As we mentioned last month, Saab is using the limited-edition Turbo X as a way of introducing the Haldex-sourced XWD system — as well as more turbos and a more distinct styling — to the entire lineup. With a 286 HP turbocharged V6, 294 lb-ft of torque available at 2,150 RPM and that high-tech all wheel drive system mated to either a six-speed manual or a paddle-shifting six-speed auto, this Saab doesn't look much like the 900's of yore — and it doesn't perform like one either.

So what's it like behind the wheel of this terror from Trollhättan? On the short closed course and the available public street routes, the Turbo X is practically heroic. Pegging the throttle not only rewards with a glorious engine note somewhere between "angry four-banger" and "loping V8," but when the well-executed torque curve pins you to the seat as you hit a long straight, the car feels like a performance car is supposed to feel — like you're a test pilot hurtling upward into an ever-darker pool of blue sky.

The first time I used the throttle to steer the car through a fast sweeping corner, I found myself wondering if we had been dropped off into a parallel universe. In past Saabs, the only thing the throttle was good for was acquainting you with the curb. Second and third for the notchy manual transmission are like some kind of magical happy fun-time selectors. At the limit of grip, the car communicates beautifully, so easy to balance you'll find yourself plotting your next four-wheel drifting opportunity.

Throughout the tests I left the traction control in full nanny mode to simulate true Saabiness. To my surprise I was happy to find the Turbo X's nanny was the lazy kind, only checking in every once in a while to make sure you're not about to stuff it into a post, but generally letting you run true to course. I pushed both the sedan and the SportCombi hard, and never once found the traction control a burden. Speaking of the two models, here's a funny little secret — if you don't look in your rear view mirror, you'll never be able to tell the two apart on the track.

But that's the manual transmission. What about the Black Knight's snazzy six-speed manumatic? Good, but not great. If you find yourself unable to coordinate clutch, shift knob and wheel simultaneously (sorry boss!), it's a good alternative. Dropped onto the track in full auto, shifting lags and doesn't quite deliver what the engine and XWD system are capable of. Switch it into manumatic via the "+/-" gate and it's a whole new animal. While the shift points remain a little muddy, the system will generally obey your commands and allow you to abuse the rev range with abandon. If you bounce between second and third, performance is pretty respectable. If you let it hang in a gear, it actually feels like a manual transmission — stabbing the throttle will give the same instant-on power feel.

On the street and in traffic, the cars have a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde quality to them. They're perfectly happy to plod along in Boston's cramped streets and the light — almost too light (Hey, maybe we're starting to see why Wert's normal high-intensity foot-mashing was so dangerous!) — clutch won't tire even the weakest of left leg. However, drop either transmission down a cog or two and that gorgeous exhaust note fills the cabin, encouraging and calling out to you to engage in random acts of silliness.

At the end of the day, the 2008 Saab 9-3 Turbo X isn't some kind of Saabvior, it's more of a missionary man for the brand. With only 600 slated for US shores and half already spoken for, the Turbo X won't be setting any sales records, but it will be raising eyebrows. Saab is having a very "Cadillac in 1999" moment, checking out the market and thinking "Hey, we could really shake things up here." The Turbo X manages to maintain a lot of what's great about a Saab, while eschewing those stodgy stereotypes and pushing the limit on the brand's past. It manages to surprise and delight just by existing. We just wonder how all the patch-elbowed tweed jacket-wearing college professors feel about that.

Two reasons. First, there's the public message, as noted by the NYTWA executive director:

"Taxi drivers sometimes use the cars in their private time. Why should they tell the TLC where they are going on a Sunday with their family? This is an invasion of privacy..."

"If they let people pay with the cards, the IRS will know how much we're making in tips. Why should the IRS know that and take my money from me?"

Best Looking Se7en

From the moment it pulled into the Tapoco Lodge's parking lot Ed Hudson's 1998 Caterham Superlight R caught my eye and refused to give it back. Painted in classic Jaguar racing green with black carbon fiber bits (nosecone and fenders) this Superlight has a positively menacing stance. Also nice were the gullwing-ish half doors and carbon weave seats. Sadly, my clumsy camera work does it no justice. This Se7en would be perfect for that rare occasion that Mad Max had to attend a black tie function. A truly sinister beaut.

We Jam Econo Davey G Johnson Memorial Obscure Punk Reference Award

Due to a camera malfunction (I'm an idiot) we don't have any photos of Paul & Terry Brocious's Locost. [Update: Al Navarro to the rescue!] Which is a shame. A Locost is a homebuilt Se7en (as opposed to from a manufacturer). The phenomenon started with the publication of Ron Champion's book, Build Your Own Sports Car for as Little as £250 and Race It!. Paul (son) and Terry (father) had never even heard of a Se7en before Terry, "found plans floating around the internet." The duo built their Locost in 7 months time for around $6,000. The heart of their car is a Yamaha R1 engine. OK, it's not a Hyabusa, but still, the sucker revs to 14,000 rpm in a heart beat and blats out 170 hp. Absolutely perfect for a Se7en.

What truly makes the Brocious's car stand out is its homemade sequential paddle shifter. Just imagine banging through the gears with such a fast motor. It's like a homegrown F1 car, only several million cheaper. Almost as cool, is how they got the Locost to move backwards. To reverse, you pull a lever under the dash which engines a winch motor from an ATV. If it dies, big deal, go buy another winch motor. Another great touch was the front traverse leaf spring. Not only does it help to Americanize the car (and spin Chapman round and round in his grave), but is has to be a Se7en first. Oh, and the seats? From a Pontiac Montana. Locost indeed.

The Reason No One Died Award

Do you see that turbo? It's the size of a watermelon! And happens to be attached to a JDM SR20 motor. How much power are we talking? "Could be 600 hp," answered Bob Drye, the head of Champion Motor Cars. That's Viper power in car that weighs half as much. There aren't any doors, either. Bob says "could be" because his suicide-solution Se7en just didn't get finished in time. Still, he was kind enough to trailer it down from Virginia for all of us to stare nervously at. And I'm still breathing.

Blaze Of Glory: The Sophisticated Hoon

When Paul Roupas first dropped the hammer in his Deman USA SR27 I thought I was dead. Not because he's a poor driver (quite the opposite, actually), but because physical matter doesn't move that quickly. It was as if I was no longer bound by Newton's laws. It also didn't help that my head got smashed against the rock hard racing seat. I asked Paul and his business partner Dino Trakas about the engine. The turbocharged SR20 DET savagely dyno'd 320 hp at the wheel. Which means the motor is good for around 375 hp. And the SR27 weighs 1,400 lbs. Which is insane! If I had to guess, 60 mph shows up in about 3 seconds.

Halfway up the Dragon we stopped for photos and Paul asked if I wanted to drive it down. I should have said, "duh" but instead I politely replied, "yes." The experience from the driver's seat was quite different. The SR27 is a piece of precision machinery. There were no squeaks, rattles or detectable weaknesses. True, the stage IV clutch rendered first gear a pipe dream, but the Deman pulled as strongly in 4th as it did in 2nd. Even more impressive was the handling. Obviously, by their very nature, all Se7ens are the stuff of track day dreams. But the SR27 was even more exacting. Credit the wider front track (also an option on many Caterhams) and stiffened everything else. While the passenger seat may very well have been the most frightening place I've ever sat, from behind the wheel, I've never felt more in control.

Paul echoed my sentiments. See, when I got in the SR27 it only had 351 kilometers on the odometer. "I've never ridden in the passenger seat," Paul explained as I played psychotic bootlegger towards the North Carolina border. "How is it?" I asked him while mashing the rocket booster go pedal. "Scary!" he shouted. Massive Jalopnik bonus points for featuring the world's loudest blow off valve. Every throttle lift and upshift resulted in an infinitely pleasing, "Whoooosh!" It also happens to look great. In a word, fantastic. And the SR27 can be yours for $55,000.

Los Jalop Daily Driver

At 6'6", Doug Beckett is an unlikely Se7en proponent. Until he starts talking and you hear his Northern English brogue. He'll quickly tell you that when he lived in Old Blighty he worked on Jags, TVRs and Rolls-Royces for a living. Then he'll climb into his fiberglass, 1130 lbs. bright orange baby and, well, it all makes sense.

Doug is the President of Raleigh based Autopro Motorsports and his sole product (at the moment) is a 1992 Miata powered Westfield 7. In fact his car is essentially a cannibalized Miata. The engine, transmission, differential drive shaft (sorry Doug, "prop shaft"), axle shafts, front and rear suspension components, brakes, steering bits, wiring, exhaust and even the instruments are all Mazda. While this particular car uses the first generation 1.6-liter, the frame can accommodate later 1.8-liter mills.

It's cheap, too, with the kit starting at "$18,000 or $19,000" (one of the first things you learn when dealing with Se7en owners, is that numerical precision really isn't a top priority. The second is that you can pick 'em out of a crowd by the exhaust pipe burns on the back of their ankles and the gravel in their left ears) plus the cost of the donor car. This complete turnkey example will set you back a quite reasonable $28,950. Parts can of course be found anywhere. It's quick to build, too. Doug claims the build took him about 90 hours total and the only parts that didn't snap together were the steering and drive shafts, which had to be cut down at a local welding shop. The car's quality was exceptional, and most in attendance agreed that Doug's Westfield had that certain something that set it apart.

Other Se7ens were undeniably faster (see above) and perhaps even handled better. After a trip up and down the Dragon however, I knew this was the car I would take home. The APM Westy offered the perfect combination of raw sportiness and leisurely cruising that you can only find in a Se7en. Plus of course, like most of the others, it looks like the cat's pajamas. Doug plans on building and selling a dozen cars per year along with about 25 kits. I hope he sells a million.

Hoon Of The Dragon

It can only be Michael Dougherty, as he chased down and caught a Porsche GT3. And he had the gaul to call me crazy...

Honorary Jalopnik Fantasy Garage Inductee

Meet the Rotus. What started out a stupid, racist joke has become one of the most mind-blowing vehicles I've ever had the privilege of driving. Most rumors hold that the name Rotus is due to the fact that these cars came with rotary engines. Not true. Custer Toyota in Fredrick, Maryland thought it would be a funny name for their Japanese-parts Se7ens that used AGE Toyota Twincam engines. Get it? The Japanese can't say their Rs. While it is true that one or two wankels got tossed in under the bonnet, what sets Mazda Ebrahimi's Rotus apart is that he managed to wedge in a 440 hp LS1 small block. Let's recap before we move on: An Iranian-American named Mazda owns a Japanese-American British-themed Se7en that features a Chevy 350. If that's not Fantasy Garage material, nothing is.

If the Deman SR27 defies Newtonian physics, the Rotus messes with Einstein. It bends time and space. Weighing 1700 lbs and sending 380 horses to the wheel, Mazda freely admits that his Rotus has a hard time laying all that power down. "Other Se7ens might have me from 0-60 mph," he explained. "But I have them from 60-150 mph." And everything else on planet earth, too. All star Commenter Danio3834 is always quick to point out the difference between Japanese and American horsepower. As much as I hate to agree with him, he's right. And here's the difference.

Photographer Brian's Hair After A Run In The Rotus

In the SR27, being belted into the passenger seat is horrifying. Yet, once you get behind the wheel, all that minimally-lagged power is quite manageable. Thrilling, sure, but you can work with it. The Rotus is always horrifying. The brand new 434 hp LS3 powered Corvette does the 0-60 romp in 4.4 seconds and weighs 1,500 lbs more! This monster has to be hitting sub-3. But again, exact numbers don't matter as the Rotus hits 80 mph faster than you can start urinating. Did I mention the brakes? Again, Corvettes stop exceptionally well for 3,200 lbs. vehicles. Mazda fitted Corvette brakes to the Rotus. I can barely describe the stopping power. Long story short, it hurts. And the very best part? It runs an unregistered copy of Windows XP. Still handles like a Se7en, too.

There you have it. The 2007 Jalopnik Se7en Se7en Se7en Awards. I know I missed a lot of great cars and a lot of great people. Which is why USA7s need to invite us back next year.

Turns out Se7en owners are some of the friendliest out-and-out hoons you'll ever be lucky enough to meet. Perhaps more so than with any other car make, a Se7en reflects its owner's off-camber personality (sorry MDorks). Gather 60 or so casual Porsche owners, you'd likely hear them tell of semi-legal stock trades, golf tips and hair plugs. Ferrari owners? Stories about getting Porsche owners' sentences reduced. But after two days with Se7en owners in the eye-popping, jaw-dropping, chart-topping, heart-stopping beauty of the Great Smoky Mountains, I now know the following: the proper protocol for frogging (walk down the center of the stream, shine light in frog's eyes, throw stunned frog into sack, repeat) and how to catch carp with my bare hands while kayaking. I even met an honest-to-goodness electrical engineer from Lucas Electronics. (Yep, he knew all the jokes.) Also, of course, I learned that Colin Chapman is God. But these men (and a lady or two) are not just quirky. They are very, very serious about driving. Case in point, my new buddy/hero Michael Dougherty chased down a procession of Porches and eventually caught the leader who was driving a GT3. Michael's Caterham Se7en makes around 170 horsepower.

Everyone Loves A Non-Parade

Back on point, the gathered Se7ens seemed endless in their variety. They came equipped with a wide range of engines from vehicles as diverse as a Miata, a Yamaha R1, a Datsun 210, a Vauxhall of some description and a Camaro. Such diverse hardware meant these seemingly identical cars all possess unique personalities dictated by nothing but their owners' preferences and budgets. Yet, such wildly divergent cars are all essentially identical. One Lotus Series I in attendance wielded a 75-hp brickbat, while Bob Drye, who once stuffed a 427 into a Manta Mirage, showed up with a turbocharged, SE20-engined Se7en that kicks out "about 600 horsepower." This paradox is one of the many things that make Se7ens such captivating cars. Another reason is Chapman himself.

"The Seven was the car I dreamed about as a schoolboy. When I got the chance to build it, it was the most basic, lightest, high performance little car we could come up with... a student's car if you will – a four-wheeled motorbike."

A Beautiful Birkin

The first car I drove over the Dragon was a Lotus Elise. Describing the experience as fantastic means I am a very lazy writer. It was utterly phenomenal. The petite mid-engined Brit danced across the Dragon's 318 corners. The tires seemed to be made not of rubber but pine tar. Even my "kick and stab" driving technique (read: poor) didn't phase it, as I managed to hit 80 mph and live.

Anyone Got $28,950 They Can Lend Me?

I then climbed out of the Elise and into an Autopro Motorsports Westfield Miata-powered Se7en and raced right back up the Dragon. Time for a confession. After an entire morning of being driven up and back down the Dragon as a Se7en passenger, I was two scabs past itching to drive one myself. Doug Beckett, the President of Autopro Motorsports, agreed to let me drive his very fine fiberglass example. As I'm pulling out of the parking lot Doug asks, "You've driven one of these before, eh?" I'm so sorry Doug! The car made me do it (or was it the black lab?). Anyhow, yes friends, the very first time I ever piloted a Se7en was on the Tail of the Dragon.

Holy mother of God was it incredible! Honestly, my first thought was, "The Elise is a fat pig! What a sloppy, silly car." If the Lotus felt like it had stickum on the tires, then the Westfield was riding on invisible train tracks. The whole affair was effortless. Even with a turn every 180 feet or so, there was virtually no need to hit the brakes. The superb suspension dispatched the majority of bends as if they didn't wind in the first place. If speed did need to be shed, the vehicle's low weight (about 1130 lbs. in this case) meant that I simply needed to heel-und-toe it down a notch. The engine took care of the rest, challenge bested. Put it this way: for the final three miles of our run Doug and I were behind a Yamaha R1 ridden by the type of guy that puts his knee to the ground every time he turns. In other words, he was caning it. Meanwhile, Doug and I were four car lengths back, having a conversation and loafing along in third gear. Yes, for reals.

Al & Mazda Atop The Tail Of The Dragon

Surprisingly, my favorite part of Se7en Se7en Se7en did not occur behind the wheel. I had (finally!) found my hotel at 2:00 am Thursday night. And I dragged my sorry ass out of bed at 5:30 am to go on an early morning Dragon run. At approximately 6:30 am I met up with Al (Caterham Superlight R), Mazda Ebrahimi (LS1-powered Rotus), Norm Beaver (Caterham Se7en) and Michael Dougherty (Caterham 7) at Deal's Gap (fittingly, population: seven). Al had warned me his Superlight would be a little tight. Which is like saying Manute Bol is a little tall. I believe we finally used a shoehorn to get me seated.

Why We're Moving To Tennessee

And then our little caravan set off. There wasn't another soul on the road, just the four Se7ens cutting through the gorgeous morning fog as we wended our way to the top. For years I have been saying that California/Oregon coast right where the two states meet is the most beautiful place in America. Now I'm not so sure. There's a turn off at the top of the Dragon that over looks a bend in the river capped off by one of the Tennessee Valley's innumerable damns. Should it turn out that heaven exists, there's no way in hell it's any prettier. The sun even decided to burn through the clouds. All your picture perfect postcards are belong to the Dragon. The way back down was even more enjoyable, as the road had dried a bit and I rode in Mr. Dougherty's 100-times more comfortable Caterham. Anyway, as Al said, "Who knew 30 mph could be so fun?"

Population Se7en

Also notable was the "non-parade" (you have to get a permit to have a parade) where at 9:00 am Saturday morning around 40 Se7ens set off to traverse the Dragon. Even the most jaded Dragon watchers had to be impressed with the show of Se7en force. They even held an autocross on Sunday (which I sadly had to miss). Obviously, it was a tremendously planned and even better executed event that I'll keep with me till the end of my days. I mean, who else on earth can say that the first three cars they drove over the Tail of the Dragon were an Elise, a Se7en and a Hyundai Sonata (don't ask)? I even did the deed in the back of an F150, which legally I shouldn't talk about. Again, a big congratulations is in order to USA7s and Al Navarro for pulling off such a daring plan. As far as I know, only one speeding ticket was issued.

Tomorrow: Part II: The 2007 Jalopnik Se7en Se7en Seven Awards

Related:
I Am The Gert: Riding Shotgun In A Se7en Over Decker Canyon; All Your Kit Cars Are Belong to Carlisle;
Westfield to Build Hybrid Se7en Kit [Internal]

The Morley family has a released a statement of facts regarding the Macedonian trial of Nicholas Morley, which seems to jibe with what we've sussed ourselves about what went down the day before the 2007 Gumball 3000 came apart at the seams. According to the original accident investigator on the scene, as well as an investigator from nonprofit British organization TRL, Morley was traveling at or under 47 mph and would have had 1.6 seconds in which to stop from the point that Vladimir Cepuljoski pulled out in front of his Porsche. The full statement after the jump.

The initial accident investigation was carried out by a professional Macedonian investigator. His findings were reviewed and confirmed by Dr Richard Lambourn, an established expert in the field.
Dr Lambourn was an accident reconstruction specialist at the Metropolitan Police Forensic Science Laboratory for 23 years (1973-1996) and is currently a principal consultant at TRL, an independent, not-for-profit transport research firm and consultancy. It was the firm that reconstructed the car crash that caused the death of Diana, Princess of Wales.

The cause of the crash was a second vehicle pulling out of a minor road without warning and into Nicholas's path. The cause of the crash has not been disputed by the prosecution.

According to the defence expert witnesses, Nicholas had 1.6 seconds to respond to the second car's sudden appearance, causing him to react reflexively and swerve violently to the left. The defence experts concluded that the accident would have been unavoidable at 30mph (50kph).

The court declined to hear the evidence of the defence expert witnesses, although the testimony of the prosecution expert witness was heard.

Macedonia is party to the European Convention on Human Rights, Article 6 of which provides a detailed right to a fair trial. Under the Macedonian Criminal Code, the defence has a right to submit evidence.

The prosecution's accident investigator is not a professional in this field. He admitted in court that he is currently unemployed. He further admitted in court that the police sketch of the crash site on which he based his findings is inaccurate.

Dr Lambourn concluded that the accident investigation report relied on by the prosecution is "fundamentally flawed in its physical and mathematical reasoning." He further concluded that it was "quite impossible" that Nicholas's car was travelling at the 100mph (161kph) alleged by the prosecution.

The family of the Mr and Mrs Cepunjoski, who were tragically killed in the crash, have called for the court to release Nicholas.

Following the accident, Nicholas and his passenger, Matthew McConville, attempted to disentangle the vehicles and offer what assistance they could. They only left the scene after the injured persons had left the scene in local vehicles. Nicholas and Matthew then travelled to the border to alert the police.

Nicholas Morley and Matthew McConville spoke to the investigating judge at Qafasan, on the Macedonia/Albania border.

Nicholas Morley did not try to flee the country. He was released on bail, with no conditions or restrictions attached. He was free to leave the country.

Nicholas Morley, 30, is not a millionaire; he does not work in property.

Morley Family Gumball Accident Statement of Facts [Team Polizei]

Related:
Nick Morley Convicted in Gumball Crash, Gets Suspended Sentence; Trial Of Gumball 3000 Driver Expected To Wrap Up Today; Gumball 3000 Driver Forgiven by Victims' Family; Gumball 3000 Death Trial to Begin Friday; Fast As a Shark: East of Eden: The Fall of the Gumball 3000; Morley Released On Bail, Tries To Flee Macedonia In Private Jet, Arrested Again; Gumballers Nick Morley And Matthew McConville Arrested After Hit-And-Run Fatality [Internal]