I have been doing some driving in a late model navy blue Saab convertible and I really must say that I am impressed. It is a fun car. It is not a fast car, its not a quick car, and its not a sexy car, but it is a playful car that holds its own on any highway and in any crowd.
It feels safe in spite of not having a roll bar, especially when the top is down, since then there is 360-degrees of visibility. Although the car is neither sporty nor fast, it has enough turbo-aspirated oomph to merge and pass at just about any gear as long as you ignore that pesky shift up light.
The leather is fine, the top is thick and four season and quiet enough to really enjoy the stereo while at full highway speed. All the controls are where they need to be, under hand where you need them. All, of course, save the funky ignition key. And, of course, you can’t do anything in the car without remembering to put it into reverse. Some other design flaws include the snaps one needs to release in the trunk before lowering the top. I am not sure what happens if you forget once, but I wouldn’t want to find out.
Even at speed with the top down (or especially at speed with the top down), the car is quiet, fun, and confidence-inspiring. This comes primarily because the car is built like a gold brick. It is heavy and the doors close with a thump.
There are really no corners cut in this car and it is directly inspired by its Swedish lineage and you know from the very start that this is neither a German nor a Japanese car but Swedish. And like all Saab drivers from the past, if you want a Saab, you’re probably going to fall in love and want to keep it for ten years, if not forever. And this car will last forever, too.
Like a bachelor farmer, this automobile likes having the sun on his cheeks and the wind in his hair but never takes the summer for granted. This is a Swede and a Swede always expects the worse. If you’re going to expect the worse but still want to be available for the best, you want the Saab 9-3 Convertible.
