saab turbo x

2008 Saab 9-3 Turbo X: First Drive, Again

When our fearless leader so elegantly blew the clutch on the only Saab 9-3 Turbo X in the country after the performance sedan spent a long tour of Europe and a hard day under the boot of Jan Magnussen, we thought getting an honest review of the car would be nigh impossible. We also thought Wert would never live down that new nickname — Chief Transmission Destroyer. But he has, and after the boss-man agreed to stay off the track until he got a few more heel-toe lessons, the fine folks at Saab invited us to sample the Turbo X again earlier this week at Saab's home-away-from-home — Boston. Having just returned from Beantown and some time reflecting on the drive, we have to admit, our world has been gently rocked.

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Why you should buy this car:
Odd vehicles fascinate you. You're open-minded and prepared to accept that a big, tall, heavy SUV can out-drive many a sports car. You always wanted a Lamborghini LM002 but are locked into a world of lease agreements. Your heart says sports car but your head says, "You live at the end of a dirt road in mountains that are snowbound nine months out of the year." Your own personal project car hell is creating the ultimate Dakar racer.

Why you shouldn't:
You think that lightness and simplicity are the be all and end all of automotive greatness. SUVs offend you. You need an SUV for off-roading and hauling manure. You have small children. The thought of $5 a gallon gas sends you into deep depression.

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Exterior Design: ***
Like many parts of the BMW X6, its looks are promising yet flawed. Doing a great job of disguising its bulk — the X6 is huge, that lip on the rear hatch is taller than an F-150's tailgate and the pictured wheels are 20-inchers — they're nevertheless awkward in some places — the huge rear end — and disappointingly conservative in others — the boring front. It's an extremely color sensitive shape; white showing off its surfaces best while the burgundy version is just boring.

Interior Design: **
In short: conservative and impractical. By opting for a CLS-style rear console BMW unnecessarily reduced the X6's people capacity to four, but haven't made the interior special enough to justify its lack of space. It's also very color and spec sensitive; the dash looks great covered in dark leather, but the beige plastic found in base versions is just plain tacky. The rear window, big on the outside, looks like little more than a slit from the front seat. The low roofline doesn't compromise rear headroom as much as it looks though, I'm 6'2" and could sit there all day, legroom is equivalent to an X5.

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The 2009 BMW X6 isn't great on a racetrack. This thought occurs during my third lap when I realize — the throttle wide open, exiting a corner at 100mph — this may not be the best sports car out there. My next thought is "But this is a 4,993lbs SUV." And that's the point where you realize what we have here is something entirely new.

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