To put all my cards on the table before we go into this article I would like to say that I am a large fan of Bob Lutz. Lutz is one of the most charismatic characters in the story of modern automotive history and he has been key in the revival of GM. So when Bob unveiled an all electric concept Volt at the 2007 Detroit Auto Show with claims to bring it to market, the industry took notice and the skeptics were watching closely to see the project fail. With all the hybrids and new of electric vehicles from the other manufacturers, Lutz and the team at GM knew they had one shot at getting the car to market and coming through with their promises. The hype surrounding the car was built up in the next 3 years and GM even had giant advertising put up in major city areas down Woodward Avenue and Hollywood Blvd as seen below to gain customer attention.

The vehicle that finally came to production took a more traditional form like that of the Prius and became an extended range electric vehicle that could run on electric power as well as gasoline for extended trips. The price continued to grow as the vehicle neared its release and the car that we would eventually get the keys to would tip the scales at a hefty $44,000 before a supposed tax credit of $7,500 (more on the price later). We were able to truly put the Volt through the paces in the week we had the car and in our 800 miles can give a fair assessment of the dream and vision of “Maximum” Bob Lutz and his team at GM.

The basic facts about the Volt state that the car is able to run on electric power alone for around 40 miles after a 10 or so hour charge of the battery. The battery can be charged from a simple outlet in the garage or you can have a 240 volt charger set up(will set you back about $1,900) to cut that charge time by about half. The Volt also features a 1.4l gasoline “generator” on board that can continue to charge the car as it goes past the 40 mile electric range and give you an additional 300 miles.
My commute to work was a perfect example of how the Volt may be best used and I was able to charge it at home and at work to drive the 44 miles between my home and workplace. In heavy traffic I would simply put the car into the “Low Gear” which simply tells the regeneration system to slow the car down more aggressively to attempt to gain back some of the power used to propel it forward. In this mode you rarely would have to use the brakes themselves and the car would come to a stop on its own once you became used to the regenerative braking. In my 44 mile commute I would often make it all the way to work or run out the exit before my workplace and then use the gasoline mode to make it the rest of the way. I was then able to charge it in the parking garage for around 8 hours and make it about 38 miles on the run back to my house. When all was said and done I drove about 35 miles on actual gasoline in the 4 days I drove to the office and the calculations had my average at 96 miles per gallon.

The big difference between the Volt and its main competitor, the Nissan Leaf, is that Chevrolet works to do away with the “range anxiety” that comes with the 100 mile limitation in the Leaf’s range. To test the car past its electric limit of 40 miles we headed out to make the 110 mile drive to Palm Springs. The Volt was out of electricity within about 30 miles due to a lack of charge time and then the 1.4l generator was able to get us the rest of the way and to several places within town before we had the chance to plug it in again. We observed 68 miles per gallon on the trip in using the partial electric power and gasoline engine. For many people buying a car like the Leaf the range won’t be a huge problem because the majority will have a second car that will be taken on trips. But for those that want a vehicle that can give you a gas free commute and still give you an efficient ride for those weekend trips out of town, nothing compares to the Volt.

The interior of the Volt offers a very modern feeling space with soft touch materials and large display screens that give the driver several ways to view the status of the charging system and see how efficient they are driving the vehicle. To the right of the main speedometer display there is a green ball with leaves that moves up and down a fancy pipe to let you know when you are driving the car in such a way as to get the best range out of the electric. The regenerative braking system in the Volt is one of the better ones I have experienced and as a test we put the car in “Mountain Mode” and scaled one of the mountain roads nearby. Mountain Mode builds up a charge for about 10 min before grade to make sure it can scale up the road at speeds of around 70mph. We made it up the mountain with no problems accelerating up the grade and the charge was down to a zero mile range at the top. During the trip back down we simply coasted the 10 miles down the mountain in “Low Gear” and by the time we were back in the city at the bottom we had built up enough power to have a 45 mile electric range.

After all is said in done with the Volt it does offer up exactly what it promises; a comfortable electric vehicle that can also be used as a real car by utilizing its gasoline motor. The biggest issue for the car is that the car is generally in the high $30k range and is usually closer to $40k. This makes other efficient or electric cars like the Leaf and Cruze nearly $15k cheaper. The only way I could possibly rationalize the Volt personally is if you look at the current lease payment of $400/month for the Volt when compared to that of a $200/month payment on a Cruze. Even then you would have to use no gasoline at all each month on the Volt and drive enough to spend over $260/month on gas in a Cruze to make it a logical purchase. But if we were throwing out logic and talking about a simple, tech-nerd, passionate choice… it would be the Volt all day.

 The complimentary maintenance programs from different manufacturers have always been a large selling point for brands like BMW, Volvo, and Lexus. But recently there was a conversation on 6SpeedOnline discussing whether or not the Fiat “complimentary” maintenance program was truly free due to the fact that buyers can choose to get a $500 rebate for declining the service plan (Only on cars purchased before January 4th, 2012). The general argument was that this program was included in the price of the car already and was not “complimentary” as stated in the promotional language from the dealer. This got us here thinking about the nature of these plans for all the automakers and we found that “complimentary” doesn’t necessarily mean that it is free to the consumer.

For luxury brands it is now standard to offer the maintenance for owners, and typically leased vehicles will come with one, three, or even five years of oil changes and the regularly scheduled dealer visits. To think these dealers are doing it just for the sheer benefit of their owners is unfortunately not often the case. For leased cars the manufacturers often want to make sure that the vehicles they get back at the end of the lease are going to be in a near-perfect condition and they want a car back that is in great running condition with service records to show it has had an oil change in the last three years . All of these plans are considered when working on the MSRP of the car and the majority of any foreseen costs or risks are factored into luxury vehicles prior to the cars hitting the market. According to Tony Molla, Vice President of Communications for the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence, the automakers are not losing any money on offering the programs.”None of it is actually free. They build the cost of maintenance into the price of the car, he says.” This feature benefits the luxury customer and offers them the peace of mind to look at brands that may have a reputation for higher ownership costs and increase in reliability problems (We’re looking at you Jaguar’s of the past). These brands never seek to offer a plan like that of Fiat because it would give the buyers a similar feeling that the “complimentary” maintenance they are receiving on their new Mercedes is anything but.

For the Fiat brand in particular the buyers are completely different and often have separate expectations when shopping for a car that starts at under $16k. These buyers are generally budget focused and look at the maintenance as a nice perk, but it isn’t a breaking point for their decision on the purchase. By offering the $500 discount for declining the plan they can look to give the buyers an option to have the car at a cheaper price for those that are seeking “the best deal possible.” So the truth is that these programs aren’t necessarily free and the advertising language of “complimentary” maintenance isn’t exactly as many would have expected.

We recently got the chance to test out two versions of the latest hot sport sedan from Buick. The Regal name has been revived in an effort to continue to try and bring the Buick brand into the sights of a younger buyer and steal some customers away from brands like Acura, Lexus and BMW. GM has decided to use it’s European branded Opel Insignia as a base for the Regal here in the states and they have merely changed the fascias slightly and put American power plants in place to market the car to the current luxury buyer. Click through for more and to see how the Regal fared when put to the test.

Buick Regal CXL Turbo

Price as Tested: $35,185

Competition:  Audi A4, Acura TSX, Lexus IS 250

The standard Regal CXL comes equipped with the 2.4l 4 cylinder churning out only a weak 182hp whereas this Turbo variation bumps that number up to 220hp.This power is smooth and helps the Regal move forward in traffic in a sensible fashion and shifting is quiet and quick with the 6 speed automatic transmission that comes standard. The ride is calm and the steering and driving experience is one that will not excite those looking for a spirited cruiser, nor give an extreme feel of relaxation for those looking for a soft ride similar to that of a Regal from the late 90′s(this is a good thing). The European feel of the car is apparent right away and the car does handle fairly well about most roads we tested despite its size and lack of power. The overall weight of the car is quite hefty at 3,600lbs and makes itself known when trying to really take the car to its limits.

The interior is a sea of black plastics and leather that gives the driver the impression they are sitting in a mildly-comfortable office chair instead of a mid $30k luxury sedan. The steering wheel and door trim are quality in feel and touch but several of the dash panels and center console are reminiscent of GM products costing much much less than the Regal. The seating capacity as well as the trunk storage is adequate and on the same level as many of the vehicles from the competition. The sound of the 4 cylinder turbo engine will often come through to the cabin under hard accelerating and gives a sound that is about as pleasing to the ear as a lawnmower outside your bedroom window.

Overall the Regal CXL Turbo is a car whose name and price tag sets the expectations much higher than this car can reach. In general the Turbo offers a decent ride, solid feel, and just okay performance for the buyer who is looking for much of nothing in terms of a luxury car. If Buick was reaching to hit the mark for the young luxury buyer, they may need to keep reaching because the Regal CXL turbo simply is not there yet.

Buick Regal GS

Price as Tested: $38,155

Competition: Lexus IS 350, Mercedes C300, Volvo S60

If the Buick CXL Turbo is the plain Vanilla Ice Cream of the Regal line, then the GS is the company’s attempt to cover it in chocolate syrup and hope to give something for the senses to react to. The car stands out with it’s large 20 inch chrome wheels that hide the large Brembo brakes and modifications to the front and rear to give the car an aggressive pressence. Many have criticized GM for not bringing over the V6 AWD version of their Opel Insignia OPC but the company reasoned that  the car would have been closer to $46k and pushed most Buick buyers away. I would tend to agree and I believe the car is priced closer to where the market will find someone to take this car for a spin. The Regal GS is available in only a 6 speed manual at launch and the transmission was smooth and the clutch was soft and sporty shifting was effortless.

The GS is one of the more interesting cars I have recently driven due to its seemingly quiet and completely dulcet fashion in which it urges itself forward. On a drive through California and Arizona the GS induced miles of grins as I would downshift to build up the boost and then throw the car into the left lane to pass slower traffic. The Regal isn’t fast in the brutal sense of a car such as the CTS-V or other purely insane cars, but  it simply excels as a cruiser about town or as a grand touring car. The interior was comfortable enough in the front and rear seats to call it a luxury sedan but many interiors in this class do a better job at comfort and sleek interior design than the ironically named, Regal, would suggest.

The handling of the car in “GS” or “Sport” modes was very European in feel, even for a Front Wheel Drive vehicle, and rarely did I have a reason to wish the car was AWD due to an abundance of torque steer or under steer. the Regal is on the right track to give owners over at Acura or Lexus a reason to look at the direction the company is headed. The design inside an out of the standard Regal may not be enough to give buyers the nudge into  domestic luxury brand but I believe the Regal GS looks sleek enough and has the right amount of fun factor to interest a few buyers who want something exciting to drive and can’t really afford to jump into cars with an AMG badge. I just wish they would have shipped a few of the cars over with the V6 and AWD in matte black with a Grand National badge slapped onto it.

]]> http://www.theignitionblog.com/2012/02/27/road-test-2012-buick-regal-cxl-turbo-gs/feed/ 0 http://www.theignitionblog.com/2012/01/30/first-look-2013-srt-dodge-viper/ http://www.theignitionblog.com/2012/01/30/first-look-2013-srt-dodge-viper/#comments Tue, 31 Jan 2012 05:02:06 +0000 Nolan Browning http://theignitionblog.com/?p=1502

Tonight the SRT team has shown a glimpse of the new Viper that should be appearing in full form at the 2012 New York Auto Show in April. The new Viper will drop the Dodge name for the 2013 model year and instead be marketed as an SRT vehicle. The vehicle is said to have a re-tuned version of the 8.4L V-10 engine that borrows new technology from Fiat-owned Maserati and Ferrari. The new Viper is said to ask a much higher price than the last 2010 model at north of $100k and closer to $140k when it hits show rooms in the Spring of 2013.

The vehicle will have a more refined interior and feature items like Traction Control and other safety features that were not present on the prior model it replaces.

We will keep you updated on any new information on one of the most exciting debuts from Chrysler in the company’s recent history.

More more information continue to check for updates from Allpar.com and follow the SRT team on Facebook

After the excursions there was a final experience, a very special wine tasting hosted by the famous Michael Green and a special cooking demonstration by renowned chef, Michael Psilakis. In this very special demonstration Michael shared a special recipe as well as some great stories about his past and his various inspirations. It was truly a unique experience to be in the presence of such great creativity and talent. Buick and Michael even went so far as to give everyone a signed copy of Micheal’s new book, “How to Roast a Lamb”. Overall I think Buick accomplished what they set out to prove… If we open our minds and try to break the preconceived ideas of what we think we know,You can be pleasantly surprised.

We visited the LA Auto Show and were there to give you the best coverage of all the concepts and debuts from
the show floor. Check out the pics in the slideshow above or click on the “More” link below to view the gallery of all the photos we captured.

All photos courtesy of Jim Donnelly Photo

Life is full of polar opposites. For every man in a corner office endlessly gazing over spreadsheets there is a man who prides himself in the amount of light bulbs he can eat in one sitting. As much as the one looks down on the other, there is an unspoken acknowledgment that the one begat the other. And so we have come to a crossroads where two monsters of the luxury market meet. The Audi A8L is a car for the highfalutin, practical, and overall respectable drivers of the world. The Cadillac CTS-V is more of a car for those who exude adrenaline, take life as it comes, and for those who may have a slight tendency to keep their right foot planted to the floor. Both of the vehicles will require a check north of $70k and both offer the prestige and notoriety that you expect from brands like Cadillac and Audi. We have decided to dive deeper into both of these adversarial vehicles and present the information so that you may answer the  metaphorical question for yourself… will it be the blue pill or the red pill?

First we shall dive in to the all new 2011 Audi A8L and look to see what this may offer to anyone seeking the softer side of luxury. The new A8 offers a progressive vision of Audi’s new styling design and yet retains the basic silhouette of many of the other vehicles in the current lineup. Up front you will find a massive chrome grill and the now expected LED details in the headlamps. The side profile shows that the line extending from the front fender extends flat to the rear and gives the car the presence of a large luxury sedan. The rear end keeps with some of the rounded Audi characteristics and yet remains sleek and tight. The overall exterior styling is elegant but will not make the car jump out in traffic and only the keenest of viewers will notice the flagship’s large chrome face darting around on the highway. The interior in the new A8L is truly something to behold and is preferred by this author to any of the competition from the 7 series or S class. Light beige leather and suede cloth cover most of the interior seats and door trim. The large display screen pops out of the center dash and offers a great control interface to make changes to the audio system, navigation, and even the driving dynamics of the car.

The drive in the Audi A8 is quiet and relaxed. The leather seats are heated, ventilated, and also have a massage function that does a fantastic job to relax the driver. The type of buyer for the Audi A8 will want a car that can seal them away from the noise and chaos of the outside world and desire a soft,calm , and relaxing cabin for the drive home from the office. The 4.2L V8 engine, with its 372 horsepower, is powerful  and swift without being harsh or uncomfortable in its acceleration. It will be more than adequate in many situations to propel the driver down the road and move the 4400lb German sedan out of its own way.

The Cadillac CTS-V, on the other hand, is for those who are more likely to kill an “ant with a sledgehammer.” No person needs to have 556 hp to go fast or have fun while driving. But if that kind of power is available… There will always be the type of person who has to have it, and will find ways to use every inch of the cars ability. As we found from our previous review of the CTS-V sedan, the car does a fantastic job at being relaxed and comfortable in many normal driving situations while being completely out of control and viscous at the command of your right foot. As if the Cadillac didn’t already look enough like the evil spawn of Darth Vader and automobile, the Black Diamond edition paint color gives the menacing vehicle and even greater aura of darkness. The powerful presence is emphasized by the dramatic lines of the coupe’s styling and the large smoke colored wheels that hide enormous yellow break calipers. The first time you see the see the Black Diamond CTS-V Coupe you get a awkward and excited feeling in your body that couldn’t be described in language from anything lower than a PG-13 movie. I would imagine that the kind of driver who purchases an Audi A8 has no idea that vehicles like this even exist and would not be able to fathom the necessity of something so absurd. The Cadillac scoffs at the Audi’s 27mpg highway rating and gobbles up fuel at a rate of about 17mpg on a good day. Most driver’s with any sort of pulse will get closer to 9 miles to the gallon and get to their destination in a prompt and smokey fashion. The best noise in the world can be discovered by revving the Cadillac up to the rev limiter in 2nd gear and having the car bellow out a growl that will knock the air out of you. The interior of the CTS-V is comfortable enough and the sport seats make for good support through the corners. While I could go on about the entertainment system and the heated seats, this car is not about that and the sheer performance of the car is the main selling point.

Both cars are fantastic in their own regards… The CTS-V will give anyone an intense rush and be a fantastic alternative to sky diving for the thrill seekers out there in the world. The Audi A8L is probably the most luxurious car I have ever had the pleasure of driving and the massaging seats will be forever missed by my buttocks. The A8L may be the better choice for those looking to get a blend of sensible daily driver and fun ride when forced to do so. But nothing will ever replace the way the Cadillac makes you feel or the presence that is felt by others around you when you drive the car through town. Both of these vehicle are at the top of their segments and show the pinnacle of what can be experienced in the Luxury Sedan and Luxury Sport markets. So no matter if you decide to take the red or the blue pill, you will end up grinning like a fool when driving in the beauty of the luxurious Audi or holding on for your life in the beast of a Cadillac.

The A7 is stunning to look at…with its masculine lines, wide stance, and swooping rear end. The car is  perfect from every angle. The S-Line kit really gives it the sporty look it deserves, from the S-Line bumpers down to the 20″ ten-parallel-spoke wheels.

Interior Quality: 10/10

Audi’s MMI Touch Interface is what surprised me the most about this car. The interface does a great job integrating the audio, navigation and telephone controls into one easy to use system. The thumb wheel control is very easy to use and most drivers will intuitively use it after driving the vehicle.  Audi has also integrated a “Touchpad Operating System” so the driver can write the letters of the destination or the digits of a telephone number without taking his eyes off the road. The A7 also includes heaters and coolers in the front seats, which is about the greatest amenity to have. You don’t realize how much you use them until they are gone. Another great feature of the MMI system is that Audi has integrated Google Earth into the standard navigation system. When you are driving, the Google Maps navigation actually shows the terrain, street views of the businesses or residences, and you can even set which elevation to view the map from.

When the car was dropped off to us, the man said, “don’t forget to check out the Wireless Network inside the car.” I was a little skeptical; thinking he might have mis-understood some of the features in the car. But, to my surprise, it really does have its own built-in Wireless 3G Network. As soon as we sat down inside, all of our phones and iPads recognized the “Audi” 3G network.

Driving Experience: 10/10

The A7 has three different driving modes to choose from: Comfort, Dynamic and Automatic. With Comfort selected, it’s like driving on a cloud. Even when driving over bumps or potholes, you can’t even feel them. With Dynamic selected, the suspension stiffens, steering is more agile and throttle response is quicker. With Automatic selected, the car will adjust the settings based on driving conditions or driver inputs.

Overall, the A7 was a blast to drive, both around town and on the freeway. Around town, I kept the car in Dynamic mode for a more sporty feel. Taking off from stop lights was the best feeling in Dynamic; mash on the gas and you’re gone! Freeway driving in Comfort mode was great as well, so very smooth, especially cruising along with the seat heaters or coolers on. I couldn’t ask for a better ride!

Affordability: 9/10

The A7 is a fabulous car. I can’t think of one bad thing to say about it.  I think the price is fair, especially with all the features mentioned above. In its price range is the Mercedes CLS, BMW 6 Series and the high-end of the BMW 5 Series. The base price of the CLS is well above even the “As Tested” Audi price of $71,300, which is a bit much to pay for a base model car; just to roll around with the Mercedes crest on the front. The BMWs are a bit more in line with the Audi, with the 535xi starting off at $54,550 or the 550i starting out at $61,700. The 6 Series, on the other hand, starts at $73,600 just for the base coupe! As for the convertible, that will set you back at least $81,100! After looking at most of the contenders, as far as price and same level cars, my choice would still be the A7. I would rather have a fully loaded car baring a less common name badge than a base model car baring a well-known name for the same price, if not a little less!

Vehicle:

2012 Audi A7 S-Line

Exterior Color:

Interior Color:

Engine: 3.0 TFSI V6 Quattro

310 hp/325 lb-ft Torque

Transmission: Eight-Speed Tiptronic Automatic

MSRP: $59,250

As Tested: $68,630

Exterior Styling: 10/10

Exterior Photo Gallery:

Interior Photo Gallery:

Photography provided by Rob Castaniero. Larger Pics and more of Rob’s work can be seen on FLICKR

VS.

So as we finally start to see a large amount of the BMW F10 5-series driving around Los Angeles lately, I wanted to stop and make an observation that this may be one of the more drastic improvements on a car model line in some years. The Chris Bangle years for BMW have now come and gone and there is no more “flame surfacing” to be seen on many of the current lineup. The new F10 5 Series is now a strong and sporty sedan that I would not be ashamed to be seen in. The E60 always seemed too bulky and out of place in the BMW lineup; I would also say the same about the 6 series of the Bangle era. Would love to get some other opinions on notable changes to a car model that drastically improved from the outgoing model? Sent your tweets to @theignitionblog and let us know what you think.

It’s hard to even know where to start on this particular article. The state of the Saab brand is progressively getting worse day after day since we took the keys of the all new 2011 Saab 9-5. The company had been given little attention by GM during its ownership and then had seemed to find some gleam of hope from auto maker Spyker in 2010 when they had assumed ownership. Then earlier this year Saab had ran out of money and Spkyer has struggled since to find financial support from Sweden and several companies in China. The most recent news is that many of the suppliers for the company have moved to force Saab into bankruptcy to resolve their debt issues. Saab workers are worried about receiving paychecks and dealers are ordering vehicles like this new 9-5 and the all new 9-4x in quantities that you can count on your hand. It seems that the company that was “Born from Jets” is no longer soaring and it looking like only a miracle akin to walking on water that would keep the company around to see any additional new models. The new 9-5 has the looks to be a contender… but is it enough?

The new Saab 9-5 was developed while mostly under GM ownership and the actual platform underneath is shared with the newer Buick Lacrosse which we had tested last year. The Saab felt similar to the Lacrosse in ride comfort but the chassis felt a lot more stiff and made the 9-5 drive fairly sporty for a large Front Wheel Drive vehicle that should do anything but handle well. The standard model in which we tested was equipped with the turbocharged 2.0l 4 cylinder engine which produces 220 horsepower and 258 lbs of magical torque. The 4 cylinder is marketed by Saab as BioPower due to its ability to use ethanol gasoline and has rear badging proclaiming this nearly irrelevant feature. The power was smooth and the 6 speed automatic was refined and helped the engine to be used when most efficient for power and fuel economy on the highway. The EPA estimated fuel economy with the automatic is 17 city and 27 mpg highway. We observed around 23mpg average with a mix of mostly highway driving and the estimates could easily be achieved with a less aggressive right foot. The Saab is not the fastest luxury sedan around with the cylinder motor and takes nearly 8 seconds to reach 60 mph, and yet the local police seemed to love the car. I was pulled over twice while in the Saab 9-5… more than any other vehicle that I have even owned personally. I believe much of this attention was due to the unique exterior styling of the car (at least that’s my story and I’m sticking to it).

The new 9-5 was a car that I never expected to get so much attention on the road. Most drivers will rarely be able to distinguish a Saab on the road and many may not even know what in the world a Saab is. The 9-5 however is one of the sleekest and plainly handsome cars that Saab has ever built and simply shined in the Oak Metallic paint. It is based off of some of the design cues that went into concepts like the Saab Aero concept of 2007. The exterior features a distinct use of LED lights on the front and rear. The rear end may be one of the more distinguishing things on the highway and you could see many people point stare as you drove by. The curved rear end leads up to a very sleek c-pillar that starts to make the 9-5 stand out. Up front the nose looks sophisticated and strong, just enough older Saab styling to be distinguishable and great new lines that make the car look very modern. This very “Saab-like” look and feel continued into the interior of the car as well.

The interior of this new 9-5 featured a nice tan leather with brown and sand colored accents. Some of the elements were obviously borrowed from the GM parts bin including the steering wheel and the Navigation and Audio interface. The rest or the layout was distinguished enough to be recognized as a Saab and had a quality feel in terms of fit and finish. The Saab had a very unique gauge readout that allowed for a choice to view the speedometer as if you were in a fighter jet and a “Night Mode” for the dash lights which blacked out everything except the needle and numbers on the speedometer. To me it was these small elements that made the car quirky enough to be unforgettable and made for a nice conversation piece for any passengers entering the car. I’d imagine the complete nerdiness of that last statement will also be shared by the chosen few who purchase this vehicle. The quirky factor of this car did not stop at simple tricks like the gauge cluster magic. This car became known to us during the week as the “nanny car” for the various warnings and functions that would yell at you while driving. The Saab 9-5 was equipped with a lane departure warning system, blind spot monitors on the mirrors, and a setting that would notify you if you had reached a “high speed” such as 80mph. All this translated into mostly frustration over helpfulness and I would have turned it off if time and my patience would have allowed for it. The seating room was great overall and the rear legroom was much larger than many competitors in this segment like the BMW 5 series and Mercedes E Class. The Saab is also slightly cheaper than many cars its size with a price tag around $45k with the options we had on our tester.

The most recent news today is that Saab has finally been forced to file bankruptcy to protect itself from the creditors that have been closing in in recent months. This is supposed to give the company enough time to restructure itself and help make the deals it needs to with Chinese firms Pang Da and Youngman. The story so far in the market for this Saab 9-5 is no fairy tale as the sales each month are hoping just to break into the hundreds. In my week in the new Saab I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed its comfortable ride and quirky styling elements. The real downfall of the car and the brand itself is that there are just so many cars competing in this segment and the little things that make the Saab 9-5 stand out just aren’t enough. The Saab is truly a good car and anyone in the market that wants to stand out of the sea of Audi and BMWs on the highway should have no fear looking to the 9-5 to fill that void. It is just a real shame that that sea of sedans from Germany may pull the whole company under and we could lose another automotive icon.

Photos of the Saab 9-5 provided by Jim Donnelley

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