As you may have seen on Fifth gear last week, the new 9-3 was voted the best all round medium sized quality car in their test. If you consider that it was in competition against Germanys finest 3 series and Mercedes offerings amongst others, this shows how far Saab have come in putting some of the appeal that has been lacking since the last 9000 trundled off the line in Sweden some seven years ago……

I must admit that I was not that excited about driving the new 9-3. Since the rather bland offering of the new 900 when General Motors took the helm in 1994, I had little faith that we would see a Saab with driver and ownership appeal that all 9000 and Classic 900 owners have enjoyed.

So for my first 9-3 I chose a 2004 2.2 TDI Linear model, and what a revelation! The performance from the turbocharged 2.2 diesel engine gave very willing performance with very little lag, and although not as quiet outside as your typical Audi diesel, it did not intrude into the cabin.

Another surprise is the interior, which is very well appointed for this base model. This is dominated by a large amount of switches to give that aircraft cockpit look which some may find over fussy but I think harks back to the 9000 Griffins I loved in the 90's.

But for me the greatest achievement is the handling and driving feel of the new 9-3. Saab have found the right ingredients that make you look forward to your next drive, with virtually neutral handling and road holding that makes you want to find the limits of grip.

So what does this mean for the Saab and the future?
Well if you had asked me this question last year, I would have been hard pressed to sound positive. But with this new model that has the very pretty Convertible and sporty Aero in range, the future for the Saab and people who make decisions in General Motors is much brighter. The pricing of this new model is very good, with the entry model Convertibles looking something of a bargain. I am sure the extensive model range will find favour with fleet operators and private buyers alike.

And for me as an Independent Specialist, we now have a product that we can not only service and repair, but also look to build up some following and respect for this great new Saab.