SAAB'S high performance 9-3 Aero has gone on sale with a list of 850 customers who placed an order without driving it.

The much-anticipated £22,895 flagship boasts 210bhp from its 2.0- litre turbocharged engine, with a claimed 0-60mph time of 7.5 seconds and a top speed of 146mph. However, a more realistic indication of its performance is a 50-70mph time of 8.5 seconds in top gear for the six-speed manual. The 9-3 Aero develops maximum torque of 221lb-ft at 2,500rpm. Combined fuel consumption of 31.4mpg for the manual (29.4mpg for the five-speed auto) with carbon dioxide emissions of 218g/km (232g/km).