Test de la Saab 9-5

Les journalistes depuis vendredi peuvent essayer la nouvelle 9-5 à Trollhatan. C'est autocar qui ouvre le bal. je ne vais pas traduire le texte mais dire l'essentiel. Cette 9-5 selon les deux articles que j'ai pu lire et  une grande voiture spacieuse, très SAAB dans la conception. Le niveau d'équipement est très important faisant de la 9-5 une voiture sophistiqué. Le point fort de la 9-5 est son confort, d'un très haut niveau mais ce qui engendre comme défaut d'être moins sportive que ces concurrentes allemandes même si elle est dynamique. Même en mode sport, cette 9-5 reste confortable. Un point critiqué est aussi son poids qui grève un peu les performances même si cela ne l'empêche pas de passer sous la barre des 7 sec avec le 2,8T, mais c'est vrai que 1945kg, c'est beaucoup.
Pour être sincère, si je devais choisir une 9-5, je ne prendrais pas le V6 2,8T XWD. Il consomme beaucoup trop pour un véhicule de 2010 et il est trop lourd, le 2.0T 220ch disponible aussi en XWD est un bien meilleur choix , consommant presque 3L de moins tout en étant plus léger. En passant chez Hirsch, la puissance passe même à 240 et 260ch sans perdre la garantie SAAB...

hat’s it like?

This is an unusual car. On paper, it is aimed directly at the Audi A6 (Audi and Saab buyers are apparently closely related) but at nearly 5.1m long, the 9-5 is the same length as the BMW 7-series. Compared to the related Insignia, the 9-5 gets an extra 10cm in the wheelbase.

The result is extraordinary legroom both front and rear as well as a very substantial boot. It’s a very wide car, too. The upshot is that the 9-5 range probably offers more space than any other car retailing for under £50,000.

There’s no mistaking the cabin, either. It remains gloriously Saabish, individual and cleverly thought-out. The usual great seats are complimented by some desirable options, including an excellent head-up display and blistering Harman Kardon hi-fi.

Saab says that new 9-5 was ‘engineered with the driver in focus’ for a ‘segment leading sporty driving experience’. Combining this aim with a front-drive car as large as the 9-5 could not have been straightforward.

The 2.8-litre V6 engine - which uses a twin-scroll turbocharger and gets variable valve timing on both camshafts - is a huge advance over the first-generation unit fitted to the 9-3. The induction, exhaust and installation system have all been greatly refined. It drives a conventional six-speed autobox.

First off, there’s a satisfying sophistication to the drivetrain of this new Saab. The engine is very smooth and extremely refined under cruising conditions and the autobox swift to respond. The fact that it can get to 62mph in 6.9 seconds, despite weighing 1945kg gives some idea of its potency. The 9-5 can kick down and sprint past slower cars with ease.

However, even with the chassis in ‘Sport’ mode, there’s a certain imperiousness and refinement about this 9-5 which is not the most ‘sporty driving experience in the segment’. It’s not inclined to claw its way aggressively around bends and the steering becomes a little indirect when cornering hard. It is not that the 9-5 cannot pick up its skirts and go hard...

http://www.autocar.co.uk/CarReviews/FirstDrives/saab-95/250063/