[chelidon]

I haven't seen this one up here yet:

In a track event set up by Saab, with their 9-3 Turbo X special edition against an Audi A4 3.2 Quattro and the BMW 335xi, along with an 08 STI, and BMW M3, guess which car won on dry pavement? Not by much, but still.

2008 Saab Turbo X Hits The Track, Goes Head-To-Head With The Subaru WRX STi, BMW M3, BMW 3-Series And Audi A4

The Turbo X is a fine-looking car, and it's interesting to note that you should start to see 9-3s with their version of Haldex AWD all over the place starting next year. And they say the 08 Turbo X led the pack on wet pavement (didn't see any times, though), which is also interesting.

...and also that one of the reviewers managed to kill the clutch on the Turbo X later that day.

[GhoSStRyda]

only 600 of the 2000 production run will make it stateside... thats a pretty rare breed... i considered the 2008, 93 combisport xwd when i was shopping around but the car was not available then. i do like the sleek lines of their wagon. 2.8 turbo xwd 6mt wagon... nice set up~ but my 08 sti is still better

[GilMikalian]

wow, the STI beat the M3 around a track?

my neighbor checked out the Turbo X at the dealer and liked it but said it's not different enough from his current 9-3.

[freeman]

Originally Posted by GilMikalian

wow, the STI beat the M3 around a track?

my neighbor checked out the Turbo X at the dealer and liked it but said it's not different enough from his current 9-3.

The track was pretty wet,so i wouldn't surprise if the STi beat the E92 M3.

[GilMikalian]

For 60 large, I would want my ride to win no matter the track condition. On dry pavement, Edmunds got 4.5 for the STI and 4.8 for the M3 Sedan for 0-60 times and 1/4 mile times of 13.3 and 12.9, respectively.

Not to hijack the thread, but with all the M3 hype (and price ), I was expecting the M3 to soundly handle the STI. Oh, and please don't quote the Automobile Magazine review which had the 335xi come out ahead of the STI. I don't know what they were doing.

Back on topic, based on the performance numbers I see for the Turbo X, although it's one thing to say you use the M3 and STI as a performance benchmark, it's quite another to actually execute, which the Turbo X does not seem to do, on paper anyway.

[solovus]

Originally Posted by GilMikalian

wow, the STI beat the M3 around a track?

my neighbor checked out the Turbo X at the dealer and liked it but said it's not different enough from his current 9-3.

I wouldn't call 0.05 seconds a big win. I am simply impressed that the two (M3 and STi) were on par.

[paikman]

Originally Posted by solovus

I wouldn't call 0.05 seconds a big win. I am simply impressed that the two (M3 and STi) were on par.

Same, isn't that what the evo/STi have always been about? $35,000 cars (when stock) with similar to $60,000 performance.

[GilMikalian]

Originally Posted by solovus

I wouldn't call 0.05 seconds a big win. I am simply impressed that the two (M3 and STi) were on par.

I wouldn't either, that's why I didn't. I'm just impressed with the STI, especially with all the talk on these boards about how the STI has gone soft and not much of a step up, if at all, from previous gens. I guess the same would have to be said of the M3 then, if you're so inclined...which I am not.

[thekiffer]

I love the Saab's look. It uses a heavy haldex though so the weight of the car is pretty heavy and even the Saab owners were complaining about 280 horse power at 16 psi. Plus with limited numbers you will get no aftermarket and ultimately it is still a GM product......

[tyler_sti]

First off, who saw how bad the sti driver was? Looked like the car blew up on that first shift. And the sabb driver is driving with one hand! In the wet! Maybe if there were some real drivers, I would consider the results somewhat accurate. As for looks the interior has barley changed at all, and dosent seem appropriate for the cost.

Other than that the car seems pretty cool for what it is. But hey who is tracking a sabb any ways? And whats with that dam "from the people who make jets!" It's not a freaking jet, its a car! So what if they can engineer jets, the dam thing isn't flying. Such vague and un neccary marketing IMO.

[Brand]

Originally Posted by tyler_sti

First off, who saw how bad the sti driver was? Looked like the car blew up on that first shift. And the sabb driver is driving with one hand! In the wet! Maybe if there were some real drivers, I would consider the results somewhat accurate. As for looks the interior has barley changed at all, and dosent seem appropriate for the cost.

Other than that the car seems pretty cool for what it is. But hey who is tracking a sabb any ways? And whats with that dam "from the people who make jets!" It's not a freaking jet, its a car! So what if they can engineer jets, the dam thing isn't flying. Such vague and un neccary marketing IMO.

It was a good driver,3x 24hr Le Mans winner and 25 F1 starts. I just imagine that for him driving these cars is about like driving your grandma's wood-paneled wagon, and he has to do it contractually because he drives a GM car for Le Mans. I'd not give a **** either.

[chelidon]

Originally Posted by GilMikalian

wow, the STI beat the M3 around a track?

my neighbor checked out the Turbo X at the dealer and liked it but said it's not different enough from his current 9-3.

Another factor is that with only 600 in USDM (and reportedly most of those snapped up with pre-orders), I bet dealers are getting MSRP+, no bargains to be had there...

[Digitalfiend]

Originally Posted by tyler_sti

Other than that the car seems pretty cool for what it is. But hey who is tracking a sabb any ways?

The Saab Owners' Club of Canada Inc.

I did some of their driving school events (in my RSX and '05 STi) and they were very well run. It was funny though, one guy there with a SAAB was going on how his tuned car makes 280hp (crank) or something and was trying to outdrag my '05 on the entrance to the braking exercise. I was hitting about 115km/h before having to brake and he was just hitting about 90km/h...not to mention nothing there that day could outbrake the STi (the braking surface was wet too). Oh good times.

It's nice to see the '08 STI on par with the M3. It's unreal that a $35K car can keep pace with BMW's top 3-series vehicles. It now also looks right at home amongst those more refined cars. Now imagine if we were to be given the Spec-C...

[tyler_sti]

At a givin random track day. How many saabs do you see? I personaly have never seen one at the track. My point is most saab owners didnt buy the car with the track in mind. And no matter how many titles or "starts" that driver had, he still drove like he was on a sunday cruise. And anyone with some sense, knows that was paid off.

[JD_STI]

why the hell was that guy driving with one hand the entire time. wow.