AS the pioneer of mass produced cars with turbo chargers, which used to conflict with the high safety message of the car itself, Saab has come a long way from the early kick in the back but exciting efforts.
With the coming of low pressure turbos and other technological advances, there is no longer that huge burst of energy at fairly high revs to remind you just what a boot in the pants these things gave you.
Mind you, that was the main attraction.
Now the power output is virtually seamless, starting way down the rev range and continuing all way through.
Not quite so exciting, but a great deal more rewarding when it comes to fuel consumption.
Actually, the early low pressure units were so tame that I have been known to check whether the vehicle I was testing was in fact turbo-charged or not.
Well, the Saab has cer-tainly taken heed and the low pressure turboed Saab 9-5 SE 2.3t I tried out from Saab dealer Swindon Automobiles proved to be a very quick and fairly economical car indeed.
It has to be said that with a huge per cent of all cars sold in the UK going to the fleet and business markets, this is a com-bination all carmakers are having to aim for.
The complex new legislation sur-rounding company cars and taxing of same, is providing quite a challenge to the designers and engineers.
The more sophisticated the car the more costly and for those in this bracket financially, the justification for such vehicles has to be well proved.
Since technical sophistication should mean longer life and increased efficiency, this should lead to more people selecting better cars and, here is the key, keeping them longer.
Naturally the manufacturers have somewhat mixed feelings on that score.
That may well be, but with the Saab 9-5 I tested, quite clearly safety, quality and technical excellence are all that matters.
The new engine in this car does have a higher power output than its predecessor and this can clearly be felt when giving it some wellie.
I'm not going to bang on about lovely lines, glorious interior and so on as I normally do.
This is a Saab.
The quality of these cars is on record.
The lines you either like or you don't.
Likewise the in-terior which, like many cars today, is a bit plasticy and non-inspiring, but very functional.
And for comfort: Ah well, now here is an area that really does strike a chord.
It has its share of seat adjustments but ultimately it is the overall feel of the car, especially from the driver's point of view that matters.
It's fantastic.
This is a real feelgood car to drive, even with rather strange ignition key spot down by the hand brake.
The Saab 9-5 SE 2.3t was a delight and I was none too happy at having to hand it back to Saab sales manager Paul Faulkner of Swindon Autos.
"At £26,320 these cars really are within reach of many people choosing their next company vehicle," he said.
"Needless to say, many people these days are having to find the car they want and negotiate leasing and contract hire deals, which we can help with.
"Saabs are discerning cars for discerning people who want just that little bit extra from their business vehicles."
Contact: Swindon Automobiles, Dorcan Way, Swindon 01793 414200
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