Saab 9000Until the 95 arrives in the spring of 1998, the Saab 9000 will remain as the Scandinavian maker's flagship sedan. Only about 1300 luxurious 9000s are planned to be imported, strictly in fully equipped CSE Turbo trim. That means manual transmission versions will have 225-horsepower inline fours, and the automatic transmission cars will have a 2.3-liter/200-horsepower version of the same basic engine. Super Aero 16-inch alloy wheels will be standard, wrapped with high-performance Michelin Pilot tires. Though the 9000 has relatively modest exterior dimensions, its blimp-hanger interior nets it a Large Car classification from the EPA. This sedan's hatchback design further boosts utility.
| Body type: | Sedan |
| Drivetrain: | Front engine, front drive |
| Airbag: | Driver/passenger |
| Base curb weight, lb: | 3110 |
| Base engine: | 2.3-liter turbo I-4, DOHC, |
| 200/225 hp (auto./man.) |
| Brakes, f/r: | Discs/discs, ABS std. |
| Price range: | $39,500 |
| Fuel economy, city/hwy, mpg: | 20/29 |
Saleen Performance CarsPlans for '98 weren't finalized at press time, but no major changes seem in the offing for this small-volume manufacturer, other than the addition of an Explorer-based sport/ute to the product line. Saleen extensively reworks brand-new Mustangs fresh from the factory, then markets them through select Ford dealers complete with warranty and EPA certification. Choose from coupe, convertible, and even Speedster body styles, with powertrains from modest to monstrous. The S281 is powered by a Saleen-massaged 4.6-liter V-8 with normal aspiration or supercharging. Or, go ballistic in the S351-R and SR, with their 5.8-liter/510-horse supercharged V-8s.
| Body type: | Coupe, convertible |
| Drivetrain: | Front engine, rear drive |
| Airbag: | Driver/passenger |
| Base curb weight, lb: | 3039 |
| Base engine: | 4.6-liter V-8, SOHC, 220 hp |
| Opt. engines: | 4.6-liter V-8, DOHC, 310 hp;
4.6-liter supercharged V-8, SOHC, 320 hp;
5.8-liter supercharged V-8, OHV, 510 hp |
| Brakes, f/r: | Discs/discs, ABS opt. |
| Price range: | $29,000-$62,000 |
| Fuel economy, city/hwy, mpg: | 18/27 |
SaturnHundreds of thousands of satisfied bargain hunters can't be wrong, Saturn's approach of backing a good car with excellent dealer service is an unqualified success. Not much is new technically with the Saturn coupe, sedan, and wagon. All three have reduced-force airbags (along with many GM products), on-board vapor recovery systems to reduce pollution during refueling, and smarter optional automatic transmissions that reduce gear hunting and deliver quicker downshifts. New colors and revised fabrics spruce up the looks. The basic powerplant is a SOHC 1.9-liter/100-horsepower inline four. Uplevel cars get a 124-horsepower twin-cam version of the same engine.
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