Saab 9-5 3.0t Griffin

[Gutless vvti]

Hi all,

Just looking at Saab 9-5s for sale, and can't work out why Saab bothered making the 3.0t Griffin like this: http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2012...
.. When they made the 2.3t Aero model as well.

The 3.0 model seems pointless - 25mpg versus 30ish mpg for the Aero, and 200 bhp versus 230/250 bhp for the Aero

Any Saab aficionados care to offer an explanation?

[daemon]

Its a v6?

Different driving / driver characteristics i expect.

[otolith]

The four pot doesn't have a special soundtrack (we own a 2.3 Aero). Saab had access to the GM turbo six, the lack of a six pot would undoubtedly put some buyers off... Entirely understandable, just not very Saab.

[Gutless vvti]

otolith said:

The four pot doesn't have a special soundtrack (we own a 2.3 Aero). Saab had access to the GM turbo six, the lack of a six pot would undoubtedly put some buyers off... Entirely understandable, just not very Saab.

Suppose that makes sense. Just out of interest, what kind of mpg do you get from your Aero? I really want a black saloon Aero.

[MrMoonyMan]

Gutless vvti said:

...The 3.0 model seems pointless?...

Ultimately, it is.

Not that good to listen to. Not that powerful and doesn't respond well to tuning.

Go 2.3 every time..

[NiceCupOfTea]

IIRC GM binned a prototype Saab V8 in favour of their own V6. More cylinders sell better in the US, so they used their own V6 in the 9000, and I suppose they continued the trend. I seriously doubt you'd get 30mpg from an Aero in mixed driving. I get 25mpg urban from a 2.3T 9000 and that's with a feather on the gas pedal!

[spaceship]

NiceCupOfTea said:

IIRC GM binned a prototype Saab V8 in favour of their own V6. More cylinders sell better in the US, so they used their own V6 in the 9000, and I suppose they continued the trend. I seriously doubt you'd get 30mpg from an Aero in mixed driving. I get 25mpg urban from a 2.3T 9000 and that's with a feather on the gas pedal!

Yep, I'm sure that's it. US customers don't (or didn't) like 4-cylinder engines so Saab offered the 9-5 with the 3.0t V6.

On a long run I could get about 35mpg from my 9-5 Aero. A run to work of about 40 miles - mix of town, A-road and motorway saw me average 32mpg with a light foot.

[otolith]

Gutless vvti said:

Suppose that makes sense. Just out of interest, what kind of mpg do you get from your Aero? I really want a black saloon Aero.

We reset the trip computer when we got it in December. It's been used for the Xmas run up North, a run from Swindon to Bristol and back and my wife's commuting. Currently showing 25.9mpg. It seems to do low 30's on a run and 24mpg day to day.

[addey]

I consistently get 28-29mpg from my aero estate (reset every fill-up) but i am a bit anal about trying to drive economically! Thats fairly urban driving with a few motorway trips (ave. speed is usually 23-24mph). Stop/start traffic really kills the mpg

[otolith]

My wife has lead shoes

[fathomfive]

otolith said:

Gutless vvti said:

Suppose that makes sense. Just out of interest, what kind of mpg do you get from your Aero? I really want a black saloon Aero.

We reset the trip computer when we got it in December. It's been used for the Xmas run up North, a run from Swindon to Bristol and back and my wife's commuting. Currently showing 25.9mpg. It seems to do low 30's on a run and 24mpg day to day.

I was getting a consistent 32mpg out of mine. I did do a large proportion of my miles on the motorway though.

[NiceCupOfTea]

BTW, if the 9-5 computer is the same as the 9000, it will read consistently 2-3 MPG over real life brim to brim MPG

[otolith]

Trip computer currently reading 25.9, actual consumption in the app on my phone reading 26.

[Rovinghawk]

35mpg on the computer, 32 in the real world.

2.3t estate.

RH

[redtwin]

Are these figures auto or manual box?.

[spaceship]

redtwin said:

Are these figures auto or manual box?.

spaceship said:

NiceCupOfTea said:

IIRC GM binned a prototype Saab V8 in favour of their own V6. More cylinders sell better in the US, so they used their own V6 in the 9000, and I suppose they continued the trend. I seriously doubt you'd get 30mpg from an Aero in mixed driving. I get 25mpg urban from a 2.3T 9000 and that's with a feather on the gas pedal!

Yep, I'm sure that's it. US customers don't (or didn't) like 4-cylinder engines so Saab offered the 9-5 with the 3.0t V6.

On a long run I could get about 35mpg from my 9-5 Aero. A run to work of about 40 miles - mix of town, A-road and motorway saw me average 32mpg with a light foot.

My figures were for an auto.

[otolith]

Ours is a manual.

[redtwin]

Thanks, quite impressive results. I am averaging 26 mpg from a 2.0 petrol auto in an Accord saloon, 33 on a motorway run at 70 or less. The 9-5 is a bigger car with a bigger engine putting out 100 BHP more yet equals or betters it.

[NiceCupOfTea]

My 9000 2.3T is a manual, my dad gets 29 in mixed driving in an identical car.