Saab 9-3 Aero Convertible takes on Pikes Peak

Stacy Bishop | For The New Mexican

10/8/2008 - 10/9/08

For a racing driver, there are few things in the area more exciting than the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. West of Colorado Springs, the most-visited mountain in North America rises to 14,110 feet and, each July, all kinds of wildly tricked-out machines are flung along its narrow road. The "Race to the Clouds" challenges with 156 turns over 12.42 miles of gravel and asphalt, where grades average 7 percent and guardrails are rare.

Saab likes to say that its cars are descended from jets, so what better car to borrow for the trip. Ours was the top 9-3 Aero Convertible, and it would be nice to say we competed for the record - an astounding 10 minutes, 1 second set in 2007 - since turbocharging is the best hedge at high altitudes, but Saab wouldn't have appreciated that. Instead, we were trapped among the hordes of SUVs that trundled up and down the mountain before and after the actual racing. Turns out, that was likely the best way to experience the 9-3.

Even with its turbocharged 2.8-liter V-6 putting out an impressive 280 horses for 2009, the Saab is no performance car. Instead, it's a confident cruiser, with soft seats, soft suspension and an optional six-speed automatic that shifts crisply but never eagerly. And, regardless of the numbers, including 262 pound-feet of torque in convertibles, the bottom end wallows until the turbo hits like a hammer, so it'd take a bit of practice to get the most out of this powertrain. There's also a base 2.0T Convertible with 210 horses, and both models have a six-speed manual as standard, something increasingly rare in the U.S.

Instead, the Saab is a tremendously easy long-distance cruiser with stretch-out room for two. The power convertible top is a cinch to operate, but it takes up most of the trunk space, so we filled the vestigial backseat with our weekend gear. Despite what it does to the trunk, you're better off with the top down anyway, because rear visibility disappears when it goes up.

Fittingly, what I liked best was the Aero's blowout 300-watt stereo, which comes standard with 10 speakers and the bliss of XM satellite radio. Then again, with an as-tested price that bumps up uncomfortably against the clouds of $50,000, I just couldn't love this Saab.