The Airflow range is available in 1.9 TiD guise with a choice of either 120bhp or 150bhp. But the engines do without the particulate filter which means they are only Euro III emissions standard compliant, unlike its sister cars with the filter, which meet Euro IV levels and escape the 3% benefit-in-kind (BIK) diesel tax surcharge.
The Airflow cars offer identical performance, fuel economy and emissions to their Euro IV sisters.
They are also priced exactly the same, although the Airflow models come with extras such as upgraded alloy wheels, Saab Infotainment System and a rear boot spoiler. The arrival of the Airflow cars comes at a time when Saab is recording record sales in the UK. In March fleet sales were up by 121%, making the UK Saab’s biggest world market.
Saab GB’s managing director, Jonathan Nash, said: ‘Our Trollhattan factory has been unable to keep up with demand, running the risk of lengthy delivery delays. ‘This has been caused in part by a shortage of Saab’s maintenance-free particulate filter which is usually standard on the 9-3 TiD. The Airflow models are not fitted with a particulate filter.’
...and its cars are the safest too
SAAB is claiming a victory in a ‘safest cars’ test performed by a Swedish insurance company.
The assessment of personal injuries in accidents on Sweden’s roads has rated the 9-5 and 9-3 as the safest cars in Sweden. Insurance firm Folksam’s report is based on more than 94,000 accidents between 1994 and 2004 and the Saab 9-3 and 9-5, along with the Volvo V70 and S70, were rated as 30% safer than the average car. The 9-3 and 9-5 won overall as Sweden’s safest cars.
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