Not long after Saab stewardship moved from General Motors to Spyker the company is ready to launch its first new model, the 9-5 saloon.
Prices in the UK start at £26,495 and the order book is open now. Deliveries will begin in the summer.
The model range is divided up into just two trims, Vector SE and Aero. For the former, diesel engine options are 158- and 187bhp 2.0-litre units, the latter featuring twin-turbocharging. Petrol alternatives are a 1.6-litre with 178bhp or a 2.0-litre boasting 217bhp. As with all engines in the range, these are turbocharged.
Standard equipment on the Vector SE includes part-leather seats, Bluetooth telephony, USB and MP3 connectivity, heated front seats, parking sensors all round, cruise control, auto wipers, 17-inch alloy wheels and dual-zone climate control.
The Aero adds to that equipment roster with 19-inch alloy wheels, unique body styling, bi-xenon headlights, electric leather seats and a 'sport' chassis. It's not clear at this stage whether the latter includes Saab's new 'DriveSense' adaptive damping system.
Aero models can be had with a choice of three engines, including the same twin-turbocharged 187bhp 2.0T TiD diesel and 217bhp 2.0T petrol units mentioned above. An additional option is the high-performance turbocharged 2.8T, which puts out 296bhp.
At launch, all models will send power to their front wheels with the exception of the V6-engined 2.8T. This variant features Saab's 'XWD' four-wheel drive system, which incorporates the electronic equivalent of a limited slip differential.
Below is a complete price list, though the 2.0T TiD and 1.6T powerplants will not be available until later this year:
- Saab 9-5 Vector SE 2.0TiD: £26,495
- Saab 9-5 Vector SE 2.0TTiD: £28,495
- Saab 9-5 Vector SE 1.6T: £26,695
- Saab 9-5 Vector SE 2.0T: £28,195
- Saab 9-5 Aero 2.0TTiD: £31,495
- Saab 9-5 Aero 2.0T: £31,195
- Saab 9-5 Aero 2.8T: £37,995
Shane O' Donoghue - 25 Mar 2010