First of all, let's talk a bit about the 2008 Saab 9-3 Turbo X. When we first saw the Darth Vader-like sedan from Trollhättan, we were impressed by it's Swedish looks, the engine under the hood and the bits n' pieces connecting the power to the road. Why wouldn't we be? We're talking about a Saab with an intercooled turbo'ed 2.8-liter V6 under the hood with an output of 280 horses mated to a six-speed manual transmission and a fourth-generation Haldex XWD system to put the 295 lb-ft of torque to good use.

But it doesn't just have all the right pieces. As we've already said — it also looks good — from the 18" black-rim wheels to the interior evoking the look and feel of the classic black Saab 900 Turbo. Even the steering wheel's purpose-built for performance.

But enough, let's move on to the test procedure which is what we were all here for anyway. GM asked the Corvette Racing support team from Pratt & Miller to break away from their Jakegasm for the day to time the laps, and behind the steering wheel of each of the vehicles they dropped the Scandinavian sensation Jan Magnussen and sent him out on the track to do some laps on both a dry and wet track. Yes, that's the same Jan Magnussen with 25 Formula 1 starts, and triple Le Mans 24 hours wins for Corvette Racing. Good guy to have behind the wheel, right?

Each of the vehicles were sent out as stock, and all of them were sent out with traction control nanny systems fully engaged. So how'd the Turbo X do? Well, it's a GM event, so how'd you think they did? Actually, surprisingly better than expected. On the dry track, the Turbo X garnered commendable middle-of-the-road status, beaten by the Subaru WRX STi and the M3 by a couple of seconds and the 3-series by only a few tenths of a second. The Turbo X surprisingly put away the A4 by almost 2.5 seconds.

But it was on the wet track that that new 4th-generation Haldex XWD system really appeared to prove its mettle — blowing away the A4 Quattro, besting the Subie and dropping behind the best M3 lap time by only one tenth of a second.

While that's great for Saab to have a product that can take on the best of the mid-size performance sedans, it's still only a limited-run vehicle. Approximately 600 of the 2,000 special edition 9-3's produced will make it across the ocean to be snatched up by Saab-ophiles, which is not enough to really make a dent in the marketplace. Still, with that understated look and those respectably tough performance numbers, it's an interesting choice for performance-minded buyers of mid-size sedans. That is if you happen to be one of the lucky few able to snatch up this spicy Swedish meatball. But we guess that's the point. Saab marketing folks hope the 9-3x will build a buzz about their cross-wheel drive system that'll be hitting the rest of the 9-3 lineup in the near-term future, and expanding to, you know, other Saab models shortly. In that, we think, they've accomplished what they'd set out to do.

We'd have liked to provide a bit more detail on our experience driving the new 2008 Saab Turbo X after the day's testing was complete. However, because the boss's left foot got a little bit heavy — and a lot bit forgetful — we didn't get more than a lap and a half. And by "we," we mean him. We'll just let his sidebar explanation over yonder explain that one to you. Suffice it to say, the Saab folks were mighty good sports, and our intrepid boss was mighty red-in-the-face at the end of the day as he remembered exactly why his road test editor was given the responsibility for track-days.

• Viscous Limited-Slip rear Differential (VLSD)
• Solid-magnesium paddle shifters mounted on steering column
• Split 7-spoke 18-inch aluminum-alloy wheels with W-rated summer performance tires
• Larger brakes
• Unique front fascia and side sills
• Front sport seats with thigh extension and driver's power torso and thigh support
• Unique sport steering wheel stitching
• Aluminum pedals

That's a pretty healthy pile of parts for free, or actually not really free. Wonder if they'll be fixing the little boo boo now?

Unfortunately, two of our favorite AWD cars are not available in the US. We think that both the Volkswagen Crossfox (pictured above) and the Fiat Panda would be great additions to the American market. Anyone? Anyone?

But you tell us, what's your favorite AWD car? And just to get it out of the way, we include all AWD/4x4/symmetrical/asymmetrical/two-engined Hyundais... whatever. It's gotta be a car and it's gotta put power down through all four wheels.

CL 4MATIC: Luxury CL 500 Coupé with all-wheel drive for first time -Even better traction on slippery surfaces -The latest-generation 4MATIC system

From summer 2008, Mercedes-Benz will also be offering all-wheel drive for its luxury CL-Class coupé for the first time. The new CL 500 4MATIC offers even greater traction and handling stability in the wet, in snow or on ice. Mercedes-Benz is equipping the CL 500 4MATIC with the same latest-generation all-wheel drive system which is also proving its merit in the S-Class. 4MATIC is permanently active and therefore requires no response time to come to the driver's aid in unfavourable weather and driving conditions. As a result, critical situations can be mastered with greater ease.
The heart of the all-wheel drive system is a transfer case with a central differential, which has been integrated into the seven-speed automatic transmission. From here, the drive torque is split between the front and rear axle at a ratio of 45 to 55. Another new feature is the twin-plate clutch at the central differential. This produces a basic locking effect of around 50 Newton metres between the front and rear axle, which allows variable torque shift between the axles as the situation dictates and thereby achieves further significant improvements in traction and stability in the 4MATIC models.
Mercedes-Benz combines 4MATIC as standard with the Electronic Stability Program ESP® and the 4ETS traction system, which brakes spinning wheels as required, increasing the drive torque to the wheels with good grip. The automatic brake pulses which increase traction when pulling away on slippery surfaces and can improve active safety in critical situations are metered by the system on the basis of sensor signals.
This allows 4ETS to achieve the effect of conventional differential locks while offering more comfort than the technology found in other all-wheel drive cars. Weighing just 70 kilograms, the new permanent all-wheel drive system developed by Mercedes-Benz is the lightest drive system of its kind.
Extra-efficient all-wheel drive technology: no fuel penalty in 4MATIC model
Beneath the bonnet of the new CL 500 4MATIC is a cutting-edge eight-cylinder engine with an output of 285 kW/388 hp and 530 Newton metres of torque, which is on tap between 2800 and 4800 rpm. The combined fuel consumption on the NEDC driving cycle is 12.1 litres per 100 kilometres, which places it on a par with the rear-wheel drive version of the CL 500 - a further bonus of the new, highly efficient Mercedes all-wheel drive system. The CL 500 4MATIC requires just 5.4 seconds to accelerate from zero to 100 km/h, and reaches an electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h.
The new 4MATIC model in the CL-Class range is characterised by the same high-quality safety and comfort features as the luxury coupé with rear-wheel drive, and additionally offers PASSION leather appointments, a ski bag, multicontour front seats and 18-inch nine-spoke light-alloy wheels. Other Mercedes innovations available as an option include the radar-based Brake Assist PLUS, the PRE-SAFE® brake and night view assist.

[Source: Mercedes]