest cradles the head to prevent a painful neck whiplash effect.

                 Another safety idea Saab labels as the Night Panel. Glaring lights for instruments at night may be deleted with the push of a single button, leaving only the speedometer visible to enhance driver's night vision. If problems should arise like low fuel level or falling oil pressure, information lights up on a need-to-know basis.

     The Aero version builds on the base 9-5 wagon by adding the high-output engine, plus special performance-enhancing mechanical equipment and aerodynamic body panels.

     Chassis height was dropped by almost half an inch, with stiffer springs and harder dampers applied to the independent suspension system, along with larger anti-roll bars. These measures change the ride characteristics of the car to forge a taut and sporty stance.

     Also, the front disc brake rotors were enlarged by 20 mm to improve stopping power to match the engine's strength, and big 17-inch light alloy wheels were fitted with low-profile performance tires.

     Exterior modifications include a chin spoiler up front, flared rocker panels on the sides and a rear valance.

     The interior contains twin front bucket seats and a rear bench for three followed by the cargo bay, with more bay space available by folding or removing the bench seat. Power and automatic controls extend across the 9-5 line, with optional leather upholstery and front seats heaters -- or even seat air conditioning. using an internal blower to circulate cool air through the upholstery.

     Saab's entire 9-5 wagon line now includes the base 2.3T, a limited-edition Gary Fisher version, the luxurious SE V6 and new Aero, with MSRP figures spread across the range from $33,695 for a 2.3T to $40,750 for the Aero.