All-Wheel-Drive Saab 9-3 Coming in 2008

This week, Saab brought its limited edition 2008 Turbo X to the U.S. auto show circuit in Boston. The all-black sedan and wagon are similar to any Saab 9-3, except the Turbo X comes with a higher power engine, performance upgrades and most importantly to car shoppers, Saab’s new all-wheel-drive system, called XWD. 

We didn’t want to report on this limited edition — only 600 of the Turbo X will come to the country, priced at $42,510 and $43,150 for the sedan and SportCombi wagon, respectively — until we had official confirmation on wider availability of AWD 9-3s.

GM has confirmed that folks who just want a regular 9-3 in any color will be able to get AWD this spring, but only on the upper-level Aero trim of either body style. No pricing has been announced for the optional AWD but expect it to be around a $2,000 premium. 2008 9-3 sedans and SportCombis start at $34,670 and $35,770, respectively. 

All-wheel drive will hit the full 9-3 range for the 2009 model year.

Today on Mother Proof: BMW Z4 M Coupe Review, Night Driving

While it may not be the most family-friendly car, Sara Lacey stepped into the BMW Z4 M coupe for a test drive just in case she decides to have a mid-life crisis a few years early. Also, Courtney Messenbaugh delivers the unfortunate news that women are more likely than men to have vision problems at night — not to mention that, overall, fewer people seek corrective lenses than one might hope.

2007 BMW Z4 M Coupe Review (Mother Proof)
Blinded By the Night (Mother Proof)

Question of the Day: Do They Still Make the Mercedes-Benz R63 AMG?

We know what you want: You have an uncontrollable hankering for a car with a 503-hp V-8 engine and enough perks and styling to justify spending $80,000. Who hasn’t had that particular craving? The question is, can Mercedes-Benz still satisfy that hunger with the R63 AMG? Ask.cars.com gives you the answer.

Do they still make the Mercedes-Benz R63 AMG? (Ask.cars.com)

Friday Fleet Notes: 11.30.07

Cars.com’s notes from our test fleet return after an extended break due to the L.A. auto show and Thanksgiving holiday. That means we had some good impressions built up on a number of recently reviewed cars and SUVs including Chevy's all-new Malibu.

2008 Jeep Liberty

• I was wowed by the extra-large ragtop sunroof, and the airlock-like sound you get when that top closes. It opened up, letting a lot of sunlight into the car, and gave it a near-convertible feeling. That said, the driving experience left me feeling like I was hovering over the wheels, not really attached to them — just kind of bobbing up and down on the suspension. I didn’t feel directly connected to the road, and there was some pretty noticeable lean in turns. — Patrick Olsen, managing editor

El Camino Fans Rejoice: Pontiac G8 ST On The Way

While we wait to test drive the new Pontiac G8 sedan, PickupTruck.com has confirmed that Pontiac will add a sport utility version of the G8 that harkens back to the days of car-based pickups like the Chevy El Camino.

Like the G8 sedan, the ute, to be named G8 ST, will be built in Australia and imported to the U.S., with a V-8 engine as the only option and pricing to stay around $30,000. The picture above is of the Holden Ute. The G8 ST — and perhaps the G8 sport wagon — could bow at the Detroit auto show.   

El Catalina: Pontiac to Get U.S. Version of Holden Ute (PickupTruck.com)

Cars.com Reviews the 2008 Ford Focus

Facing stiff competition from Honda, Toyota, Hyundai and Mazda in the small-car market, the Ford Focus was in need of more than a face-lift. Unfortunately, that was all Ford was willing to do for the 2008 model. Reviewer David Thomas does find some improvements and attractive new features to recommend it, but at the end of the day the Focus fails to set itself apart from competitors that are either less expensive or simply better cars.

2008 Ford Focus Expert Review (Cars.com)

2008 Detroit Auto Show: Nissan Forum Concept Sketch

Nissan is trying to revamp its family-hauler lineup in the near future — it seems folks aren’t fond of the Quest minivan — and the Forum concept promises some family-friendly technology; Nissan calls them “innovative family communications systems.” They include a Bose media system that not only handles all the entertainment in the vehicle, but also uses monitoring cameras in the second and third rows to keep an eye on the kiddies. Kids won’t mind the invasion of privacy; they’ll have seat-mounted speakers for every row. An interior sketch can be found below.

Cars.com’s coverage of the Detroit auto show begins Jan. 13, 2008.

Cars, Trucks Increase Emissions, Even as U.S. Total Drops

Apparently we’ll have to wait a little longer for the impact of all those new hybrids to reach the atmosphere. Despite the boom of more fuel-efficient vehicles hitting the roads, carbon emissions for all cars and trucks on the road increased in 2006, according to the U.S. government.

Carbon dioxide emissions rose .3% for all cars and trucks burning gasoline. Weighing in at 1.19 billion tons, (yes, that’s billion with a “b”), these emissions accounted for approximately 17% of the total U.S. output of carbon dioxide. This figure does not include all fossil-fuel-based transportation, such as diesel trucks and airplanes, which would increase the total to 2.01 billion tons.

Although automakers continue to introduce more fuel-efficient vehicles, since 1990 drivers have continued to increase the distance they travel every year, at least partially offsetting gains in efficiency.

Overall, however, greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. were actually down 1.5% — the first decrease since 2001 and only the third year since 1990 that emissions didn’t set a new record. However, this decline was due largely to a warmer winter and the fact that the cost of heating oil and gasoline went up.

Nice to know you can find troubling news even in the silver lining these days, isn’t it?

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Up for Cars, Trucks in 2006 (Detroit Free Press)

Video: BMW 1 Series

When BMW introduced its new 1 Series at the L.A. auto show, we had a lot of questions. Would the 1 Series live up to the high standards of the brand? Would it come in costing less than $30,000 yet still maintain any excitement? Would it steal business from its best-selling cousin, the 3 Series? Cars.com senior editor Joe Wiesenfelder takes a closer look at the 1 Series to shed some light on the company’s much-anticipated new addition.

Video: Driving Honda's Hydrogen FCX Clarity, Part 2

If you already watched Part 1 you might be asking, “Well, what the heck does it drive like?!” Ahem, your answer awaits in this video. Senior editor Joe Wiesenfelder starts up the hydrogen fuel cell and checks out what makes it so intriguing. And the gauges totally look like they’re out of "Star Trek."